I'm the Culinary God

And Braised Pork Belly, spread alongside Su Dongpo’s job transfers.

Geng Lishan finished speaking and added:

"Let’s discuss the details when I get to the shop. Lin, my young friend, is cooking a delicacy without inviting me; he deserves to be punished with three cups!"

Dai Jianli chuckled and said to Lin Xu:

"Well, you’ve upset your buddy."

"I was worried I wouldn’t do it well, so I didn’t notify too many people. I didn’t expect to offend anyone..."

Lin Xu smiled, continuing to stir with a spoon in the pot.

When the marinade became as thick as glue, he scooped a spoonful, and the broth seemed like a large blob of melted rosin.

It’s ready; it’s time to pour the sauce.

He scooped the broth from the pot, evenly pouring it over the pig’s head.

This broth was rich in fat, along with sugar syrup, stock, and gelatin, giving it an oily, bright red hue and a rich, lingering aroma. When poured over the pig head, garnished with rapeseed, the originally date-red pig head instantly looked like it was coated in amber.

The luscious color gleaming with oil is absolutely enticing!

"Whoa, the presentation is amazing!"

"Looks mouth-watering."

"It’s too perfect; hurry and take pictures; people are waiting outside to photograph it."

"Right, the landlady has been asking since noon when it would be ready, hurry, hurry!"

"..."

Everyone grabbed their phones, snapping pictures frantically.

Meanwhile, a system notification sounded in Lin Xu’s mind:

"Congratulations, Host, for creating the premier dish of the Huaiyang Three Heads Banquet—Braised Whole Pig’s Head. You’ve initiated the Huaiyang cuisine branch task, consisting of several individual tasks. Details can be found on the task list. Upon completion, Host will receive the entire Huaiyang culinary techniques inheritance."

Whoa, the whole techniques inheritance?

This is something special.

Just as he was thinking, the system notification sounded again:

"Host has completed a side task and, on the first attempt, made a Superior Braised Whole Pig’s Head, with an additional reward of Superior Huaiyang classic dish—Vinegar Fried Catfish. Congratulations, Host."

Wow! An extra reward?

Lin Xu was pleasantly surprised, not expecting an extra reward at all.

But Vinegar Fried?

Isn’t that a technique from Shandong cuisine?

Remembering his mother used to make Vinegar Fried Cabbage every winter as a child, does Huaiyang cuisine have similar dishes?

As he thought about it, a flood of experience surged into his mind.

After processing it, Lin Xu realized that this definition of Vinegar Fried wasn’t the same as what he understood.

Vinegar Fried Catfish is slightly similar to Squirrel Guaiyu. Both require battering and deep-frying to crisp, then pouring freshly made sauce, like Sweet and Sour Carp or Coral Fish dishes. The sauce also has a compound sweet and sour flavor.

But unlike other dishes, Vinegar Fried Catfish needs to be refried three times in the cooking process, until even the fish bones are crispy.

As for the sugar-vinegar sauce, it isn’t the traditional red sauce but rather a black one similar to that used in Vinegar Peanuts, with a strong vinegar flavor.

This approach has something special... After processing the experience, Lin Xu plans to try making it later. If it’s good, he’ll impress everyone this New Year’s!

Thinking these thoughts, he cleaned the kitchenware, arranged the spoons neatly, washed his hands, and carried the large round plate from the kitchen.

Stepping out the door, he realized that the kitchen entrance was already crowded with people.

Shen Jiayue, Zeng Xiaoqi, Chen Yan, Shu Yun, Dou Wenjing, Shen Guofu, Han Shuzhen, Chen Meijuan, Geng Lele...

People dieting and not dieting were all stunned by the pig head on the plate.

"Wow, the color on this pig’s head is so beautiful!"

"Exactly, it’s so red, red and shiny."

"It’s trembling on the plate like tofu, the meat is so tender."

"Xu baby, you worked hard; to not waste your efforts, I’ll eat a little extra later."

"Yueyue, you’re not dieting anymore?"

"Hey, anyone who mentions dieting will get into trouble with me now."

Lin Xu set the plate down on the dining table, and as soon as he placed it, a group of people gathered around.

The glistening pig head and its smiling expression made everyone feel intrigued, prompting them to take out their phones and start photographing.

While they were snapping, Shen Guofu urged:

"I heard Braised Whole Pig’s Head is best eaten warm. Once cold, a gamey taste emerges, hurry, hurry, it won’t be as good cold."

At this time, Niu Chuan brought over a basket of hollow steamed buns.

When eating pig head meat, pairing it with hollow buns is better. You can directly stuff it inside, enjoying the softness of the pig head between your lips while the bun helps counteract the greasiness.

"Finished snapping? If so, I’ll start dividing the meat!"

With both hands holding a chopstick each, Lin Xu inserted a chopstick into the pig’s nose position with his left hand and sliced across the entire pig head horizontally with the chopstick in his right.

Doing this step requires holding the right chopstick against the left chopstick, ensuring a straight cut.

And the left chopstick must be steady to allow the right chopstick to slice the meat thoroughly in the dish.

He opened up the pig’s mouth and moved the left chopstick forward three or four centimeters, continuing to slice, eventually slicing the whole pig head from bottom to top horizontally before adjusting the direction to slice vertically.

Having completed all this, Lin Xu brought the chopsticks together and picked up a hollow bun, placing the pig’s nose position between it, passing it to Shen Jiayue:

"Didn’t you say you wanted to taste it? Let me know how the seasoning is."

With elders present, Shen Jiayue dared not eat and directly handed it to Han Shuzhen nearby:

"Mom, please try it. If it’s not as good as last time, I’ll help you teach Xu baby a lesson!"