pjbooks Chapter 100 Typhoon Shelter Fried Crab
Chapter 100 Typhoon Shelter Fried Crab
Chapter 100 Typhoon Shelter Fried Crab
This relates to the direction and quantity of materials prepared.
If you make too much, you can't sell it; if you make too little, it's not enough.
He decided to test the waters first.
Open your phone and go to the school forum.
[Wang Sheng of Shengji Canteen]:
Raise your hand if you're staying on campus for Mid-Autumn Festival! By the way, do you prefer sweet mooncakes (lotus seed paste, red bean paste, jujube paste, mixed nuts, fruit lava filling, or savory snow skin mooncakes) or savory ones (fresh meat, ham, Yunnan ham)? Or perhaps something more innovative? Leave a comment and let's see which is more popular! [fist bump][fist bump]
As soon as the message was sent out, the previously quiet forum instantly erupted in chaos.
"Sweet tooth here! Lotus seed paste with salted egg yolk is awesome! Red bean paste and jujube paste are fine too! Boss Wang, would you like some?!"
"Salty food lovers rejoice! Suzhou-style fresh meat mooncakes! The kind that's fresh out of the oven, warm, and crumbly! Please arrange some!"
"Innovation enthusiasts raise their hands! Molten custard filling! Snow skin! Boss Wang's skills are definitely top-notch when it comes to innovation!"
"What's wrong with five-nut filling?! Authentic ingredients are the key! Boss Wang, don't listen to them, make five-nut filling!"
"Wake up, upstairs! Five-nut mooncakes should be kicked out of the mooncake world! The sweet vs. savory debate is the eternal battleground!"
"Yunnan ham! Yunnan-style ham mooncakes! Sweet and savory ham chunks, just thinking about them makes my mouth water!"
"Crayfish mooncakes? That's a culinary disaster—wait, why am I strangely tempted to try them?"
"Only children make choices! Boss Wang, I suggest you do both! (Just kidding)"
A sweet vs. savory battle over the "orthodox" versus "heresy" flavors of mooncakes has begun.
The group chat was flooded with messages, with the sweet vs. savory faction, the innovative five-nut party and the old guard (though few in number, they were all shouting themselves hoarse) arguing enthusiastically, interspersed with various memes, emojis and regional insults.
Wang Sheng was both amused and exasperated, but he also gleaned some information from it:
Sweet flavors (especially lotus seed paste with salted egg yolk and red bean paste) and classic savory flavors (fresh meat) are the most popular, while innovative flavors such as lava custard also have many fans. Five-nut flavors and strong flavors such as Yunnan ham and crayfish are relatively niche.
It seems we need to go for a "balance of sweet and savory, with classic elements as the main focus and innovative touches."
He had a preliminary plan in mind. But the Mid-Autumn Festival banquet, consisting only of mooncakes, seemed rather meager.
His gaze continued to linger on the store interface, and was soon drawn to another option—"Hairy Crab"!
Mid-Autumn Festival is the time when crabs are plump and full of roe, making it a fitting and sophisticated occasion.
Wang Sheng's eyes lit up, especially when he saw how "Typhoon Shelter Fried Crab" was made.
【Typhoon Shelter Fried Crab - A Classic Hong Kong Style】
The essence: Golden and crispy fried garlic (garlic crisp) and breadcrumbs form the main ingredients, wrapping fried crab pieces to create a unique "typhoon shelter" flavor, with a rich garlic aroma, crispy and dry texture, and a slightly spicy and salty taste.
Method (briefly described in the online store):
Prepare the crab by chopping it into pieces and deep-frying it until cooked through and the shell is crispy.
Soul-stirring garlic crisps: Fry a large amount of minced garlic over low heat until golden brown and crispy (the heat is crucial; if it burns and becomes bitter, it's ruined).
Golden breadcrumbs: Fry breadcrumbs in the oil used to fry garlic until golden brown and crispy (you can add chopped fermented black beans, chopped chili, and chopped onions for added flavor).
Heat a little oil in a wok, sauté fermented black beans, chili peppers and other aromatics until fragrant, then add the fried crab pieces and stir-fry.
Quickly pour in the fried garlic crisps and toasted breadcrumbs, and stir-fry rapidly to coat the crab pieces evenly. Season with salt, sugar, and chicken powder.
Advantages: The aroma of garlic is irresistible! The texture is incredibly layered, with crispy crab shell, crunchy breadcrumbs, and tender crab meat! The flavor is extremely rich and intense.
This dish is delicious!
With its strong visual impact, unique taste, and powerful aroma, it will definitely leave a deep impression on the students who stay.
Moreover, crabs themselves symbolize "wealth beyond measure" and "prosperity from all directions," making them very suitable for the festive atmosphere.
Wang Sheng immediately made the decision: Typhoon Shelter Crab, the main dish for Mid-Autumn Festival late-night snack!
