Paris, the city that shines like a brilliant gem in northern France.
Walking through its streets, everyone is awed by the architecture. The Gothic Notre-Dame Cathedral stands tall by the Seine, its spire and flying buttresses gleaming in the sunlight, as if telling ancient stories.
Not far away, the Eiffel Tower stands majestic and uniquely shaped, becoming an iconic structure.
As night falls, the lights on the tower illuminate.
Reflecting on the Seine, it creates a dreamy effect!
Paris, with its romantic atmosphere everywhere, even from Montmartre Hill, you can overlook the beautiful scenery of the entire city, feeling its tranquility and beauty.
In a gourmet street, a refined three-star restaurant, crystal-clear glasses reflect the warm light, radiating a transparent color.
The smooth red wine swirls slowly in the mouth.
The pervasive aroma, elegant and swaying, brings a warm sensation as it slides down the throat.
Finally, Gin Dojima put down his wine glass, returning from his reverie.
---
"Life is truly unpredictable."
"You two happened to meet in the same city."
"Yes, fate is indeed quite remarkable."
Joichiro Yukihira, said with a sigh.
His eyes, which had witnessed the trials of life and seen many things, seemed to hold endless wisdom and stories.
His gaze contained both deep insights into life and a calm detachment.
Since saying goodbye to his son Soma at the Polar Star Dormitory, he continued to travel the world. Not long ago, he was defeated by Asahi Saiba of the Midnight Chefs, forcing him to become the head chef of this three-star restaurant.
Coincidentally, Gin Dojima was also temporarily staying in this romantic city to discuss matters with several business partners in Paris.
Even more coincidentally, they really met.
"Soma is your son, right?"
Gin Dojima asked after remembering something.
"Yes, he is my son."
"Now, I have changed my surname to Yukihira, no longer the Joichiro Saiba you once knew."
Joichiro replied, taking another sip of wine.
"It seems that after you dropped out of Totsuki, you went through quite a lot."
Gin Dojima's eyes flashed as he spoke.
---
"The past is already an unbearable memory."
Joichiro's eyes showed a flash of pain and nostalgia, as if he didn't want to talk more about the dropout incident.
The taste of the red wine was deep and layered.
Just letting it flow lightly over the tongue brings a faint fruity aroma, making one feel like being in a bountiful orchard.
The sweetness and slight acidity of the grapes intertwined, awakening the taste buds.
After finishing his wine, Joichiro suddenly thought of a figure, the boy who always looked up to him in cooking!
He couldn't help but ask, "How is he doing after I left?"
"Like you, he also chose to drop out."
Gin Dojima understood the underlying meaning and replied without hesitation.
"Oh!"
Joichiro Yukihira fell silent.
The atmosphere became unusually quiet, with only the faint ticking of the clock on the wall.
At this moment, both Gin Dojima and Joichiro Yukihira silently drank their wine.
Despite many years apart, these old friends finally reunited. Naturally, they had many heartfelt things to share, but they were reluctant to bring them up.
---
Meanwhile, in a luxurious kitchen far away in America.
Mana was staring weakly at a bowl of three-shrimp noodles, a dish that took him over 7 hours to barely complete.
The three shrimps are shrimp roe, shrimp brains, and shrimp meat.
Undoubtedly, they are the most precious parts of the shrimp.
In Suzhou, China, a dish called three-shrimp tofu is made using "three shrimps" and tofu.
In the early 20th century, some famous restaurants in Shanghai used three shrimps and noodles to make "three-shrimp noodles" as a delicacy in high-end banquets.
Later, many noodle shops sold it, making it a popular summer noodle dish!
Yes!
There are many ways to separate the three shrimps.
However, Mana used the most cumbersome method.
Dry the shrimp roe with a sieve to remove impurities, then roast the shrimp roe over low heat in a flat-bottomed pan, adding a bit of white wine, sugar, and soy sauce, roasting over low heat off the heat for 45 minutes until it forms a fine sand-like texture.
