Chapter 541 - 375: Flaky Crust Roujiamo

"For this oil paste, you can use any kind of oil you like. To make the buns delicious, it's best to use an aromatic oil, like rapeseed oil, peanut oil, lard, butter, and so on."

"Lard is actually the most fragrant, but rendering it is a bit time-consuming, so a lot of people just can't be bothered."

Besides the pork belly, he had also scored a large slab of pork leaf lard for free. Foreigners don't eat the stuff anyway; it's usually just thrown out as trash. So, he had shamelessly asked the butcher for it directly.

"There are a few ways to render lard: the water method, the oil method, and the dry method. The dry method is pretty much the same as the oil method, the only difference being whether you add extra oil or not. Today, I'll be using the dry method."

He cut the pork fat into small chunks, tossing them into the iron pot as he went. The fire underneath was already lit.

"When you're rendering lard, you can start with high heat to get the pot hot. Once you put the fat in and hear a distinct SIZZLE, turn it down to medium-low. High heat renders the fat quickly, but it's easy to scorch the pieces, which affects the flavor of the lard. So, medium-low heat is the safest bet."

As chunks of pork fat were tossed into the pot, a pleasant SIZZLE filled the air around the stall, and the captivating aroma of lard began to drift through the air.

A few regular customers, seeing that Lin Chen was finally open for business after a long absence, immediately ran over and curiously peered into the pot.

When they saw he was actually rendering lard from pork fat, surprised expressions appeared on their faces. They clearly hadn't imagined fat could be used this way.

"The principle is actually quite simple. You all eat bacon, right? After you bake it in the oven, isn't the leftover bacon grease especially fragrant when you use it for salad dressing or spread it on bread? And when making creamy soups or certain stews, there's often a step where you fry up minced bacon. The goal is the same: to render out the pork fat to add flavor."

Hearing his explanation, the regulars had a moment of realization. 'How did we never think of something so simple?' they thought to themselves.

As the aroma in the air grew stronger, the tangerine-sized chunks of fat visibly shrank by more than half, their surfaces turning a焦 yellow-brown. A thick layer of liquid lard pooled at the bottom of the pot.

Tilting the iron pot, he ladled out the lard spoonful by spoonful into a stainless steel container to cool, leaving just a little oil at the bottom to continue rendering.

"Normally, letting it cool naturally at room temperature is best. But since my fridge is empty, I'm going to toss it in the refrigerator to cool it down quickly and save time."

"I don't recommend doing this at home, because your fridge is full of other food. Freshly rendered lard is hot and steam will evaporate from it. Not only can it affect the other ingredients, but it can also be contaminated by raw food and bacteria in the fridge."

While the lard was rendering, he had also started stewing the pork belly. He then used a dough mixer to make twenty-two pounds of dough. Warm water, yeast, and sugar were simply kneaded into shape, then covered with cheesecloth to proof for half an hour at a room temperature no lower than 20°C.

"The dough for one bun weighs about one hundred grams. If you think that's too big, you can adjust it to eighty or sixty grams. For example, you can make them smaller for kids."

"I've prepared enough for one hundred buns here. I'm guessing everyone will like the texture, so I made some extra."

Once the dough had finished proofing, the lard had also cooled down considerably. Its surface was just beginning to solidify, a sign it was approaching room temperature.

"To make the oil paste, the fat needs to be in a liquid state, so you can't let the lard sit in a cold environment for too long. It will slowly start to solidify between 28 and 48 degrees. If it does freeze up, just zap it in the microwave for a bit."

He poured a small bowl of lard and mixed it evenly with flour. After spraying the work surface with a little vegetable oil, he divided the dough into hundred-gram portions and kneaded them until smooth, shaping them into long strips in the process.

He used a rolling pin to flatten each strip into a thin sheet and brushed it with a light layer of the oil paste.

Holding two chopsticks, he placed one at the very top of the dough sheet and used his hands to roll it up, enclosing the chopstick inside. He then used the other chopstick to press down on the rolled-up dough to secure it, and then rolled it back and forth toward himself like a roller, forming the sheet into a cylinder.

He set the rolled dough aside, making sure to spray the surface with a little vegetable oil to prevent it from drying out.

He repeated this process over and over. Only when the countertop was piled high with dough portions did he start making the Crispy Skin Steamed Buns.

The finishing work was actually simpler. He just pressed the rolled dough flat from top to bottom with his palm, then used a rolling pin to shape it into a circle. Then, it could be baked directly in a flat-bottomed pan or an oven.

The aroma of the freshly rendered lard hadn't even dissipated yet when the rich scent of braised pork belly began to waft through the air.

As the Crispy Skin Steamed Buns puffed up in the oven, the unique, clean fragrance of wheat, mixed with the smell of lard, escaped from the oven vents.

It was lunchtime, and the market was full of hungry customers. The stall owners were all so busy they were rushed off their feet, with no time to eat.

Smelling that maddening lard-infused aroma, every one of them wished they could just abandon their stalls and rush over to see what delicious thing he was whipping up that could possibly smell so good.

