Chapter 253: Chapter 175: Egg Yolk Baked Lobster! Mrs. Shen’s Specialty Snack - Fried Sausage! [Request for Monthly Ticket]_3
By the mid to late Qing Dynasty, the lives of people in Beijing had declined drastically. Using meat was considered too extravagant, so Fried Sausage evolved into a new form. Ingredients such as starch and red rice flour were filled into Pork Large Intestine, which was then sliced, fried, and served with a garlic dipping sauce. The taste was quite good, and the key was the reduced cost. Many households could afford it, and this type of sausage spread quickly, becoming known as Large Sausage.
"Large Sausage? What does that mean, Grandma? Is there also a Small Sausage?"
Mrs. Shen laughed and said, "Indeed, there is. By the time of the Republic, Pork Large Intestine had also become expensive, and many people couldn’t afford it, so they used the cheaper Pork Small Intestine instead. This kind, made with small intestines, is called Small Sausage."
As a chef, Lin Xu had a strong interest in the development and changes of cuisines. He looked at the sausage Mrs. Shen was slicing and asked, "Grandma, why doesn’t this one you’re cutting even have Pork Small Intestine? Isn’t this just starch lumps?"
"Later on, during hard times, Pork Small Intestines weren’t even available. However, the people of Beijing still craved it. So, they directly wrapped starch and red rice flour in cheesecloth to mimic the look of sausages and then fried them in cheap Pork Intestine Oil. This became the Fried Sausage we know today."
Lin Xu hadn’t realized the dish’s fate had been so rocky. In just a short century, it had undergone several transformations, with costs becoming ever lower and its popularity among the common people growing.
While he was reflecting, a system notification suddenly sounded in his mind: "Host listened to the process of Beijing’s culinary changes, triggering the side quest ’Beijing Snacks’: Please master more than ten Beijing snacks within six months. Upon completion, receive one chance to draw a Perfect Level lost Beijing snack."
Lost snacks?
He remembered triggering a similar task about lost dishes when he was learning original creations from his master before.
It seemed he had triggered another similar task now.
It looked like he’d have to study more about Beijing’s snacks in his free time.
Fortunately, the difficulty of Beijing snacks wasn’t high.
This task should not be difficult to complete.
He wondered what snack he would draw then.
Maybe he could even introduce new items to sell in the shop.
As he was muttering to himself, he noticed that the task details on the system page had been updated.
[Task Progress: 1/10]
What’s this?
"Detected that the host has mastered Almond Tofu, which is classified as a Beijing snack recipe. Task progress +1."
It could work like this?
The task had just become a bit easier.
In front of the stove, after Mrs. Shen finished cutting the sausages, she brought over a specially designed slanted flat-bottomed pan and placed it on the stove, adding some lard to it. Before long, the lard melted, pooling in the lower part of the pan, yet the higher area had not a drop of oil.
Lin Xu felt that making Fried Sausage should not be difficult, so he rose from his seat while drinking water to come over and learn. Seeing the situation in the pan, he curiously asked, "Grandma, why is the pan set up like this?"
"Actually, frying the sausage isn’t just about frying. After it’s fried, it needs to be placed in the higher part of the pan to sear a bit more. This renders out the fat, making the sausage even more crispy and fragrant."
Was there such a technique?
He was lucky he took a glance; otherwise, he might not have been able to make authentic Fried Sausage.
He looked again at the sausages Mrs. Shen had cut. All were thin on one side and thick on the other.
Was there a reason for this as well?
"Cutting them this way enhances the texture. The thin side is crispy, and the thick side is soft. A single piece of sausage offers two textures. Old Beijing folks certainly knew how to enjoy their sausage with such flair."
Lin Xu quietly committed this to memory.
Soon, the oil in the pan was hot. Mrs. Shen placed the sliced sausages into the hot oil one by one. While she was frying, Aunt Liu put a garlic mortar on the workbench, grabbed a handful of peeled and washed garlic cloves, sprinkled some salt, and began to pound the Garlic Paste. Garlic sauce is a must when eating Fried Sausage. Only then could this otherwise ordinary ingredient become delicious.
While busy, Aunt Liu said, "Mr. Lin, you haven’t tried the Old Madam’s Fried Sausage yet, have you? It tastes really good."
Mrs. Shen said cheerfully, "This simple snack is just a way for poor people to satisfy their cravings. When Guofang and Guofu were young, they craved it often, so I frequently made it for them. That’s how I gained experience."
The sausages sizzled and fizzled in the pan. When the surface turned golden brown, she used chopsticks to flip them over and continued to fry. The process was slow; it required some patience. Lin Xu watched and took notes, planning to try it at home once he was back. If he could make it, wouldn’t that advance the task even further?
Before long, both sides of the sausages were fried. Mrs. Shen used chopsticks to move the sausages to the oil-free area of the pan and continued to sear them. By that time, Aunt Liu had already prepared the Garlic Paste. The old lady then took the bowl with the Garlic Paste, poured some cold boiled water into it, and stirred it evenly. The garlic sauce for dipping the sausage was ready. No Light Soy Sauce, no vinegar—it was unbelievably simple.
After both sides of the sausages in the pan were seared, the Old Madam took them out, placed them on a plate, and handed it to Lin Xu, saying, "Try it while it’s hot, see if you like it."
Lin Xu didn’t stand on ceremony. He took the plate and, using his chopsticks, picked up a piece of sausage that was emitting a rich aroma of pork fat. He dipped it into the sauce before bringing it to his mouth.
CRUNCH!
The first bite was incredibly crisp, followed by the rich aroma of pork fat. It should have been greasy, but the pungent garlic sauce immediately cut through the richness of the pork fat, making it surprisingly appetizing.
"Mmm, it’s delicious. Grandma, your skill is really good. Could you teach me sometime? I’d like to learn."
Mrs. Shen was somewhat surprised. "This is too simple," she remarked. "Why don’t you fry the rest?"
Lin Xu didn’t stand on ceremony. He washed his hands and started frying. After he had fried a pan of sausages, he noticed that the task progress on the system page had been updated.
[Task Progress: 2/10]
Damn!
Does that count as mastering it?
I just helped by frying a little.
If that’s all it takes to master it, this task should be completed pretty quickly, right?
Lin Xu suddenly became full of anticipation for the lost Beijing snacks.
What kind of snack would he get from the draw once this task was completed?
As he was daydreaming, his phone rang. He pulled it out and saw that it was his Senior Brother, Xie Baomin, calling. He had just answered when Xie Baomin’s voice came through the earpiece. "Junior Brother," Xie Baomin said, "if you’re not busy tomorrow, try to come to Fishing Platform before six o’clock. I have a surprise for you."
A surprise?
Lin Xu became curious.
What surprise could his Senior Brother have for him?