sinovels Chapter 62 Mom's Tips for Making Pig Trotters
Chapter 62 Mom's Tips for Making Pig Trotters
Chapter 62 Mom's Tips for Making Pig Trotters
The next day, at four in the morning, Nanjing was still asleep, the glow of the streetlights shimmering in the thin mist.
Wang Sheng arrived at the Xiaguan Fresh Produce Wholesale Market on time, riding his weathered little tricycle.
The air was filled with the smells of fish, earth, and fresh vegetables; the chefs' battlefield was already open.
Today's goal is clear: top-quality pork forelegs.
【The Eye of Ingredients】In Wang Sheng’s eyes, the bustling market is given a data-driven dimension.
The pork section was bustling with people, and he navigated through it with pinpoint accuracy.
[Pig forelegs (from native black pigs)]
Freshness: Excellent (Slaughter time < 4 hours)
[Quality Rating: Rare (Free-range, thick-skinned and resilient, rich in collagen)]
[Recommendation: For stewed dishes, top-quality ingredients require long, slow cooking to bring out their tender and glutinous texture.]
At a stall with a sign that reads "Northern Jiangsu Native Pig," several pairs of front hooves gleamed a healthy pinkish-white color under the cool lights, with taut skin, firm meat, and faintly visible tendons. The grading light was a striking pale gold.
Seeing that Wang Sheng had a keen eye, the stall owner didn't say much and directly quoted a fair price.
"Boss, I'll take all of these." Wang Sheng paid readily. The man quickly weighed and cut them, his movements clean and efficient. Just as Wang Sheng was about to leave, a strong, slightly Sichuan-accented voice rang out beside him: "Young man, you have a sharp eye! These pork hocks are the best in the whole market today!"
Wang Sheng looked in the direction of the sound.
The speaker was a middle-aged man around forty years old, wearing a leather apron stained with oil but still relatively clean. He was stocky, with a dark face, but his eyes were surprisingly bright, revealing the sharpness of a gourmand and the shrewdness of a chef.
He was also carrying a pair of pig's trotters, which Wang Sheng rated as "superior," but was clearly a level below the "rare" ones he had just bought.
"I was lucky to run into them."
Wang Sheng smiled, showing no arrogance.
"Hey, this isn't luck."
The middle-aged man leaned closer, pointing to the pork hock Wang Sheng had just bought. "Look at the chewiness of the tendons, the thickness of the fat layer under the skin, and the smell! Not a trace of fishiness, just a faint meaty aroma. You can't pick out such a fine piece without some expertise!"
His eyes held undisguised admiration. "My name is Chen Qiming. I run Shuweiju in the east of the city," he said, "a small restaurant selling Sichuan home-style dishes. Brother, you own a shop too?"
"Wang Sheng, No. 07 window, No. 1 canteen, Jinling University".
Wang Sheng extended his hand. Chen Qiming's rough, large hand immediately grasped it, with considerable force.
"Hey! The student cafeteria? Window number 07?" Chen Qiming's eyes widened even more. "Isn't that the one that's been super popular lately, the one that makes amazing xiaolongbao and rice noodle rolls? My kitchen helpers at the shop are always talking about it! They say your cafeteria is even better than the noodle shops! So it's you!"
He looked Wang Sheng up and down, clicking his tongue in amazement, "Truly, the younger generation is formidable! Truly formidable!"
"Boss Chen, you flatter me. I'm just trying to make a living." Wang Sheng was a little embarrassed by the compliment.
"Don't be modest! Making a name for yourself in the cafeteria, that's real skill!"
Chen Qiming waved his hand, and then the topic returned to the pork hock, "What are you planning to do with such a good pork hock?"
Braised? Stewed in soy sauce? Or... pig's trotter soup?
He asked tentatively, his eyes filled with expectation.
"Yes, stewed pig's trotter soup." Wang Sheng didn't hide anything.
"Haha! You know your stuff!"
Chen Qiming slapped his thigh, appearing extremely excited. "I knew it! Such a good pork hock is best brought out in soup to bring out its tenderness and gelatinous texture! Using it for braising is a complete waste!"
He seemed to have found a kindred spirit, and he opened up completely.
"But young man, when making pig's trotter soup, good ingredients alone aren't enough; the preparation is key!"
Chen Qiming lowered his voice, with a touch of mystery as if he were imparting his experience in the martial arts world, "I see that the hair on your trotters is singed off cleanly, but there's still one step missing."
"Oh? Please enlighten me, Mr. Chen."
Wang Sheng became interested. The Sichuan Cuisine Skills - Old Mother's Pig Trotter Soup (4.5 stars) provided by the system was already very comprehensive, but in the world of martial arts, there were always real skills beyond books and the system.
There are many hidden masters among ordinary people.
"I wouldn't presume to offer advice, let's exchange ideas!"
Chen Qiming grinned, revealing teeth slightly yellowed from smoke. "Back in my hometown, there's an old-fashioned method: after singeing the skin, you use red-hot pine needles to carefully scald it again! Especially those hard-to-reach nooks and crannies between the hooves. The fragrance of the pine needles removes any remaining earthy taste and makes the skin more translucent after stewing, with a subtle herbal aroma! It adds another layer of flavor compared to simply singeing with a blowtorch!"
Pine needles singe the bark!
Wang Sheng's heart stirred.
The system's techniques do emphasize the ultimate in singeing to remove the fishy smell, but it uses a modern high-temperature, rapid singeing method with a spray gun, prioritizing efficiency.
