Article 38: Types of raw materials, types of pastes, and the function of thickening in battering and coating.

Paste raw materials and their types

I. Paste Raw Materials

① Corn starch is made from corn.

It is fine, white, and loose. When used as a batter, it becomes pure in color and crispy after deep-frying; when used as a glaze, it becomes white and smooth after being dipped in oil.

Corn starch has low gelatinization properties, high brittleness, and low cost, making it an excellent raw material for preparing pastes.

②Potato starch is made from potatoes.

It is fine, white, and soft. When used as a batter, it turns reddish and becomes crispy after deep-frying; when used as a coating, it turns grayish-white and becomes smooth after being swished in oil.

Potato starch has high gelatinization properties, low brittleness, and low cost, making it a good raw material for preparing pastes.

③ Mung bean starch is made from mung beans.

It is fine, white, and soft. When used as a batter, it becomes pure in color and crispy after deep-frying. When used as a coating, it becomes white-green in color and smooth and tender after being fried in oil. It is the best type of starch, but it is more expensive.

④ Sweet potato starch is made from sweet potatoes.

It is grayish-white in color, highly viscous, and not very brittle, making it the lowest quality type of starch.

⑤ Water chestnut starch is made from water chestnut fruit.

It is fine, white, soft, and has low stickiness and brittleness. It is not suitable for coating with batter or starch, but it works well as a thickener.

⑥ Egg white mainly refers to egg white, which is also one of the important raw materials for preparing pastes. It is usually used in combination with starch to make the product white, crisp or soft and smooth.

It can also be used to make egg foam batter for dishes such as lightly fried and soft-fried.

⑦ Egg yolk: Egg yolk is usually mixed with starch to form a batter, which can make fried dishes golden in color and crispy.

⑧ Whole egg: This refers to egg whites and yolks mixed together, with the addition of starch to form a paste. It is used in dishes such as stir-frying, deep-frying, and pan-frying, resulting in a golden color and a crisp or tender texture.

It is also used for coating with flour and egg batter, and is suitable for making fried, baked and other dishes.

⑨ Flour. Flour is one of the raw materials for making batter. It is mainly used for its strong stickiness. For example, when coating with flour and egg, coating with egg batter, or coating with breadcrumbs, flour must be coated first. For raw materials with smooth surfaces that are easy to peel off the batter, or raw materials that are easy to break apart or peel off the batter during frying or steaming, flour needs to be added. For example, when making crispy pork belly, fried meatballs, and Shandong crispy pork, flour is necessary.

⑩ Breadcrumbs: Breadcrumbs are crumbs of bread and are mainly used in fried dishes. They can give the dishes a golden-red color and a crispy and fragrant taste.

⑪ Baking powder is a raw material for making crispy coating batter, which mainly makes the surface of dishes crispy.

⑫ Fermented dough, also known as old dough, is one of the ingredients for making crispy batter, which can make the outer skin of dishes crispy.

II. Types of Paste and Paste

① Water starch paste (slurry), also known as hard paste, is made by soaking starch in water and then letting it settle.

Batter is mostly used for deep-frying and crispy frying, which can make the dishes crispy and fragrant with a white color and reddish tinge. Coating with starch is mostly used for stir-frying and crispy frying (such as crispy chicken), which can make the dishes tender and crispy.

② Egg white paste (mixture) is made by mixing egg whites and dry starch (sometimes with a small amount of water) or by mixing egg whites and wet starch.

Batter is mostly used for soft frying, with a 1:1 ratio of ingredients, which makes the dish crispy and yellowish-white in color; Coating with starch is mostly used for stir-frying, quick-frying, and deep-frying, with a 2:1 ratio of ingredients, which makes the dish smooth, tender, and white in color.

③ Whole egg batter (mixture) Whole egg batter, also known as egg powder batter.

It is made from eggs and starch (sometimes with a small amount of water added).

Batter is mostly used for frying and deep-frying, with a 1:1 ratio of ingredients. It makes the dish crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, and golden in color. Coating with starch is mostly used for stir-frying, with a 2:1 ratio of ingredients. It makes the dish tender and golden in color.

④ Egg yolk batter (mixture) is made from egg yolks and starch (sometimes a small amount of water is added).

The application scope and effect of coating and sizing are the same as those of whole egg batter.

⑤ Use chopsticks to whisk the egg whites until they become foamy, then add starch to make the batter (some use starch and flour).

The ingredient ratio is 2:1, which is often used for stir-frying, light frying, and candied dishes, making the dishes tender and white in color.

⑥ Baking soda paste is made from egg whites, starch, baking soda, water, salt, MSG, and sesame oil.

The standard ingredient dosage is calculated based on 500g of raw materials: 30g egg white, 30g starch, 6.5g baking soda, and other appropriate amounts.

It is often used as a coating for crispy fried and stir-fried dishes, making the outer skin of the dishes crispy or tender.

⑦ Crispy batter is also known as leavened batter.

It is made from starter, flour, alkali, vegetable oil, and salt.

