"This is a Colorful Grass Carp bred by this system. Grass carp are freshwater fish with many small bones, making them inconvenient to eat. These small bones are fine, spiky bones formed by the ossification of the connective tissue of the diaphragm. They are common in lower teleost fish, but not in fish of higher evolutionary levels."
"So, after hybridizing large yellow croaker with grass carp, I selected the best offspring for breeding, ultimately obtaining the Colorful Grass Carp with the best indicators in all aspects. This fish has the tender texture of grass carp and the deliciousness of large yellow croaker, while perfectly eliminating the grass carp's many small bones, and has the ability to live in seawater. I have enclosed a sea area in the Staro Sea, where I have carried out original ecological breeding. After several generations of breeding, I have built a large fish farm that can provide grass carp of different sizes, enough to meet the host's needs." The system's voice rang out, with a hint of pride.
"System, did you deliberately let me draw the Spicy Grilled Fish?" Mai Ge's expression turned somewhat strange upon hearing the system's words.
"Nonsense! This system is not that kind of system!" the system said sternly.
"If I don't make grilled fish, then all your efforts in making Colorful Grass Carp will be wasted? Speaking of which, with all these random farms and fisheries all over the world, do you even have enough money to cover your expenses? The little money you make when I buy ingredients from you for the restaurant shouldn't be enough for you to keep playing around like this, right?" Mai Ge asked with some curiosity. The system's addiction to farming and its almost fanatical love for money were indeed a bit hard for Mai Ge to understand.
"You don't need to worry about that, host. What you should be thinking about is how to quickly improve your strength and move towards the great goal of becoming a Chef God!" the system said seriously.
"Okay, just don't go bankrupt." Mai Ge raised an eyebrow and checked the new seasonings that had appeared on the stove: chili oil, pepper powder, Sichuan peppercorns... everything was ready.
Unlike the common Sichuan-style grilled fish, this grilled fish recipe provided by the system includes almost no other side dishes, focusing more on the cooking of the grilled fish.
Mai Ge quite agrees with this practice. What he dislikes most about eating grilled fish is when restaurants add all sorts of random side dishes to the grilled fish plate. The mixed flavors ruin the fresh and delicious taste of the grilled fish and feel like the side dishes are overshadowing the main dish.
When eating grilled fish, the most important thing is, of course, the fish itself.
"Making the old oil...killing the fish, then marinating, grilling, stewing..." Mai Ge muttered to himself as he took out a large wok from under the cabinet. Making the old oil for grilling fish is a very important step in making Wanzhou Grilled Fish, and it is also a very complicated task.
Although the system has reduced the process from six hours to one hour, but it still requires constantly stirring the oil in the wok with a spoon while keeping an eye on the heat to produce a wok of high quality aged oil.
"Aside from the heavy workload and the monotony, this shouldn't be too difficult, right?" Mai Ge lit the fire, placed the large wok on the stove, poured oil into it, and picked up a long-handled ladle to stir the oil in the wok according to his memory.
"Failure!"
"No good!"
"You're so stupid!"
Just for rendering a wok of old oil, Mai Ge received dozens of rejections from the system.
"Does it have to be so strict..." Mai Ge couldn't help but complain, pouring out the oil from the wok. His expression turned serious as he put away his carefree attitude. He couldn't afford to waste so much time before even getting to the fish, he had to get up early to open the restaurant tomorrow morning.
"Ding! Congratulations, host, the old oil has been rendered to meet the requirements!" the system notification sounded.
Mai Ge looked at the bubbling oil in the large wok in front of him and smiled. Cooking is never easy, you have to treat each step with the utmost care to make the most delicious dishes.
Picking up the net, Mai Ge looked at the Colorful Grass Carp swimming happily in the tank and fell silent. It wasn't that they were too cute to handle, but killing fish was just too unfamiliar to him, as unfamiliar as killing chickens.
Although he had the best steps and methods for killing the Colorful Grass Carp in his mind, but the thought of holding the slippery fish and gutting it with a knife still made him feel a little uncomfortable.
