Free Web NovelChapter 703: Chapter 619: Rich and Savory—Oyster and Free-Range Chicken Braised with Scallion and Ginger
The heat used to sear the oysters is quite high with the purpose of instantly locking in the juices inside the oysters. Usually, after reaching this point in a restaurant, the dish would move directly to sautéing and stewing the ingredients.
But Wang Fan didn’t do this. After brushing the pan clean again, he poured in peanut oil and heated it to 240 degrees.
The moment the oysters hit the pan, the entire pot of oil boiled over instantly. The bright yellow oil kept rolling as if it would overflow the pan the next second, making the onlookers outside the car gasp in surprise.
Wang Fan calmly fished out the oysters with a skimmer, shook off the excess oil, and set them aside.
The fried oysters had a slightly charred edge, but remained plump and round without much change in appearance.
After pouring out most of the oil from the pan, leaving just a thin layer, he added large chunks of ginger and halved garlic cloves. Then, tossing in onions with an iron spatula, the rich and refreshing aroma swiftly took over the previous fragrance.
The chicken pieces went into the pan, followed by ginger juice and garlic juice. He added light soy sauce for freshness, dark soy sauce for color, put in scallion sections, added the oysters, gave it a quick stir, and then turned down the heat, putting the lid on the pot.
If there was a magical sound in the world, the "gurgle gurgle" sound of stewing on low heat under the lid would definitely earn its place.
Its sound isn’t loud nor crisp, yet the muffled noise always seems to scratch at the edge of taste buds’ curiosity.
Combined with the strong aroma wafting through the edges of the lid, it feels like an invisible hand relentlessly pulling at people’s cravings.
"Slurp..."
"Sip..."
"Wow, does it really have to be this delicious? Even from such a distance, the smell is almost unbearable."
"Such fresh chicken aroma, such fresh oyster aroma."
"Seeing is believing indeed, not all things online are fake."
"You can tell from the aroma alone it must be a free-spirited young chicken that ran wild in the countryside. This sense of freedom isn’t something ordinary chickens have."
"There’s only fresh fragrance without any fishiness. Both chicken and oysters are made from fresh ingredients. We’re definitely in luck today."
Wang Fan could hear the whispers of nearby people, knowing some have an exceptional talent for detecting information in scents. These people would be culinary geniuses, but due to circumstances, they didn’t choose this profession and remain ordinary in their current fields. That’s the unpredictability of life.
When I get old, maybe I’ll carry eight comprehensive recipe books and seek out kids saying, "I see you have talent, do you want to learn cooking from me?" It might actually be quite fun.
Since the chicken and oysters were already seared, the stewing time doesn’t need to be long. The purpose of stewing is mainly to prevent nutrient loss and soften the ingredients.
Ingredients cooked at low temperature for a long time cause minor denaturation of proteins, softening fibers making it more palatable.
Wang Fan lifted the lid of the pot, causing a surge of rich steam and irresistible aroma to pour out the window, heading indiscriminately toward nearby onlookers.
Such an aromatic assault, like a storm, was enough to leave one breathless.
"Inhale... ha..."
"Sniff sniff sniff sniff..."
As the crowd was immersed in the umami scent, Wang Fan had already turned up the high heat, making the broth thicken rapidly. The collagen seeping from the chicken wrapped tightly around every ingredient.
A sprinkling of tender green scallion as garnish, marked the formal completion of the ginger scallion oyster stewed chicken.
The pot was constantly emitting a rich aroma that not only were the diners outside unable to resist, even Wang Fan, the creator, was almost drooling.
As the creator of this dish, his biggest advantage over others was that he could taste it beforehand to check its saltiness, so he decisively took out a pair of disposable chopsticks.
Seeing his action, the diners felt a sense of foreboding that something big was amiss; clearly, he intended to eat what belonged to them!
"Put it down! Put those chopsticks down for me!"
"From the moment this dish was cooked, it’s already ours, the diners. You only have the right to sell, not to taste!"
"Put that 80mm long, 60mm wide oyster down! Who allowed you to sneak a bite?"
"Even if you are Boss Wang, snatching food can’t be allowed!"
Wang Fan chuckled, "I need to taste the seasoning."
He said this with a bit of mischief, extending the oyster on his chopsticks forward.
This dealt quite a blow, especially to a few staff members near the RV, feeling like they were being subjected to inhuman abuse.
The originally white oyster meat was now tightly wrapped in the sauce, the saucy red glaze clinging to it, while the oil gathered beneath forming a teardrop shape.
The drop of oil seemed ready to leave the oyster at any moment, yet stubbornly stayed put, teasing at temptations.
A few scallion bits clung to the oyster, the contrasting red and green colors making it even more enticing.
"That’s my oyster, quickly sell me that damned oyster meat!"
"Mine, put it directly in my mouth! At a hundred bucks a serving, I’ll definitely eat these oysters today!"
"I’ll help you assess the saltiness and the cooking level first."
After saying this, Wang Fan quickly retracted the chopsticks, without hesitation stuffing it into his mouth.
Delicious, aromatic!
Both the native chicken and the oysters inherently come with fresh and fragrant flavors. The combination of the two ingredients achieved an effect greater than the sum of their parts.
The oysters and native chicken perfectly blended their umami and meaty aromas, forming a unique fragrance. The moment it enters the mouth, the rich flavor instantly transports one into a state of intoxication.
