Wilderness Survival with Druid System-Chapter 372 - 41: Stir-Fried Nile Crocodile
The production team here.
Seeing Chen Wen and the hippo working together, everyone was momentarily at a loss for words.
Compared to Jiang Chang and Lin Jiawei, who were simply happy for Chen Wen.
Everyone else’s feelings were quite complex.
If such a contestant is not limited, when Chen Wen rides the hippo for a nighttime raid on the camp.
It’s like Zhang Liao attacking Sun Quan, Hefei sending ten thousand reinforcements!
But these limitations seem to be barely effective now, as Chen Wen’s own strength is equally formidable!
Moreover, due to these limitations, props were sent to Chen Wen!
That’s the most fatal part!
The props sent further enhanced Chen Wen’s combat capabilities!
Right now, everyone feels like they’ve shot themselves in the foot.
Who suggested this whole thing?
Everyone pondered for a while and looked unfavorably at Yoshikawa Feng’s assistant.
Feeling the situation getting grim, Yoshikawa Feng’s assistant made a quick escape.
What else can we do in this situation?
The contestant assistants sighed: We asked for this trouble, let’s endure it! 𝐟𝚛𝕖𝚎𝕨𝗲𝐛𝚗𝐨𝐯𝐞𝕝.𝐜𝗼𝗺
...
The first collaboration with the hippo ended perfectly.
Chen Wen felt quite satisfied internally.
Originally, he hadn’t planned for the hippo to be so deeply involved in this hunt.
But the hippo’s ability to seize opportunities successfully gave Chen Wen a glimpse of its potential.
With more communication and training, the hippo might even be more useful than a lion!
The next step is to strengthen the hippo’s training, once the training is successful, wouldn’t he and the hippo dominate the Caprivi Strip?
Of course, it’s a different story if they encounter an elephant herd or poisonous snakes.
One is a numbers issue, the other a mechanism issue.
Putting the future issues aside.
Chen Wen planned to process this crocodile meat.
The climate in the Caprivi is hot, and the dry season is approaching.
If the crocodile meat isn’t properly preserved, it’ll spoil in just a few days.
Chen Wen regretfully didn’t smoke the previous crocodile meat.
Now it smells slightly off, but it’s still edible.
Therefore, this batch of crocodile meat must be properly preserved.
The best methods for preserving meat are definitely drying or smoking.
Chen Wen planned to dry some and smoke some.
For the dried crocodile meat, Chen Wen didn’t plan to make much.
After all, this is his first attempt at making dried meat, need to consider the chance of failure.
However, while handling the dried meat, Chen Wen felt the lack of props.
He didn’t have a pot.
Making jerky isn’t just about cutting the meat into strips and hanging them to dry.
Blood needs to be drawn out beforehand, and ideally, the meat should be blanched then marinated with seasonings, before being dried in a cool, ventilated place.
Also, although it’s dried meat, it can’t be directly exposed to the sun.
Therefore, based on the props Chen Wen currently has.
He can’t support the drying of jerky.
Especially the steps of blanching and drawing out blood can’t be done.
Directly soaking it in the river isn’t very proactive.
Therefore, Chen Wen ultimately used up the third prop from the compensation choices.
"Give me a pot, a stew pot."
Chen Wen said to the camera: "Hurry up, I’m in a rush to process crocodile meat."
Abel received the message and dared not delay.
He immediately arranged for the props team to hand an inspected stew pot to Chen Wen and let the helicopter quickly deliver it.
About five minutes later.
With the sound of rotor blades, a drone arrived over the open space near Chen Wen.
Already waiting there, Chen Wen waved his hands to get the attention of the staff above.
The staff lowered the helicopter to a height of over two meters and handed the stew pot to the bent-over Chen Wen.
Chen Wen took the stew pot and gestured an ’OK’ in the strong wind.
As the helicopter moved away, Chen Wen couldn’t help saying: "Not bad, pretty efficient."
After speaking, Chen Wen checked the stew pot, finding no signs of damage.
He took the stew pot to the riverbank to wash and then filled it with river water.
The stew pot had been checked in advance by the production team and tested through three uses.
Taking the stew pot filled with river water back to the shelter, Chen Wen casually set aside the previous canisters.
With a big stew pot, who uses those small canisters anymore?
