Chapter 413 - 206: Zhou, You’ve Been Reported
"Master Zheng’s Braised Chicken with Taro is really on another level! It looks absolutely fantastic, and the smell is making my mouth water. A perfect combination of color, aroma, and taste!" Zhou Yan exclaimed in admiration.
The evaluation [Quite Good] was already nothing to scoff at.
It was in line with his status as a Third-level Chef; he hadn’t messed up at all.
"It’s just average. I feel like I didn’t perform my best today since I’m still not used to this stove. My master’s skill is on a whole other level," Zheng Qiang said, waving his hand humbly, but he couldn’t quite suppress the smile forming at the corner of his mouth.
On the other side, Xiao Lei’s Spicy Stir-fried Chicken Gizzards had just come out of the wok. The gizzards were glossy and bright red, covering half the plate along with pickled chilies, scallion segments, and chili peppers. Steam billowed from the dish, carrying an intoxicating aroma that made one instantly crave a bowl of rice.
Spicy Stir-fried Chicken Gizzards weren’t uncommon. As an enthusiast of Qianjiang-style gizzards, Zhou Yan had eaten his fair share.
In contrast, he had never tried Spicy Stir-fried Chicken Blood. When eating hot pot, duck blood was more common, and even that was boiled.
It wasn’t just Zhou Yan who found it novel; Zheng Qiang also came over, his face filled with curiosity.
With the New Year just around the corner, every household would be slaughtering chickens and ducks. A different way to prepare chicken blood would mean a new dish on the table, so of course, they had to learn it.
"Spicy Stir-fried Chicken Blood is also known as ’choked chicken blood’ over in Guiyang. It’s a very common dish in restaurants and late-night eateries, and the method is largely the same as our ’spicy stir-fry’ technique." Xiao Lei pointed to the chicken blood on the side and said, "This chicken blood has already been blanched, so it’s about seventy to eighty percent cooked. The method is simple: after the water boils, add a bit of rice water as a thickener. When the water is about to boil again, add the chicken blood, turn off the heat, and let the residual heat cause the blood to coagulate.
"Make sure the water never comes to a full boil, or the chicken blood will develop honeycomb-like holes, and the texture will be ruined."
"Got it," Zhou Yan and Zheng Qiang nodded.
"The main focus of this dish is a heavy numbing and spicy flavor. Heat the wok, add rapeseed oil and a bit of lard. Once the oil is hot, first add Sichuan peppercorns, dried chili segments, and minced ginger and garlic to stir-fry. Then add pickled chilies and pickled ginger. After they become fragrant, add the chicken blood and stir-fry on high heat, pushing in one direction..." Xiao Lei tossed the wok with his left hand while gently pushing with the ladle in his right. The chicken blood tumbled in the wok, leaping in a beautiful arc before falling gently back into place.
"The seasoning step is also very simple. Add salt, chicken bouillon powder, a bit of soy sauce, and Sichuan peppercorn oil. The last crucial ingredient is this spoonful of knife-cut chili—I’m using the one Zhou Yan already made. Add a handful of scallion segments, give it a couple more tosses, and it’s ready to be plated!"
On the white ceramic plate, the bright green of the scallions and the vivid red of the chili segments clashed with the dark brown of the chicken blood, creating an alluring palette. The aroma was overwhelming—numbing and spicy, yet with a refreshing savory note.
[A plate of Quite Good Spicy Stir-fried Chicken Blood]
Zhou Yan’s eyebrow twitched. ’Master Xiao is really something else! To be able to casually cook a dish like this to such a high standard, one he learned just by tasting it and rarely gets a chance to practice... incredible!’
"It looks really good," Zhou Yan praised.
"Master Xiao is incredible!" Zheng Qiang added, his face also full of admiration.
Xiao Lei rinsed the hot wok and said with a smile, "Honestly, the method isn’t too different from making spicy stir-fried gizzards or pork liver. You just don’t add broad bean paste and use a spoonful of knife-cut chili instead, which makes it look spicier. It’s the Guizhou style."
"Master Zhou, come take a look at mine!" Beside them, Luo had just finished his final attempt at Snowflake Chicken Porridge. He stood with his hands hanging in front of him, his face full of anticipation.
Zhou Yan walked over and took a closer look. In the white porcelain dish, the chicken porridge was piled up like layers of snow, forming a small mound. A sprinkle of minced ham decorated the "snowy peak," making it look quite presentable.
[A plate of Good Snowflake Chicken Porridge]
The Identification result had already appeared in his vision. Zhou Yan smiled and nodded. "Yes, this looks much better than the previous six attempts. You’re making fast progress, Master Luo."
"Have a taste," Luo said, handing him a spoon.
Zhou Yan scooped up a spoonful and put it in his mouth, savoring it carefully. His brow furrowed slightly.
𝓯𝓻𝓮𝙚𝙬𝓮𝙗𝒏𝙤𝒗𝙚𝙡.𝒄𝒐𝓶
A hint of nervousness appeared on Luo’s face.
"The texture is good, very delicate, which means you did a good job on making the paste and adjusting the slurry. Your stir-frying is also much better this time. But there’s still room for improvement. The entire portion isn’t at this level; I can still find some small, coagulated lumps. That means the stir-frying wasn’t perfectly even, which is just a matter of proficiency." Zhou Yan put down the spoon and said with a smile, "Go home and practice more. If there’s anything you don’t understand, feel free to come find me anytime."
"Okay! Thank you, Master Zhou!" Luo rubbed his hands in excitement, his eyes turning a little red.
Twenty-six years!
He had finally made a decent plate of Snowflake Chicken Porridge.
The flavor and texture were already very close to the Snowflake Chicken Porridge his father used to make. It proved he was on the right track.
Just as Zhou Yan had said, the rest was all down to practice.
Cooking is a craft. Getting your foot in the door is the hardest part, and so is achieving perfection.
But once you were in, as long as you practiced diligently, your skill would improve day by day. Of that, there was no doubt.
He was now filled with confidence that he could recreate the Snowflake Chicken Porridge and carry on his father’s legacy.
"Luo, you’re really something! You managed to make a proper-looking plate of Snowflake Chicken Porridge on your first visit. At this rate, I think you’ll master it in no time," Xiao Lei said with a laugh, clapping him on the shoulder. His smile was sincere; he was genuinely happy for him.
"It’s mainly because Master Zhou is a good teacher. He’s meticulous, and his eye for detail is incredibly sharp. He pinpointed my mistakes with precision again and again, which is why the improvement with each attempt was so obvious," Luo said, full of emotion. His gaze toward Zhou Yan was filled with admiration. "Master Zhou’s skill is just on another level!"
Before coming here, he had only thought of Zhou Yan as a genius who could perfectly replicate a dish just by following a recipe.
But today, after learning to make Snowflake Chicken Porridge from Zhou Yan, he had gained a much deeper understanding of Zhou Yan’s true abilities.