When the boiled fish in the bowl was almost finished, Xiao Yi put down his chopsticks, leaned back in his chair, and gently stroked his slightly bulging belly, his heart full of satisfaction and comfort.
Xiao Yi stood in front of the stove, ready to make braised pork. He first took out a piece of pork belly with fat and lean parts from the space, placed the meat on the chopping board, and carefully scraped off the remaining pig hair on the skin with a knife.
Then, he cut the pork belly into evenly sized cubes, each of which was square and had an attractive color.
Xiao Yi lit the stove, and the blue flames danced happily. He poured a little oil into the pot, and when the oil was slightly smoking, he carefully placed the cut pork belly into the pot.
In an instant, a "sizzling" sound was heard, and the pork belly pieces were dancing happily in the pot. The fat was gradually forced out, and the surface of the meat slowly turned golden, emitting bursts of aroma.
Xiao Yi held the spatula and kept turning the meat to ensure that each piece was evenly heated. When each side of the meat was fried until golden brown, he poured out the excess oil, leaving a proper amount of base oil.
Then, he added a few pieces of rock sugar to the pot and simmered it over low heat. The rock sugar gradually melted in the pot, turning into an attractive caramel color. Xiao Yi quickly poured in the pork belly and stir-fried it evenly, coating each piece of meat with the sweet caramel color.
Then, he added onions, ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon and other spices. As soon as the spices entered the pot, the aroma instantly filled the air. Xiao Yi quickly stir-fried the spices to allow the aroma to fully blend into the meat.
He then added a suitable amount of light and dark soy sauce to enhance the color and flavor of the meat, cooking wine to remove the fishy smell, and enough hot water to cover the meat.
After the fire boiled, Xiao Yi covered the pot and turned down the heat, letting the meat simmer slowly in the pot. The soup was bubbling in the pot, and the rich aroma of meat continued to waft out from the gap in the pot lid.
During the stewing process, Xiao Yi occasionally opened the lid of the pot and gently poked the meat with chopsticks to feel its tenderness. As time went by, the meat became softer and softer, and the soup became thicker.
Finally, Xiao Yi turned up the heat again to reduce the sauce. The broth coated each piece of braised pork, giving it an alluring sheen. He placed the fragrant braised pork on a plate. The bright red color and fragrant aroma made one's mouth water. When Xiao Yi picked up a piece of bright red, crystal clear braised pork and put it in his mouth, the first thing he felt was the slightly crispy outer layer. With a light bite, it broke between his teeth, making a light "crunch" sound.
Next, the tender, glutinous meat melts in your mouth, rich yet not greasy. The fatty portion is like delicate butter, melting instantly on the tongue, releasing a rich, fatty aroma. The lean portion, with distinct textures, is rich in meaty aroma, chewy yet not overly firm, and every fiber is bursting with flavor.
The braised pork has a rich and harmonious flavor, with the salty aroma of soy sauce, the sweetness of rock sugar, and the richness of spices blending together. The balance of saltiness and sweetness is just right, the sweetness not only neutralizing the saltiness of the soy sauce but also adding a mellow flavor, making the umami of the meat even more prominent.
The flavors of various spices fully penetrate into the meat during stewing. The richness of star anise, the spiciness of cinnamon, the pungency of ginger and the unique smell of garlic together create a complex and charming aroma that lingers in the mouth for a long time.
With every bite, you can feel the juicy meat overflowing in your mouth, the rich broth coating your tongue, bringing a warm and satisfying feeling. The texture and flavor of the braised pork are perfectly combined, making you intoxicated and unable to stop.
Xiao Yi savored the delicious braised pork carefully. Every bite brought him endless satisfaction and enjoyment, as if all his fatigue disappeared at this moment.
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