Chapter 181 - Braised Saddle Bridge (1/2)

On the other hand, the bamboo pith roll just needed to be steamed for five minutes before it could be served. The soup on the plate should not be poured out as it contained all the original taste of the prawns. After returning it to the pot, he used the bean flour to thicken the gravy. Finally, he added peanut oil to enhance the fragrance. After making the gravy thick enough, he used a small spoon to accurately pour them on the bamboo pith roll one by one. The dish was finally completed.

The plump bamboo pith were like small pillows, soft and white on the plate, exquisite and small.

“It’s so light-flavored. Will this taste bland?”

As Lu Yuxi spoke, she picked up a bamboo pith roll and placed it in her mouth.

The bamboo pith, which was usually used in the hotpot, was fragrant and crispy in her impression. At this moment, it was filled with the essence of the prawn meat. It was smooth and soft, and the prawn meat inside was juicy. Although it did not have a strong taste, the original taste of the Teochew dish was already amazing!

Soon, after the braised eel was out of the pot again, he picked up the pork belly on it. During the process of stewing and steaming, the essence of the pork belly had been completely absorbed.

Then, he forced out the soup base and used the plate to pour it out. He surrounded it with the golden garlic that he had just fried.

Li Qing looked at the crispy and savory piece of eel and was about to eat it when Xu Le stopped him. “Wait a little longer. There’s still one last step.”

The soup that had been forced out just now was returned to the pot. White pepper and sugar were added, and finally, water was used to thicken the gravy. After stirring it with a spoon until it was thick and smooth, it could be poured onto the steamed eel. Once it was poured on, the color of the entire dish would reach another level.

It was red and tempting. It melted in the mouth and was soft and delicious. Lu Yuxi ate a portion first and immediately raised one of her eyebrows. “The flesh came off the bones before I even bit it. It’s very fresh and tender. The braised eel is not fishy at all. It tastes like white pepper and is slightly spicy.”

“The braising is to force the fragrance in. It’s steamed at the end so that it will become soft and tender.”

“The garlic is delicious too. It’s soft and flavorful. It’s not spicy at all. It’s all the fragrance of the meat gravy.”

After Xu Zhexian finished tasting it, his tightly furrowed brows relaxed. He said, “In my impression, Huaiyang cuisine has always been sweet. I’m worried that the locals won’t be used to this taste, but this dish is still alright. It’s fresh and sweet. The taste of the sugar is only used to enhance the freshness and doesn’t overshadow the taste itself.”

“The Jiangsu region was the first to produce salt. There’s no lack of salt. After they’re sick of it, they became used to putting sugar on the dishes used to serve guests. It can be said that the rarer something is, the more expensive it is. However, the proportion of sugar has always been very low, so it doesn’t affect the overall taste much.”

Other than the watermelon, there were only the last ingredients, which were fat and lean meat. Originally, Xu Le did not plan to make home-cooked food, but because of the limited ingredients, he could only do so.

“I went to Hunan for a very spicy and fragrant meal previously. Based on the previous taste I recall, I should be able to replicate it…”

“When have you been to Hunan, Lele?”

Xu Zhexian could not help but ask curiously.

“When I was recording the show.”

Xu Le quickly found a reason to brush it off and changed the topic. He asked Zhang Tong, “Is the chili ready?”

Just now, after Zhang Tong mixed the red pepper and garlic powder in a certain ratio, he added white wine and sugar and placed them in a yogurt machine that could be heated for half an hour.

“That’ll do. It tastes just right.”

Xu Le took a sniff. The strong alcohol smell of the white wine had almost dissipated, leaving only a fragrance. It tasted much better than the chopped peppers sold on the market.