The secret of stewed mutton: without this "one taste", the more the stew, the heavier the smell!
In China, mutton stew is a beloved traditional delicacy. Whenever the cold winter comes, a steaming bowl of stewed lamb can not only dispel the cold, but also make people experience the warmth of home. However, lamb stew may seem simple, but it actually contains a lot of tricks. One of the most important points is the "one taste" that cannot be missing when stewing mutton. Without this "one taste", the smell of mutton will become heavier and heavier, making it difficult to swallow.
So, what exactly is this "blindness"? In fact, it is the "grass fruit" of spices. Grass fruit, also known as grass cardamom, is a Chinese herbal medicine and condiment with a strong fragrance. In the process of stewing mutton, the addition of grass fruits can effectively neutralize the flavor of the mutton, making the stewed mutton more delicious and delicious.
In addition to grass fruits, what details do you need to pay attention to when stewing lamb? First of all, the choice of lamb is very crucial. Choose fresh, odorless lamb, preferably with a certain amount of fat and lean parts, so that the stewed lamb will be more tender and juicy. Secondly, before stewing mutton, be sure to blanch the mutton to remove blood and impurities to reduce the smell. When blanching, you can use cooking wine and ginger slices to remove the smell.
Next, it's time for the simmering process. Stewed lamb must be simmered over low heat to allow the lamb to fully absorb the nutrients and aroma in the soup. At the same time, add an appropriate amount of water when simmering to avoid adding water halfway through to affect the taste. In addition, some other seasonings and ingredients can be added when stewing lamb, such as green onions, ginger, garlic, goji berries, etc., to increase the taste and nutritional value.
However, even with these seasonings and techniques, why do some people still have a strong smell of lamb stew? This is often due to neglect of heat control during the simmering process. If the heat is too high or the simmering time is too short, the smell of the lamb will not be completely removed. Therefore, when stewing mutton, you must pay attention to the control of the heat to ensure that the mutton can be fully stewed and cooked thoroughly.
In addition, there is another detail that is easy to overlook is the choice of cooking utensils. It is best to use a casserole or clay pot to stew the lamb, as these utensils can better maintain the temperature and humidity of the stew, and make the lamb more flavorful. If you use an iron pot or stainless steel pot to stew mutton, due to the good thermal conductivity of these materials, it is easy to cause excessive temperature fluctuations during the stewing process, which will affect the taste and flavor of mutton.
In addition to the tips and precautions mentioned above, lamb stew also needs to be adjusted according to individual tastes and preferences. For example, some people like to add some chili pepper or Sichuan pepper to increase the spiciness and numbness; Some people like to add some red dates or longan to add sweetness and nourishing effect. In short, in the process of lamb stew, you should give full play to your creativity and imagination to create your own unique flavor.
In short, although lamb stew may seem simple, it contains a lot of skills and know-how. In order to stew delicious and tasteless mutton, in addition to choosing good ingredients and seasonings, you also need to pay attention to the heat, stewing utensils and personal taste adjustments. In particular, the indispensable "taste" - grass fruit is the key to the success of mutton stew. Hopefully, these experiences and tips will help you enjoy this delicious traditional dish even better!