Chapter 268: The Soul of Spicy Fish Head with Chopped Peppers
Swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Qi Han carefully carried the oversized tray and set it down on a table in the dining area.
"Meow!"
Seeing the familiar bright red color, Pururu's fur bristled instantly, nearly teleporting away in fright again.
However, after sniffing lightly and realizing that the terrifyingly pungent smell from before had eased significantly, Pururu quickly settled down. It glanced at the tray in front of Qi Han before lowering its head again to enjoy its cat food.
The green scallions sprinkled on top instantly made it lose interest—its poop scooper (human) had told it that cats must not eat onions, ginger, or garlic.
Ignoring Pururu's reaction, Qi Han's attention was completely captured by the massive plate of Spicy Fish Head with Chopped Peppers, which almost filled his entire field of view. He swallowed again, unable to contain his anticipation, and eagerly picked up his chopsticks to dig in.
Gently moving aside some of the bright red diced peppers, the dark green gelatinous skin of the fish head was revealed.
The dark green skin had deepened in color during the steaming process. Under Qi Han's chopsticks, a slight press caused the gelatinous surface to split easily, with the edges curling inward and wobbling slightly as it moved—its soft, springy texture was visible to the naked eye, and the slightly translucent greenish sheen gave it a jelly-like appearance.
During the steaming process, the gelatinous layer absorbed steam, becoming soft but losing some elasticity. However, it was the final step of pouring hot oil over the fish head that gave it the perfect texture.
The hot oil, infused with the rich, spicy aroma of diced hot peppers, was poured directly over the steamed fish head.
As the scorching oil seeped through the thick layer of peppers covering the fish head, it created an effect similar to frying.
The surface gelatin, after contact with the hot oil, lost much of its moisture, causing it to tighten and become elastic, while the interior remained tender and soft.
This process gave the gelatin a perfect balance of elasticity and tenderness.
Qi Han took a bite of the gelatin, sending it straight into his mouth. As soon as it entered, the distinctive rich, spicy flavor of the diced peppers flooded his taste buds, delivering a strong, fiery sensation.
"Hiss, so spicy!"
However, the spiciness didn't last long. Soon, Qi Han began to savor a deeper, more complex aroma hidden beneath the heat.
After his tongue recovered from the initial numbness caused by the heat, the unique taste of the gelatin burst forth.
There wasn't the slightest hint of fishiness. The delicate, clean flavor of the fish head itself, like a gentle spring, slowly emerged as he chewed, blending perfectly with the spicy, aromatic juice coating the gelatin.
It was like chewing on jelly, experiencing the layered flavors and exquisite texture that exploded in his mouth. Qi Han closed his eyes in bliss—indescribable delight.
The gelatin covering the fish head was lifted, revealing the crescent-shaped meat hidden beneath.
The crescent meat, located in front of the fish gills and behind the fish eyes, was exactly where Qi Han had earlier made a crack with his knife.
Nestled between the large, smooth, translucent cheekbones of the fish, the crescent-shaped fillet of fish meat was tender and enticing, with pale pink patches interspersed throughout.
This was the most tender and flavorful part of the entire fish.
Those pale pink patches were not undercooked meat.
Fish meat is white meat, so even if it's undercooked, it wouldn't be pink.
From a biological perspective, the crescent meat is closely connected to the gill area, which is constantly in motion as the fish breathes. This continuous movement makes the crescent meat firmer and more elastic, with higher collagen and fat content.
Carefully lifting out the large bone covering the crescent meat with his chopsticks, Qi Han sucked the flavorful juices and bits of gelatin off the bone before placing it aside. Then, with an excited heart, he gently pulled out the entire piece of crescent meat.
Since the fish head of this giant carp was so massive, the crescent meat was naturally large as well—this single piece of crescent meat was nearly half the size of Qi Han's palm, the largest he had ever seen.
In ordinary fish heads, the total amount of crescent meat isn't even enough for a single satisfying bite. This piece, however, was different—he could eat to his heart's content.
The crescent meat was incredibly tender, firmer and more springy than regular fish meat.
Since Qi Han had made a crack in the cheekbone area before steaming, the steam carrying the spicy aroma of the diced hot peppers had continuously seeped through the crack, infusing the crescent meat thoroughly. Thus, even though the crescent meat was wrapped within the fish head and surrounded by large bones, it was perfectly seasoned.
"Wow!"
Biting into the crescent meat, Qi Han was delighted by how juicy it was. Just a light chew caused the rich, savory flavor of the fish, mingled with the faint spiciness of the diced peppers, to spread endlessly throughout his mouth, filling his senses and lingering on his tongue for a long time.
What a delicious piece of fish meat!
Qi Han's eyes lit up, and he couldn't help slowing down his chewing.
After swallowing the crescent meat in his mouth, he glanced at the remaining two-thirds of the crescent meat on his chopsticks and smiled slightly.
There's another way to enjoy crescent meat.
That is, by dipping it in the sauce from the diced hot peppers on the plate.
Qi Han gently dipped the bitten edge into the rich sauce and took another bite.
Unlike the subtle flavor of diced peppers that had seeped into the meat earlier, this time, the surface of the crescent meat was covered in the fresh, spicy sauce. As he chewed, his mouth was engulfed in a fiery sensation.
The sauce, soaked with the rich, spicy aroma of the diced hot peppers, was the spiciest part.
"Phew…"
Beads of sweat began to form on his forehead, and his lips felt slightly swollen.
Yet the discomfort was minimal. Instead, a sense of exhilaration surged through him as he savored the dish.
So satisfying!
Three bites later, he had finished the crescent meat. Without hesitation, Qi Han's chopsticks reached for another piece of the steamed fish head with diced hot peppers.
Time to feast!
...
Although the plate of steamed fish head, as large as a chopping board, looked enormous, in reality…
It was really enormous.
By the time there was nothing left on the plate except some remnants of diced peppers and a pile of fish bones next to it, Qi Han was about sixty percent full.
Staring at the remaining sauce and diced peppers in the oversized tray, Qi Han fell into deep thought.
Something felt… missing.
What was it?
Suddenly, he sat up straight as a flash of inspiration struck him.
Noodles!
Without using the sauce to toss noodles, steamed fish head with diced hot peppers would lose its soul.
"Ru Yi! I think we need to improve this steamed fish head dish!"
"Improve? How?"
"I think we should serve a portion of cooked noodles alongside the steamed fish head. That way, after finishing the fish head, the sauce can be used to toss the noodles!" Qi Han said earnestly. "Ru Yi, what do you think?"
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