Delicious Stir-Fried Dishes - Fall in Love with the Kitchen

Author: Ni Guoping
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2007-01-01
Features: The concept of "shao" (burning/cooking) has varied across different eras. In ancient China, "shao" referred to cooking ingredients directly over fire until cooked. An early example is the method of "zhi xi" (roasting pork) mentioned in the Qimin Yaoshu. Later, it evolved to include cooking food in a pot over heat, also referred to as "shao." By the Song and Yuan dynasties, methods like adding broth to the dish, such as "shao rou" (braised pork), emerged. By the Qing Dynasty, "shao" had become widely used, with techniques like "hong shao" (braised in soy sauce) and "jian shao" (pan-fried braising) appearing. In modern times, the understanding of "shao" has become quite diverse. For instance, what we commonly call "shao cai" (braised dishes), "shao fan" (braised rice), stewed meat also being referred to as "shao rou," and even stir-fried eggplant, which is sometimes called "shao qie."
Regarding the modern method of "shao," the general textbook Cooking Techniques defines it as follows: After selecting the ingredients and subjecting them to preliminary cooking processes such as frying, pan-frying, stir-frying, or boiling, they are placed in a seasoned broth. The broth is first brought to a boil with high heat, then simmered with medium or low heat until the flavors are fully absorbed. Finally, high heat is used to thicken the sauce, or a small amount of starch is added to finish the dish. The characteristics of this method include a rich, thick sauce with minimal liquid, tender ingredients, and a fresh, mellow flavor.
The detailed classification of "shao" can be divided into nearly 20 types based on actual cooking practices, such as hong shao (braised in soy sauce), bai shao (white braising), haimi shao (braised with dried shrimp), xiamei zishi shao (braised with shrimp paste), ceng shao (braised with scallions), jiang shao (braised with soy sauce), kaiyu shao (braised with curry), doudan shao (braised with broad bean paste), yuxiang shao (fish-flavored braising), mala shao (spicy and numbing braising), jiyoushao (braised with chicken fat), yayoushao (braised with duck fat), haoyoushao (braised with oyster sauce), zhashao (fried braising), jianshao (pan-fried braising), gan shao (dry braising), and naiyoushao (butter braising), among others. However, the most fundamental methods are hong shao and bai shao, with other techniques derived from these two. The differences lie in the seasonings used, and we can generalize from these methods. Therefore, this book provides detailed explanations of the three major "shao" techniques—hong shao, bai shao, and gan shao—for reference.