I'm going to try adding some chicken katsu to my usual curry, which will involve deep-frying some breaded chicken breast cutlets for 3 minutes each. I saw this question about removing odours after the cooking happened, but as a deep-frying novice, what steps can I take to prevent them while I'm cooking? My hood vent does not vent to the outside (an appalling situation I hope to fix next year) so I can't rely on it to do much, despite the mesh and charcoal filters in it. I was going to cook the chicken with a lid on as much as possible, pull out the crumbs after each piece to prevent burning, and then remove the pan from the house right after I'm done cooking. Any other magic tricks I can do? 
There is some controversy about the ingredients for velveting, but the idea behind the Chinese technique, is that meat (chicken, pork, or fish) is marinated, then given a hot oil blanch, before being stir fried.  The purpose of the technique is create a smooth and silky texture. Baking soda is indeed mentioned, but less commonly than egg white and cornstarch.  Some, leave those three ingredients out altogether, and simply marinate in oil and still call the technique "velveting."  Most common seems to be a combination of egg white, cornstarch, and Chinese cooking wine. The marinade is not washed off before use.  Here is a good explanation. I haven't looked for any science on the topic, but it would be interesting to see if it has been studied.  If I find anything, I will update. 