With a quick flick of his wrist, Lin Chen lifted the pan from the fire. A campfire like this was impossible to regulate; it was always on high heat, so the only way to control the temperature was to manually adjust the distance.
"For us chefs from Great Xia, the standard process is to heat the pan first, then add oil to coat it. We call this 'hot pan, cold oil.' This technique ensures the food won't stick."
"But the only seasoning the show provided in our essentials kit was salt. With no oil, I'll have to find a way to render some fat from the ingredients themselves."
As he explained to the camera, the fish skin in the pan had already started to twist and curl from the heat, and a thin layer of oil was visibly pooling at the bottom.
He then tossed in the bones he had cut from the fish belly, moving the pan a little closer to the flames.
Accompanied by a wonderful sizzling sound, the rich aroma of fish oil began to fill the air.
As the fat rendered out, a few large bones became visible. He plucked them out one by one and tossed them aside.
He cut off the belly portion of the fillet and tossed the whole strip into the pan to sear. He sprinkled a little salt on top, then sliced two pieces of wild apple and added them to the pan.
SIZZLE!
A refreshing, tart fragrance from the fruit erupted at once.
"Acidic fruits can be used in place of vinegar to eliminate the fishy or gamey taste in fish and meat. They also tenderize the meat and add a unique flavor, making them a perfect companion for either pan-frying fillets or making fish soup."
"According to internationally recognized food safety standards, the internal temperature of cooked fish must reach or exceed 70 degrees Celsius, or 158 degrees Fahrenheit, and be held there for at least ten to fifteen seconds to kill most bacteria."
"But that's for farm-raised fish, which grow in a clean environment. When you're cooking in the wild, it's best to extend that time. Keeping yourself healthy is more important than anything else."
The open flame was powerful. In just ten seconds, the underside of the fish belly had turned a tempting golden brown.
He used his combat knife to flip it, revealing a perfectly seared fillet to the camera.
The surface of the pale, gelatinous fat was seared to a crisp. As he scraped the tip of his knife across it, you could hear a distinct CRACKLE.
Just looking at it, you could imagine how unbelievably delicious this cut of fish belly must be.
It was a stark contrast to the monotonous stews and blackened, roasted meats presented by all the other contestants. Even viewers who had just finished a meal couldn't help but gulp.
He piled the wild apple slices in the pan around the fillet, allowing the fish to absorb more of their fresh, tart flavor.
Soon, four strips of crispy, tender, golden-brown fish belly were ready.
He placed them on the pot lid, along with the now-crispy fish skin, then tossed the cleaned fish bones and head into the pan to sear.
"I swear, this is going to be the most delicious fish I've ever eaten in my life."
Lin Chen swallowed hard against his pooling saliva, impatiently grabbing a piping hot strip of fish belly and stuffing it into his mouth.
He didn't even need to bite down. With just a gentle press of his tongue, the crispy skin on the surface shattered, and the melted fish oil within gushed out.
Since migrating Red Salmon have stopped eating, their body fat content decreases daily. Frying them renders out even more of that oil.
The half-lean, half-fat texture was mixed with the faint, tart fragrance of the fruit. A pinch of salt perfectly enhanced the fish's natural savory flavor. Even with his mouth full of fish oil, it didn't feel greasy in the slightest.
On the contrary, an immense sense of happiness washed over him.
[Enjoyed delicious and juicy pan-seared Red Salmon belly in the wilds of North America. Happiness +3]
'It worked!'
'Enjoying a meal I caught and cooked myself after being hungry all day gives me more Happiness than weaving that leaf basket!'
As Lin Chen chewed large mouthfuls of the fish, which was so fragrant it almost made him swoon, he wondered to himself, 'Maybe I should make a habit of fasting for a day before I cook. That way, I can get more Happiness.'
'Then again,' he thought, 'food in the wild isn't a daily guarantee. Even something as easy to get as Red Salmon will get old after two or three meals.'
'Once I'm sick of it, eating it will just be for survival. There won't be any Happiness in that.'
"Ah, forget it. No use overthinking it. I'll just go with the flow."
'At least for now, the fish soup I'm making should bring me a good amount of Happiness, too.'
'And then there's finishing the shelter. I wonder if that will give me some Happiness Points.'
Before he knew it, all four strips of fish belly were gone. Lin Chen licked the lingering oil from the corners of his mouth. The rich, mellow flavor wasn't the least bit cloying; instead, he felt a pang of regret that it was over.
The fish head and bones in the pan were quickly seared golden-brown on both sides, and the water in the soup pot was already boiling.
Lin Chen picked up the soup pot and poured some of the hot water into the pan.
WHOOSH!
Billows of steam erupted.
Amidst a flurry of bubbles, the browned bits stuck to the bottom of the pan instantly dissolved. The hot water also drew out the hidden oils from the fish head and bones, and the clear water began to turn a milky white before his very eyes.
He stirred it a few times, ensuring all the flavorful essence from the bottom of the pan dissolved completely into the liquid, then poured everything back into the soup pot. He placed it back over the fire to continue boiling rapidly.
In just two or three minutes, the entire pot of soup had turned a creamy, slightly yellowish-white.
He sliced another piece of fresh wild apple and tossed it into the soup to cut the fishiness and add fragrance, then added the sliced porcini mushrooms as well.
While waiting for the soup to finish, Lin Chen kept busy. He used his sharp combat knife to diagonally cut the remaining fish into thin slices, piling them on the lid for later.
「Meanwhile.」
The number of concurrent viewers in Lin Chen's livestream had surpassed 150,000.
"He's actually making a proper meal in the wild! This is incredible!"
"Those fish belly strips looked so good... If you could mash them up with some rice and a dollop of sour cream, I wouldn't trade that for ten US Dollars!"
"Why is his fish soup white? The ones I see in restaurants are usually yellow, orange, or even brown."
"Fish soup from Great Xia is white. It's about the cooking technique. Western chefs usually roast their ingredients first—bones, vegetables, everything—until they're browned before making the soup. That's why their stocks come out brown."
As Lin Chen was preparing his delicacy, the show's crew was also having their meal.
They couldn't help it. The pan-seared Red Salmon belly just looked too damn good.
As they struggled to chew on their hard baguettes, the screen showed the pot of creamy white mushroom and fish head soup, bubbling away merrily.
Almost instantly, the dry baguettes in their hands lost all appeal.
"Daniel! Daniel!!"