I'm the Culinary God

"Wow, this aroma is truly incredible!"

Lifting the lid, a rich fragrance wafted out of the pot. Even the chefs present, who were used to various aromas, were captivated by this scent.

The aroma was rich, but not overwhelming; it smelled so pleasant that it made one’s mouth water involuntarily.

And in the pot, the pig’s head had turned from white to a date-red color. The stock that originally submerged the pig’s head was now barely covering half of it.

After being simmered on a low flame for five hours, the pork had become tender and soft.

As the stock gently bubbled at the bottom of the pot, the whole pig’s head wobbled, even forming ripples—a sign of becoming tender from the inside out, only achieved with perfect cooking technique.

Usually, when pork reaches this level of tenderness, whether it’s Braised Pork Belly, Braised Pork Belly, or pig’s head, just wait to enjoy the delicacy.

No matter how picky the palate, when faced with pork like this, would be rendered speechless.

Wei Qian muttered:

"No wonder it needs to be placed skin-side down in the pot during cooking. If the skin’s facing up, without the stock’s infusion, the pork skin might shrink from steaming."

Dai Jianli chuckled:

"Not only would it shrink, but it would also dry and crack, releasing oil, becoming as tough as a belt to chew."

At this point, the pig’s head was evidently done. Lin Xu carefully picked off the various spice residues with chopsticks, then lifted the pig’s head out of the pot with Xie Baomin, holding the four corners of a bamboo mat.

When out of the pot, the thick stock even had a stringy texture, a result of the gelatin from the meat being stewed out.

They placed the pig’s head on a large plate, padding the thinner meat areas like the mouth with lettuce leaves, then covered it with a large plate on top.

Quickly flipping it over, the pig’s head was set upright on the platter.

Removing the top plate and bamboo mat, and finally picking out the cooked scallion and ginger, the entire pig’s head was officially presented before everyone.

The pig’s head was large and intact in size, appearing full and round with the mouth area propped up by lettuce leaves.

The natural upward curve of the pig’s mouth, paired with the squinting pig’s eyes, made it seem as though it was smiling.

A dish depicted with a smiling expression naturally inspired poets of the past to compose verses of praise.

Huaiyang cuisine features three major characteristics: novelty in simplicity, flavor in subtlety, and elegance in oddity.

The Three Heads Banquet perfectly embodies these features.

Stewed Catfish Head represents novelty in simplicity; while catfish head isn’t precious, the stewing process gives it a refined and grand appearance, showcasing surprise amidst the ordinary.

Crab Meat Meatballs embody flavor in subtlety; they’re clear and seemingly flavorless, yet when tasted, they have a rich, lingering taste, seemingly tasteless yet inexplicably delicious.

As for Braised Whole Pig’s Head, it’s the emblem of elegance in oddity.

The pig’s head, often discarded as worthless, even associated with chamber pot cooking, is elevated through complex cooking techniques from crassness to sophistication, gaining admittance to esteemed tables.

In Huaiyang cuisine, offering Braised Whole Pig’s Head ensures it becomes the main dish, the centerpiece, the grand dish of the table, relegating other dishes to mere accompaniments.

This is the charm of finding elegance in the common.

And the greatest accolade for Braised Whole Pig’s Head.

The only pity is, its complexity makes it hard for the average person to taste.

If attempting to make it oneself, it’s difficult; paying to try it at a restaurant, one might not even find it.

Xie Baomin adjusted the pig’s face with chopsticks, then instructed:

"Wei Qian, use stock to blanch some bok choy to serve as a garnish around the pig’s head."

"All right!"

Though the pig’s head was out of the pot, the dish wasn’t complete.

It still lacked the final step on this Long March—pouring the sauce.

Lin Xu used a skimmer to remove all the spice residues from the pot, then turned up the heat, waiting for the stock to boil, constantly stirring with a ladle.

This way, the liquid in the stock is reduced through boiling.

Rich in gelatin, the pig’s head had released numerous gelatinous elements into the stock during cooking, so no thickening is needed, just reduce on high heat.

As the moisture evaporated, the stock grew thicker and thicker, its color becoming increasingly bright red.

Ma Zhiqiang watched, curiously asking:

"This stock is quite similar to the one for Crystal Sugar Elbow, both thickened original stock, lots of crystal sugar added, and both red and glossy... are these two dishes related?"

Hmm?

That’s quite a point worth discussing.

Although the chefs present weren’t well-versed in culinary history, someone did have such knowledge.

Dai Jianli, holding his phone, photographed the pig’s head, then the simmering stock in the pot, and sent them to Geng Lishan:

"Mr. Lishan, we’re preparing Braised Whole Pig’s Head today, and the finishing method seems quite similar to Crystal Sugar Elbow. Do these two dishes have a relation?"

Soon, Geng Lishan replied:

"Believe it or not, they are indeed related. The Braised Whole Pig’s Head in Huaiyang cuisine likely originates from Shandong cuisine because in the book ’Jin Ping Mei’, there’s a dish called Crystal Sugar Stewed Pig’s Head, which should be the predecessor of Braised Whole Pig’s Head."

The period when ’Jin Ping Mei’ was written was also the time when the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal was flourishing, ensuring frequent cultural exchanges between the North and South, so it’s normal for cooking techniques to spread.

In ancient times, the spread of culinary culture usually followed the development of commerce and the promotion of officials.

For example, the famous Kung Pao Chicken appears in Shandong, Sichuan, and Guizhou cuisines because the originator served as an official in these regions.