Cubes of red-braised pork in glossy red sauce steam in a clay pot as a hand lifts one with a wooden spoon, sauce dripping, a blue-and-white plate in front holds greens in a light broth, and star anise lies beside it.
Braised for flavour
Introduction
Cooking in a moderate amount of liquid: red, white and dry braising and covered braising.
Braising is the method of cooking food in a moderate amount of liquid until done and well flavoured, and it covers shao braising and covered braising (men). Shao has forms such as red-braising, white-braising and scallion-braising, while dry-braising adds no water for cooking. Shao often ends with the liquid reduced over high heat, whereas covered braising uses lower heat and more liquid and is generally not thickened. Stewing, with ample liquid, long low heat and the broth eaten with the food, has a class of its own, and quick stir-frying over high heat does not belong here.