Daddy's Gourmet Shop-Chapter 220 - 212: Just Waiting for You to Say That
"Zifeng..."
While busy preparing other ingredients, Huang Tao turned his head slightly and instructed, "Go help Suqin prepare the yellow croaker!"
"Okay, boss."
Upon receiving the instructions, Lin Zifeng promptly went over to Ding Suqin’s side.
Without saying a word, he started to help.
Together, they carefully poured all the golden-glowing yellow croakers from the basket into a large stainless steel basin.
Once that was done, they began the preparation process.
Each took a pair of scissors and snipped off the fins from the yellow croaker.
Then they used the other side of the scissors to scrape off the few small scales.
Next, they removed the gills.
Gutted and cleaned out the viscera.
Washed them thoroughly.
The string of actions was brisk and swift!
Fortunately, they were both skilled and quick, processing the yellow croaker with speed.
Once the yellow croakers were mostly prepared.
Lin Zifeng placed the cleaned yellow croaker on the preparation table for Huang Tao to handle as needed.
"Haozi, I’ll leave this to you."
After dealing with the other ingredients, Huang Tao took the Divine Level Chef’s Knife and swiftly removed the head of the yellow croaker at a 45-degree angle.
He then placed the blade along the backbone of the yellow croaker, pressing down with one hand while pushing the knife to the tail, deftly slicing off a ten-centimeter-long fillet with intact meat quality.
So fast that the friction of the knife didn’t reach the ear.
Next.
He flipped the yellow croaker over and filleted the other side of the fish.
Placing everything in a separate stainless steel tray.
As for the backbone left after filleting.
He didn’t throw it away.
Instead, he placed it in another stainless steel tray.
After filleting the fish, Huang Tao used a slanting knife to remove the belly part of the fish.
Each piece was said to be very uniformly beautiful.
He then moved on to disassemble the other yellow croakers...
His textbook-like actions were smooth, graceful, yet full of personal touch.
Still very quick.
Unbelievably fast.
Xu Hao observed and couldn’t help but pick up one of the fillets, examining it.
Logically.
Yellow croaker is thinly fleshed, and after filleting, there would be bones needing further refinement.
Yet no bones were visibly seen.
The skin was intact, and the fillet was even and beautiful.
He also touched the fillet carefully from top to bottom.
Didn’t feel a single bone.
This proved the boss’s impressive craftsmanship!
He was out of reach!
"Zifeng, take these fillets and rinse them again."
After finishing the fillets, Huang Tao put down the Divine Level Chef’s Knife and instructed Lin Zifeng.
Lin Zifeng, with the latest instructions, quickly complied and rinsed them in a large basin.
Don’t ask why he’s not surprised?
It’s just that he’s used to it!
After rinsing, the fish needs a marinating process.
The marinating has two main purposes.
One is to give the fish a base flavor.
The other is to ensure the fish remains tender.
Huang Tao added some salt to the drained fish for a base flavor.
Added sugar and white pepper to remove fishiness.
Cooking wine and light soy sauce for added taste.
Then he used his distinctively jointed hands to rhythmically knead it.
To release its gelatin.
Then adding a little spring onion and ginger water, continuing to knead.
Only by letting the fish soak in water can it remain tender.
Added starch.
Continued to mix and knead evenly.
Then added oil.
Let the fish, initially clumped from starch, spread evenly in the oil.
Kneading once more completed the first step of marinading.
Next, start sautéing the pickled vegetables.
Once the empty pot smoked.
Huang Tao added a bit of cold oil to moisten the pot.
To prevent ingredients from sticking to the pot.
Added more oil.
As pickled vegetables like oil.
Once the oil temperature was just right, Huang Tao poured the pickled vegetables into the pot.
The pot instantly sizzled, creating an especially pleasant sound.
The pickled vegetables spun and danced under Huang Tao’s spatula.
Emitting a unique aroma.
Once the pickled vegetables were thoroughly sautéed and aromatic, he took them out and set them aside.
Then, he would transform the removed fish bones and some residues into a magnificent soup, extracting the fresh broth.
This is also one of the most critical steps.
He poured the freshly sliced fat into the hot pan, where it sizzled and crackled, and the oil slowly seeped out of the fat.
The thick slices of fat turned into thin golden pieces, floating in the oil like small golden fish.
Add the green onion segments and ginger slices to the pan, and quickly stir-fry to release their aroma.
