CHAPTER 409: CHAPTER 225 THE ULTIMATE WAY TO COOK EEL - BRAISED SADDLE BRIDGE! [SEEKING MONTHLY TICKET]_3

After adding oil, he turned the burner to its highest heat setting.

Finally, when the oil temperature reached about eighty percent hot, Qiu Zhenhua poured the eel segments into a large colander, gave it a couple of shakes to remove excess water, and then carefully scattered them into the oil pan.

The reason for scattering them in rather than dumping them all at once was to prevent the eel segments from sticking together during frying.

The hot oil in the wok boiled vigorously.

Lin Xu took a slight step back, afraid the hot oil might splash onto his face.

When the frying was nearly complete, Qiu Zhenhua used the colander to separate any eel segments that had stuck together, flash-fried them again, and then removed them to drain off the excess oil.

At this point, all the eel segments resembled saddles, curving inwards from the scored cuts, creating a bridge-like shape.

"Cleaned eel fries to a golden yellow," Qiu Zhenhua explained. "If it’s not cleaned properly, it will turn black because fish darkens when heated."

Lin Xu nodded, making another mental note.

Once the deep-frying step was complete, it was time for braising.

Qiu Zhenhua brought over the ingredients and seasonings for braising: Pork Belly, Scallion and Ginger, Star Anise, Cinnamon, White Pepper Powder, Braised Soy Sauce, Original Soy Sauce, Zhenjiang Vinegar, table salt, Crystal Sugar... and finally, a bowl of peeled garlic.

The garlic was also special; they were all small, round, plump single-clove garlic, resembling little lanterns.

"This dish uses a significant amount of garlic, so prepare plenty. Using single-clove garlic makes for a more beautiful presentation. However, it’s better to use smaller ones; oversized cloves can visually dominate the dish."

Lin Xu, looking at the Pork Belly which was also cut to the same thickness as the eel, asked curiously, "Master Qiu, does this dish also use Pork Belly?"

"Yes," Qiu Zhenhua replied. "Strictly speaking, the dish ’Braised Saddleback’ should be called ’Braised Pork Belly with Saddleback Eel.’ We use Braised Pork Belly to cook these eel segments. That’s the authentic way to make Braised Saddleback."

Qiu Zhenhua appreciated Lin Xu’s eagerness to learn, unlike Old Xie and Old Dai, who would pester him endlessly if they didn’t get a clear explanation.

He elaborated, "Eel is rich in umami but lacks aroma. Therefore, we use the fragrance of Pork Belly to elevate the eel’s umami. This isn’t just for eel; it’s good practice to add some Pork Belly or lard when cooking any seafood to enhance both its umami and aroma."

Once everything was ready, they began cooking.

Qiu Zhenhua poured a large ladleful of vegetable oil into the wok, heated it, then added a full bowl of garlic and began to fry it.

This dish is infused with the flavor of garlic, so the garlic had to be fried first to develop a more intense aroma.

Once the garlic was thoroughly fried, he scooped out about half to be used for plating later.

The garlic remaining in the wok would dissolve into the broth during the simmering process.

After removing the garlic, Qiu Zhenhua added the sliced Pork Belly to the wok, along with the Scallion and Ginger, and began to stir-fry.

When Pork Belly is an ingredient, no matter the dish, its fat should be rendered out first. This makes the dish more fragrant and gives it a richer, more unctuous mouthfeel.

While stir-frying, Qiu Zhenhua added a handful of Crystal Sugar.

This way, as the pork fried, the Crystal Sugar would gradually melt and caramelize, giving the finished dish a more beautiful color.

After frying for a while, the rendered fat in the wok gradually increased, while the surface of the Pork Belly developed a light golden-brown, caramelized crust. At this point, he added the Star Anise and Cinnamon.

He stir-fried them briefly before deglazing with a splash of Zhenjiang Vinegar.

The vinegar helps to tenderize the Pork Belly and adds another layer of complexity to the aroma.

After adding the vinegar, he spread the Pork Belly evenly across the bottom of the wok. Then, he layered the fried eel segments on top. This prevents the eel from sticking to the wok, and the fragrance of the Pork Belly could better infuse the eel.

Next, he added the Original Soy Sauce and Braised Soy Sauce, followed by some Cooking Wine, two small spoonfuls of table salt, and white sugar equivalent to three times the amount of salt.

The two types of Soy Sauce serve different purposes: one enhances the savory, fermented soy flavor, and the other deepens the color.

The sugar is used to bring out the dish’s umami.

