Oil dipping—an important cooking technique commonly used in banquet dishes—resembles deep frying but the quantity of oil used is smaller and the temperature and timing vary according to the sizes and types of ingredients to be cooked. In oil dipping, ingredients such as meat, poultry, or seafood are given a quick bath in heated oil. The partially cooked pieces separate easily. Then they are removed to drain in a bowl lined with a strainer or a sieve. Afterwards the food joins other ingredients in the last stage of stir-frying. With elegant banquet dishes, oil dipping is always the preferred technique as a pre treatment to the ingredients before stir-frying. But if the food is not properly drained, the dishes may become greasy. There are three major kinds of oil dipping techniques:

Cool Oil dipping: This technique should be used with fine shreds, thin slices of meat, and minced meat. First set the wok over high heat until very hot. Pour in the oil and add the ingredients immediately, stirring gently until separated; then remove together with the oil to drain in a strainer-lined bowl.

Warm Oil dipping: This technique should be used with slices of meat, small to medium sized shrimp, poultry dice, meat dice, or small scallops. Set the wok over high heat until very hot, and then add oil. Wait two to three minutes for the oil to warm up before adding the ingredients.

Hot Oil dipping: This technique is used with chunks or thick slices of meat (1/4 inch or thicker) and seafood such as jumbo shrimp, large scallops, fresh oysters, and fish chunks. Unlike the previous two kinds of oil dipping, it uses more oil and the waiting time is longer (about four to five minutes to heat the oil).

Since different ingredients call for different timing, the chef should follow the recipes closely. A round strainer or a colander about eight inches in diameter inside a large, stainless steel mixing bowl is ideal for straining the food. The drained oil can be directly heated in the bowl over low heat to evaporate the moisture. After it is cooled, pour the oil through a funnel lined with a paper towel into a bottle for storing. The oil can be reused for cooking or for further oil-dipping.