Unlike roast chicken made from tender roosters, Spicy Chicken requires laying hens that are around a year old.
Though this type of chicken at might seem dry and tough, and theoretically unsuited for this preparation thod, the clever people of the Northwest have found a way to make it delightfully crunchy and firm, with a refreshingly numb and spicy flavor.
Regular tender chicken, on the other hand, could not produce this texture.
Early this morning, when Lao Huang delivered vegetables, he also specifically brought a few spent hens. Che Zai then weighed them, chopped off the toenails from the chicken feet, removed the trachea and lymph tissue from the chicken necks, ticulously cleaned the downy feathers from their bodies, and also cleared out inedible parts like the lungs from their abdominal cavities.
After cleaning them, he placed a large basin under the tap, put the chickens in it, and turned on the water. Once the basin was full, he adjusted the tap to its lowest setting, just enough for the water to trickle into the basin in a thin, steady stream.
This technique saved water while also keeping the water in the basin constantly fresh.
Any blood seeping from the chicken at was imdiately washed away by the flowing water.
By now, these chickens had been soaking for several hours. Lin Xu took them out of the basin; their skin and flesh had beco completely pale and tender, much cleaner than when they were first bought.
"This chicken looks really beautiful. Boss, is this how restaurants make their Spicy Chicken so white? Theirs seems even whiter than this chicken," Che Zai asked curiously.
He hadn’t worked with Spicy Chicken in his previous restaurant, so he was sowhat unfamiliar with this dish.
Before Lin Xu could answer, Ma Zhiqiang said, "Bullshit! Those restaurants only wash their vegetables once; they’d never rinse them with so much water. They usually soak the chicken in formalin, and naturally, the chicken becos white and tender."
Upon hearing "formalin," Che Zai’s face showed an indescribable expression. "Bro, you might as well have lied. Just the other night, Niu Chuan and I were eating Spicy Chicken downstairs from the dorm. He even held up his arm to compare—the chicken skin was much whiter and more tender than his arm."
Lin Xu trailed off. You guys really have too much free ti.
He set up the stockpot, placed the chickens inside, and added water until the pot was half full.
Since there were many chickens to cook today, a bit more water was needed, as the final sauce for the chicken would be made using this original chicken broth.
After adding water, he turned on the heat.
While waiting for the water to boil, he couldn’t stay idle; he had to prepare the spices for boiling the chicken.
The spices included star anise, white cardamom, Angelica dahurica, bay leaves, a small piece of cinnamon, and finally, a large handful of Sichuan peppercorns. After rinsing them with water, they were placed in a bowl with scallion segnts and ginger slices, completing the aromatics for boiling the chicken.
After the water boiled, he skimd off the foam, added the cleaned spices into the pot, then put in two spoonfuls of salt and simred it over dium-low heat for one hour.
These older hens were quite resilient to prolonged boiling.
If it were a regular three-yellow chicken or a tender young chicken, an hour of boiling would likely cook them so thoroughly that even the bones would be soft.
Just as the chicken started boiling, Shen Baobao, who had gone back for a nap, ca over.
Lin Xu took the sugar-roasted chestnuts, which he had buried in pebbles the previous night, placed them into a bamboo basket, and handed it to the girl for her to peel and eat.
"It’s amazing they’re still warm after a whole night! These pebbles are magical."
Shen Jiayue peeled a chestnut, popped it into her mouth, and mumbled, "Sister Yan t Master in the Hulun Grassland. He and Aunt Luo just traveled from the Three Eastern Provinces to Inner Mongolia. At this rate, they’ll arrive in the Northwest just in ti for heavy snowfall to close off the mountains."
"It’s a trip; there’s no need to rush. If it were , it would probably take even longer."
The Three Eastern Provinces cover over a million square kiloters, boasting several mountain ranges and major rivers. How could one tour it all so quickly?
Shen Baobao popped a chestnut into Lin Xu’s mouth. "After we get married, can we travel around in an RV like that?"
"Sure... as long as we get our ho situation stabilized first."
"Mhm, don’t worry, Xu Bao. I’ll work hard to earn money too."
How could a family rely on just one person to earn money? Even though I, Shen Jiayue, might receive a massive inheritance in the future, I can’t lose my fighting spirit!
"Xu Bao, I saw online and in the group chat that people are urging you to make more videos of Dundun. Since you’re so busy, I’ve decided to take on this responsibility."
You?
Lin Xu was about to suggest she stick to eating snacks but didn’t want to dampen her enthusiasm. He asked, "How do you plan to shoot it?"
"I only took a short nap when I got back. Then, I assembled my very own production team."
Team...? Lin Xu instinctively thought of his sister-in-law.
But his sister-in-law was likely frolicking wildly on the Hulun Grassland, thousands of miles from Beijing, and couldn’t possibly join Shen Baobao’s team.
His curiosity was piqued. "Who’s on your team?"
Shen Baobao cleared her throat and pointed to herself first. "I’ll be the general director. From now on, rember to call Director Shen."
Has she already gotten over her craze for being an executive chef this fast? Lin Xu nodded cooperatively. "Alright, Director Shen."
"Our team is fully staffed. Screenwriting and creative aspects will be handled by our little genius, Geng Lele. Videography, editing, and post-production will be enthusiastically handled by Director Zeng. Sister Jing will provide props and locations, and Shu Yun will act as Dundun’s agent, responsible for his emotional well-being and other matters."
This... The Fat Loss Squad and the Goofball Squad, led by Geng Lele and Shen Baobao, collaborating for the first ti? Who knew, this combination might actually cook up a little surprise. Even though his Baobao was just there to make up the numbers, Lele’s intellect and Zeng Xiaoqi, the go-getter, were genuinely skilled.
Lin Xu said, "Since our Director Shen is so confident, I wish you smooth shooting. Once you wrap up, I’ll cook a feast for you."
"That’s exactly what I wanted to hear! Sister Xiaoqi had nowhere to go, and the TV station’s cafeteria was closed too. When I told her my plan, she supported it wholeheartedly."
Is she just looking for an excuse to freeload so als from the shop?
Lin Xu didn’t expose Director Zeng’s little sche and instead offered many words of encouragent and wishes for their success.
When he returned to the kitchen, he chuckled lightly. Not sure what kind of video this motley crew can produce. But no matter what they co up with, it’s unlikely to push Lin Ji’s Food to the top of the trending list. Let them have their fun!
Downstairs at the service counter, Dundun, who had been napping, lifted an eyelid to glance upstairs, then rolled over and continued his deep slumber...
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Writing about Spicy Chicken made crave it so much I wanted to order so takeout, but I was told it wasn’t available. Life is tough... This Chapter is 5,100 characters long. Brothers, I need your Monthly Tickets!
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