Chapter 1010: Chapter 419: Dundun, Used to Gourmet Sea Fish, Tries Bullfrog for the First Time—Total Chaos! [Subscription Request]

Moreover, once the beef frog is fried, its moisture is firmly locked in, resulting in a more tender texture when eaten.

Actually, it’s not just the marinated beef frog that needs to be fried; other beef frog recipes have frying steps as well. Some need marination, some don’t.

While marinating the beef frog, Lin Xu added an appropriate amount of vegetable oil to the pot and, at five-tenths heat, placed each beef frog that needed marination into the oil.

Began the frying process.

It’s important not to over-fry these marinated beef frogs—just a quick dip in hot oil before taking them out.

If they are over-fried, the marinade flavor may not penetrate well.

Once the fried beef frogs are taken out of the pot, let them drain oil; once the temperature cools down, put them in the marinade so the frog meat doesn’t fall apart.

Busy with this, Qi Siliang, who had just finished his work nearby, curiously asked:

"Boss, can this marinade only be used for beef frogs? Can it be used for home cooking of marinated dishes?"

Lin Xu replied:

"Of course, as long as the ingredients don’t have a strong odor, anything can be marinated, whether meat or vegetables. If you find it troublesome to caramelize sugar, you can just smash some yellow gardenia pods to create a yellow marinade; when cooking for your family, it’s all about preference. You can marinate anything you want."

In restaurants, to avoid cross-flavoring, you can only put one type of ingredient in each marinade, but at home you don’t cook every day, so feel free to marinate anything.

The marination time varies; hardy ingredients should be put in early, and delicate ones later. Once marinated, turn off the heat and let it soak for an hour or two before eating, and it’s all set.

Seeing that Qi Siliang was free for the moment, Lin Xu instructed:

"Go to the cold storage and bring me the spicy marinated oil. You can’t make this kind of marinated dish without marinated oil."

Once brought, he poured half of the spicy marinated oil into the pot.

A layer of red oil instantly appeared at the top of the marinade in the pot, and the fragrant, spicy aroma of the spicy marinated oil wafted out.

After simmering for ten minutes, he turned off the heat to allow the fragrance to concentrate, so that when the beef frogs are added, they can absorb the flavor better.

Also, beef frogs can’t withstand prolonged cooking; just simmer them in the marinade for about three to five minutes and soak for ten minutes, then they’re ready to eat.

In this case, cooking these when it’s time to eat isn’t too late.

By now, the beef frogs in the steaming cabinet are likely done, so Lin Xu opened the cabinet and took them out.

Sure enough, they’re fully steamed, even slightly over, some of the meat was falling off the bones.

He used chopsticks to completely remove the frog meat, placing it in Dundun’s eating dish, about half the dish, including the meat juices from steaming, poured right over it to enhance nutrition.

Once the meat cooled enough not to burn hands, he carried the dish downstairs.

Just as he descended the stairs, Dundun, who was biting a cat teaser stick and about to play with Shu Yun, immediately tossed aside the stick upon smelling the meat and leaped off the service counter in a hurry toward Lin Xu. 𝒻𝓇𝑒𝘦𝘸𝑒𝒷𝓃ℴ𝑣𝘦𝑙.𝒸ℴ𝘮

"Looks like you’re really hungry, huh."

Lin Xu held out the dish for Dundun to sniff, intending to place it on the small table at the service counter, but this little guy wasn’t having it. With two front paws pressing the dish, its head dove in and began eating large mouthfuls.

Shu Yun quickly brought over a small table, which Lin Xu took and placed under the dish.

If it can’t wait, then just have it right here on the ground.

Busy with other tasks, Dundun kept its head in the dish, not once lifting it, ignoring any teasing calling it a blue pig, and focused on devouring the meat.

While eating, it made snorting sounds like a little pig.

The sounds were really soothing, and quite enticing.

Shu Yun, looking sympathetic, said:

"Just went to Yanjing restaurant, but why does it seem like the little one has been wandering outside for days? Look how hungry this kid got..."

Lin Xu thought he hadn’t eaten much at lunch, but the yak jerky given by Old Dai was quite substantial.

This little one had two pieces, and then some water; logically, it shouldn’t be this hungry.

But now...

Could it be because of the beef frog?

Compared to other meats, beef frog is tender and juicy, with no strange taste, and the meat is in small, bite-sized chunks, perfect for eating.

This little guy, seems to really enjoy beef frog.

If that’s the case, your living expenses might just get significantly reduced.

Never imagined that Dundun, accustomed to eating fancy sea fish, would find beef frog so appealing.

It devoured all the beef frog in the dish like the wind sweeping the clouds, then used its tiny red tongue to lick the dish clean, ensuring no broth, fragments of meat, or anything else went to waste.

Just like the first time it was fed in the community green area.

Once full, Dundun agilely leaped onto the service counter, sat in the little roof area, and earnestly cleaned its paws and face, demonstrating a cat’s extreme cleanliness.

Busy doing these, it slightly squinted its eyes, looking quite content.

Lin Xu was surprised, completely unexpected that such a picky cat, would find beef frog irresistible.

"If you like, how about another beef frog meal for tonight’s supper?"

Upon hearing this, Dundun immediately nuzzled its large head against Lin Xu’s palm.

Clearly, it’s not satisfied.

As the saying goes: Spare no expense on education, nor neglect the cat.

Lin Xu immediately instructed Che-tsai to go to the market’s seafood store to buy a few live beef frogs, and bring them home after work for little Dundun to enjoy a late-night snack around ten o’clock.

The weather is getting colder, and cats also need to store fat for the winter.

After serving Dundun’s meal, Lin Xu washed its small dish in the sink by the kitchen door, and stored it in the cupboard with Dundun’s photo on it to dry.

Next up, was preparing food for humans.

Lin Xu placed the oil pot used for frying beef frogs back on the stove, turned the heat to high until the oil reached three-tenths heat, then reduced to medium and added the marinated beef frog.

For marinated beef frog, a five-tenths oil temperature is needed for quick frying, to tighten the surface and prevent the frog from breaking apart.

However, for ordinary dishes, it’s best to fry at three-tenths oil temperature, using deep-frying to slowly cook the frog meat, resulting in a more smooth and tender texture.

Once beef frogs go in the pot, don’t stir them immediately, or the coating will come off.

Let them fry for a bit, then gently stir from the bottom with a spoon.

A few minutes later, the beef frogs are done frying and drained of oil.

Now, the real cooking begins!

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Last night I wrote 4,000 words thinking I’d be able to update quickly today, but I overslept... sorry.

Reader [Top-grade Official Gentleman] previously left a comment asking for a home recipe for marinated dishes, so I wrote this detailed beef frog marinade. Homemade marinated dishes are easy: prepare marinated oil, make some bone soup, add usual spices and Sichuan peppercorns, chili peppers, let it simmer, and you’re done.

This Chapter is 5,200 characters long, please give me monthly tickets, everyone!