This ancient method of burning pine needles was something he had never heard of before. He immediately deduced in his mind: pine needles are rich in volatile oils, and the aroma molecules produced when they burn can indeed penetrate the bark more gently and deeply, neutralizing any odors and adding layers of flavor. Moreover, the temperature is gentler, making it less likely for the bark to over-char and affect the taste.
Wonderful!
The temperature needs to be carefully controlled!
"I've learned a lot! Boss Chen, that's a brilliant idea!"
Wang Sheng sincerely praised it.
"Hehe, just a little trick, nothing to brag about."
Chen Qiming was a little embarrassed by the praise, but his face was full of joy at having met someone who knew their stuff. "And this dipping sauce! The soul of pig's trotter soup! Just chili oil, soy sauce, vinegar, minced garlic, and chopped green onions aren't enough to make it flavorful!"
He winked mysteriously, "Our Shuweiju's secret recipe includes just a tiny bit of the old brine from the pickling jar! Just a few drops, but it enhances the flavor, cuts through the greasiness, and makes your mouth water—a perfect match for the tender, fatty pig's trotters! Then sprinkle in a pinch of roasted, crushed soybean powder to add a texture and a nutty aroma. It's absolutely delicious!"
He spoke while gesturing, spittle flying everywhere.
Wang Sheng nodded repeatedly as he listened.
The lactic acid bacteria and complex fermented flavor in the old brine, along with the caramelized aroma and granular texture of the soybean flour, are truly the finishing touches, elevating the dipping sauce recipe to another level!
This Mr. Chen is a man of substance and character.
"Boss Chen, I'll definitely visit your shop another day!" Wang Sheng said solemnly.
"Sure, sure! You're welcome anytime!" Chen Qiming laughed heartily. "My wife is a native of Nanjing. I moved the shop from Sichuan to Nanjing to pursue her. For over ten years, I've won her over with my stomach and my heart with these hometown flavors!"
His tone was full of pride and doting, and a faint blush rose on his dark face.
It turns out this rugged man is actually a romantic.
The two exchanged a few more words about selecting kidney beans (white kidney beans should be plump and uniform in size, so they are easy to dissolve in sand when stewing) and making milky white soup base (bring to a boil over high heat, then turn to the lowest heat, the key is to maintain a gentle simmer like "chrysanthemum heart"), until their respective phones rang and urged them to leave, and they said goodbye with lingering interest.
"Brother Wang, come back sometime and try my braised pig's trotters, give me your feedback!"
"Definitely! Brother Chen, you're also welcome to come and give us some guidance in the cafeteria!"
"Haha, it's a deal!"
Back in the familiar courtyard of window number 07, it was already dawn. Zhao Gang, Lin Xiaowen, and others were already at their posts, efficiently preparing breakfast.
The white steam from the steamer spread out, mingling with the aroma of noodles and meat, creating the most enchanting symphony of the morning.
Wang Sheng carefully categorized the top-quality ingredients he had purchased, and he especially wrapped the precious "rare" grade forelegs in cling film and stored them in the "Preserve Fresh for a Moment" refrigerator.
These are the main characters today, but now, the battle for breakfast has begun.
"Senior, you seem unusually energetic today!"
Su Weiwei arrived on time, with her hair tied in a neat ponytail and dressed in a refreshing tracksuit. As soon as she arrived, she helped Lin Xiaowen pack the side dishes.
Her eyes sparkled as she swept over Wang Sheng, a hint of barely perceptible expectation and—supervision?—as if to say: My dear scumbag, don't forget!
While his hands were rapidly rolling out the dough, Wang Sheng winked at her and said, "That's right, someone ordered a fancy dish, so we can't be negligent."
Su Weiwei's lips curled up, she snorted, and turned her head away, her ears turning slightly red.
This little interaction caught the attention of Zhao Gang and Lin Xiaowen, who exchanged a knowing, sly smile.
The breakfast rush was as bustling as ever. The newly added savory tofu pudding and fried dough sticks combo, after a few days of trial and error, has become another hit, following the combination of xiaolongbao (soup dumplings) and sweet taro cakes. The queue stretched long and winding in front of the window, filled with exclamations of praise and urging.
The sound of scanning QR codes rose and fell.
"Boss! Extra braising sauce for the tofu pudding!"
"The fried dough sticks must be fresh out of the fryer! Crispy!"
"Two baskets of xiaolongbao to go! And a bowl of sweet taro!"
"Senior! Is my takeout order ready yet?"
Wang Sheng is like the core of a precisely operating machine. The [Kitchen Fume Avoidance Card] keeps him always clean, the [Stamina Enhancement Card] gives him inexhaustible stamina, and the [Ingredient Eye] ensures that every ingredient is in perfect condition.
Su Weiwei and the other part-time students were the best assistants, packing, handling cashier duties, and maintaining order, working together seamlessly.
Amidst the bustling activity, Wang Sheng glanced at his phone.
On the campus forum and in the backend of his social media account, which had seen a surge in followers, there were many messages with crying emojis: "Senior Wang! Help! [crying][crying] The security guards at the school gate won't let me in! They said that anyone who isn't a faculty, staff, or student is strictly prohibited from entering! My rice noodle rolls! My congee! [heartbroken]"
"Brother Sheng, I'm from the sports college next door [crying emoji] Please open our food delivery channel!"
"Waaaaah, it's all Su Yinghou's fault! There were too many people and too many different kinds of people, so the school is really taking action! [crying face]"
My happiness is gone—”
"Boss, please think of something! My child is crying because he's craving it! [Kneeling]"
As expected, Principal Gu acted swiftly and decisively, and access control was already being strictly enforced.