I'm the Culinary God-Chapter 674 - 308: Everyone’s National Day Plans! How easy is it to make sugar-fried chestnuts? Just need hands! [Subscribe please]_3

Chapter 674: Chapter 308: Everyone’s National Day Plans! How easy is it to make sugar-fried chestnuts? Just need hands! [Subscribe please]_3

"Hello everyone, I’m Lin Xu, and today we’re going to make sugar-roasted chestnuts!"

After a simple introduction, Lin Xu brought over the washed chestnuts, the stones that the assistant had previously washed and boiled, and a bag of fine white sugar to the workbench. With that, all the ingredients for sugar-roasted chestnuts were ready.

There were too many chestnuts to cook in one pot, so Lin Xu divided them into portions.

He took a chopping block and started to score the chestnuts.

This ’scoring’ involved notching a cross on the flatter side of each chestnut. The shell would crack open when heated, not only making it easier to peel and eat but also allowing the sugar’s sweetness to penetrate, making the chestnuts taste even more delicious.

Additionally, making these cuts helped further weed out any bad nuts.

Any chestnut that showed black or red inside the cut shell was likely bad and was thrown away.

This part of the filming would only require a few shots and wasn’t too complex.

After filming, Lin Xu waved over the assistant and several kitchen helpers to help with the scoring.

Soon, all the chestnuts were scored.

Filming continued as Lin Xu then soaked the scored chestnuts in clear water.

Soaking the chestnuts would help them shed their shells more easily, and the additional moisture would prevent them from burning during the roasting process.

After soaking the chestnuts, Lin Xu took a large wok and set it on the stove.

He added the stones and turned on the burner, heating them up on high heat.

While heating the stones, it was essential to continuously stir them with a spatula to maintain a uniform temperature and avoid uneven heat, which could cause the chestnuts to burn.

The stones’ temperature shouldn’t be too high—being able to feel the heat with a hand held above them was usually enough.

If it was too hot, the chestnuts would burst open when added.

Lin Xu, holding a large slotted spoon, scooped out the soaked chestnuts from the basin, drained them slightly, and then poured them into the wok.

As soon as they were added, the water on the surface of the chestnuts created a lot of steam when it met the hot stones.

Once the chestnuts were in the wok, they had to be stirred constantly with a spatula.

This was a very laborious task; the stones were heavy, and the chestnuts were large, making them difficult to stir.

The reason street vendors selling sugar-roasted chestnuts used shovels to stir is that using spatulas is too laborious.

After stir-frying for a while, Lin Xu felt it was time for Lin Ji’s Food’s culinary team to shine, so he let Wei Qian take over the stir-frying.

"This is Wei Qian, the head chef of Lin Ji’s Food’s back kitchen. You all should have seen him during the competition last time, right?"

Wei Qian had slimmed down recently, but his strength hadn’t decreased much. He wielded the spatula vigorously, making Lin Xu worry the wooden-handled iron spatula might break in the middle.

Before long, the water in the wok dried up again, and all the chestnuts had cracked open.

The originally cut crosses had turned into large openings, and the unique fragrance of the chestnuts drifted out of the wok.

Lin Xu took a small spoon and added two spoonfuls of fine white sugar. He explained, "Adding sugar is mainly to give the chestnuts a caramel flavor, which makes them tastier. Sweetness is actually secondary because chestnuts themselves have a sweet aroma, and even without the sugar, the taste wouldn’t be bad."

There are no specific requirements for the sugar. White Sugar, Maltose, or even brown sugar powder can be used.

After adding two spoonfuls of white sugar, white steam drifted out of the wok again, and the caramel aroma quickly emerged.

The advantage of using this type of white sugar is that it melts quickly and produces flavor earlier.

After adding the sugar, the stones in the wok immediately took on a glossy sheen, and the chestnuts started to look shinier as well.

Continue stir-frying, allowing the heat and caramel aroma to fully penetrate the chestnuts. This makes them even tastier.

As the caramel aroma became more intense, Lin Xu picked one from the wok.

Wei Qian, who was still stirring on the side, couldn’t help but remark, "It’s at least over a hundred degrees in there, and you just picked it right out, truly the Heartless Iron Hand."

Lin Xu smiled, "I dipped my hand in water. Without dipping, even the Heartless Iron Hand would get burned."

He peeled off the shell, blew on the aromatic chestnut, and then popped it into his mouth.

Mmm, delicious!

Aromatic, sweet, with a pleasant mealy texture, and wonderfully soft.

Not just girls love it; boys can’t get enough either.

"How is it?"

"It’s ready. Turn off the heat."

After they served the chestnuts on a platter and took a close-up shot, Zhu Yong asked from the side, "Boss, don’t you usually cook homestyle meals? Using so many stones isn’t common for households, and they are pretty hard on woks. Is there a more suitable home cooking method?"

This...

Lin Xu thought for a moment and said, "Actually, there is. Let’s keep filming. One type of chestnut, two methods of cooking. Later, everyone can taste and see which method makes the tastier chestnuts."

「Back in the small kitchen, they resumed filming.」

Lin Xu took the previously scored chestnuts that hadn’t been used, placed them in a flat-bottomed pan, and added water until it was level with the chestnuts. Next, he added half a ladleful of White Sugar. He brought the water to a boil, covered the pan, and let it simmer for ten minutes.

After ten minutes, he removed the lid. The water in the pan had almost dried up, and the chestnuts had burst open. He continued to stir-fry them with a spatula, further drying out the water while evenly coating the chestnuts with the syrup.

The prepared chestnuts had a sticky syrup coating, giving them an appearance reminiscent of Crystal Sugar Haws.

"This is the simplest way to cook chestnuts: boil them in water, and then just reduce the liquid over high heat. It’s easier than queuing up on the streets to buy them. Everyone at home should try this; it’s really simple."

Carrying the cooked chestnuts out of the kitchen, Lin Xu called out to the people outside who were eating chestnuts, "Come and taste these chestnuts and see if they are tastier than those cooked with stones."

Seeing these chestnuts coated in syrup, everyone was captivated. Never mind the taste; just the appearance alone was pretty impressive.

After setting down the plate, Lin Xu grabbed a chestnut, peeled it, and popped it into his mouth.

This one, because more sugar was added, had a noticeably richer sweetness.

However, the fragrance was not as good as those cooked with stones. This one had only the natural aroma of chestnuts compared to the dry and slightly caramelized scent of those cooked with stones. The difference was quite apparent.

"Wow! This one is really sweet."

"It kind of feels like eating Crystal Sugar Haws."

"If I were only having a few, then definitely these sugar-coated ones. But if I were binge-watching dramas or anime for a long time, then the ones cooked with stones are better."

"For me, either way is fine. As long as they’re chestnuts, they’re delicious."

Lin Xu, holding a plate, took some chestnuts cooked with stones to one side, just about to munch on the sugar-roasted chestnuts and play Sheep A Sheep when Wei Qian suddenly asked from not far away, "Lin Xu, what do you plan to do with the remaining chestnuts? Are you going to make more sugar-roasted chestnuts with them?"

What does he mean?

Is he trying to show off a bit?

Lin Xu asked, "Do you have any ideas?"

"This afternoon I want to make some braised pork with chestnuts. Putting chestnuts and pork belly together to stew, what do you think..."

"Deal!"

---

It seems chestnuts will soon be in season. Everyone can try making them at home using a frying pan to boil with sugar for ten minutes. But remember, you have to score them, or the chestnuts are likely to burst.

This Chapter has 5,300 words, seeking a Monthly Ticket!