The family isn’t short of food or drink, so why worry that our daughter will eat us out of house and ho?
She likes cilantro?
That’s too easy; we could just make a simple cold cilantro salad. But it looks like my sister-in-law plans to make a dish that’s truly presentable.
Lin Xu thought for a mont and said, "We can make it now. The beef tenderloin Yueyue just pounded is perfect for a cold dish, and it’s not hard to make. How about I just make a cilantro beef salad right now?"
Shen Baobao didn’t expect to receive praise from her own Xu Bao for just eating a al and imdiately said, "Yes, yes, I also want to learn."
Cilantro beef salad?
The others were sowhat surprised. They had rarely eaten cold beef dishes, and even then, it was usually marinated beef served cold, not raw. But from Lin Xu’s tone, it seed he could make it imdiately, which likely ant it wouldn’t be marinated.
How would you even eat that?
For a mont, both cilantro lovers and beef lovers were silent. They were all wondering if the finished dish would even be edible.
The two pretend head chefs, Chen Yan and Shen Jiayue, however, seed eager to try, "Then let’s start, this will be an additional dish!"
Lin Xu didn’t refuse. He rose and led the pair of Dragon and Phoenix to the kitchen.
He took the beef tenderloin out of the fridge. First, he cut it apart following the muscle grain, then used the back of his knife to pound it lightly. This loosened the muscle fibers, making the at absorb flavors more easily and improving its texture. After pounding it, he used a kitchen knife to slice it thinly.
Considering Shen Baobao’s and his sister-in-law’s negligible Knife Skills, Lin Xu said, "If you do it yourself, you can replace this step with a at slicer."
The kitchens of wealthy families weren’t just spacious; they were also fully equipped with all sorts of appliances, both essential and non-essential. The multi-functional slicer was a pri example. Of course, just because Lin Xu found it unnecessary didn’t an others thought the sa. For example, the two aspiring head chefs were very reliant on equipnt. Upon hearing they could use a slicer, they exchanged a look and shared a knowing smile.
Wow, we can finally harness the power of technology!
Lin Xu continued to slice the beef while saying, "The slices don’t need to be too thin; about two milliters is good. This thickness allows the beef to cook through while remaining tender. If they’re too thin, it’s easy to overcook, and if they’re too thick, they won’t cook through properly."
Blanch? The Dragon and Phoenix duo looked puzzled, their expressions full of curiosity about this technique.
"Blanch it and then make a cold salad? Isn’t that... isn’t that how you eat hot pot?" Chen Yan felt like she’d discovered a new continent. She realized that the way they often ate hot pot, especially Chaoshan Beef Hot Pot, used almost this exact thod.
So, we’re putting in all this effort to learn, just to make a hot pot dish?
"Brother-in-law, isn’t this dish a bit... too simple?"
Simple? Lin Xu put the sliced beef into a bowl and said with a smile, "Not necessarily. This dish is actually quite particular. If made well, it can definitely be a highlight on the dining table. Plus, once you learn it, you can use the sa thod for cold dishes with chicken, lamb, and various other ats."
Shen Baobao’s eyes lit up, "Doesn’t that an we can turn our favorite hot pot ingredients into cold salad dishes?"
"It’s possible, but you should probably skip it for now. It’s better for you to eat fewer cold dishes for the ti being."
"Oh... got it."
Chen Yan: "..."
Brother-in-law, I get that you care about your cousin’s feelings. But could you not do it right in front of ? Are public displays of affection this shaless nowadays?
Lin Xu placed the sliced beef into a bowl, then drizzled so peanut oil over it and mixed it evenly.
"Why add oil?"
"It’s to lock in the at’s moisture and also to improve its texture. Raw beef shouldn’t co into contact with salt or Cooking Wine during preparation, otherwise, the at won’t be tender."
After saying this, Lin Xu started to prepare the other ingredients. He took two Erjingtiao chili peppers, three millet chilis, and a piece of tender ginger Aunt Liu had prepared for making pickles. He chopped these three ingredients separately, then combined and finely minced them.
Next, he took a small handful of cilantro and a few scallions. He first cut off the roots of the cilantro and scallions, setting them aside to be used when blanching the beef. The cilantro stems and leaves, along with the scallions, were then cut into sections and placed in a small bowl to be added to the dish later.
Once these side ingredients were ready, he began to prepare the sauce. He added half a tablespoon of Light Soy Sauce, one-third of a tablespoon of white sugar, and one-third of a tablespoon of oyster sauce to a bowl, then mixed well with a small spoon until the sugar dissolved.
As he mixed, Lin Xu said to Shen Baobao and Chen Yan, "You can’t put salt in this sauce, so you need to use savory condints as a substitute for table salt to season it. This makes the flavor fresher. Besides Light Soy Sauce and oyster sauce, you can also add a little Fish Sauce to enhance the savory, umami taste."
Once the sugar dissolved, he poured a small amount of Sichuan peppercorn oil and Sesa Oil into the bowl. After mixing it again, the sauce was ready, and he could proceed with cooking the beef.
He added water to a pot and brought it to a rolling boil over high heat. Then, he added a quarter tablespoon of table salt to the boiling water. This is where the base saltiness for the beef is introduced, so it’s important to add enough salt. This ensures the beef will be flavorful and delicious.
After adding the salt, he took a large sh strainer and spread the sliced beef in it as evenly as possible. Then, similar to the technique for making White Jade Lotus Root Strips, he held the large sh strainer with the beef in his left hand over the pot. With his right hand, he used a ladle to scoop boiling water from the pot and pour it over the beef. This step involves carefully pouring the hot water over the beef. As the water spreads and cascades, it undergoes a slight cooling process, which prevents the intense heat from directly scalding and overcooking the beef.
As the hot water cascaded over the beef, it instantly rinsed away any surface blood.
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