Lin Xu had never heard of Soft Burned Chicken Cake.
But as soon as he heard that this "tofu" was made with Chicken Breast and Pork Fat, he imdiately realized it was a high-end Sichuan dish, and even an obscure one at that.
This kind of dish might beco extinct one day; if I have the chance to learn it, I have to seize it.
"Brother, you want to learn? Welco, welco! We were just worrying about whether this dish would be lost to ti, and here you are eager to learn. That’s just great."
Dai Jianli greeted him enthusiastically. He brought over a piece of Chicken Breast and Pork Fat, saying, "They’ve all finished theirs, and I’m the only one left. It’s perfect timing to demonstrate for you... You can learn it in one go, right, brother? I’ve heard you managed to learn Qingshui Furong in just one attempt, so this dish should be no problem for you."
Lin Xu smiled helplessly.
This is the consequence of setting up a false reputation!
However, with Qingshui Furong as the basis, if the thod for making this Chicken Cake was similar to Furong Chicken Slices, then truly learning it in one go might not be that difficult after all.
With this in mind, he said, "We can certainly give it a try later. If I can learn it, next ti we compete at the Fishing Platform, I’ll use it and crush the opposition!"
Dai Jianli deftly placed the Chicken Breast on the cutting board, removing the surface mbranes, then flipped the cleaver over to use the thick back of the blade to pound on the at.
This was exactly the sa as making Furong Chicken Slices.
Lin Xu watched and understood quite clearly.
Pounding the Chicken Breast required the principle of starting slow then fast, and light before heavy.
The process was not about pounding blindly but involved several iterations.
The first round aid to loosen the Chicken Breast, so the force had to be lighter, with about a centiter interval between each hit to ensure that the fibers of the chicken loosened, resulting in fluffier Chicken atball.
The second round flattened the Chicken Breast to further loosen the fibers. The force should be slightly increased during the pounding, and the interval halved.
Starting from the third round, one had to use the cleaver’s back in a continuous motion to gradually pound the Chicken Breast into a paste.
After repeating the process a few tis, the Chicken atball would beco fine and fluffy.
At this point, use the blade of the cleaver to scrape the Chicken atball to the side, about two to three centiters wide, pressing it tightly against the cutting board. The hair-like mbranes in the at would then be revealed.
Using a bamboo skewer, Dai Jianli picked out these mbranes and scraped the bulk of the Chicken atball into a small bowl. He then spread the remaining Chicken atball flat on the cutting board and continued picking out mbranes.
After repeatedly picking out all the mbranes, the Chicken atball was ready.
The whole process was complex and tedious, demanding high physical strength, concentration, and stamina. Moreover, a high-quality cutting board was essential to prevent wood splinters from mixing into the Chicken atball.
Once the Chicken atball was ready, half a ladleful of Scallion and Ginger water was added to marinate it.
While this was happening, it was ti to start preparing the Pork Fat.
"For this dish, you need fresh Pork Fat because the freshness gives it a jelly-like elasticity after cutting. Frozen Pork Fat loses that elasticity and also lacks the fresh taste."
Dai Jianli explained while handling the Pork Fat, slicing it into pieces and then using the cleaver’s back to pound it into a paste.
The reason for pounding was also to make the Pork Fat fluffier.
Lin Xu was beginning to get the picture.
The Pork Fat, once pounded into a paste and mixed into the Chicken atball, would presumably result in a trembling dish resembling tofu – the Chicken Cake, right?
Never mind the taste, the sheer effort involved in making it alone was enough to deter many.
Compared to Chicken Breast, Pork Fat was easier to pound as it had no mbranes; simply pound it into a semi-transparent paste.
After pounding the Pork Fat, he took a portion equivalent to half the amount of the Chicken atball and mixed it in.
Now, for the seasoning.
Into a bowl, add a small spoonful of salt, a small spoonful of sugar for enhancing umami, and a small spoonful of pepper powder to remove any gay taste.
Mix thoroughly by hand, allowing the Chicken atball and Pork Fat to blend together completely.
Due to the presence of salt, the mixture would bind slightly, and the Scallion and Ginger water originally used to marinate the Chicken atball would gradually be absorbed.
At this point, he slamd the mixture against the bowl a few tis, ensuring an even blend of Chicken atball and Pork Fat.
Once it was thoroughly worked until elastic, he then added five Egg Whites and a small handful of potato starch that had been soaked thoroughly in water.
Continue to mix until the paste in the bowl turned into a fine, white, smooth consistency.
Seeing Lin Xu watching intently, Dai Jianli said, "Pound the Pork Fat until it’s completely smooth, without any granules, or the texture won’t be pleasant. When mixing it with the Chicken atball, don’t use too much or you’ll steam out the pork oil. Also, make sure it’s evenly distributed to prevent the Pork Fat from clumping together, or it will spoil the presentation."
He explained the key points of making the Chicken Cake in just a few sentences.
Lin Xu was quite moved. Despite only a few brief remarks, the experience contained within would likely take nurous trials to discover. Chef Dai is really a genuine person!
While he was reflecting, a kitchen assistant hurried in and asked, "Boss, Chef Song from Building 15 sent soone to ask if you took two river groupers from their aquarium this morning?"
Without turning his head, Dai Jianli responded, "Bullshit, his river groupers are skinny and small; why would I bother with that stuff?"
"But... Building 15 has checked the caras, and it definitely was you who took the fish, Boss. Maybe we should just give them back. Chef Song has gone to the Dining Departnt to complain."
Dai Jianli pulled out his phone and, without hesitation, called Song Dahai. He said, "Today Brother Lin ca to Building 18, and I took two of your fish to entertain him. Why are you acting like it’s such a big deal? Believe it or not, I’ll have Brother Lin dock your nephew’s wages."
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