Chapter 397 Road
Looking at the wide variety of materials, the shopkeeper asked, "What should we do next?"

Xu Qing said, "Shopkeeper, do you know why the garlic pork should be cut into thin slices?"

"This... maybe it tastes better?"

"It is indeed delicious. To be more specific, it is flavorful. When sliced ​​thinly, the meat can absorb the flavor of the mashed garlic and seasonings, adding to the mellow flavor of the meat itself. It also makes the meat taste smoother and more delicate. It is fat but not greasy, lean but not dry. The meat is juicy and fragrant when you take a bite, and it melts in your mouth."

Just listening to Xu Qing's description, the shop owner couldn't help swallowing.

Xu Qing continued, "The thicker the meat is cut, the harder it is to taste. The flavor of the seasoning only clings to the outer layer of the meat and cannot penetrate into the fibers of the meat. Therefore, it tastes spicy and fragrant at first, but becomes bland after a few chews. At the same time, if the meat is cut too thick, the lean meat will be thick and firm and a bit woody, and the fat will pile up together and become a large piece of fat, which is so sticky that it is uncomfortable to swallow."

After hearing Xu Qing's detailed explanation, the shop owner finally understood where he had gone wrong. Why was it that although his dish of pork with mashed garlic was tasty, not many people came to eat it? As a result, the business became worse day by day and he eventually had to close down.

The shopkeeper sighed and said, "Is that so? It seems that my method is really wrong. The garlic pork should be cut into thin slices."

Xu Qing smiled softly, "That's not necessarily true. Cooking is not like solving a problem. There is no single correct answer. Cooking is more like climbing a mountain. No matter what route you take, as long as you can reach the top of the mountain, you can enjoy the most beautiful scenery. It's just that the mountain road is rugged and narrow, so most people can only choose the route that is easiest to reach the top. This is the fastest and safest way."

"Just like garlic-mashed pork, cutting the meat into thin slices makes it easier to absorb the flavor and makes the dish taste even better. This is the best route to the summit that countless people have concluded after walking through the rugged mountain roads. But the best route does not mean the only route. There are more rugged and narrow paths, more dangerous mountain roads with a lower success rate. When people walk halfway, they see that there is no way forward and can no longer go on."

"Your dish of garlic pork with thick ingredients is like this. The thick slices of meat cannot fully absorb the flavor of the seasoning, making the dish unpalatable. It is like a route that people have never walked, or have walked but ended up stuck halfway up the mountain and unable to reach the top."

The shopkeeper asked, "According to what you said, isn't this road still wrong?"

Xu Qing said, "That's not the case. As I said before, there is no single correct way to cook. The top of the mountain is there. People can reach the top by walking on the mountain road; monkeys can reach the top by climbing through the trees; birds can reach the top by flying straight up from the sky. Who says there is only one way to go in this world?"

"You didn't take the wrong path for this dish of pork with garlic paste. You just took a path that ordinary people can't take."

Listening to Xu Qing's words, the shop owner's heart began to beat faster and faster.

Ever since he opened the shop, there have been people who have either laughed at him or sincerely advised him that what he did was wrong and that he could not make delicious dishes the same way.

How could he not know these truths?

How could he not know that what he was doing was wrong?

However, even if he was wrong, he would just keep moving forward. Even if he died by banging his head against the wall, he would accept it.

Therefore, he had already prepared for the outcome of closing down the business.

But at this moment, someone told him that the path he took was not wrong, and his persistence was not wrong. He just took a path that no one else had taken.

Such recognition made the store owner so excited that his body was shaking.

Because no one had ever understood him this way, no one had ever recognized him this way. At this moment, he truly understood what it meant to "a gentleman will die for his friend".

At this moment, even if Xu Qing asked him to die, he would die with a smile.

However, Xu Qing came here not to let him die, but to let him live, and live a wonderful life.

Xu Qing said, "Let's talk about the method. In fact, the key point is to make the meat slices taste good. It is impossible to make the meat slices taste good simply by using the mashed garlic and the seasonings in the dish. Therefore, before making garlic mashed pork, the meat slices must be pre-processed, that is, marinated in advance."

At this time, Ke Ling asked doubtfully: "But the most distinctive feature of garlic pork is the fragrance of the garlic and the fresh taste of the meat. If we marinate it first, the taste of the meat will become too complex and strong, wouldn't it affect the fragrance of the garlic?"

Xu Qing said approvingly: "Ke Ling, that's a good question."

Ke Ling felt a little proud and a little ashamed. Because garlic pork was the first dish Xu Qing made, she remembered it clearly. If she had come across other dishes, she would have been completely confused.

Xu Qing explained: "Therefore, the seasoning for marinating meat slices must be carefully prepared. It should not be too strong, but also complement the garlic flavor to make the fragrance of the garlic paste more distinct. At the same time, the marinated meat should be smooth and tender, fat but not greasy, lean but not dry, and fresh and juicy."

The shop owner couldn't help but ask, "So many requirements? Can this be done?"

Xu Qing smiled and said, "If I couldn't do it, I wouldn't be here. Okay, shopkeeper, what are you still standing there for? Time waits for no one, why don't you get started quickly?"

The shopkeeper was surprised and said, "Me...me? Let me do it? I thought you were going to do it..."

Xu Qing said, "Your dish of pork with garlic paste does not require any knife skills, nor is it difficult to make. Besides the unique recipe, even a child can make it. I don't need to do it. But you must make this secret recipe yourself, and remember all the key points and difficulties clearly and firmly, and keep them firmly in your mind."

Xu Qing took the list he had written earlier and threw it into the stove. It burned to ashes in an instant.

Xu Qing warned: "Just remember this recipe in your heart, don't write it down on paper, and don't tell anyone else easily."

The shop owner realized the seriousness of the matter. It was precisely because his dish was not difficult to prepare that if others learned the recipe, they could immediately make the same dish.

Moreover, this is a priceless treasure specially prepared for him by a noble man, how could he let others learn it?
The shopkeeper said solemnly, "Yes, little brother... No, benefactor! I will definitely remember this recipe firmly in my mind and will never tell anyone else. Even if I die, I will take it with me to my coffin."

Xu Qing said hurriedly: "That's not necessary. If there is someone you trust, just pass it on. It would be a pity to let the delicious food disappear in time."

"Yes!"

The shop owner kept Xu Qing's words in mind.

Xu Qing said: "Let's start preparing the marinade. Listen to me carefully..."

(End of this chapter)