Mutton, as a delicacy in Chinese cuisine, is deeply loved by people. Its unique taste and nutritional value make mutton a nourishing product in winter. However, the fishy smell of mutton discourages many people. In fact, as long as you master the correct cooking skills and material selection methods, the mutton made is not only delicious, but also can greatly reduce its fishy smell.
First of all, we need to make it clear that spices such as bay leaves and cinnamon are not a panacea when cooking lamb. When many people make mutton, they will add various spices in one go, trying to use the flavor of these spices to mask the fishy smell of mutton. However, doing so is often counterproductive. Excessive spices not only cannot mask the fishy smell of mutton, but will make the boiled mutton soup lose its original umami.
So, how do you make a delicious lamb stew?In fact, you don't need too many seasonings to make mutton, as long as you master the two key seasonings, you can easily stew delicious mutton. The two spices are ginger and cooking wine. Ginger has the effect of repelling cold and removing fish, while cooking wine can increase fragrance and flavor. In the process of stewing mutton, adding ginger and cooking wine appropriately can effectively neutralize the fishy smell of mutton while also increasing the umami of mutton.
In addition to the selection of ingredients and seasonings, it is also very important to choose the right cooking tools. Casserole is a very good choice. The casserole has good heat retention and sealing, which allows the lamb to better absorb the flavor of the seasoning during the stewing process. At the same time, the slow cooking method of the casserole can make the fiber of the mutton gradually soft and more tender.
When stewing lamb, we also need to pay attention to the mastery of the heat. In general, bring the soup to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat to a simmer. This allows the lamb to fully absorb the flavor of the seasoning while maintaining the richness of the soup. In addition, it is best not to add water during the simmering process so as not to affect the texture and taste of the soup. If water must be added, it should also be heated, not cold.
In addition to the above-mentioned seasonings, tools and heat, the choice of lamb ingredients is also very important. Different parts of lamb have different meat quality, taste and use. When stewing lamb, we usually choose lamb shank or lamb shoulder. These two parts of the lamb have a delicate meat and moderate fat content, making them ideal for stewing. In contrast, lamb shoulder has a higher fat content and a fatier taste;On the other hand, the leg of lamb is leaner and has a more tender texture.
When buying lamb, we can judge the freshness of the lamb by looking at its color, smell and touch. Fresh lamb is bright in color, shiny, smells no odor or fishy, and is elastic to the touch. If the lamb is dull in color, has a strong odor or fishy smell, and is loose to the touch, it may have been stored for too long.
In addition to the aspects mentioned above, there are some tips that can help us cook delicious lamb better. For example, when cutting mutton, it is necessary to cut it against the texture, which can destroy the fibrous structure of the mutton and make the cooked mutton more tender. In addition, some side dishes such as carrots and white radishes can be appropriately added during the cooking process to enhance the flavor and increase the nutritional value. Finally, it can be simply seasoned with condiments such as coriander before eating to increase flavor and texture.
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