"If I don't go to hell, who will? If I can't even kill a fish, then there's no point in making this Spicy Grilled Fish. Little Amy is still waiting to eat grilled fish." After standing silently in front of the tank for a long time, Mai Ge's gaze gradually hardened. He picked up the smallest grass carp, reached out and grabbed it. The slippery and slightly sticky feel of the fish made him want to throw it away. However, before he could make a move, the wild and fierce Colorful Grass Carp flicked its tail and flew directly out of his hand, landing back in the tank, splashing water half a meter high and soaking Mai Ge's face.
"Damn it, even you dare to bully me, I'll kill you!" Mai Ge wiped the water off his face, his anger rising. He picked up the Colorful Grass Carp again, took the gold-edged cleaver and slapped it on the head, and it immediately became docile.
After killing the fish, cut it open from the back, remove the internal organs and wash it clean. Make cross-shaped cuts on the fish and marinate it with various seasonings.
The oven is a major new addition to the kitchen. It makes baking fish easier to control and is more suitable for batch baking. It eliminates the need to frequently flip the fish and doesn't interfere with Mai Ge cooking other foods at the same time.
When the fish is half-cooked in the oven, take it out and brush it with a layer of old oil. Then, when it is nine-tenths cooked, brush it with another layer of old oil, sprinkle it with cumin powder, and bake it for a while. Then, take it out and place it on a stainless steel plate lined with shredded onions.
Next comes the cooking of the sauce poured over the fish. Ginger, garlic, fermented bean paste... various spices and seasonings are added to the wok one by one, and a wok of bright red sauce is thus created. It is poured over the grilled fish, allowing the fish to fully absorb the sauce.
In a separate wok, stir-fry Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies until fragrant, filling the air with a spicy aroma. Pour this over the grilled fish and sprinkle with tender green scallions. The vibrant red and tender green create a striking contrast.
The perfectly grilled fish, with its fragrant sauce, made Mai Ge, who was standing next to it, swallow hard. The familiar aroma was just as good as any grilled fish he had ever eaten before.
"Failed!" the system's cold voice rang out.
Mai Ge, who had just picked up the chopsticks to taste the food, froze. Although he knew it was impossible to pass on the first try, but the system's blow suddenly made him lose interest in trying it.
"Alright, if it's not up to standard, I'll keep going." Mai Ge put down the chopsticks and walked towards the water tank. Monotonous repetition, constantly improving through repetition—this was something he excelled at.
Plates of grilled fish were made by his hands, and then overturned and started again after repeated rejections by the system. Mai Ge never complained from beginning to end. His movements became more and more delicate and serious, striving to make every step perfect.
"System, what about this time?" Mai Ge poured the stir-fried Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers over the grilled fish, the hot oil sizzling, and sprinkled on tender green scallions, filling the air with aroma.
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A long-awaited mini-drama~
"Dear viewers, welcome to the fifth episode of Shen the Sharp-Tongued's Torture Story. I'm sure you all felt very relaxed and happy after watching the first four episodes, right?"
"Don't worry, the best is yet to come. Shen the Sharp-Tongued who barely passed last time, has been locked in that little room again this time. There's no bed in this room, not even a chair. The high-intensity incandescent light is on 24 hours a day, so he can't have any rest. The fear of death and his own perfectionist demands have put him under such torment. He can only repeat the act of cooking endlessly. I believe he has now come to understand how difficult it is to be a chef."
The television broadcast started, and the system's cheerful voice rang out. One by one, the chefs picked up their phones or sat in front of the television to watch the broadcast on their exclusive channel. Watching Mai Ge, who was locked in the kitchen and earnestly making grilled fish without showing any temper, a happy smile appeared on their faces.
"Now for a quick advertisement: After my continuous exploration in this other world, I've successfully developed a fish farm that breeds Colorful Grass Carp. The fish farm can now supply 500 tons of Colorful Grass Carp annually. I want to expand my fish farm, so I'm launching a crowdfunding campaign to raise 5 million! Do you still keep your money in the bank? Investing in the fish farm requires little investment, yields quick results, and offers high returns, with an annual interest rate exceeding 5%. Limited opportunities available until funding is complete! Even more…"
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