Chinese Velveting Technique for Tender Meat

Place your sliced meat in a mixing bowl. Add the cornstarch to the bowl, but don't mix it in yet.

Pour the water directly onto the cornstarch on the side of the bowl. Mix the cornstarch and water together to form a slurry. This prevents clumping.

Now, mix the slurry thoroughly with the meat until every piece is evenly coated.

If your full marinade recipe calls for oil, add it now, after the cornstarch is mixed in. Mix again to incorporate.

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat.

Add the marinated meat to the hot oil and stir-fry briefly until it's just cooked through. This process is called 'passing through oil'.

Remove the cooked meat from the wok and set it aside. It is now perfectly tender and ready to be added back into your final stir-fry dish with vegetables and sauce.