While making the buns, he noticed the convenience store owner seemed a bit bored waiting, so he perceptively started a new topic.

"Have you ever had a Pot Helmet?"

"A Pot Helmet? No, but I've seen food bloggers eat them. It drove me crazy with cravings at the time."

"You can make a Pot Helmet with this very dough. The only difference is that you have to prepare a meat filling yourself—pork and scallion, or beef and scallion. Add some scallion-ginger water or powder, then grab a handful, pile it here, and roll it up bit by bit. Finally, pan-fry it until it's cooked."

"If you can handle numbing spice, it's even more fragrant if you sprinkle a layer of Sichuan peppercorn powder after brushing on the oil paste. Of course, sprinkling cumin powder gives it a whole different flavor."

In the large pot on the stove next to him, the sauce of the braised pork belly was bubbling continuously. The large chunks of pork belly had long been stained a uniform brownish-red. The mere sight of it was enough to make one's mouth water uncontrollably.

He poked the meat a few times with his chopsticks. After simmering for nearly an hour, the chunks of pork were as tender as tofu, easily pierced through, yet they still retained a slight bit of resilience.

Using his chopsticks, he split a piece of meat, took out a smaller half, and placed it on the cutting board to chop it roughly. He then added green peppers and lettuce and continued to chop until the vegetables were all minced into tiny bits and the braised pork had turned into a saucy, minced-meat state. Only then did he stop.

He took a piping hot Crispy Skin Steamed Bun that had just come out of the oven, sliced it in half, filled it to the brim with the meat mixture, and then drizzled a spoonful of the braising sauce over it. And with that, it was done.

The golden-brown, crispy surface of the Crispy Skin Steamed Bun was cracked into layers, a clear sign that the lamination was a success. The braised pork mince filling glistened, looking unbelievably tender and juicy. Paired with the green of the chopped peppers and lettuce, it made you desperately want to take a huge bite.

The convenience store owner, who had been waiting for an hour, had her eyes light up when the final product was handed to her. She eagerly took it and started taking pictures.

While she was taking photos, Lin Chen made one for himself. He didn't even need a paper wrapper; he just opened his mouth and took a bite.

CRUNCH.

The crispy bun shattered at the sound, sending several flaky bits fluttering down.

The texture of the Crispy Skin Steamed Bun was very similar to an egg tart's crust—crispy on the outside and soft in the middle. Especially now, having soaked up the braising liquid from the pork, that one bite sent an explosion of meaty and fatty flavors through his mouth.

With every chew, he could feel more juices seeping out of the bun. The pork belly in the middle was exceptionally soft and tender, held together by the melted fat like a thick, rich sauce.

Logically, a dish with an oil-paste bun, braised pork belly, and sauce should have been very greasy, but the first three bites of something like this are where its entire value lies.

Like salmon and most other rich foods, when you're hungry and take a bite of something this greasy, your first reaction is a feeling of pure bliss.

Only after the third bite does the greasiness slowly start to creep in.

But this style of Roujiamo was different.

The green peppers and lettuce were added specifically to neutralize the richness. With every chew, he could taste their crisp, refreshing sweetness. The amount was perfectly controlled—not so much as to steal the spotlight from the Roujiamo, but just enough to cut through any excess grease.

He devoured the palm-sized Roujiamo in five or six bites. It wasn't until he had swallowed the last mouthful that he began to feel even a hint of greasiness.

If he had been eating plain braised pork belly, he probably would have started feeling full after five pieces and would have had to put down his chopsticks and surrender after seven or eight.

By the time he finished eating, the convenience store owner was finally taking her first bite.

With just one bite, the look of anticipation on her face transformed into a radiant smile.

She looked up at Lin Chen and gave him a thumbs-up. No extra words were needed. She immediately took another huge bite.

"And this is just the original flavor. If you can handle spice, adding some dried chili flakes or chili oil makes it even more fragrant. As it happens, the only thing in my fridge is some chili oil I made myself before."

As he spoke, he crouched down and pulled a sealed glass jar of chili oil from the refrigerator.

The moment he unscrewed the lid, the unique, rich, and mellow aroma of the chili oil seemed to instantly clear a space around it, overpowering even the nearby scent of lard.

The woman, who didn't normally eat spicy food, couldn't help but feel curious after smelling that aroma. She spooned a few drops onto the spot where she had taken a bite.

When she tried it again, the flavor of the Roujiamo's braised pork instantly changed. The primarily savory-sweet profile now carried a distinct note of scallion. The spiciness wasn't too prominent; it was more of a visual redness.

Even though it was an oil, adding it had the effect of cutting through the richness. Her appetite whetted, the owner immediately drizzled on a few more drops, savoring every single bite.

"Oh hey, Lin, you're finally open! What goodies are you making today?"

Seeing the woman standing at his stall, her face gleaming with oil as she ate, some of the market's regular customers who had been chatting at the nearby coffee shop could no longer resist and ran over to say hello.

"This is a Great Xia hamburger, called a Roujiamo. It's made with braised pork belly. This is a Crispy Skin Steamed Bun, which tastes a lot like puff pastry. It's one of the most popular street foods in our Great Xia."