I'm the Culinary God-Chapter 584 - 280: The High-End Sichuan Cuisine that Gathers Freshness, Fragrance, Smoothness, and Tenderness – Steamed Jiangtuan! [Subscribe Please]_2

Chapter 584: Chapter 280: The High-End Sichuan Cuisine that Gathers Freshness, Fragrance, Smoothness, and Tenderness – Steamed Jiangtuan! [Subscribe Please]_2

As soon as the hot water was drizzled on, the slime on the fish’s surface immediately solidified into a film-like layer, much like a facial mask.

After scalding it this way several times, Dai Jianli picked up the fish and swished it in the pot again, ensuring its skin was thoroughly soaked by the hot water.

After scalding, the fish was immediately removed and placed under the tap. The mucus on the Jiangtuan was quickly washed off, and the fish was simultaneously cooled with cold water to prevent the loss of flavorful compounds.

Once these steps were completed, the fish was patted dry and placed on the cutting board to be scored.

Scoring the Jiangtuan was simple: he made cuts every two to three centimeters along the thickest parts of its back, each over a centimeter deep, allowing the marinade to fully penetrate.

After scoring the fish, he began to prepare the marinade.

Jiangtuan flesh is delicate, so salt could not be directly rubbed onto it for marinating; otherwise, moisture would be drawn out from the fish, reducing its quality.

Dai Jianli fetched a bowl and added Scallion and Ginger water, pepper powder, salt, and two small spoonfuls of Rice Wine.

He stirred it well until the salt completely dissolved, then smeared the mixture all over the Jiangtuan with his hands.

After smearing, he cut some Scallion and Ginger, flattened the pieces, and stuffed them into the fish’s belly. Then, the fish was placed in a basin. Finally, the remaining marinade was poured over the fish, and it was set aside to marinate.

While the fish marinated, Dai Jianli began to prepare the other ingredients.

Cooked Jinhua Ham was sliced thin. This prime cut, which in Jiangnan cuisine could easily be the star of a dish like Honey Roasted Square, merely served as a garnish, a supporting element, and a seasoning in Sichuan cuisine.

"Besides adding umami, the main purpose of the Ham is to season the Jiangtuan, enhancing its flavor and avoiding the use of too much salt, which could make the ingredients taste less fresh," Dai Jianli explained.

His explanation surprised Lin Xu.

To think they’d be so extravagant as to use Ham for salt! No wonder everyone was looking forward to this dish with such anticipation; the thought alone was enough to whet one’s appetite, Lin Xu mused.

After the Ham was sliced, the other ingredients were prepared in turn.

Then, about half a pot of stock was added and brought to a boil. Sea Scallops, Yulan slices, and Fish Belly were then blanched one by one in the pot.

The umami of the stock was used to remove any off-flavors from the ingredients, while its heat also helped awaken the flavorful compounds within them.

There was an order to blanching: Fish Belly came first, followed by Sea Scallops, and finally Yulan slices and shiitake mushrooms. The mushrooms were placed last to effectively prevent their flavor from transferring to the other ingredients.

Once all the ingredients were blanched, the stock in the pot was brought back to a rolling boil over high heat.

Then, two pieces of pork caul fat were added and blanched in the stock for a minute.

Later, during steaming, these pieces of pork caul fat were to be wrapped around the fish. Therefore, they were blanched in advance to prevent any gamey pork flavor or unwanted odors from transferring to the fish.

With these ingredients ready and the Jiangtuan sufficiently marinated, the fish was taken out of the basin. The Scallion and Ginger were removed, and the fish was arranged in the shape of the Yin Yang Dual Fish in another large dish suitable for steaming.

After arranging it, thin slices of Jinhua Ham were inserted into the scores on the fish’s body, followed by a layer of pork caul fat.

Lastly, the remaining Ham and other ingredients were added to the dish, along with half a dishful of Clear Soup previously used for preparing boiled cabbage.

Seeing this, Lin Xu thought, Forget the Jiangtuan; with all this, even a couple of random tree leaves cooked in there would taste more than decent!

After adding the Clear Soup, cling film was placed over the dish to prevent condensation from dripping in.

Dai Jianli used a toothpick to poke a few holes in the cling film for ventilation, then carried the dish to the steamer and began the steaming process.

"This method... is truly high-class!" Lin Xu exclaimed, witnessing this technique for the first time.

However, high-end dishes are all about the harmony of aroma and umami. In this dish, the umami elements clearly outnumbered the aromatic ones. Could the aroma really come through? Although the two pieces of pork caul fat contained a fair bit of fat, they seemed somewhat meager compared to ingredients like Ham, he wondered.

Adhering to the principle of asking when in doubt, Lin Xu voiced his question.

As a result, the several head chefs present all gave him a look that seemed to say, You obviously haven’t eaten Jiangtuan before, which only made Lin Xu more confused.

"Junior Brother, Jiangtuan is different from other fish. Its flesh contains a large amount of fat, and its natural aroma is rich. That’s why we only added pork caul fat to this dish," Xie Baomin commented. Just as he finished, Song Dahai added,

"Among the eight major Chinese cuisines, Sichuan cuisine is probably the one that uses pork fat the most. Old Dai is being so restrained with it precisely because Jiangtuan itself is already rich and fatty."

Oh... I see! Lin Xu was relieved. He was glad he hadn’t pretended to have eaten Jiangtuan before. Otherwise, he would’ve been cringing hard enough to dig a hole through the kitchen floor with his toes right now!

Next, to welcome Lin Xu and as a gesture of appreciation for Song Dahai’s contribution of ingredients, Dai Jianli prepared several other representative Sichuan dishes.

He made dishes like Clear Soup with Fatty Intestines, and Ginkgo Stewed Chicken, along with a few other uncommon Sichuan specialties not typically found in ordinary Sichuan restaurants. It was truly an eye-opening experience for Lin Xu.

「Forty minutes later.」

When lunch was almost ready, the Steamed Jiangtuan in the steamer was also perfectly cooked.

Upon opening the steamer cabinet, Dai Jianli took out the dish with the Steamed Jiangtuan. He removed the cling film, and a rich, savory aroma wafted from the dish.

The broth in the dish remained clear but now had an added layer of glistening oil on its surface.

This was likely from the pork caul fat, the Ham, and the natural oils rendered from the fish during steaming.

The broth was limpid, the fish meat perfectly intact; it looked incredibly appetizing.

But what was most enticing was the rich aroma and profound umami, the two scents intertwining, making one’s whole body relax just from the smell, Lin Xu thought.

Lin Xu couldn’t resist taking a deep, appreciative breath.