velveting
n.— «I’m happy to share with you the secret behind such sublime results: a technique Western cooks, when speaking of Chinese cooking, refer to as “velveting.” All you have to do is mix together some egg whites, cornstarch, oil and Chinese seasonings, coat the raw chicken pieces with it and let them marinate for at least half an hour. Then you cook them very briefly in oil, but only until they turn white. The result is chicken meat with an absolutely tender texture and a coating that is so soft it feels like velvet in your mouth.» —“Stir-fry secret: It’s the marinade” by Wolfgang Puck IndyStar.com (Indianapolis) Sept. 5, 2007. (source: Double-Tongued Dictionary)