Chapter 115: Cola Chicken Wings

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

“Look, the shape of the head is out.”

Zhang Liang pointed at the meatballs in the pot and said, “It has a round shape. Doesn’t it look like a head?”

Xu Le nodded speechlessly. After washing a few Shanghai greens, he boiled water in another pot and placed the vegetables inside to boil.

He said, “Shanghai green has an astringent smell to begin with. You just need to heat it up with boiling water. After the color becomes even greener, take it out and place it in the clay pot to stew for a while.”

Xu Le brought a spoonful of soup to Zhang Liang and said, “Brother Liang, try it.”

Zhang Liang opened his mouth and took a sip. He nodded and said in surprise, “Is the salt in the Lion’s Head stewed out? It’s just nice. There’s no need to add more salt.”

“Just now, I added pepper and huadiao wine into it. The depth of taste isn’t high enough. In addition, I have to add some oil and vegetables later, so it’s better to add a little less salt to improve the taste. Otherwise, the taste will be too bland.”
Zhang Liang stood at the side, salivating from the fragrance of the lion’s head. He said, “Stewing it makes it look bland, but it smells good.”

Xu Le put the vegetables in and started the fire. After the soup in the pot boiled, he wore gloves and grabbed the handles on both sides of the clay pot. “Lay a mat on the table. The pot is out!”

He directly placed the clay pot on the table. It was steaming hot. Zhou Huangya followed the fragrance and saw that it was the meatball that she especially wanted to eat. Her immediately eyes lit up.

She rested her chin on her hands and said coquettishly, “Xu Le, we’re already so close. Can you make me another cola chicken wings?”

Zhang Liang rebuked her on purpose, “Dream on. Hurry up and eat.”

“Little Master Chef, I can’t sleep if I can’t eat cola chicken wings today.”

“Well,” Xu Le had opened his store for a long time, so he had very precise control over the distribution of ingredients. After thinking for a while, he said,” Sure, after I finish making Jade Hairpin Chicken Wing Ball, I will be able to free up some chicken wings. It’s just nice to serve another dish.”
“Alright.” Zhou Huangya stood up happily and said, “Tl go steam the rice. Having the cola chicken wings with rice will taste better.”

Xu Le nodded. Thinking of the savory and sweet taste of the chicken wings, he could not help but think of Xu Tian. He thought to himself, ‘She definitely loves to eat cola chicken wings. I’ll make one for Tiantian when I get home. I wonder how Lu Yuxi is doing recently. Is the shop busy?
After being distracted for a while, Xu Le went to the kitchen to chop the chicken wings and start processing them.

Zhang Liang stood beside him, planning to stir-fry some shredded potatoes.

As he cut, he said, “Last night, I specially looked through the video of your competition and saw a stir-fried potato dish. You cut it in a diamond shape, right? What’s so difficult about shredded potatoes? Why did you score so high back then?”

Different professions were different worlds. This sentence was reflected in the two of them. Xu Le couldn’t explain himself and only said, “The simpler the home-cooked dish, the more it tests the chef’s cutting skills, fire control, and seasoning. Moreover, the competition is pressed for time, and the
scores are based on the overall ability.”

“Then I’ll make one too. Can you give me a score later?”
“Sure.”

Xu Le prepared eight chicken wings. After washing them clean, he cut two diagonally across the front and back sides. “This will make it easier for the taste to enter. Normally, the meat should be blanched after marinating. It can remove the blood and smell inside. However, chicken wings are different.
There’s more skin and less meat. First, add ginger to the chicken wings, seasoning wine, light soya sauce and some salt, and finally pour over some dark soya sauce.”

“Cola chicken wing is a very simple home-cooked dish. It’s suitable for both young and old. Everyone can learn how to make them at home. Remember to marinate them first before blanching them, then put them into the pan to fry.”
After marinating the chicken wings for about 20 minutes, he directly poured it into the pan to blanch it. After it boiled, he scooped it out.

“You’ll have to pan fry it later. To avoid splattering oil, you can use the kitchen tissue to dry the water on the surface and put it aside.”

Xu Le poured oil into the frying pan and started the fire until it was 50 to 60 percent hot. “Heat up the oil in the frying pan. We can add the chicken wings in now and slowly fry them until both sides are golden and the skin is crispy.”

After five to six minutes, the fire was almost ready. Xu Le showed it to the camera and said, “Basically, this color will do. Now, add a spoonful of seasoning wine, half a spoonful of dark soya sauce, and a little light soya sauce to add saltiness and freshness. After stir-frying for a while, add a can of coke
inside.”

He opened the can and poured 330 milliliters of coke into it.
He didn’t forget to remind, “Coke has a lot of gas and it tastes a little sour, but Pepsi tastes even sweeter. If you like sweetness, you can pour Pepsi in to cook it.”

“Haha, your segment won’t be broadcasted. The program team already has a sponsor.”

Zhang Liang walked over with a pot and said, “Try the shredded potatoes I stir-fried. What is lacking?”

Xu Le looked at him and smiled. “Why didn’t you scoop it out first?”

“Lwant you to taste it.”

Zhang Liang urged Xu Le as he picked up his chopsticks and took a bite. The starch on the potatoes had not been washed clean and had lost its crispy taste. The texture was not that great, but the taste was not bad.
He said, “It’s good enough to make a home-cooked dish like this. Next time, remember to soak the starch on the surface of the potato. After washing it, it will be even more crispy.”

“Mm? How many points will you give?”

“10 points.”

“yay!” Zhang Liang excitedly sprinkled a handful of scallions, scooped the shredded potatoes onto the plate, and ran out to show off.

Xu Le smiled at the camera and said slyly, “My full score is 100. Cough, cough. Alright, everyone, when the coke in the pot is boiling, we can switch to a small fire to boil it. Let it simmer for about 10 minutes.”
Zhou Huangya, who was wiping the table outside, saw Xu Le coming over and said, “I want to eat the lion’s head! I’m dying of hunger!”

“Just eat it. It’s made for you.”

“We haven’t started eating yet. It’s not good for me to eat first.”

“Lion’s Head should be eaten while it’s hot. Get everyone here to try it.”

‘When Shu Qi saw the white meat, she immediately pouted and said, “I don’t like that. You guys eat first.”

Zhou Huangya picked up her chopsticks and was about to pick up the meat when Xu Le immediately stopped her. “Use the spoon. If you can pick up the meatball with your chopsticks today, it would mean that I have faile
“Alright.” Zhou Huangya changed to a spoon and dug out a large piece of meat. She put it into her mouth and could vaguely taste the crispness of the water chestnuts in the delicate and fragrant meatball. The meatball was crispy and did not lose its elasticity.
She took another sip of the soup, which was filled with the sweet aroma of fresh vegetables. It was light and delicious.

“Mmm! Good food and drinks! It melted the moment it entered my mouth.”

“It feels like ice cream. It’s extremely soft and doesn’t have the smell of pork. There’s something added in it that tastes crispy and sweet.”

Xu Le also took a bite of the lion’s head. The meat was firm but soft. The moment it touched his tongue, it melted and left the fragrance of the meat on his taste buds. It was not greasy at all.

Very successful! He nodded and answered the previous question, saying, “The water chestnuts were crushed and added inside.”

Xu Le was also impressed by his own cooking skills. He had practiced so many times in the system for nothing. All the dishes he prepared looked simple, but the seasoning and heat control required the chef’s many years of accumulated experience to produce such results.