I'm the Culinary God-Chapter 538 - 265: Crocodile Meat is Really Delicious! Master Wei, Can You Take Me Home Tonight? [Seeking Monthly Ticket]_2
After Lin Ji’s Food reopened, as a son-in-law, I just couldn’t stop thinking about eating meat every day. The belly I had managed to slim down these past few days seemed to be bulging out again. If things kept going like this, not only would I fail to lose weight, but I’d probably reach new heights in gaining it.
Shen Guofu said to his mother-in-law, "We do have vegetarian dishes. Just now, I saw Lin Xu ask Sister Liu for some dried bean curd sticks. He seems to want to make Fish Belly stew with dried bean curd sticks, which is a vegetarian dish, isn’t it?"
Grandma Han: "..."
Why don’t you also say that the chopped green onions in it are a vegetarian dish? she thought. When we were younger and the family wasn’t well-off, it was understandable to crave meat, but why do you still love meat so much now? If you keep eating like this, it’s only a matter of time before the ’three highs’ come knocking.
Han Shuzhen gave Dundun some small dried fish, feeding the little guy while saying, "Starting tomorrow, you’re not allowed to go to the shop for dinner. You’ll come straight home and have a fat-reducing meal with me. I’ll let you go there for the Mid-Autumn Festival."
Her words instantly froze the smile on Shen Guofu’s face. Happy Old Shen turned into Melancholic Old Shen.
No meat again?
He dared not defy his wife’s commands and could only try to negotiate for his rights. "Then you’ve got to let me eat low-fat dishes like Winter Melon Stuffed with Meat and Spicy Shredded Chicken often. Plus, the dried fish that Lin Xu makes, I also need to eat a little of that every day. And about drinking..."
Han Shuzhen glanced sideways. "You still want to drink?"
Shen Guofu immediately softened. "Red wine, red wine! Isn’t a glass before bed said to be good for your health? How about you drink fruit vinegar, and I drink red wine, so we both stay healthy, okay?"
Seeing her husband act so timidly, Han Shuzhen couldn’t help but laugh. "Always haggling like a kid. You can drink a little, but don’t start making a bunch of snacks before bed to accompany your drink."
"No way! How could I stash away snacks like Yueyue does?"
Shen Baobao in the kitchen: What?! I was actually planning on secretly bringing some Crystal Pork Hock and Crystal Skin Jelly for Dad. Now that plan is gone; the hocks and jelly are no more. Oh, Boss Shen, just obediently accept this period of re-education through labor. I’ll frequently send pictures of food in the family group chat to comfort you!
「The crocodile meat was now ready.」
Lin Xu stood in front of the workstation, diligently chopping the meat mixture made from crocodile tenderloin and Crocodile Belly. Tender and fresh, crocodile meat is ideal for ball-shaped dishes. What Lin Xu was making now were Boiled Crocodile Meatballs, a dish that included both the meatballs and the soup—an option for those who didn’t enjoy the taste of the herbal tail-tip soup.
The preparation wasn’t complicated. After chopping the meat mixture, he added ginger juice, scallion and ginger water, and some Sichuan peppercorn water. He seasoned it with salt, Light Soy Sauce, Cooking Wine, and Egg White, then added more scallion and ginger water and Sichuan peppercorn water. After stirring it well, he began to vigorously slam the meat mixture to develop its gelatin. This ensured that when the meatballs were boiled, the mixture would bind together.
"Wow, it looks just like the playdough we used to play with as kids! Can we have a go at slamming it too?"
Lin Xu glanced at the nail polish on Shen Baobao’s fingernails and the artificial nails on his sister-in-law’s fingers, and he declined their offer to help. No point in having artificial nails end up in the meat mixture, giving relatives an unwelcome surprise. Better if I handle the heavy lifting myself.
Seeing his two assistants idle at the moment, he instructed them, "Why don’t you two start peeling garlic? Prepare a small bowlful. I see we’re almost out of garlic sauce at home. We’ll need to fry some more later and can also make a dish of Garlic Flavored Crocodile Belly."
After sending away Shen Baobao and his sister-in-law, who were hoping to gain some experience, Lin Xu continued to slam the meat mixture for a while longer. He stopped when it became sticky and adhered to his hands. Then he poured in a bit of water mixed with sweet potato starch and combined it thoroughly with the meat.
When making Boiled Crocodile Meatballs, adding some starch water to the meat mixture is necessary. This prevents the meatballs from falling apart and also enhances their chewy, springy texture. After mixing the meat mixture evenly, he set it aside to marinate.
Taking advantage of this time, he boiled a pot of water and scalded the inside and outside of the crocodile head. After scalding, he peeled off a layer of white membrane from the mouth. This membrane was inedible and needed to be removed to prevent the finished dish from tasting fishy. Once cleaned, he scored the inside and outside of the mouth with a small knife. Then, he poured cooked chopped chili peppers over it, allowing the skin and neck meat to marinate and absorb the flavors.
Aside from the skin, there isn’t much edible substance in a crocodile head; its main appeal is its impressive appearance and auspicious symbolism, which is why people like it. However, for those who truly appreciate good food, making soup with it is a more practical choice.
After marinating the crocodile head, Lin Xu placed it on a plate and then into the steamer to cook. Meanwhile, he boiled another pot of water on the stove. Once the water boiled, he turned off the heat, allowing the temperature to drop to about 70-80 degrees Celsius. Then, he reignited the fire and adjusted it to the lowest setting. This was to maintain the water at a "Shrimp Eye Water" state.
This temperature is ideal for dishes like Boiled Shrimp, Boiled Scallop Slices, and Boiled Small Octopus, as it cooks the ingredients through while preserving their tender texture. For the Boiled Crocodile Meatballs Lin Xu was preparing, the requirements for water temperature were the same.
Bringing the marinated meat mixture to the stove, he slammed it a few more times to further develop its elasticity and firmness. Then, dipping his left hand in water, he grabbed a portion of the mixture and squeezed it to expel any trapped air. He then relaxed the web between his thumb and forefinger on his left hand, gently squeezing so that the meat mixture he had just worked was extruded through the opening.