First, dissolve the starter dough in water, add an appropriate amount of alkali and mix well. Then add flour, vegetable oil and an appropriate amount of salt and mix well.

It is often used as a batter for deep-fried dishes, making the surface of the dish crispy, the inside tender, and the color golden.

⑧ Crispy paste is similar to egg yolk paste, and is made from eggs, flour, starch, and vegetable oil.

It is often used as a batter for deep-fried dishes, making them crispy and tender.

⑨ The batter is made of whole eggs and flour (or starch).

The ingredients are first marinated in seasonings, then coated with flour, and finally dipped in egg wash.

It is often used for frying and stir-frying, which can make the dishes tender and golden in color.

⑩ For dry powder paste, use dry starch or dry flour.

The ingredients are first marinated in seasonings and then rolled in a layer of dry starch or dry flour.

It is often used for frying and deep-frying, which can make the dishes dry, firm, and not shrink.

III. Basic Requirements for Pasting and Baking

To coat the food with batter, you usually need to make the batter first, which involves mixing various batter ingredients in a container until they are evenly mixed.

Sizing involves adding various sizing agents directly to the raw materials and mixing them thoroughly.

Its basic requirements are:

① The wet starch used needs to be soaked in water for 4 to 5 hours beforehand to prevent the particles from sticking together.

When mixing several ingredients together, start slowly and then speed up, and start lightly and then heavily stir until well mixed and fine.

Otherwise, after coating with batter and starch, the surface of the raw materials will not be smooth, and they may crack during frying.

② When whipping the egg whites, you must beat them vigorously until they form a foamy consistency that can stand up to chopsticks before adding the starch.

After adding starch, mix it first and then stir it, stirring in one direction until it becomes a smooth paste.

The prepared egg batter should be used immediately and not left for too long to prevent it from becoming watery.

③ The consistency of the paste should be adjusted flexibly according to the properties of the raw materials.

Generally speaking: for tender ingredients, the batter should be thicker; for older ingredients, the batter should be thinner; for frozen ingredients, the batter should be thicker; for ingredients that have not been frozen, the batter should be thinner; for ingredients that are to be cooked immediately after being coated with batter, the batter should be thicker; for ingredients that will be cooked some time after being coated with batter, the batter should be thinner.

④ Whether it's coating with paste or starch, the raw materials must be completely covered with the paste.

If the wrapping is not tight, uneven coloring and uneven cooking will occur during cooking.

Thickening

Thickening, also known as greasy.

This technique involves pouring the prepared gravy into a spoon when the dish is almost cooked, thickening the gravy and increasing its adhesion to the ingredients.

The thickening sauce is made by mixing starch and water. When heated, the starch gelatinizes and absorbs water from the broth, forming a sticky and smooth sauce.

Thickening sauce is an important basic skill in cooking and has a significant impact on the quality of dishes.

I. The function of thickening sauce

1. Increase the viscosity and thickness of dish broth.

Many dishes are cooked with the addition of broth or liquid seasonings (such as soy sauce, vinegar, cooking wine, etc.), and the ingredients also release some moisture when heated, which becomes the broth of the dish.

However, these broths are too thin to adhere to the ingredients, which affects the "flavor absorption".

Thickening the broth increases its viscosity and concentration, making the soup and dishes blend together and become more flavorful.

2. It maintained the crispy and tender texture of the dish.

This effect is most noticeable in stir-fried dishes.

For example, the characteristic of crispy fried dishes is that they are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. If the sauce is not thickened, it will seep directly onto the surface of the ingredients, causing the already crispy ingredients to soften and ruining the crispy on the outside and tender on the inside effect.

After the sauce is thickened with cornstarch, the starch gelatinizes and becomes viscous, making it difficult for the sauce to penetrate the surface of the ingredients, thus preserving the flavor characteristics of the dish.

3. To harmonize the soup and vegetables, highlighting the main ingredients.

This effect is mainly seen in soups and dishes.

Some soup dishes have a lot of broth, and the umami flavor of the ingredients and the flavor of the seasonings are dissolved in the broth. However, the soup and the vegetables are separate and cannot be blended together. The soup is delicious, but the vegetables are bland.

After thickening with cornstarch, the gelatinization of the starch increases the concentration of the broth, allowing the soup and vegetables to blend together. This not only enhances the flavor of the vegetables but also creates a smooth and tender texture.

Furthermore, because the broth becomes thicker after thickening with cornstarch, the buoyancy increases, causing the main ingredients to float and protrude, thus changing the phenomenon of seeing the soup but not the vegetables.

4. To make the dishes look beautiful and have bright colors.

After the dish is thickened with cornstarch, the increased viscosity and concentration of the sauce allow the sauce to coat the surface of the ingredients evenly, making the dish look fuller and more appealing.

Furthermore, the gelatinization of starch produces a unique transparent sheen, making the colors of dishes and seasonings more vivid and vibrant.

5. Increased the heat retention of dishes

After thickening with cornstarch, the sauce coats the surface of the ingredients, reducing heat loss and maintaining the heat for a longer period, thus protecting the flavor and other qualities of the dish.