Chapter 49: Chapter 49: Qin Lang’s Food Fight Dishes
Translator: 549690339
The atmosphere among the judges becomes instantaneously relaxed when the two Spiritual Chefs enter the kitchen.
“Abstract theme: delicate.” One of the judges says with a grin, “The last time I judged for this theme was literally the last time.”
“Can you change your habit of saying such baloney, Old Zhou?” another judge remarks humorously with resignation before turning to the other three judges. “Old Li, you’ve been part of several ‘Food Fights’ involving Tang Xie, haven’t you?”
“Do you think Tang Xie could claim victory in the Food Fight this time as well?”
Tang Xie, among the Spirit Chefs of Dongxia City, has risen to fame through Food Fights.
His experience with Food Fights is quite extensive. Since turning into a Spirit Chef, he participated in more than one Food Fight per week on average, and has an impressive win rate. Many judges from the Dongxia City Spirit Chef Association have dealt with him before.
“Hard to say.” The judge surnamed Li furrows his brows, pondering for a bit before slightly shaking his head. “The themes in Tang Xie’s previous Food Fights had nothing to do with the current one, and the dishes he presented in the Food Fights I was involved in didn’t quite align with this theme.”
“That said…” The judge surnamed Li paused, looking curiously at Qin Lang’s kitchen on the other side. “This Spirit Chef appears to be a new face.”
“According to historical Food Fight records, he has participated in one Food Fight and won it…” After checking through the data in his hands, he turned to the other judges, “Has any of you been involved in the judging of that particular Food Fight?”
“I was.” The normally silent female judge volunteers, “This Spirit Chef is quite talented.”
“Oh? Judge Qi, do you know him?” The other judges all cast their curious glances over.
“He previously used a rarely utilized part of beef- the oxtail, for a Food Fight with a limited ingredient value.” Judge Qi said evenly, “I have tasted the dishes he has cooked. He’s better than one would expect of a novice Spirit Chef.”
“However…” A reminiscence of the Red Braised Oxtail he made that time flashes across Judge Qi’s mind as she speaks with the barest hint of an odd expression, “The dishes that this Spirit Chef named Qin Lang cooks don’t seem to align with the themes very well either.”
“Well be in for a show then.” Old Li chuckled.
“Let’s not discuss the participating Spirit Chefs too much before we have tasted their dishes.” Huang Shu interjects calmly, her gaze sweeping over the tightly shut doors of the two Competitive Standard Kitchens as she harbors a hint of curiosity.
i wondered what kind of dishes these two Spirit Chefs will bring out today.
“There’s some good news.”
Inside the kitchen, Qin Lang was busily carving designs onto the surface of an orange without even lifting his head.
“Guh?”
At the sight of Qin Lang, Dan Bao, who had been watching the crabs bound in string with slivers of ginger on their bellies in the steamer nearby, turned around with curiosity etched onto his face.
What’s the good news?
“We are likely going to finish before our opponents in this Food Fight.”
During his explanation, Qin Lang finished carving the last orange.
After stretching, he picks the top off the separated orange, scraped the pulp into a small bowl and leaves a small amount of juice in the orange shell.
Qin Lang reattaches the top of the orange back onto the orange pot, which had been carved with intricate designs, and sets it down gently on the table.
On the table, there are already seven other so-called orange pots.
The patterns carved on each pot are distinctively different.
All this, had been done within the fifteen minutes it took to steam the crabs.
The main reason why he practised making this dish last night was to regain this level of familiarity.
After dealing with the orange pots, Qin Lang opens the steamer nearby, revealing sixteen steamed crabs with vibrant red shells and pincers.
With the billowing steam, a rich fragrance of crab suffuses the kitchen instantly.
The savory but not fishy smell of the crab alone brings a satisfied smile to his face.
Meanwhile, Dan Bao swallows quietly at the sight.
For a moment, the wonderful taste he experienced from tasting this dish last night seemed to return to his mouth.
Watching Qin Lang’s subsequent actions, it couldn’t help but hold its breath.
Facing these sixteen steamed crabs, Qin Lang took a deep breath, then quickly donned gloves and took one from the steaming basket.
He skillfully cut off the crab legs and claws, placed the crab meat in a small bowl, and put the remaining shell in another plate. Then he opened the top shell of the crab and started to remove the crab roe, crab paste, and crab meat.
This was a process made easy with experience, and Qin Lang, with his exquisite culinary skills, was no stranger to it.
Soon, all sixteen crabs in the steaming basket were precisely dismantled.
A full bowl of steaming crab roe, crab paste, and crab meat made Dan Bao, who was watching the entire process with great interest, swallow once again.
At this time yesterday, it couldn’t resist the temptation to start eating.
But it didn’t today, one reason was because this was an important Food Fight, and the other reason was that Dan Bao, after having tasted the final flavor, knew:
Though the crab is delicious now, it has not yet reached its most delicious moment.
“Dan Bao?”
Qin Lang’s call quickly snapped Dan Bao back to reality.
Seeing the scallion and ginger passed to it, brightness once again surged in Dan Bao’s eyes.
It’s time for me, Dan Bao, to show off my skills again!
Watch my freshness!
Huh-
While handing the scallion and ginger to Dan Bao, Qin Lang had already started heating up the wok.
When the oil was about sixty percent hot, the scallion and ginger, after being processed by Dan Bao, were in their optimal state.
The scallion was cut into pieces, and ginger was sliced. They were fried in the hot oil until slightly yellow, then taken out. The heat was turned down, and the crab shells were added.
As the hot oil and crab shells came into contact, the oil in the pot gradually took on a red hue amidst the rolling bubbles.
At the same time, an amazing crab aroma seemed to permeate the savory oil.
When the hot oil in the pot turned into a clear, orange-red color, the crab oil was ready.
Carefully draining the oil from the hot and fragrant crab shells, Qin Lang picked up the crab roe, crab paste, and crab meat he’d separated earlier, and began stir-frying the crab powder.
Unlike regular crab powder, he also needed to add a small amount of orange pulp during the stir-frying process.
When the stir-frying was finished, the rich crab and sweet orange flavors filled the entire kitchen. The crab powder was then put into the eight prepared orange pots.
A mixture of rice wine, rice vinegar, and water was poured into the bottom of the steamer. The orange pots were placed in the steamer.
Then came a twenty-minute wait time.
“Choose ripe, large oranges for this. Cut off the top of the orange, remove the pulp, leaving a bit of juice. Fill with crab paste and meat, then cover it with its stem-laden top. Place it in a small steamer, steam it with wine, vinegar, and water. Serve with vinegar and salt.”
This description comes from the book “Shanjiaqinggong,” written by Lin Hong from the Southern Song Dynasty Shaoxing Era.
This dish is called Crab-Stuffed Orange.
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