How do Indian restaurants make their chicken so tender?

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JCM89

Because its injected with chicken broth and salt water which might make it tastier (this depends on your palate) but it has a very high salt content - sometimes up to 8 times that of an unaltered piece of chicken. Also, as the injections plump up the meat by up to 20%, you are getting less actual meat for your money.

but if its nicer, moister meat, surely quality > quantity?

I like salt anyway. If it didn't have salt in it, I'd only add more. Salt bonds with the something-or-others to release the odour molecules pr something, releasing the flavour of the food. Eating food without a little salt is like listening to music with the sound down so you can barely here it.

Reply 21

JCM89

py0alb

but if its nicer, moister meat, surely quality > quantity?

It depends how used you are to high salt content - some people are used to a lot and think that the food tastes better... think McDonald's :wink:

Other people (like me) don't like salt and think that if you use high quality meat and cook it properly you shouldn't need to dose it up to make it tasty. Personal preference I guess.

(edited 13 years ago)

Reply 22

py0alb

JCM89

It depends how used you are to high salt content - some people are used to a lot and think that the food tastes better... think McDonald's :wink:

Other people (like me) don't like salt and think that if you use high quality meat and cook it properly you shouldn't need to dose it up to make it tasty. Personal preference I guess.

Fair enough, personal preference, some people like their food bland, just like some people like their steaks burnt to a crisp, and their carrots mushy.

However, I think you will find that most gastronomy experts will be on my side of the seasoning debate. Herve This certainly is, there is a whole chapter in his excellent book about the importance of correctly seasoning food.

Reply 23

JCM89

py0alb

However, I think you will find that most gastronomy experts will be on my side of the seasoning debate. Herve This certainly is, there is a whole chapter in his excellent book about the importance of correctly seasoning food.

Pumping chicken with 20% broth and salt water is a world away from correctly seasoning food. It just blunts your palate so that unless you overload everything with salt you think your food is tasteless.

Reply 24

py0alb

JCM89

But if my palate was "blunted", that would mean that by adding salt to food, I would simply find that the food tastes salty, and no other flavours would emerge.

Whereas in fact, the opposite happens if you season correctly. The food still doesn't taste particularly salty, but all the other flavours become far more pronounced.

This bizarre hate campaign against salt is what makes people think that food tastes bland in the first place: its because no-one seasons thing correctly anymore.

If your conspiracy theories about chicken were correct, then you would think that organic chicken meat would win out in blind taste tests, whereas in fact they consistently lose out to normal chicken from the supermarket. Funny that!

Reply 25

JCM89

py0alb

If your conspiracy theories about chicken were correct, then you would think that organic chicken meat would win out in blind taste tests, whereas in fact they consistently lose out to normal chicken from the supermarket. Funny that!

It's not funny at all but to be expected as people are used to processed food that is overloaded with salt and will consistently pick out what they are used to. The flavour of unadulterated food - or even lightly seasoned food - is too delicate for their blunted palates.

Reply 26

baldy68

because the chicken injected with water and salt and sometimes held together with protein powders. The best way to keep the chicken tender and succulent is to either use a matured chicken breast which is kept on the bone for 20hours after slaughter to hepl the enzymes tenderize the meat naturally or pop it in a brine solution for a few hours prior to cooking it

Reply 27

username1799249

Original post by py0alb

Not really. Most people eat chicken bought from the supermarket or the cheap crap sold in takeaways that is laced in salt and other chemicals. They are naturally going to prefer that because that is what they are used to. Personally I don't have an axe to grind about organic chicken. Protein is protein. But as a product, you could argue that organic chicken is better in terms of its nutrient content and also from an ethical point of view.

But that soft tender crap that is injected with brine is horrendous. I find it so sad that Chinese and Indian food (which is actually delicious) has changed so much to the crap you end up being served in a typical Chinese / Indian outlet. It is an insult to the original cuisine.

Reply 28

joey11223

You could add the chicken after making the sauce and let it cook within that, since when you seal meat the inside still needs to cook anyway. I generally cook meatballs then add them to the sauce, but I have used a recipe which had you add raw meatballs to the sauce and have them slow boil within it instead, seemed to work fine.

Reply 29

olliesmummy

Search for Julian voigt on you tube, he owns a restaurant and gives you curry secrets and recipes, I have made a few and they taste exactly same as takeaway if not nicer , also marinade chicken in natural low fat yoghurt and lemon juice to make tender 😄

Reply 30

Chinesescottish

To reply to the original poster. There are threeways of getting your chicken to be as nice as the chicken in authentic takeaway food.

‘Velvet’ the chicken before cooking
https://www.recipetineats.com/velveting-chicken-chinese-restaurant-tenderise-chicken/

Or

Boil, poach or simmer the chicken for 10 minutes before adding it to the sauce for another ten minutes cooking.
Or
Use whole or boned chicken (the type you get in supermarkets, in foil trays ready to roast) and roast according to instructions. When chicken is still hot and juicy from roasting, cut into chunks and add to sauce. Ensure properly heated through and serve

(edited 3 years ago)

Reply 31

5hyl33n

Volunteer Team, Clearing and Applications Advisor

Original post by Chinesescottish

To reply to the original poster. There are two ways of getting your chicken to be as nice as the chicken in authentic takeaway food. Boil, poach or simmer the chicken for 10 minutes before adding it to the sauce for another ten minutes cooking.
Or
Use whole or boned chicken (the type you get in supermarkets, in foil trays ready to roast) and roast according to instructions. When chicken is still hot and juicy from roasting, cut into chunks and add to sauce. Ensure properly heated through and serve

This is a 10 year old thread. Good advice anyway. 😂

Reply 32

sammy_starlight

Original post by ي

Hello Foodies :smile:

Whenever you get a takeaway curry, the chicken is always amazingly tender and soft. When you make curry at home (at least when I do) I seal the chicken first in a bit of oil or ghee and then I add sauce.

How do they do this? I really want to learn to make something similar to a takeaway curry at home as I spend so much money on takeaways. I think I can do the sauce quite well. I usually use a large frying pan. Could I use a large, shallow stainless steel pot instead? Can I add the chicken after making the sauce and just let it cook for longer or is sealing the meat absolutely necessary?
Should I marinade the chicken? Or perhaps boil it?

If anyone knows, please tell me :biggrin: