I'm the Culinary God-Chapter 739 - 330: The Plump Wild Carp, Of Course, Should Be Dry Burned! [Extra for Mr. Cat cerys]

Listening to his two sons’ "genuine" praise, Xie Baomin sighed softly.

They’re a lost cause, both of them, he thought. Maybe I should answer the call and try for a third child? I really wish I could trade with the Geng family—two sons for one daughter. Look at Lele; not only was he specially recruited by Tsinghua University, but he also speaks with such tact. My own kids, on the other hand, always seem to be following in their uncle’s footsteps.

Chef Xie lifted his glass and took a large gulp. A wave of bitterness washed over him as the wine went down, he mused.

After Lin Xu had a small bowl of the steam pot squab—so incredibly savory it was said to make one’s eyebrows dance—he became even more determined to add this dish to his menu.

With this flavor and this texture, as long as it’s new, it’ll definitely be a massive hit!

After finishing, he didn’t ladle more soup. Instead, he picked up his rice bowl and took a piece of stir-fried squab, prepared by his senior brother, placing it in his mouth.

The moment it entered his mouth, a spicy, numbing, and fresh aroma filled his palate: the pungency of ginger, the tingling of Sichuan peppercorns, the heat of chili peppers, and the fragrance of the squab meat all converged. As for the texture, the meat was enrobed in a viscous, almost gelatinous sauce, lending the squab a rich, luxurious quality. This was the benefit of using Pork Bone Broth; though no thickening agent was used, the sauce was quite viscous, making the entire dish exceptionally fragrant. In the sauce, the squab’s skin was stewed until soft yet pleasantly chewy, while the delicate meat inside was tender with a satisfying firmness, bursting with flavor.

Delicious! Lin Xu thought. It truly lived up to the skill of a State Banquet chef; the squab was cooked to perfection. The most classic element was the subtle ginger flavor woven throughout the dish—not overly spicy, but the aroma was rich. This delectable dish made him instinctively reach for another mouthful of rice.

After finishing the meat, Lin Xu removed the small bone from his mouth and gave Xie Baomin a thumbs-up. "Senior Brother, your skills are incredible! You’ve made this squab so tasty; it seems one bowl of rice won’t be enough today."

Shen Baobao chimed in, "Indeed, it’s super delicious. The squab meat is firm but not tough, flavorful and not at all dry—absolutely perfect with rice."

Cui Qingyuan joined the conversation, "It’s not just good with rice; it’s fantastic with alcohol too! This squab meat is heavenly to chew; the more you chew, the more flavorful it gets. Director Zhou, Chef Xie, Boss Huang, come on, let’s have another round!"

The group continued drinking, their glasses in hand.

Dou Wenjing, who was enjoying her rice nearby, asked, "Chef Wei, isn’t the salt-fried pork you made almost identical to Fried Pork from Sichuan cuisine? Why does it have this name? Before it was served, I actually thought it might be salt-baked pork belly."

Zeng Xiaoqi, who was quite knowledgeable about food, explained, "Salt-fried pork and Fried Pork are essentially sister dishes. Fried Pork involves boiling the Belly Meat—typically from the pig’s hindquarters—then slicing and stir-frying it. Salt-fried pork, however, skips the boiling step and is stir-fried directly from raw slices."

As the person in charge of a food column and having hosted the "Yanjing Food Sharing" program for two years, Zeng Xiaoqi’s culinary knowledge was quite solid. After explaining, Director Zeng suddenly had an idea. "Lin Xu," she asked, "how about we record a segment on salt-fried pork when we’re back at work?"

"Sure," Lin Xu replied. "Let Wei Qian do it. It’s a good chance for him to get some screen time. After all, he’s the head chef at Lin Ji’s Food. The people of Beijing should get to know him. You’ll need to give him plenty of guidance, Director Zeng."

Wei Qian had never recorded a TV program before and would inevitably be a bit nervous at first. He would need Director Zeng’s full support; otherwise, they might not even manage to film one dish properly in an entire morning.

Whenever Zeng Xiaoqi suggested featuring a particular dish, it usually meant she was craving it. Hearing she could have salt-fried pork at the TV station, she readily agreed, "No problem at all! You know my on-set management skills; there won’t be any slip-ups."

Haha, I can enjoy delicious food even at work! she thought happily. Even though it won’t be Lin Xu cooking, the head chef from Lin Ji’s Food will be making it, so the flavor will definitely be far superior to an average chef’s. We can steam a pot of rice and eat it right there. Isn’t that much better than queuing in the TV station cafeteria?

"Young Lin’s skill really is amazing," Old Lady Liang exclaimed. "No way, I have to take a photo and post it on my Moments to make those old folks jealous!"

She scooped a small bowl of squab soup from the little steam pot in front of her and drank it while it was hot. She started to perspire lightly on her forehead, and the dizziness and nasal congestion from her cold began to ease considerably. She felt a sense of clarity wash over her. As her body felt better, her spirits lifted too.

She took a photo of the little steam pot with her phone and posted it to her Moments with the caption: "Knowing I’d caught a cold and wasn’t feeling well, the young owner of Lin Ji’s Food on Yingchun Street specially made this squab soup for me using a steam pot. The flavor is truly exquisite—even more delicious than the steam pot chicken I had while traveling in Southern Yunnan!"

Likes and comments flooded in almost immediately. Her social circle consisted mostly of retired seniors who spent their days thinking and talking about good food and drink. They were surprised that someone in Beijing could make squab soup with a steam pot. Moreover, it looked quite appealing: the broth was clear, glistening with golden droplets of fat, and looked incredibly appetizing.

Some asked for the restaurant’s specific location, others were curious about the price of the steam pot squab, and still others wanted to know if the dish was currently available. In any case, everyone was quite intrigued.

Old Lady Liang ladled another half-bowl of soup, sipping it as she replied to the messages.

These are all potential customers for Lin Ji’s Food, she thought. I definitely have to help young Lin win them over. Once they fall in love with the taste of Lin Ji’s dishes, I can then persuade them to recommend the restaurant to new customers. Even with these old bones of mine, introducing a few customers is still no problem at all!