When making stir-fried meat slices, twice-cooked pork, stir-fried cabbage, stir-fried garlic stalks, or stir-fried celery, add the ingredients to a wok over high heat with hot oil. It's best if there is a sizzling sound when the ingredients hit the wok. Add an appropriate amount of salt only after all the ingredients have been thoroughly stir-fried. This results in dishes that are tender and not tough, with less loss of nutrients.
2. Dishes where salt is added before cooking
When steaming large pieces of meat, because the pieces are thick and no seasonings can be added during the steaming process, it is necessary to add a sufficient amount of salt and seasonings beforehand.
When cooking whole fish or fried fish pieces, first marinate them with an appropriate amount of salt before cooking. This helps the saltiness to penetrate the flesh.
When making fish balls or meat balls, first add an appropriate amount of salt and starch to the minced meat and mix well. Then, add water and mix until the meat absorbs as much water as possible. This makes the resulting fish balls and meat balls both savory and tender.
For some stir-fried, deep-fried, or pan-fried dishes, add salt to the ingredients and mix well before coating them with batter or starch. This helps the batter or starch adhere tightly to the ingredients, preventing them from coming off during cooking.
3. Dishes where salt is added just before serving
For cold dishes like cold-dressed lettuce or cucumber, adding too much salt will cause them to lose water and become limp. If you add salt just before serving, let them sit briefly to draw out some moisture, then drain and add other seasonings. The result will be a crisper and more refreshing dish.
4. Dishes where salt is added right at the start of cooking
When making braised pork or braised fish, after the pork has been stir-fried and the fish has been pan-fried, add salt and seasonings immediately. Then, bring to a boil over high heat and simmer over low heat.
5. Dishes where salt is added after cooking is complete
For meat broth, bone broth, chicken feet broth, chicken soup, duck soup, and other meat-based broths, add salt for seasoning after they are fully cooked. This allows the protein and fat in the meat to dissolve more fully into the broth, making it more savory. The same principle applies when stewing tofu; add salt after it is cooked.