Gourmet: Twins' Father and Chef of the Kindergarten

Liu Suyu noticed Huang Jun didn’t use string to tie the meat pieces, so he curiously asked.

Huang Jun smiled slightly and explained: "Using string to tie meat is usually because the quality of the pork belly is not good, or the heat control during slow cooking is not adequate, causing the meat pieces to easily fall apart. String binding can prevent this, but it actually reflects a lack of confidence in controlling the heat and concerns about the quality of the ingredients."

"Right, Chef Huang is correct, using string is actually a sign of lacking confidence in heat control."

Qian Guoxiang nodded in agreement and added, "Manager Liu, let me tell you, with our Chef Huang’s culinary skills, there’s absolutely no need for such extra steps."

"That’s true!"

Liu Suyu nodded in agreement and understanding.

After aligning all the meat pieces skin-side down neatly into the pot, Huang Jun began the seasoning steps.

He slowly poured a suitable amount of light soy sauce into the clay pot, to enhance the meat’s flavor, but the amount must be moderate. Too little makes the meat taste bland and feel greasy.

He also added more dark soy sauce than usual, to give the meat an enticing red coat, making the meat color brighter and more appealing.

Of course, if one prefers a natural hue, red yeast rice can be put into a specially made marinade bag and cooked together. That way, the Dongpo pork will appear uniquely rosy, but compared to that, the color imparted by dark soy sauce is deeper, making it more appetizing at first glance.

However, if only using red yeast rice, the color of the meat might be too vibrant, giving the impression of artificial coloring.

After adding the dark soy sauce, Huang Jun also put a large handful of rock sugar into the pot.

The amount of rock sugar used is quite substantial, and aside from Wuxi cuisine, perhaps only Zhejiang cuisine uses sugar so boldly.

This way of adding sugar, though surprising to people from other places, is commonplace in the Jiangnan region, hardly worth fussing over.

He then slowly poured yellow wine into the clay pot until the liquid level was even with the meat pieces, and only then did he stop, satisfied.

Subsequently, he covered the lid of the clay pot and turned on the stove.

Initially, he used high heat to bring the clay pot rapidly to a boil; amidst the swirling steam, the aroma of meat and wine intertwined.

Once the broth in the pot began to "gurgle," he turned down the heat, maintaining the pot at a delicate balance state—not completely still nor raging, but in a "nearly boiling" state.

This heat control is the secret to making soft and tasty Dongpo pork.

While waiting, Huang Jun didn’t idle; he turned to the prawns that Qian Guoxiang had prepared, ready to start making salt and pepper shrimp.

Compared to the intricate Dongpo pork, this dish’s process seemed simpler.

The first step is marinating; Huang Jun poured the prawns into a prepared basin, then added an appropriate amount of cooking wine and sprinkled finely chopped green onions and ginger.

He mixed them evenly by hand, ensuring each prawn was coated with the marinade, then set them aside to let the marinade penetrate fully, aiming to remove the prawns’ fishy smell and enhance their flavor, making the shrimp meat more delicious and tasty.

Seizing the time while marinating the prawns, Huang Jun began preparing the salt and pepper.

The salt and pepper he chose aren’t just a simple mix of Sichuan pepper and salt; he added pepper to enhance the complexity of flavor.

There are two methods to make salt and pepper; the first is simple, just mix Sichuan pepper, pepper, and salt together and fry them, then sprinkle directly on the cooked prawns.

But this method’s downside is that the salt and pepper flavor might only stay on the shrimp’s surface, and the shrimp meat inside won’t have a strong taste.

The second method is slightly more complicated but tastes better. You mix Sichuan pepper powder, pepper powder, and salt together, then fry them with the prawns.

This way, the aromatic flavor of salt and pepper can slowly penetrate the shrimp meat, and when the salt and pepper flavor is right, the prawns are just cooked, making them taste both aromatic and flavorful.

However, this method requires good heat control; otherwise, the shrimp might overcook, or the salt and pepper might burn before the shrimp are done.

As an experienced chef with four months of kitchen experience, Huang Jun naturally chose the second method without hesitation!

He grabbed a clean, empty bowl and set it on the counter. The golden color spread out in the bowl in an instant, then he added some pepper powder and fine salt, letting the three intertwine.

"Chef Huang, how do you determine the proportion of this salt and pepper?"

Chu Qiweng, who loves this dish, asked curiously.

Huang Jun smiled and shared his knowledge: "Generally, I control the ratio of Sichuan pepper powder, pepper powder, and fine salt to about 3:3:4, but this ratio is just a reference. What’s truly important is adjusting based on everyone’s taste. For instance, if you like it spicier, you can add more Sichuan pepper powder; if you prefer it saltier, add more salt; and if you like that rich grilled flavor, you can increase the proportion of black pepper powder..."

"So," he continued speaking as he stirred the bowl of seasonings: "This salt and pepper mix has no set rules, mainly adjusting based on personal taste. Today, to accommodate the tastes of the parents and children, I’ve prepared it in a milder ratio..."

During the conversation, the prawns were almost done marinating.

Huang Jun then picked them out from the marinade, carefully removing the attached green onions and ginger, then evenly sprinkled a thin layer of starch on the surface of the prawns.