I'm the Culinary God-Chapter 577 - 278 The Pinnacle of Soft Burned Dishes—Soft Burned Chicken Cake! New Side Quest! [Subscribe Please]

Chapter 577: Chapter 278 The Pinnacle of Soft Burned Dishes—Soft Burned Chicken Cake! New Side Quest! [Subscribe Please]

Lin Xu had never heard of Soft Burned Chicken Cake.

But as soon as he heard that this "tofu" was made with Chicken Breast and Pork Fat, he immediately realized it was a high-end Sichuan dish, and even an obscure one at that.

This kind of dish might become extinct one day; if I have the chance to learn it, I have to seize it.

"Brother, you want to learn? Welcome, welcome! We were just worrying about whether this dish would be lost to time, and here you are eager to learn. That’s just great."

Dai Jianli greeted him enthusiastically. He brought over a piece of Chicken Breast and Pork Fat, saying, "They’ve all finished theirs, and I’m the only one left. It’s perfect timing to demonstrate for you... You can learn it in one go, right, brother? I’ve heard you managed to learn Qingshui Furong in just one attempt, so this dish should be no problem for you."

Lin Xu smiled helplessly.

This is the consequence of setting up a false reputation!

However, with Qingshui Furong as the basis, if the method for making this Chicken Cake was similar to Furong Chicken Slices, then truly learning it in one go might not be that difficult after all.

With this in mind, he said, "We can certainly give it a try later. If I can learn it, next time we compete at the Fishing Platform, I’ll use it and crush the opposition!"

Dai Jianli deftly placed the Chicken Breast on the cutting board, removing the surface membranes, then flipped the cleaver over to use the thick back of the blade to pound on the meat.

This was exactly the same as making Furong Chicken Slices.

Lin Xu watched and understood quite clearly.

Pounding the Chicken Breast required the principle of starting slow then fast, and light before heavy.

The process was not about pounding blindly but involved several iterations.

The first round aimed to loosen the Chicken Breast, so the force had to be lighter, with about a centimeter interval between each hit to ensure that the fibers of the chicken loosened, resulting in fluffier Chicken Meatball.

The second round flattened the Chicken Breast to further loosen the fibers. The force should be slightly increased during the pounding, and the interval halved.

Starting from the third round, one had to use the cleaver’s back in a continuous motion to gradually pound the Chicken Breast into a paste.

After repeating the process a few times, the Chicken Meatball would become fine and fluffy.

At this point, use the blade of the cleaver to scrape the Chicken Meatball to the side, about two to three centimeters wide, pressing it tightly against the cutting board. The hair-like membranes in the meat would then be revealed.

Using a bamboo skewer, Dai Jianli picked out these membranes and scraped the bulk of the Chicken Meatball into a small bowl. He then spread the remaining Chicken Meatball flat on the cutting board and continued picking out membranes.

After repeatedly picking out all the membranes, the Chicken Meatball was ready.

The whole process was complex and tedious, demanding high physical strength, concentration, and stamina. Moreover, a high-quality cutting board was essential to prevent wood splinters from mixing into the Chicken Meatball.

Once the Chicken Meatball was ready, half a ladleful of Scallion and Ginger water was added to marinate it.

While this was happening, it was time to start preparing the Pork Fat.

"For this dish, you need fresh Pork Fat because the freshness gives it a jelly-like elasticity after cutting. Frozen Pork Fat loses that elasticity and also lacks the fresh taste."

Dai Jianli explained while handling the Pork Fat, slicing it into pieces and then using the cleaver’s back to pound it into a paste.

The reason for pounding was also to make the Pork Fat fluffier.

Lin Xu was beginning to get the picture.

The Pork Fat, once pounded into a paste and mixed into the Chicken Meatball, would presumably result in a trembling dish resembling tofu – the Chicken Cake, right?

Never mind the taste, the sheer effort involved in making it alone was enough to deter many.

Compared to Chicken Breast, Pork Fat was easier to pound as it had no membranes; simply pound it into a semi-transparent paste.

After pounding the Pork Fat, he took a portion equivalent to half the amount of the Chicken Meatball and mixed it in.

Now, for the seasoning.

Into a bowl, add a small spoonful of salt, a small spoonful of sugar for enhancing umami, and a small spoonful of pepper powder to remove any gamey taste.

Mix thoroughly by hand, allowing the Chicken Meatball and Pork Fat to blend together completely.

Due to the presence of salt, the mixture would bind slightly, and the Scallion and Ginger water originally used to marinate the Chicken Meatball would gradually be absorbed.

At this point, he slammed the mixture against the bowl a few times, ensuring an even blend of Chicken Meatball and Pork Fat.

Once it was thoroughly worked until elastic, he then added five Egg Whites and a small handful of potato starch that had been soaked thoroughly in water.

Continue to mix until the paste in the bowl turned into a fine, white, smooth consistency.

Seeing Lin Xu watching intently, Dai Jianli said, "Pound the Pork Fat until it’s completely smooth, without any granules, or the texture won’t be pleasant. When mixing it with the Chicken Meatball, don’t use too much or you’ll steam out the pork oil. Also, make sure it’s evenly distributed to prevent the Pork Fat from clumping together, or it will spoil the presentation."

He explained the key points of making the Chicken Cake in just a few sentences.

Lin Xu was quite moved. Despite only a few brief remarks, the experience contained within would likely take numerous trials to discover. Chef Dai is really a genuine person!

While he was reflecting, a kitchen assistant hurried in and asked, "Boss, Chef Song from Building 15 sent someone to ask if you took two river groupers from their aquarium this morning?"

Without turning his head, Dai Jianli responded, "Bullshit, his river groupers are skinny and small; why would I bother with that stuff?"

"But... Building 15 has checked the cameras, and it definitely was you who took the fish, Boss. Maybe we should just give them back. Chef Song has gone to the Dining Department to complain."

Dai Jianli pulled out his phone and, without hesitation, called Song Dahai. He said, "Today Brother Lin came to Building 18, and I took two of your fish to entertain him. Why are you acting like it’s such a big deal? Believe it or not, I’ll have Brother Lin dock your nephew’s wages."