Chapter 321 Copying the Method of Fairy Fish, This Isn't Right!
「Four hours had passed.」
Jiang Feng reappeared in the stream.
[Boss Jiang, hurry up and open the box!]
[I want to see if the Fairy Fish was a success!]
[I've been here the whole time, making sure this casserole hasn't been touched!]
[So many people have failed making this dish! Nobody has succeeded; the fish meat just won't come off!]
[This is so thrilling!]
The barrage of comments in the stream surged continuously; the audience's enthusiasm was exceptionally high.
Jiang Feng was also slightly nervous. Whether it would be a success or not was still uncertain.
Any chef could mess up a dish. It wasn't because their cooking skills were bad, but because there was often an element of unpredictability. Take this Fairy Fish, for example. Many people had tried to recreate it, but making the fish meat fall completely off the bone was almost unheard of. Some even stewed it for several more hours with little success.
"Four hours have passed, and the Fairy Fish has finished cooking," Jiang Feng said to the viewers in the stream. "Now, it's the moment to witness the result."
He began to unravel the tin foil, layer by layer. The foil was still a bit hot. As he peeled away the layers, the contents within were finally revealed.
Everyone stared intently.
Inside the bamboo-strip wrapper, a crystal-clear, translucent fish skeleton dangled. All the fish flesh had vanished, leaving only its vertebrae and every single fine bone. The fish skeleton swayed gently, reminiscent of how a fish picked clean would look in an old cartoon. In the pot, the chicken soup had turned a milky white, with the fish meat clearly visible within it.
"It's a success. All that's left is the fish skeleton." Jiang Feng smiled at the sight. Lucky.
The stream chat became even livelier.
[HOLY CRAP! He actually succeeded!]
[The expert is truly awesome, incredible!]
[So steam really can cook the fish meat right off the bone!]
[I'm going to buy a bag of chicken bouillon and a sea bass to try this tonight!]
[I'll try it too!]
Seeing Jiang Feng's success, many people became interested. They planned to replicate this success. If the Culinary God can make it, I can make it too. Rounding up, that pretty much makes me the Culinary God!
Since Fairy Fish was a legendary lost dish that even many top chefs couldn't replicate, it was a pipe dream for ordinary people to succeed.
Jiang Feng picked up the bamboo-strip wrapper, removed the silk thread, and lifted the fish skeleton for a quick look. Droplets of condensed chicken soup, formed from the steam, still clung to the fish skeleton. Jiang Feng tossed the fish skeleton directly into the trash.
Then, he took a porcelain spoon and a porcelain bowl and ladled a spoonful of soup from the casserole. He also scooped up some fish meat. Because the meat had fallen off the bones cleanly, it was entirely boneless. The texture was smooth, and the taste was delicious.
"It looks good, and there's the fragrance of chicken soup and the aroma of fish," Jiang Feng said to his audience, holding the porcelain bowl. "I chose a high-quality sea bass, which has tender flesh. You may not believe it, but this is my first time making Fairy Fish. I've never tasted Fairy Fish either."
Hearing his words, the viewers in the stream went wild.
[Boss Jiang, you're just showing off now!]
[You succeeded on your first try? What a joke!]
[Hello? Police? I'd like to report someone for flexing so hard!]
[A natural-born streamer! Hahaha, he's flexing and doesn't even realize it.]
The comment barrage was very lively.
Jiang Feng hadn't expected that simply telling the truth would cause such a huge reaction. But he was being honest. It really was his first time making Fairy Fish.
Jiang Feng didn't say much more; he simply scooped up some chicken soup with his spoon, along with a piece of fish, and gently tasted it.
With the first sip, the exquisite flavor of the soup flowed down his throat and straight to his stomach. It was an indescribably wonderful sensation.
Jiang Feng himself was somewhat surprised. As expected of a famous Hunan dish, its taste truly surpassed that of ordinary ones. The soup was incredibly delicious. The texture was exceptionally good.
Taking a bite of the fish, it felt as soft as cotton. The meat was exceptionally tender yet retained its inherent flavor. The perfect combination of fish and chicken meat elevated the taste of this soup to another level.
"Indeed, it's good!" Jiang Feng sincerely exclaimed. "Worthy of being called a famous dish!"
He finished the chicken soup in one go and nodded in satisfaction. Although Jiang Feng didn't show any exaggerated expressions, the subtle changes in his eyes alone were enough for everyone to perceive how delicious the fish soup was.
[Boss Jiang, just say it, how much for this bowl of fish soup?]
[Is it really that good? I won't believe it unless you send some over for me to try!]
[Stop talking and just set up a stall already, isn't my money good enough?]
[I'm ordering you right now to come to my city and set up a stall selling Fairy Fish. Don't make me beg you on my knees!]
The stream chat buzzed with activity again.
Viewers gradually realized that Jiang Feng was perfectly suited for streaming. He always exuded a calm and nonchalant vibe. If you accused him of showing off, he seemed too natural; but if you said he wasn't, he genuinely came across as rather formidable. It's a bit quirky, quite intriguing. Might as well watch a little longer.
