"No problem, no problem, I'll make sure you get the best ingredients."

「Back at the store.」

Xie Baomin glanced and said with a smile, "This chicken is indeed good, and the quality of the thin-skinned chilies is nice as well. Just wait, it will be ready soon."

After saying that, he took the chickens to the sink and carefully washed off any remaining pinfeathers, as well as the outer membranes from the Chicken Feet, wings, and combs.

Then he snipped off the tips of the Chicken Feet.

After washing everything, he chopped the chicken into pieces, placed them in a basin, and rinsed them twice to wash away the blood.

"Actually, the standard Zaozhuang Spicy Chicken isn't washed; they cook it right after slaughtering. But that requires free-range chickens from Zaozhuang, which we can't get here, so I rinse them twice to clean off the blood."

Xie Baomin's mother grew up in the southwestern Shandong region and was best at making Spicy Chicken.

In the past, when transport was inconvenient, every time she felt homesick, she would go to the market, buy a rooster and some thin-skinned chilies, and make Zaozhuang Spicy Chicken for the family. Over time, Xie Baomin also learned how to make it.

At that time, he had just graduated from junior high school.

After learning how to cook, he was genuinely excited for a long time.

Then he plunged into the kitchen and tried various Cooking Techniques, such as frying and deep-frying. He nearly set the kitchen on fire several times.

To prevent a fire at home after he started working, his determined parents sent him to a restaurant as an apprentice.

He happened to be noticed by Master Gao, who took him on as an apprentice and brought him to the Fishing Platform. He systematically taught him culinary skills, and he has been working there ever since.

After his Apprenticeship, Xie Baomin once made this dish in front of his master, and it was picked apart for many faults.

He wasn't discouraged. Instead, he refined the dish according to his master's methods and found that the taste improved significantly. This dish then became his specialty.

Whether it was a family gathering or an extra dish for the kitchen staff, if he was cooking, Zaozhuang Spicy Chicken was sure to be on the menu.

Xie Baomin washed the chicken pieces while reminiscing about the past.

After thoroughly rinsing the chicken, he drained the water.

Then he set up the wok and began cooking.

Once the oil heated up, he first fried some Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant and removed them. Then, he added slices of ginger, Star Anise, bay leaves, and cinnamon, frying until aromatic before adding the chicken pieces and starting to stir-fry.

This step is to render the moisture from the chicken, making the meat firmer and more fragrant.

When cooking Zaozhuang Spicy Chicken, this step is crucial.

You have to be patient and stir-fry the chicken until it crackles and pops.

"With professional stoves, it's easy to fry well, but with a home stove, this step takes about ten minutes."

Xie Baomin held the wok handle with his left hand and a ladle with his right, stirring leisurely.

Before long, the fragrance of the chicken began to waft through the store.

Nearby, Lin Xu busied himself, hesitating about whether to learn this dish.

He only had one Perfect Level Cooking Learning Card. If he used it, he wouldn't have another, and there likely wouldn't be many tasks in the coming month.

If he needed a learning card later but didn't have one, it would be better to save it.

Having thought this through, he decided to give up on this dish.

After all, he would be with his senior brother every day. He could learn anytime he wanted. There might be other dishes that, if missed, he might never be able to learn again.

When the chicken was first added to the hot oil, the oil instantly became cloudy as the surface moisture from the chicken quickly mixed with it.

But after a period of frying, most of the moisture from both the chicken and the oil had been cooked out, and the oil at the bottom of the wok became clear again.

The chicken pieces were fried until they crackled.

This indicated that the hot oil was rendering the fat from the chicken skin.

By now, the surface of the chicken was golden brown and exuded a rich, savory aroma.

Xie Baomin poured some dried chili into the wok.

He continued to stir-fry to release the spicy fragrance of the dried chilies.

Then, holding a jug of Rice Vinegar, he filled a ladle and poured it around the edge of the wok, deglazing the pan.

SIZZLE...

The Rice Vinegar reacted with the hot oil, and a tangy, aromatic steam immediately rose.

This was one of Xie Baomin's signature dishes.

As he cooked, he explained the key points of making this dish, "Deglazing with Rice Vinegar is a distinctive feature of Zaozhuang Spicy Chicken. The evaporating vinegar helps carry away any off-flavors from the chicken and adds a subtle ester fragrance to the dish. If you make this, don't skimp on the vinegar—use plenty, as that's key to the flavor."

The vinegar volatilizes quickly in the hot oil, so you don't have to worry about the chicken tasting sour.

In fact, after the vinegar evaporates, the dish only becomes more fragrant.

After deglazing with the vinegar, Xie Baomin stir-fried a few more times, then added some Light Soy Sauce, followed by salt, sugar, more Light Soy Sauce, and Dark Soy Sauce.

He continued to stir-fry, allowing the flavors to fully integrate with the chicken pieces.

Once the Dark Soy Sauce began to impart its color and the chicken pieces turned an appetizing reddish-brown, Xie Baomin added some water to the wok.

The water didn't need to be excessive, just enough to cover the chicken pieces.

After adding water, he covered the wok and started simmering.

Although Zaozhuang Spicy Chicken sounds like a stir-fry, and its preparation is similar to sautéed chicken, the dish actually includes a simmering step.

"First, you stir-fry to draw out the moisture and firm up the chicken. Then, you simmer it so the meat becomes fall-off-the-bone tender and absorbs all the flavors. That's the secret to Zaozhuang Spicy Chicken's deliciousness."

Xie Baomin explained as he cooked.

Listening to the explanation, Lin Xu's mouth began to water.

「Fifteen minutes later.」

He lifted the lid of the wok; the water inside had mostly evaporated.

Xie Baomin added some diagonally sliced small hot peppers, further intensifying the chicken's heat.

He tossed them in, then continued to reduce the sauce, allowing the flavor of the freshly added peppers to permeate the chicken.

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