Takeaways Cooking method

gizmo81

So we ordered Chinese tonight. Gambled with a different one to usual, i'm not much of a food risk taker but thought they had multiple outlets, good reviews etc

Anyway majorly disappointed. The chicken was this rubbery lump. So I was wondering what this would be?

I've heard of places cooking steak sous-vide before turning it on a pan.

What method would make chicken congeal and be springy?

To me chicken breast should fall apart. This was like a pack of chicken pieces you buy in the supermarket pumped full of preservatives not a fresh chicken breast.

Toto Wolfcastle

Sounds like velveting maybe.

gizmo81

Toto Wolfcastle wrote: »

Sounds like velveting maybe.

Oh cool, think I heard of that before but in terms of frying off beef in flour for a stew?

phormium

More than likely just poor quality to start with and pre cooked by boiling. Do that and you'll get exactly what you did, a rubbery lump.

the beer revolu

gizmo81 wrote: »

Oh cool, think I heard of that before but in terms of frying off beef in flour for a stew?

No, that's a very different process with a different result.
Flouring and frying meat for a stew is about creating tasty, caramelised, seared, brown bits on the meat and the cooked flour helps thicken and brown the stew. Despite what many people will tell you (including chefs-I'm looking at you Nevin), this process does not "seal" the meat.

gizmo81

Ah cool I was getting them confused.

I'll try put up a photo later to show the consistency of the chicken.

kylith

Isn't velveting soaking in cornflour and water? I thought it was supposed to make it more tender.

gizmo81

Definitely pre-cooked which gave it a tough texture and didn't allow it fall apart.

Some pics attached.

One dish was salt and chilli chicken, which was a whole breast then sliced into pieces, like a fillet roll:eek: not like goujon style we'd expect.

Than the other was chicken in a sauce with veg.

The only way I can describe is the chicken needed to be sliced and chewed.

Dizzyblonde

I think the standard of Chinese takeaway food has slipped a lot in the last few years. They buy in a lot of prepared food, and the meat doesn't seem to be good quality. Chicken is often tough and stringy. Hardly surprising that Chinese takeaway came last on the list of the nation's favourites recently. The difference is striking when you compare it to Thai or Indian takeaway. We used to have a Chinese once a week, but now it's a very rare occurrence.

gizmo81

I completely agree, it's difficult to find a nice Chinese Takeaway.

I remember years ago there were some nice restaurants in Dublin CC but now they are all buffet styles.

JimmyMcGill

Are all these Street Food establishments an evolution of the Chinese restaurant? Tried my first this week and was hugely underwhelmed.

Dial Hard

JimmyMcGill wrote:

Are all these Street Food establishments...

This is my current foodie pet hate. If you are operating out of a bricks & mortar building, you are not "street food", you are a plain old takeaway.

Notions.

the beer revolu

JimmyMcGill wrote: »

Are all these Street Food establishments an evolution of the Chinese restaurant? Tried my first this week and was hugely underwhelmed.

That's pretty much exactly what they are.
A lot of typical Chinese takeaways have converted to "Asian street food" takeaways.