Chapter 321: Chapter 199: Fried Fish Fillets! This Crystal Sugar Pork Knuckle is Delicious! Happy Engagement! [Request for Monthly Ticket]_2
After mixing it all evenly again, a little cooking oil was drizzled in, followed by another quick toss. This would ensure the fish fillets separated quickly when poured into the wok.
While the fish was marinating, it was time to prepare the other ingredients.
Guo Weidong took out some red pickled peppers and several green pickled peppers, slicing them into rings.
While cutting, he said, "There are plenty of ready-made pickles in Building 18. If you need any, you can go get them. Although Old Dai isn’t exactly reliable, he’s quite generous in this respect."
Is this why you all still haven’t gotten around to killing him?
Lin Xu thought sarcastically, deciding he should visit Building 18 later.
Pickles and dipping sauces are small matters. I just think Head Chef Dai is a nice guy and want to befriend him. Yes, purely to expand my social network.
After slicing the Pickled Peppers, Guo Weidong added them directly into the bowl with the marinating fish. Then, he put in a spoonful of marinated minced chili and some dried chili segments.
After that, he sprinkled a tiny bit of white sugar into the bowl.
"Fried Fish Fillets cook very quickly, needing to be out of the wok within twenty seconds of going in. Therefore, all necessary seasonings and ingredients must be combined with the fish beforehand."
So that’s how it is. Lin Xu was also beginning to understand.
"The Pickled Peppers and minced chili used in the marinade already contain salt. So, now only a little sugar is needed to enhance the umami; no other seasonings are necessary."
"What about side vegetables?"
Guo Weidong said with a smile, "If you plan to sell this in a restaurant, I suggest you add some sliced onion and green and red bell peppers."
Lin Xu didn’t catch on at first. "Why? Does it taste better with them?"
"No, it makes the portions look bigger, giving customers the impression of good value."
Lin Xu: "..."
So the reason Building 10’s business is so good is because people think the food here offers good value for their money?
After the fish was well marinated, Guo Weidong set up a wok to start cooking.
He first seasoned the wok by swirling oil in it.
Then he added a spoonful of rapeseed oil and half a spoonful of lard into it.
"When cooking fish dishes, you can generally add some lard. This enhances the fish’s aroma and also improves its texture."
Guo Weidong turned the stove’s flame to maximum.
He also took the opportunity to remind Lin Xu, "Don’t try this dish at home. A household stove doesn’t have enough heat, and it’s easy to turn the fish fillets into mush. Only a professional stove like this can cook the fish fillets quickly enough to achieve the desired quick-frying effect."
When the oil was about eighty percent hot, he used a ladle to stir everything in the bowl, mixing the fish fillets with the Pickled Peppers, minced chili, Scallion and Ginger evenly.
Then he poured everything into the wok at once.
After pouring the ingredients in, he gripped the wok handle with his left hand and, holding the ladle with his right, quickly tossed everything using deft, small flips of the wok.
The moment the ingredients hit the wok, a sour and spicy aroma unique to Pickled Peppers wafted out, followed by the slightly more pungent spice of the minced chili.
As Guo Weidong tossed the ingredients, the fish fillets, which had been tenderized by the marinade, quickly firmed up and curled slightly.
Once all the fish fillets were properly cooked, he lifted the wok from the heat and plated the dish.
From the ingredients hitting the wok to being plated, the entire process was one fluid motion. It was so fast that one might even doubt if the fish was fully cooked.
As he began to transfer the dish onto a plate, Lin Xu came to his senses.
"Use Cooking Learning Card!"
He had barely uttered this when the system prompt sounded in his mind: "Learning target: Guo Weidong. Current Skill is General Fried Technique. Do you wish to learn?"
Wow! My luck today is incredible! To think I learned the General Fried Technique just like that. So why wait?
"Learn!"
Soon, the system’s prompt sounded again: "Host has consumed one Cooking Learning Card and acquired the Perfect Level General Cooking Technique—Fried. This Skill can be used to make all types of fried dishes. Congratulations to the Host."
Surprises always come when you least expect them. Lin Xu was somewhat numb to it. But thinking about his engagement today, this must be the system’s engagement blessing.
After the Fried Fish Fillets were served, the fragrant, spicy aroma truly began to waft through the air.
The white fish fillets were coated with an appetizing Red Oil, and the bottom of the plate also held a generous amount of glistening red grease, looking incredibly tempting.
"Pickled Peppers and minced chili release Red Oil more easily, so these two were chosen for this dish instead of Doubanjiang."
Inhaling the wonderful spicy scent, Lin Xu didn’t hold back. He picked up a piece of fish with his chopsticks and tasted it.
Hmm, spicy with a slight sourness from the Pickled Peppers, and amidst the sourness, a hint of sweetness. It tastes a bit like Yuxiang flavor, but not as cloyingly rich. In a word, delicious!
Lin Xu kind of regretted eating his mom’s Egg Pancake that morning.
I should have eaten here instead. With this delicious dish, another two bowls of rice, or at the very least a steamed bun... wouldn’t that be wonderful? Too bad all I can do now is stare at this delicious food and drool.
While he was contemplating, his phone rang.
He took it out and saw, to his surprise, that it was from his sister-in-law, Chen Yan.
"Are you at Fishing Platform now?"
"Yes, I’m at Building 10. What’s up, Sister Yan?"
"Come to the lobby of Building 10. I’ll give you the red envelope. My mom is planning to have our relatives try to find me a boyfriend at the engagement banquet. I can’t handle that kind of public execution."
Lin Xu: "..."
Being pushed by elders to marry is indeed a very troublesome thing.
He was about to agree when he heard Chen Yan mutter disheartenedly, "I skipped breakfast because I was planning to eat a big lunch to get my money’s worth from the gift I gave, and also to taste the Giant Grouper. But now, with my mom meddling..."