Add two large spoons of soy sauce, one large spoon of broth, then pour the mixture over the three shrimp toppings and mix well...
These meticulous steps are enough to drive anyone crazy.
Nevertheless, the three-shrimp noodles made by Mana were far superior to those from any noodle shop outside.
"This won't do, this level is far from enough."
Unexpectedly, Mana took a bite of the three-shrimp noodles and immediately spit it out, his face darkening. "Saiba-senpai, even after all these years, I still can't reach your level!"
---
A proper twice-cooked pork.
Crispy on the outside, tender on the inside, fatty but not greasy.
These two terms anyone can say, but achieving them is very difficult!
First, the knife skills—the meat should be neither too thin nor too thick, around 2 to 3 millimeters. Second, the heat control—the meat slices should be stir-fried until slightly curled, a technique called "lantern curl," which expels excess oil, making the outside crispy and the inside tender, without feeling greasy or too dry!
At night, in the tavern, Zane was preparing the ingredients.
Black pork belly, green garlic, doubanjiang (broad bean paste), fermented black beans, white sugar, ginger, scallions, Sichuan peppercorns...
All these seemed like ordinary ingredients at a glance.
This left the newly arrived customer, Miyoko, somewhat disappointed.
But she knew the essence of Chinese cuisine often lay in the control of heat, knife skills, and various exquisite culinary techniques, with the quality of the ingredients being less critical.
So, she "obediently" sat in place, quietly watching Zane prepare the twice-cooked pork.
---
A whole piece of pork belly.
The method involves first searing the pork skin in a hot pan.
As Miyoko pondered whether the pork belly was being prepared traditionally, Zane began searing the pork belly in a hot pan!
Sizzle! Sizzle!
As the sound emerged, wisps of blue smoke slowly rose from the pan.
Seeing the right moment, Zane quickly took out the pork, revealing a browned exterior with some charred spots.
After taking it out, he used a sharp knife to scrape off the charred bits, then cleaned it.
Next, he added yellow wine, scallions, ginger, and a few Sichuan peppercorns to the pot, then smashed the garlic shoots, skimming off the scum while waiting for the meat to blanch.
---
Miyoko was watching intently.
Next, he added a little oil and the meat. It's worth noting that the primary skill for explosive twice-cooked pork, aside from knife skills, is controlling the heat.
Now, Zane was an expert in heat control, so his subsequent performance would only astonish Miyoko more.
As the oil heated, the meat gradually curled.
The edge of the pork skin turned golden brown. Since Zane used high heat for stir-frying, he had to stir frequently to ensure even heating.
Gradually, during the stir-frying, a rich aroma of meat emerged.
The scent kept coming, constantly striking Miyoko's soul.
Finally, he added the ginger and garlic slices, continuing to stir-fry. Combined with the scallions and ginger, the aroma of the meat intensified.
Under such an ambiance, the fragrance of the dish made Miyoko feel "blushed," and she nearly drooled.
After a quick stir-fry, he plated the dish.
In the end, a plate of glossy, shiny twice-cooked pork was placed before Miyoko.
Just a glance made her eyes widen instantly.
"What... What kind of dish is this?"
---
Coming to her senses, Miyoko saw the oily twice-cooked pork shining under the light.
Whether it was the fatty or lean meat, every inch seemed to sparkle with the name "delicious." A steamy aroma emanated, although it appeared white, it filled the nostrils.
The mere smell was enough to make someone drool, opening up their appetite!
Green garlic shoots added a touch of vibrant green.
The bright green of the garlic leaves, the tender green of the stems, occasionally interspersed with a playful fermented black bean.
However, the appearance of the fermented black beans didn't seem out of place but perfectly integrated with the whole dish.
"Gulp!" Miyoko couldn't help but swallow.