Of course, during the Mid-Autumn Festival, when osmanthus flowers are in full bloom, desserts with seasonal floral fragrances, such as osmanthus syrup and osmanthus cake, are also indispensable embellishments.
Ingredients are key, especially crabs.
Wang Sheng is an expert at picking meat himself, but when it comes to picking live crabs, especially the highly seasonal hairy crabs, he needs more professional advice.
He immediately thought of someone—Chen Qiming, the owner of a Sichuan restaurant.
Wang Sheng dialed Chen Qiming's number: "Brother Chen, it's me, Wang Sheng. Sorry to bother you, I wanted to ask you something. It's Mid-Autumn Festival, and I'd like to get some crabs for my students to try. I'm planning to make Typhoon Shelter Crab. You have connections, do you know which market can get the freshest, most authentic hairy crabs? They have to be very lively."
A hearty laugh came from the other end of the phone: "Haha, Boss Wang! You've got ideas! Mid-Autumn Festival crabs, perfect for the occasion! If you want good crabs, just ask me! Old Liu's at Jiangxian Wharf! His crabs are absolutely top-notch! They're all transported directly from the lakes near Jiangning, no soaking in water, and the ropes are perfectly tied. But brother, there's a lot to learn about hairy crabs. Just knowing where they come from isn't enough; you also need to know how to pick them! Wait for me, I'll go with you tomorrow morning and give you a live demonstration! I guarantee you'll pick the fattest ones, brimming with roe and crab fat!"
Wang Sheng was overjoyed. With an acquaintance guiding him, he was unlikely to be deliberately overcharged!
"That's wonderful, Brother Chen! Thank you so much! Shall I pick you up in my car first thing tomorrow morning?"
"No, no!"
Chen Qiming said confidently, "I'll ride my electric scooter there and meet you at the market entrance! Six o'clock in the morning, see you there!"
At five o'clock the next morning, while it was still dark, Wang Sheng set off in his second-hand Wuling Hongguang (purchased in Chapter 82 of Volume 3).
The air was cool on a late autumn morning, carrying a hint of dew.
He waited for Chen Qiming, who was riding an electric scooter and wrapped in a thick coat, at the entrance of the "Jiangxian Wharf" wholesale market on time.
The seafood section of the market was bustling with noise, and the smell of fish mixed with water vapor hit the air.
Old Liu's stall was in a prominent location, with several large plastic basins and net bags crammed with hairy crabs that were blowing bubbles and baring their claws.
Under the light, the bluish-black back of the crab gleamed with a healthy sheen, while its abdomen was mostly plump white or tinged with yellow.
"Good morning, Boss Liu! This is my little brother, Boss Wang, from the university cafeteria. He's here today to pick out some real gems!"
Chen Qiming greeted him familiarly.
Old Liu was a lean, middle-aged man with dark skin, clearly someone who spent years working the land at the docks. He smiled and nodded, "Brought by Boss Chen, feel free to choose! All top-quality goods arrived this morning!"
Chen Qiming didn't rush to start, but first gave Wang Sheng a live lesson: "Brother, the first ironclad rule for picking crabs: whether they're alive or dead is the bottom line! Vitality is key! Don't even take a dead crab, even if it's free, it's poisonous! Got it?"
"To gauge vitality, three key points!" Chen Qiming casually picked up a crab tied with straw rope:
Look at the eyes: I quickly touched the crab's eyes with the back of my hand. The crab's eyes immediately retracted with a "whoosh," a remarkably fast reaction. "See? Lively! Eyes that are rolling around are good! Lifeless ones, throw it back!"
Observe the bubbles: He brought the crab to his eyes and brought it close to his mouth (the crab's hiding place).
A string of fine, even bubbles could be seen continuously rising out with a "pop pop pop" sound.
"Vigorous breathing! Strong and even bubbling, good crab! If it's bubbling large bubbles, not bubbling at all, or the foam is cloudy and sparse, it's about to die!"
Chen Qiming carefully untied the rope from one of the crab claws and poked the crab leg with his finger.
The crab immediately brandished its pincers fiercely, and its legs struggled and kicked desperately with great force.
"Fierce and strong! That means good stamina! Those who just sit still or limp after being untied won't do!"
"Secondly, weigh it!" Chen Qiming picked up another crab of similar size from the basin, weighed it in his hand, and handed it to Wang Sheng: "Try this one."
Wang Sheng immediately felt its weight upon handling it. "This one's heavy!"
"That's right!" Chen Qiming scooped up another one from a nearby basin that looked about the same size. "Try this one too."
Wang Sheng took it and weighed it in his hand, finding it surprisingly light. "This one's light!"
"Heavy," Chen Qiming explained, "means the meat is firm, moist, and likely full of roe. If it's light, it's either an empty shell crab that just molted, the meat hasn't fully developed yet; or it's a watery crab, the meat is loose; or it's been sitting out for too long and has lost moisture. Don't want any of them!"
"The third point is to check the firmness! This is mainly to determine the amount of meat..."
'