The timing of adding salt during cooking affects the taste and nutrition of the entire dish. How do you master the timing for adding salt?
Early-stage addition of salt: Marinating, steaming meat, stewing
Generally, for rich-flavored meat dishes, it's necessary to pre-marinate and season some ingredients before cooking to ensure full flavor penetration. For example, the meat in "Fish-flavored Shredded Pork" and "Sweet and Sour Pork" needs to be marinated first for the meat to be savory both inside and out. Some dishes require battering or steaming, and since seasoning is not possible later, salt must be added before heating, such as in "Poached Meatballs," "Fried Chicken Cutlets," and "Steamed Pork with Rice Flour." In home cooking, stewing is also a common method. For dishes like "Braised Pork in Soy Sauce" or "Mapo Tofu" that require slow cooking, salt should be added at the beginning of heating to achieve a rich and flavorful taste.
Late-stage addition of salt: Braising, stewing, stir-frying
Adding salt too early can easily ruin the appearance and texture of some dishes. For instance, when making "Beef Stew with Potatoes," adding salt beforehand causes the meat's fibers to tighten prematurely, preventing it from absorbing flavor fully. Therefore, whether braising or stewing, adding salt when the dish is about 70-80% cooked makes the meat tender and the flavor savory. Additionally, for soups, it's best to add salt just before serving to allow nutrients like protein, calcium, and iron from the ingredients to dissolve more fully, making the soup more delicious. For stir-fried vegetables, salt should also be added late in the process; otherwise, adding it early will cause the vegetables to release water, carrying away vitamin C and other water-soluble vitamins.
Post-cooking addition of salt: Cold dishes, barbecues, steamed vegetables
Dishes that require salt after cooking are rare and typically include cold dishes, barbecue, and steamed vegetables. For cold dishes like "Assorted Vegetable Salad" or "Cold Shredded Jellyfish," the ingredients are prepared and blanched first, then seasonings like soy sauce, vinegar, and sesame oil are added, mixed well, and finally salt is added.
For barbecue, to enhance the savory, crispy, and tender texture, dipping sauces such as salt and pepper powder, chili sauce, or savory sauce are often used. Dishes like "Salt and Pepper Chicken" or "Barbecued Pork Chops with Sauce" are classic examples of adding salt after cooking.
When steaming vegetables, it's recommended to drizzle with a moderate amount of soy sauce after they are done. If soy sauce is used, you should use less or no salt, monosodium glutamate (MSG), or chicken powder to avoid excessive sodium intake.