pjbooks Chapter 112 The Finishing Touch
Chapter 112 The Finishing Touch
Chapter 112 The Finishing Touch
The operating room was brightly lit, like daytime. The stainless steel countertop reflected a cold, sharp light.
When Chen Mo, Zhao Gang, Lin Xiaowen, and the other helpers saw Wang Sheng come in, they all surrounded him with surprise and joy.
"Master! You're finally back!" Chen Mo excitedly took the box from Wang Sheng's hand, and felt its weight. "Whoa! What's this?"
"So heavy?"
"Soft-shelled turtles?" Zhao Gang leaned closer to take a look. Several bluish-black soft-shelled turtles were restlessly scratching at the sides of the tank. "Brother Wang, are you preparing a big dish?"
"Wow, a live turtle! It looks so majestic!" Lin Xiaowen was a little curious and a little scared.
"Hmm, let's try something new, something with a Hunan flavor." Wang Sheng said succinctly, quickly changing into his chef's uniform, rolling up his sleeves to reveal his muscular forearms, while giving instructions, "Chen Mo, Zhao Gang, prepare a large basin and fill it with cold water. Xiaowen, go to the storeroom and get some Sichuan peppercorns and cooking wine, and find a fresh lemon and slice it."
"Alright!" The three of them immediately split up and got to work.
The water tank was placed on the ground.
Wang Sheng opened the lid, his gaze sharp as a knife, and instantly locked onto one of the most energetic ones with the thickest skirt.
He moved with lightning speed, his thumb and forefinger precisely gripping the hard edge of the turtle's shell at the back, and with a flick of his wrist, he firmly pulled the still-sprawling turtle out and pressed it onto the thick cutting board.
The entire set of movements was clean and crisp, carrying a calm and confident air, like a master butcher dissecting an ox.
The surrounding air seemed to quiet down a bit.
Chen Mo and the others knew that once Wang Sheng entered this state, the real craftsmanship was about to begin.
"Watch closely," Wang Sheng's voice was calm yet carried an unquestionable authority, "Whether the turtle is fresh or fishy depends on this first step—removing the fishy smell."
He picked up a sharp cleaver, the blade gleaming coldly in the light.
Boil a large pot of water.
Wang Sheng held the turtle by the tail, turned it upside down, and quickly blanched it in boiling water for a few seconds.
The timing was perfect, scalding the turtle to death without damaging the meat. It was then removed from the water, and while still hot, the blade was used to gently scrape and pick at the edges of the shell and the lower shell, completely removing the slippery, fishy-smelling black membrane to reveal the slightly pinkish-white gelatinous layer underneath. This black membrane was a major source of the fishy smell and had to be thoroughly removed.
Wang Sheng skillfully flipped the turtle over, precisely cutting along the soft membrane connecting the plastron and carapace with the tip of his knife, removing the connecting bone, and easily removing the plastron (turtle shell).
The internal organs were exposed. With nimble fingers, he carefully peeled away the dark green liver (which tasted sweet and was a good thing, so he kept it), found the dark green gallbladder (which could be broken open to extract its juice), and very carefully pierced the gallbladder with the tip of a knife, letting the bitter bile drip onto the snow-white turtle meat and spread it evenly.
"Bile is a powerful natural deodorizer," Wang Sheng explained, "but be careful not to break it and contaminate the meat."
Next, he precisely located the pale yellow, fatty glands (the source of the fishy and bitter taste) on both sides and back of the abdominal cavity, and cleaned them off completely with the tip of his knife, his movements quick and steady.
The cleaned turtle pieces (with the head and claws removed, and the body chopped into even pieces), the preserved liver, and the turtle shell are placed in a large basin filled with cold water.
Wang Sheng grabbed a handful of Sichuan peppercorns and sprinkled them in, then tossed in a few slices of fresh lemon that Lin Xiaowen had cut. He turned the heat up high and brought it to a boil. As the water temperature rose, a fine layer of grayish-brown foam rose to the surface, carrying a distinct fishy smell.
Wang Sheng patiently skimmed off the foam with a fine mesh strainer. Only after the water had boiled thoroughly for two or three minutes, and the aroma emanating from the pot had changed from a fishy smell to a faint meaty fragrance mixed with the refreshing scent of Sichuan peppercorns and lemon, did he remove the turtle pieces, rinse them clean with warm water, and drain them.
At this point, the most troublesome source of the turtle's fishy smell has been completely eliminated. The processed turtle meat is a clean pinkish-white color, while the skirt is crystal clear, thick, and full of collagen.
The entire preparation room was filled with only the faint, natural flavors of the ingredients and the delicate aroma of lemon and Sichuan peppercorns.
"I've learned something!" Chen Mo watched intently, genuinely impressed. This three-step process for removing fishy odors is crucial at every step, requiring a high level of understanding of heat control, technique, and the affected areas.
"Prepare the ingredients," Wang Sheng ordered again, his voice filled with the excitement of preparing for cooking.
