Crackling!
Crackling!
As the temperature gradually rose, crackling sounds also emanated from inside the clay pot.
At the same time, a rich aroma of pork-filled dumplings slowly spread from the cracks of the clay pot, eventually enveloping the entire Izakaya.
"Fried?"
"Roasted?"
"Braised?"
"Could it be Flame Dumplings instead of boiled dumplings?"
Leonora, having somewhat recovered from her shock, murmured in a daze.
"Mom, what are Flame Dumplings?" Alice, who didn't have much knowledge of traditional cuisine, listened in confusion.
"That's a dumpling dish from Nantong, Jiangsu in China. Unlike boiled dumplings, which are cooked in water, Flame Dumplings are deep-fried. So, what Sosuke made really isn't pan-fried dumplings!"
"But it's also strange. Flame Dumplings usually use freshly boiled water during preparation."
"When deep-frying, you also need to use medium-high heat."
"However, this method of placing them on a bamboo rack inside a clay pot and then heating them with fire is quite uncommon."
"No!"
"I've never seen it in my life."
Looking at Alice with a "foolish" gaze.
Erina, without waiting for Leonora to answer the question, stepped forward and replied first.
"Indeed, the filling of Flame Dumplings is made with fresh pork."
"Perhaps it was the shape of the dumplings' exterior and the heating method that made me mistakenly think they were pan-fried dumplings just now?"
Leonora nodded.
"Ah? Dumplings, there are also boiled dumplings and Flame Dumplings?"
Alice was stunned!
...
On China's culinary map,
Nantong Flame Dumplings can be described as a brilliant pearl.
Many people may only know of Huaiyang cuisine, which is composed of the two "World Food Capitals" of Yangzhou and Huai'an.
But in fact, Jiangsu also has a treasure city that was once as famous as Yangzhou, also full of delicious food, but has always been forgotten:
Nantong!
Blessed by the rivers and the sea,
In this place, various seafood and seasonal fresh ingredients can be enjoyed in different ways throughout the year.
It can be said that Nantong people, thanks to their geographical conditions, can always discover unique flavors in their daily lives.
Among the many local Nantong dishes, Flame Dumplings, with their distinct dumpling aroma and unique Huaiyang cuisine flavor, which differ greatly from boiled dumplings in preparation, always attract diners' attention.
...
Time slowly passed.
When the time was right, Sosuke extinguished the charcoal fire under the grill, using the residual heat to continue heating the dumplings.
Then, when the temperature inside the clay pot had cooled slightly, he used a pair of long chopsticks to pick out each Flame Dumpling and arrange them on exquisite ceramic plates.
"Ladies, these are the Flame Dumplings you requested."
Immediately after, he carried two plates of the dumpling dish to Leonora and Alice.
Upon closer inspection, the shape of the dumplings on the plate truly resembled flames, and even some other aspects were completely different from ordinary dumplings.
"They don't look cooked!"
"Could it be that the charcoal braising method just now resulted in insufficient heat?"
"No, I remember that... what was that utensil called? There were crackling sounds from inside it, so..."
Seeing these flame-shaped dumplings, whose surfaces lacked that crispy, browned color and were still pale, Alice felt deeply confused.
Whether they were Flame Dumplings
or mistakenly thought to be pan-fried dumplings,
according to her understanding, they should be heated until the dumpling skin had that crispy texture to be called Flame Dumplings, right?
"No rush, this dish still has one final step!"
Sosuke's lips curved slightly.
After a brief thought, he turned and retrieved a culinary torch.
...
First, he adjusted the flame to maximum, then lightly flicked his finger.
Immediately, a flame more than half a meter long burst forth, enveloping all the dumplings on the plate.
The dazzling firelight, and the crackling sound of the dumplings being directly burned, caused everyone to awaken as if from a dream, and they finally understood completely.
Dumplings, indeed, don't spray fire themselves, but they can be consumed by flames.
The scorching flames quickly receded and dissipated, and the white dumpling skins turned golden-brown.
This meant that the true Flame Dumplings were finally taking shape rapidly at this moment, fully revealed before Leonora, Alice, and all the other diners.
"So... so amazing!"
"I didn't expect them to truly transform into Flame Dumplings."
Even before tasting, Leonora was shocked two or three times by this Flame Dumpling dish.
Alice Nakiri over here was also the same; judging by her small mouth, wide enough to fit an egg, it was clear that she was also particularly surprised!
...
Sizzle sizzle sizzle!
After direct burning and heating by the flames,
the thick, special sauce began to ooze out from the cracks that had appeared in the Flame Dumplings.
Upon contact with the crispy dumpling skin, it immediately produced a wonderful sound.
Hmm.
Very enticing!
"Using a culinary torch is also a last resort."
"The most stunning part of this dish is the final scene where the dumplings are directly burned with fire."
"Normally, it requires a street performer, oh, that is, someone holding a lit wooden stick, holding strong liquor in their mouth, and then blowing it out in one breath."
"Utilizing the effect of the strong liquor turning into tiny misty molecules in the air and igniting immediately upon encountering an open flame, to heat the dish."
"This kind of performance would definitely be more spectacular than using a torch."
"But the reason I don't use it is, first, it's not very safe, and second, I'm a chef, so I can't drink strong alcoholic beverages."
Looking at the Flame Dumplings, which had already expanded to twice their original size, the stunned Leonora and Alice barely heard Sosuke's explanation.
"Wow, dumplings can be made into such amazing creations."
"I really... I really don't know what to say for a moment!"
Finally, Alice, who had somewhat recovered, became very excited for a moment, even her speech began to become incoherent.
...
It is well known that no matter what kind of dumpling, it always has 4 main parts: the dumpling skin, the filling, the preparation method, and the dipping sauce.
Therefore, from a practical perspective, for any dumpling to meet the standard of "delicious,"
the dumpling skin should be chewy, translucent, and firm, the filling should not be gamey, and the green onions and ginger should not be pungent or spicy but rather enhance the aroma.
Then, the meaty flavor of the filling should be rich, juicy, and robust.
The dipping sauce flavor should be mild and rich!
And if one looks from these perspectives, Sosuke's Flame Dumpling dish was not as dry as pan-fried or roasted dishes, but it also had no oily sensation from being deep-fried.
Upon closer inspection, its flame-like exterior still had a bit of undried oil.
The color gradually changed from top to bottom, with the upper part being light yellow and the bottom slightly charred.
Under the faint lamplight, it truly resembled a vibrant "flame," which could be described in four words:
Utterly adorable!
...
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