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In the meat market of Chengdu (Chéngdū, 成都), nestled among the vibrant streets of Sichuan's capital, two aspiring chefs embark on a quest to master the art of Sichuan cuisine. Their journey begins with the search for the perfect 排骨 (pái gǔ, ribs) and 牛排 (niú pái, steak), focusing on the balance between 瘦肉 (shòu ròu, lean meat) and 肥肉 (féi ròu, fatty meat) to enhance flavor. They explore the variety of cuts, from 猪蹄 (zhū tí, pork trotters) to 羊排 (yáng pái, lamb chops), learning the importance of each 部位 (bù wèi, part) for specific dishes.
As they delve deeper, the methods of 腌制 (yān zhì, curing) and 烟熏 (yān xūn, smoking) meats such as 香肠 (xiāng cháng, sausages) and 卤肉 (lǔ ròu, ) are discussed, along with the preparation of 肉丸 (ròu wán, meatballs) and 汤料 (tāng liào, soup ingredients). They are taught the fine art of 剁 (duò, chopping) and 切丁 (qiē dīng, dicing) to make perfect 馅料 (xiàn liào, stuffing) and 炖肉 (dùn ròu, braised meat).
Understanding the difference between 生肉 (shēng ròu, raw meat) and 熟食 (shú shí, cooked meat) is crucial to their culinary journey, as is the ability to 剪 (jiǎn, trim) meat with precision. Chefs gain insight into the 宰杀 (zǎi shā, slaughtering) process and the importance of 质量 (zhì liàng, quality) in selecting the best 肉品 (ròu pǐn, meat products) for their dishes.