In the cuisine of the Jiangsu and Zhejiang regions, sugar is commonly used to enhance umami. This is especially true in the Su Xichang area, where sugar and Soy Sauce are the primary seasonings in the kitchen.

With sugar and Soy Sauce, housewives there can create delicious meals even without salt.

After adding the seasonings, he poured in enough fresh water to cover the eel segments and sprinkled some White Pepper Powder over them. He brought the liquid to a rolling boil over high heat, then reduced the heat to low for a gentle simmer.

"Eel is inseparable from White Pepper Powder," Qiu Zhenhua stated. "If you want this dish to be delicious, you need to add White Pepper Powder three times. Master Lin, if you’re interested, you should pay attention to this."

Lin Xu listened with some surprise. They actually add it three times? Back home, they don’t even use that much White Pepper Powder in Spicy Soup! Won’t the eel end up tasting like Spicy Soup?

After simmering on low heat for about half an hour, Qiu Zhenhua turned off the burner.

Lin Xu, who had just finished shredding radish, asked curiously, "Is it ready, Head Chef Qiu?"

"How could it be that quick?" Qiu Zhenhua explained. "This dish needs to be so tender it achieves bone removal, so tender that the meat just slides into your mouth with a gentle suck. But if you keep simmering it, the eel will lose its visual appeal. So, after simmering for half an hour, we transfer it to bowls and steam it for another hour and a half. This allows the eel to become even more flavorful."

He retrieved two fairly shallow, large bowls, their curves perfectly matching the arc of the ’saddleback’ eel segments.

He carefully arranged the already cooked eel segments in the bowls.

Once arranged, he placed the Pork Belly on top of the eel and then ladled the braising liquid from the wok into the bowls until they were full.

Then he brought over the reserved fried garlic and added some of the braising liquid to it as well.

He then placed both bowls—one large, one small—into the steam cabinet to begin steaming.

"Steaming the fried garlic in the original broth not only makes for an attractive presentation but also renders it fragrant and tender-soft, absolutely delicious," he noted.

Once the steaming started, Lin Xu resumed his task of preparing the shredded radish.

Over an hour later, the guests upstairs had already taken their seats in the large private dining room and the first courses were being served. Qiu Zhenhua opened the steam cabinet and, using heat-resistant gloves, removed the steamed eel and garlic.

The entire kitchen was instantly filled with a rich, savory aroma.

"Can we serve it now?" Lin Xu asked.

"Not yet," Qiu Zhenhua replied. "We still need to decant the liquid and thicken it into a sauce. And don’t forget, we still have to add White Pepper Powder two more times."

If Qiu Zhenhua hadn’t reminded him, Lin Xu would have completely forgotten about the White Pepper Powder.

Qiu Zhenhua carefully decanted the liquid from the bowls.

He then took a large serving platter, placed it over one of the steaming bowls, and swiftly inverted them, neatly transferring the contents onto the platter.

After removing the bowl, Lin Xu saw the eel segments arranged beautifully on the platter, each piece perfectly aligned, looking incredibly appetizing.

After arranging the steamed garlic evenly around the eel, Qiu Zhenhua began to prepare the sauce.

He poured the decanted braising liquid back into the wok, added two more spoonfuls of sugar, and sprinkled in some more White Pepper Powder. He stirred rapidly with a ladle, dissolving the sugar and allowing excess moisture to evaporate quickly.

Once the liquid in the wok came to a boil and the sugar had completely dissolved, he stirred in a spoonful of cornstarch slurry.

When the sauce thickened and became glossy, he removed the wok from the heat and evenly drizzled the sauce over the eel segments.

The thickened sauce made the eel’s color even more vibrant and its aroma even more intense.

Just then, Qiu Zhenhua picked up the small shaker of White Pepper Powder and evenly sprinkled yet another layer over the dish. Lin Xu watched in astonishment. Isn’t that going to be a mouthful of pepper?

Despite his surprise, he immediately thought, Use Cooking Learning Card!

Hmm, although Noodles With Black Bean Sauce is tempting, when faced with Braised Saddleback, even the best Noodles With Black Bean Sauce has to take a backseat. After all, this dish is the pinnacle of eel cuisine.

Soon, the System’s notification sounded in his mind:

"Learning target: Qiu Zhenhua. Current Skill: Braised Saddleback. Do you wish to learn?"

Is that even a question?

Lin Xu immediately affirmed in his mind, Learn!

"Congratulations, Host, for acquiring the Perfect Level dish—Braised Saddleback!"