Chen Wen placed the stew pot on the fire and, while the water was still cold, directly put the cut crocodile meat strips in.
"By the way, a note for friends without kitchen experience. In our Hua Country, we customarily blanch raw meat to remove blood for better flavor and taste. Firstly, I respect and understand the dietary cultures of various countries; secondly, I feel that meat without blanching really tastes bad."
After stacking armor, Chen Wen continued: "Finally, blanching should be done by putting the meat in cold water first, as gradual temperature elevation allows the blood to be forced out."
Chen Wen’s words left quite a few contestant assistants from outside the East Asia cultural circle somewhat confused.
"Do people from Hua Country blanch all their dishes? Doesn’t this destroy nutrients?"
Some assistants couldn’t help but look at Lin Jiawei.
Lin Jiawei hesitated for a moment and said: "It’s not significant. If you feel you’re missing out on nutrients, we also have a lamb blood soup to replenish what’s lost."
Wang Defa?
What on earth is lamb blood soup?
Someone else asked: "Does cooking in this way taste good? Like with steak, wouldn’t it become too tough?"
Lin Jiawei replied: "We don’t eat steak, but braised potatoes with beef brisket and quick-fried beef are quite tasty, and they’re not tough, pretty tender."
Even saying so, many contestant assistants still didn’t quite understand blanching.
...
On the screen.
As the water temperature increased, Chen Wen began to get busy.
Reaching midday, he planned to make lunch.
For lunch today, Chen Wen wanted to make something fancy.
He roughly looked over the crocodile meat, knowing it’s famous for being low in fat.
But life sustains life, and the crocodiles of the Kuanduo River obviously eat quite well.
Their meat has a fair amount of fat.
Chen Wen found a piece of meat with a bit of white color and intended to make a stir-fry with it.
That piece of meat was also blanched in the pot by Chen Wen.
As the water gradually boiled, some faint blood foam was cooked out.
Chen Wen blew the blood foam out of the pot, separately poured out the water, and placed the meat on the crocodile skin.
"Today’s meal is considered indulgent, a stir-fry meat deal."
Chen Wen said, taking the blanched meat out and chopping it into finer strips.
Then adding them to the pot.
Chen Wen took a clean reed stalk and continually swirled it, ensuring even heating of the meat strips.
With the rising temperature, the fat inside the meat was rendered out by Chen Wen.
Very little.
Chen Wen couldn’t help but think: If it were hippo meat, there’d be lots of fat!
Given hippos’ round shape, their fat content certainly is high.
But now having a hippo friend, he would let it pass for now.
Eating an animal friend’s kin right in front of them feels a bit like purgatory.
There’s not much oil, but enough, at least it doesn’t stick to the pot.
Chen Wen grabbed some of Ah San’s secret little seasoning and sprinkled it lightly.
The crocodile meat’s color instantly turned red.
Moreover, an intriguing aroma wafted out from the pot.
The taste is really nice!
Chen Wen took a deep breath, continuing to stir quickly.
When it was close to being done, he added all the remaining lotus root.
Stirring evenly.
"Meat and veggies, really an indulgence!"
Chen Wen sighed deeply.
While other contestants are barely getting by with meals, he indulges in lotus root stir-fried with crocodile meat.
Truly sinful!
Then let me face this sin!
Due to Ah San’s unique supply of seasoning, Chen Wen decided to play a cosplayer of secondary continental friends for a time.
He took out a clean piece of crocodile skin to use as a plate.
Poured the crocodile meat onto it, and Chen Wen could even see the wok hei.
"Wow, that’s impressive! There’s even wok hei!"
Chen Wen couldn’t help but say, "Wok hei, perhaps many friends do not understand its essence, it’s actually quite simple, referring to the unique aroma and taste generated by the charring and Maillard reaction of ingredients under high heat."
"This reaction includes the gelatinization of proteins and fiber tissues, making dishes possess a rich charred and dry aroma."
These exclusive Hua Country culinary terms left many foreigners even more baffled.
Abel was holding a boxed meal.
He and the staff were eating the same simple boxed meals.
Yet, watching the steaming lotus root stir-fried with crocodile meat in front of Chen Wen, Abel suddenly felt his role as a director rather pointless.
Why am I eating this?
I’m the director!