The number of viewers in the stream was growing. However, Jiang Feng's stream had come to an end. He had promised the platform officials to cap off the stream with a special demonstration—making Fairy Fish. Since the Fairy Fish was done, the stream was also over.
"The taste is really good. You all could give it a try," Jiang Feng said, after finishing his bowl of fish soup. "There are two key points: first, pay attention to the heat of the chicken soup, and second, make sure to properly score the fish. You absolutely can't just hang the whole fish as is; that won't work. The stream is pretty much over at this point. Hope to see you next time."
Hearing this, the viewers were reluctant to see him go. Many wanted him to stay a bit longer, but Jiang Feng had already pressed the button to end the stream.
All done. Clock out. The Changsha City stall special, a perfect curtain call!
At that moment, Sun Zhuangfei, who was responsible for operational support and also assisted Jiang Feng, was on site, eyeing the Fairy Fish in the casserole with intense longing.
"Come on, everyone have a taste. There's plenty of soup left, enough for all," Jiang Feng called everyone over.
Hearing this, everyone was extremely happy and walked over. Soon, a chorus of praise resounded from the group.
「At some household.」
A couple, after watching Jiang Feng make the Fairy Fish, exchanged a look. They nodded. "Let's do it!"
They decided to replicate the Fairy Fish following Jiang Feng's video. They had watched Jiang Feng's video several times, each time with great care to ensure they remembered every step by heart. Before long, they bought a sea bass and an old hen.
First, they simmered a broth with the old hen. Then, they prepared the sea bass: gutting and cleaning it, removing the fins, gills, and other parts prone to a fishy smell, and then scoring it carefully. Next, they fashioned a bamboo stand that fit perfectly over the casserole, allowing them to suspend the fish. They were very meticulous in every step.
Finally, they wrapped it with multiple layers of tin foil, ensuring it was completely airtight. Then, they placed the casserole on the stove to heat, allowing the steam from the chicken soup to rise and cook the fish. They even filmed each step of the process. They jokingly called this 'submitting their homework' to Boss Jiang.
It wasn't just them; many families and food bloggers were also trying to replicate the Fairy Fish.
"Just four more hours. In four hours, we'll see the results," the man said, full of anticipation.
"We followed every step correctly, so there shouldn't be any issues. I'm already excited to see a complete fish skeleton!" the woman replied confidently.
Then, the two went about other tasks, only occasionally checking to ensure the stove flame remained steady.
「Four hours later.」
The couple returned to the stove.
"Time's about up. Now for the moment of truth—or a miracle!"
"This method is really not something most people would think of."
"Let's hope for success!"
"It has to succeed!"
As they spoke, they carefully unwrapped the tin foil.
Once all the tin foil was removed, sheer astonishment was written all over their faces.
Hanging from the bamboo stand was a complete fish. Not a single piece of flesh had fallen off. If not for the score marks, one might think the fish was still alive!
(Fish: You two just gonna stare at me? What's up?)
The couple was dumbfounded. They gazed at the sea bass, puzzled. This wasn't right! They had followed Boss Jiang's method to the letter! So how come not a shred of fish meat had fallen off? Where could they have gone wrong?
"Could it be that it wasn't enough time?" the wife ventured.
"Should we cook it a bit longer?" the husband asked.
"Cook it!"
The two decided to let it cook for another two hours. They rewrapped it with several layers of tin foil, ensuring it was tightly sealed. The stove was lit once more. The chicken soup transformed into steam again, cooking the fish anew.
「Two hours later, they opened the tin foil.」
The fish meat near the score marks was visibly cooked, the flesh turned into distinct fibers—it was clearly done. But the meat just hadn't fallen off. The whole fish was still intact.
"No way! Is this fish so stubborn?"
"Where did it go wrong!"
The couple was on the verge of tears. After toiling all evening, they had hoped to successfully recreate Fairy Fish, but it had been a complete failure. This is just ridiculous!
"Why don't we just eat the fish? The chicken soup has almost boiled dry!" the man finally said.
"Let's try the flavor of the fish; maybe it's still edible!" the woman proposed.
The man lifted the fish down and set it on a plate. Their attempt at Fairy Fish was a bust, but they had unknowingly invented a new dish: chicken broth steamed fish.
They picked up their chopsticks and began to taste the fish meat. Around the score marks, the outer parts of the fish were steamed through, but the very inside was still raw. Perhaps that was why the flesh hadn't fallen off. However, even just tasting the parts steamed by the chicken broth was incredibly delicious. They could only imagine how much more exquisite the complete Fairy Fish must be.
In the end, they posted their fail video online. It was only after reading the comments from other viewers that they realized they weren't alone in their failure. Everyone online who tried had failed. At best, some managed to get about half the meat to fall off, with the rest clinging sparsely to the bones.
No one could replicate Jiang Feng's result of a perfectly clean fish skeleton. This, it turned out, was the most challenging aspect of Fairy Fish. No one could figure out where they had gone wrong.
Only after trying it themselves did everyone realize the true depth of skill required for this dish. No wonder it was a legendary lost recipe—it truly wasn't something just anyone could make. Looking at it this way, Boss Jiang was truly remarkable.