Once their mission was complete, Huang Tao scooped the onions, ginger, and oil residue out of the pan.
He turned off the heat and let the oil temperature drop before placing the fish head and bones into the pan to fry.
Then he turned the heat back on.
This was because the fish head and bones were very moist; if the oil temperature was too high, it would explode messily.
This method would allow the temperature to drop a bit.
The moisture would rise with the oil temperature.
It would naturally evaporate, reducing the chance of splattering onto himself.
Fry the fish head and bones until golden brown.
Add cooking wine.
The fish aroma burst forth.
Add hot water to the pot to awaken its freshness.
Very soon.
The fish bones and head bubbled and danced in the pot.
He added a little white pepper to the pot.
After a boil, scum appeared on the surface of the soup.
Huang Tao used a ladle to carefully remove some of the scum from the surface of the fish soup.
Reduce to medium-low heat.
Let it simmer for 10 minutes.
After five minutes, he added a little pork lard, which would quickly whiten the entire broth.
Add salt.
For a simple white soup, the salt must be added later.
Because salt has the effect of denaturing protein.
Then he stirred it with a spatula.
And so, the fish soup was ready.
"Zifeng, I’ll leave the straining task to you."
Smelling the aroma, Lin Zifeng sniffed and quickly strained out the fish bones and meat from the soup, leaving only the beautiful white broth.
Huang Tao wasn’t idle either, starting another pot, and poured lard into the hot pot.
When the oil reached three to four-tenths hot, he gently slid the marinated yellow croaker fillets in.
Let them slide gracefully until cooked.
Once the fish turned completely white with no transparency, it indicated the fish was properly cooked.
The tender and smooth texture was invitingly apparent.
"How fragrant~"
A strong and rich aroma wafted out from the pot like soft silk, swirling around everyone’s noses.
Lin Zifeng and the others couldn’t help but swallow their saliva, their stomachs rumbling.
"Once the noodles are done, let’s taste how this Yellow Croaker Noodles turns out!"
As Huang Tao spoke, he used a slotted spoon to lift the fish, draining off excess oil, and placed them in a large bowl.
Then he started boiling water to cook the noodles.
When the noodles were cooked, he placed them into individual bowls.
Arranging tender slices of yellow croaker over the noodles, he added some sautéed pickled vegetables.
Finally, he poured in the white fish soup.
Sprinkled with a bit of chopped green onion.
Thus, a bowl of Yellow Croaker Noodles was completed.
Huang Tao smiled slightly and invited, "Let’s eat!"
"We’ve been waiting for your word, boss."
Lin Zifeng chuckled happily.
Everyone picked up their spoons, scooping up the soup from their bowls to taste.
As soon as the soup entered their mouths.
They instantly tasted the rich flavor of the yellow croaker, mingled with the salty and sour taste of the pickled vegetables.
The slight sourness combined with the fish soup’s freshness thoroughly awakened their taste buds.
With a sip of the soup in their stomachs.
Their already slightly hungry stomachs quickly churned.
Then, everyone picked up their chopsticks to grasp the noodles.
Slurping away
At moments like these, there’s no place for gentlemanly restraint.
Everyone slurped down the noodles heartily, savoring the soup and noodles together.
Lin Zifeng, eating rather quickly, had his mouth almost stuffed, his cheeks puffed out.
Seeing this, Huang Tao laughed and said, "Zifeng, eat slowly, no one’s going to steal your food. Finish the noodles and then savor the fish."
At Huang Tao’s reminder, everyone suddenly remembered that they hadn’t yet eaten the fish in their bowls!
And with that.
They stopped grabbing noodles and started picking up the tender slices of fish in their bowls.
Fish slices entered their mouths.
Wow~
It was really incredibly tender and smooth, and the fresh taste of the fish was perfectly locked in.
Lightly biting down with their teeth, it felt as if juice was flowing from the fish.
Lin Zifeng couldn’t help but exclaim, "My God, this yellow croaker is unbelievably tender,"
Ding Suqin nodded, "Yes, it’s so delicious! Very tasty!"
Xu Hao looked utterly enthralled, "Indeed, one piece isn’t enough! It’s so tender it defies description, and so fresh it can’t be put into words! I really believe that my tongue isn’t mine at this moment..."
And then the three of them again...
Slurped away~
Slurped away~
