Chapter 76: The Art of Salt-Baking

While the Pine Needle Crab marinated in rice wine, Li Xiao turned to prepare another delicacy: Salt-baked Pine Needle Crab.

He took a jar of high-quality coarse sea salt from the kitchen cabinet. This would be the key to the dish’s unique flavor.

The Pine Needle Crab legs were neatly arranged on the cutting board.

Li Xiao picked up scissors and, just as before, cut the long crab legs into two sections at the joints.

Next, he began to prepare the seasonings needed for the Salt-baked Pine Needle Crab.

In a large bowl, he mixed a suitable amount of coarse sea salt, white pepper powder, minced ginger, and some spices.

These seasonings would infuse the crab with a deep flavor, allowing the Pine Needle Crab to absorb even more taste during the salt-baking process.

Li Xiao evenly sprinkled the mixture over the crab legs, massaging them gently to ensure each piece was thoroughly coated.

He took a deep breath, enjoying the aroma released as the seasonings mixed.

Next was the preparation for the salt crust.

He spread an even layer of coarse sea salt in a baking pan, then carefully placed each seasoned Pine Needle Crab leg on top of the salt layer.

Once all the Pine Needle Crab legs were neatly arranged on the pan,

Li Xiao picked up a spray bottle and spritzed the crab legs with cooking wine.

Once every crab leg was covered in cooking wine, he picked up the bag of salt again and completely covered the red-and-white crab legs with coarse sea salt.

The oven had already been preheated to 220 degrees, and Li Xiao placed the baking pan of Pine Needle Crab inside.

This step required precise timing. He carefully set a timer for 30 minutes.

After finishing all this, Li Xiao finally had a moment to check his livestream.

「In the livestream chat.」

"With all that salt, won’t it be insanely salty?"

"Holy cow, is that salt free or something?"

"The step where he added the spices was too fast! I couldn’t see what he put in at all!"

"Is that water in the spray bottle?"

.....

Li Xiao:

"Don’t worry, everyone. It won’t be too salty."

"Because I was using coarse sea salt, not the regular table salt we normally eat."

As he spoke, he scooped a small handful of coarse sea salt into his palm and showed it to the camera.

"Everyone can see the size of this coarse salt. These grains are very large, each one is about the size of a mung bean."

"When you’re buying sea salt, make sure you don’t get the wrong kind. You have to buy the large-grain variety."

"Because if the sea salt is too fine, the Salt-baked Pine Needle Crab will turn out extremely salty."

"As for the spices, you just need the simplest ones: Sichuan peppercorns and star anise."

"Of course, if you don’t have Sichuan peppercorns or star anise, you can leave them out."

"If you like spicy food, you can also add some crushed dried chilies or chili powder."

"As for what I was spraying, that was alcohol. It’s used to remove any gaminess and enhance the fragrance."

After explaining the method to the viewers, Li Xiao’s gaze returned to the oven.

During the baking process, the sea salt gradually hardened, forming a natural "oven" that enveloped the Pine Needle Crab.

The delicious juices of the crab meat slowly released under the high heat, mingling with the seasonings inside the shell.

The Salt-baked Pine Needle Crab needed a full 30 minutes. While waiting, Li Xiao returned to the other side of the kitchen.

A dozen or so minutes of marinating was enough for the flavor of the rice wine to completely permeate the Pine Needle Crab legs.

He picked up a square ceramic plate of the same size and placed it over the original container.

Li Xiao handled the plate with an understated grace, covering the container with a skillful motion.

This small action was like a detail in a culinary ritual, adding a sense of mysterious ceremony to the birth of the delicacy.

As the heat circulated within the steamer, the sweet aroma of the rice wine and the oceanic flavor of the Pine Needle Crab began to blend perfectly.

The aroma wafting from the steamer immersed the entire kitchen in a delicious atmosphere.

Li Xiao closed his eyes, concentrating on sensing this unique cooking process.

In the billowing steam, he could imagine the delicious juices flowing through the meat of the Pine Needle Crab legs, merging with the aroma of rice wine to create a feast for the palate.

The 8-minute timer let out a crisp chime, signaling that the steaming process was complete.

Li Xiao gently lifted the steamer lid, and an enticing aroma immediately wafted out to greet him.

He carefully took out the plate.

The moment he lifted the lid, the heady, wine-like aroma instantly grew more intense.

After steaming, the rice wine had mixed with the crab’s juices, changing from its original milky white to a pale gold. Wisps of protein floated on the surface, shimmering with an inviting luster.

This time, without any prompting from Li Xiao, the other four people were already waiting eagerly at the side, chopsticks in hand.

However, they knew their manners. No one made the first move with their chopsticks, clearly waiting for Li Xiao to eat first.

He didn’t stand on ceremony, picking up his chopsticks and taking a piece of a Pine Needle Crab leg.

The shell on a Pine Needle Crab leg is naturally quite soft, and even more so after steaming.

With just a little pressure from his teeth, Li Xiao cracked the bright red shell, revealing the tender, pinkish meat inside.

[Congratulations, you have unlocked the 14th entry in your food codex.]

[The food codex entry you unlocked is: Wine-steamed Pine Needle Crab.]

[This dish’s rating: 87 points [Good]]

[As this dish received a "Good" rating, rewards are tripled (x3).]

[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward: 400,000.]

[Congratulations, you have received a reward: Buttered Pine Needle Crab Recipe.]

[Congratulations, you have received a reward: Rice Wine Brewing Insights.]

The flavor and texture of the wine-steamed Pine Needle Crab were simply irresistible.

First, the aroma of the wine was rich and lingering.

This wasn’t a simple taste of alcohol; after marinating and steaming, the rice wine had perfectly integrated into the meat of the Pine Needle Crab legs.

Every bite was filled with the mellow fragrance of rice wine, as if one were savoring a unique fine wine.

And the wine’s fragrance was not one-dimensional. It mingled with the savory juices of the Pine Needle Crab, creating a complex and profound flavor experience.

The texture of the crab meat was incredibly tender and smooth. The wine-steaming process made it even more flavorful, and it melted in the mouth.

Each piece of Pine Needle Crab meat was springy yet delicate, giving a sense of distinct layers in its texture.

The steaming process preserved the original, natural flavor of the crab meat, while the evaporation of the rice wine infused it with a unique character.

The wine-steaming process intensified the oceanic flavor of the Pine Needle Crab, creating a sharp contrast with the sweet aroma of the rice wine.

This contrast made the texture even richer, leaving a memorable aftertaste.

Every bite offered a new, distinct layer, allowing one to enjoy the progressive unveiling of flavors.

The entire taste experience was like a symphony of wine and seafood, with every note perfectly showcasing the unique style of this wine-steamed Pine Needle Crab.

This was not just a dish, but a feast for the senses, leaving one captivated and reluctant to leave the interwoven dance of wine and crab.

He swallowed the crab meat in his mouth.

Li Xiao nodded in satisfaction.

Unlike the intensely flavored Windbreak Pine Needle Crab from before, the wine-steamed version was more mellow and rich.

’Feeling the slight astringency on my tongue, I understand why this dish only scored 87 points.’

’The reason is simple: the quality of the rice wine wasn’t very good.’

’Even though I bought the most expensive, best-tasting, low-alcohol rice wine they had,’

’it was, after all, just an ordinary commercial liquor store. Most of what they sold were branded commercial products.’

’I can’t blame them for it; after all, they’re running a business to make money.’

’Compared to generic, unbranded rice wine, the owner obviously prefers to sell expensive, commercial brands.’

’The price difference between the two is just too big, after all.’

’So, even though this is the best rice wine they had, its quality is just so-so.’