The soul of Hunan cuisine makes its appearance: Pixian Doubanjiang (finely chopped) and Hunan chopped chili peppers (bright red, with a strong sour and spicy flavor).
For added aroma and to remove fishy smell, use a triangular mix of old ginger (crushed and cut into thick slices), garlic (crushed whole cloves and minced), and scallion segments.
To enhance flavor and color, use fresh green and red chili peppers (cut into chunks).
The finishing touch is fresh perilla leaves (wash them, pick the leaves, shred some and leave the rest whole).
Secret weapon: a can of beer (to replace water for simmering).
Flavor enhancer: tea oil (or perilla oil).
The large stove was lit, and the blue flames licked the bottom of the pot merrily.
Wang Sheng poured in slightly more rapeseed oil than he usually does for stir-frying. The oil temperature rose to about 60-70% of its maximum, and it began to smoke slightly.
"Sizzle—!"
First, add ginger slices, crushed garlic cloves, and scallion segments, and stir-fry over high heat until fragrant. The spicy aroma will instantly rise.
Next, a large spoonful of finely chopped Pixian chili bean paste was added to the pot! The red oil was quickly stir-fried out, turning a bright and tempting red color.
The unique salty and savory aroma of Doubanjiang (fermented broad bean paste) spreads powerfully.
Add Hunan-style chopped chili peppers! The sour and spicy aroma joins the fray, colliding fiercely with the rich and mellow fermented bean paste, blending into an aggressively spicy and pungent flavor that makes your mouth water!
Minced garlic followed immediately.
Stir-fry over high heat! Spatula flies! Red oil bubbles! The aroma of spiciness, soy sauce, garlic, ginger, and scallions explodes under the high temperature, intense, rich, and straight to the top of your head! The entire kitchen is instantly dominated by this domineering "Hunan" flavor!
"Holy crap—this smell! It's intoxicating!" Zhao Gang sniffed, feeling his appetite instantly ignited.
Lin Xiaowen coughed twice from the choking, but her eyes were bright as she stared at the bright red sauce bubbling in the pot.
Lower turtle!
Wang Sheng dumped the drained turtle pieces (including the precious skirt, collagen-rich claws, and thick chunks of meat) into the pot all at once. A piercing "splatter" sound was accompanied by an even more intense explosion of aroma!
"Fire!" Wang Sheng's arm muscles tensed as he vigorously stirred the turtle meat with the spatula, ensuring each piece was evenly coated with the thick, fragrant, bright red sauce. Under the high heat, the turtle meat quickly tightened and changed color, its edges becoming translucent and glossy, and collagen began to seep out.
The key step: replace water with beer!
Wang Sheng yanked open the can and poured the entire can of ice-cold beer down the side of the pot with a sizzling sound! The malty aroma of the beer and the slight fermentation brought by the carbon dioxide instantly neutralized some of the intense spiciness and injected a unique sweet malty aroma. At the same time, the alcohol evaporated quickly under the high temperature, taking away the last trace of possible off-flavors, leaving only the pure effect of enhancing the aroma and removing the fishy smell!
Add a little light soy sauce to enhance the flavor, a touch of sugar to balance it, and white pepper to remove any fishy smell and add aroma (avoid conflicting with perilla leaves).
Cover! Turn the heat to medium-high and let the beer and sauce boil and simmer in the pot, allowing them to fully meld with the turtle meat.
Simmering requires patience.
Wang Sheng adjusted the heat, covered the pot with the lid, leaving only a small gap to allow excess steam to escape.
The pot was bubbling happily, and a rich, complex aroma of wine and soy sauce kept wafting out from the cracks, filling the entire space—powerful yet incredibly appetizing.
While waiting, Wang Sheng didn't sit idle. He quickly stir-fried the green and red bell pepper pieces until just cooked, then set them aside.
Then prepare the perilla leaves.
After simmering for about twenty minutes (adjusting the time according to the age of the turtle), the broth had thickened considerably, becoming glossy and reddish.
Full of gelatinous substance. Wang Sheng lifted the lid, and instantly, an even richer aroma than before, a blend of the freshness of turtle meat, the spiciness of the sauce, the maltiness of beer, and the sticky texture of gelatinous substance, exploded like a bomb! It shot straight to the roof!
"My God—this smells amazing—" Chen Mo felt his mouth watering uncontrollably.
"I feel like I could eat three bowls of rice with this," Zhao Gang murmured, staring at the bright red, thick broth in the pot.
Wang Sheng poked the thickest part of the skirt hem with his chopsticks; they pierced through easily, revealing its incredibly soft and supple texture. Success!
Add the green and red bell pepper pieces! Stir-fry evenly to let the fresh, spicy, and sweet flavors of the peppers infuse into the thick sauce.
Sprinkle with shredded perilla leaves! The unique, refreshing fragrance instantly fills the air, like the finishing touch on a masterpiece.