---
When a piece of well-balanced pork belly was slowly placed in her mouth, the adept Miyoko was stunned instantly!
She felt that the flavor of the entire twice-cooked pork dish was rich and full, without any extra seasoning.
The color was glossy.
But no extra oil was added.
All due to precise knife skills and the selection of ingredients, achieving excellent color, aroma, and taste.
"I see, the so-called twice-cooked pork is ultimately about the 'twice-cooked' aspect and the heat control."
"Only when the cooking oil in the wok is heated to the point of emitting white smoke, then adding the ingredients to make it turn into white steam, continuously forming mist as it's cooked, is it the best effect."
"And this continuous state of white steam, in Chinese culinary terms, is called 'wok essence.'"
Chewing thoughtfully, Miyoko quickly discovered some secrets of the dish.
But then she furrowed her brow deeply, puzzled. "It's strange, relying solely on excellent heat control shouldn't be
enough to make the pork belly fatty but not greasy, with such a rich flavor as soon as it touches the tongue, right?"
"You're smart!"
"You indeed have great insights into Chinese cuisine."
"Twice-cooked pork, without 'wok essence,' wouldn't be enough. It requires a special kind of wok."
"See this? This is a special steel wok from China. Its characteristics include being non-stick and heat-retaining, helping the ingredients heat evenly."
Zane explained, pointing to the steel wok.
"A steel wok?"
Miyoko seemed to understand.
---
It is well-known that twice-cooked pork involves three elements: the meat, culinary skills, and heat control!
Although heat control should technically be part of culinary skills, in Miyoko's eyes, it should be listed separately when making this dish.
The reason for this separation is to more accurately assess the chef's skills.
It's important to note that for restaurants daring to serve this dish, the meat is often not the problem.
After all, the common pork belly found in markets can be used to make this dish.
As for the culinary skills...
Though there are differences and variations in each chef's abilities,
If it's just making twice-cooked pork, even if there are differences, they shouldn't be significant.
Thus, many issues usually arise in heat control.
If the stir-frying intensity is too high, it may exceed the oil's smoke point, scorching the pan and, more importantly, burning the dish, which would significantly affect the overall taste.
However, if the heat is insufficient, the meat won't achieve that fatty but not greasy texture.
In simple terms, maintaining precise heat control is a true test of a chef's skills.
Clearly, in terms of heat control, Zane performed exceptionally well.
---
Initially, Miyoko was gracefully tasting the dish slowly.
But as the tender meat pieces continued to linger in her mouth, the rich and unique flavor constantly filled her tongue, making her feel hungrier the more she ate, wishing she could devour the entire plate of twice-cooked pork in one go!
Finally, unable to bear it, she began eating voraciously, disregarding the stares of others.
Soon, only an empty plate remained.
She patted her belly, her eyes vacant, with a lingering sense of satisfaction. "Amazing!"
"It's truly different from Kuga's dishes; Zane, your cooking always makes me feel warm and moved."
"The rich, fragrant sauce tantalizes the senses with a hint of spiciness, instantly awakening the appetite. Within that aroma lies the depth of doubanjiang, the freshness of the garlic shoots, creating a feast for the taste buds."
"Savoring it slowly, the pork slices melt on the tongue."
"The tenderness of the fat and the chewiness of the lean meat intertwine, delivering a layered texture. The oils and sauce blend perfectly, enhancing the overall taste."
"Meanwhile, the slight spiciness feels like a spark, igniting the passion of the taste buds."
"It's not overpowering, but just enough to accentuate the entire dish, leaving one reminiscing through each bite."
"Finally, the fresh scent of the garlic shoots, like a refreshing note."
"Adding a touch of green to the entire twice-cooked pork, the crispness of the garlic shoots contrasts with the richness of the meat, enriching the flavor even more."
"Honestly, being able to taste such delicious twice-cooked pork in my life is beyond imagination!"
By the end, Miyoko was almost moved to tears with excitement.
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