Meng Chuan's requirements for ingredients are not very high.

Although he admits that fresh and large ingredients will taste better, for large pot rice, taste has never been the first place, so there is no need to blindly pursue large eggplants.

"Old cook, mix the big eggplant and the small eggplant together, don't divide it so finely. Even if our special training is not the same stove for officers and soldiers, we don't need to make too many distinctions in ingredients. ”

By the way, pack up some of these little eggplants for me, and I'll cook a dish later.

The cooking squad leader nodded hurriedly, found a basket and picked out a dozen eggplants that looked slightly larger for Meng Chuan, Meng Chuan saw this, and directly took out two handfuls from the frame and put them in the arms of the cooking squad leader, "I said that I don't need to make it so fine." By the way, do we have catfish here? ”

Catfish is a very common fish, and there are naturally some units with sufficient food funds such as Tepei, "Yes, it is raised in the fish pond in the back kitchen, you want a few, and I will catch it." ”

Meng Chuan waved his hand, "Don't bother, I like to catch fish." You go and wash the eggplant first, and I'll use it later. ”

Meng Chuan was going to make a catfish stewed eggplant for the first battalion commander this time.

The name of this stew is known to be Northeast cuisine as soon as you hear it, and those who have never eaten it may feel that the taste is average at first glance.

However, those who have eaten it will probably drool when they hear the name of this dish.

There is a slang saying in the Northeast that is, 'Catfish stewed eggplant, support the old man'.

That eggplant broth, poured over the rice, tastes amazing, it's really delicious, and I can't say anything about it.

Meng Chuan had eaten it once, so it was quite clear.

In fact, this kind of big stew is especially suitable for the army to cook, one is that the method is simple, and the other is that the taste is really good, especially for rice. Thirdly, there is no need for precious ingredients, saving food costs.

Meng Chuan also did it for the soldiers when he was a cook, so he still remembers it very clearly.

Coming to the fish pond in the back kitchen, Meng Chuan took a look to see where to start.

Because Tepei only has this kitchen, and one kitchen has to manage the food of 300 people, then this kitchen will definitely not be small, especially the fish pond, which cannot be dealt with by a few plastic basins.

Because fish and meat are cheap in summer, especially for units with large purchases such as the troops, they all pack fish directly from the fish soup, and each unit is pulled by the ton, and each unit is divided into a few hundred catties, and it is divided.

The amount of water that fish needs is actually a lot, unless there is oxygen supply equipment, otherwise the fish can hardly survive a day in the water basin, although Tepei has money, but will never approve money to buy oxygen supply equipment, after all, it is not engaged in breeding.

In addition, the fish can be eaten in a maximum of two days in the pond, and as long as the pond is a little larger, there is no need for oxygen supply equipment at all.

The fish pond in Tepei is a fireproof pond, and the space is quite large, and the fish are just right inside.

When it comes to fire pools, there may be many people who don't know, this is an outdated fire prevention measure, because the kitchen is heavy, the probability of fire is higher, so for the sake of safety, in places where it is inconvenient to install fire pumps, almost all will build fire pools, or pile up fireproof materials such as fireproof sand, so that after the fire, you can use local materials and quickly extinguish the fire.

But that was a long time ago, and now the stove in the back kitchen has long been converted from a coal-fired earthen stove to a gas stove, and naturally the corresponding supporting fire protection measures have risen, and the fire pool has been idle.

Originally, the previous cooking squad leader felt that the fire pool was of little use and wanted to fill it.

But I feel a bit wasteful, the cost of this pool is not low, because it is a fire pool, the water storage effect is naturally good, just at that time the food conditions came up, sometimes the fish can not be eaten at a time, just this pool comes in handy. Over time, this becomes a fish pond in the back kitchen, which can be regarded as making the best use of things.

There were not many fish in the fish pond, and Meng Chuan didn't take the fishing net, so he stood on the edge of the pond, and when he saw the fish swimming over, he directly reached out and grabbed it, one by one with both hands, and soon caught two big catfish.

Meng Chuan estimated that there were more than a dozen catties to eat, enough for a few people to eat, so he didn't catch more, and went to the side to clean up the fish.

In fact, the steps to clean up the catfish are not difficult, just like the usual treatment method of the fresh food store owner, after fainting, just pick the cheeks and remove the internal organs, the method is very simple.

This kind of rough treatment, there is nothing to say, Meng Chuan has another trick to deal with catfish, that is, to clean catfish with water with vinegar.

Because there is mucus on the catfish, although washing it with water can wash it away, it is difficult to wash off the fishy smell, and using vinegar water to clean this mucus, to a large extent, can remove the fishy smell, and the taste will be better.

If it is a small family to make this catfish stewed eggplant, Meng Chuan recommends cutting the catfish into pieces, because it is better to put it in the pot, but the authentic Northeast catfish stewed eggplant, which is stewed in a large iron pot in the countryside, because the pot is large, so there is no need to cut into pieces, but to change the back of the catfish with a flower knife.

In fact, there is no difference between the two methodologies and tastes, but the whole fish is indeed better looking in appearance.

happened to be the big iron pot used in the army, and Meng Chuan didn't chop it, but changed a few flower knives on the back of the fish to make it more flavorful.

After the fish is processed, Meng Chuan began to make it officially, there are many ways to stew eggplant with catfish, and Meng Chuan uses the method that eats the most, and here the eggplant is processed first.

The eggplant is just fried in oil, and the taste can't come out. Maybe some people eat catfish stewed eggplant, never stir-fry eggplant, and think it is delicious, which can only be said that everyone has different tastes.

But generally speaking, it is the over-oiled eggplant that tastes the best.

Heat the oil, add the chopped eggplant and fry it for one minute, then remove the eggplant and control the oil.

Leave some base oil in the pot, add green onions, ginger, garlic, peppercorns and stir-fry until fragrant.

After stir-frying, add three tablespoons of soybean paste, this soybean paste can be put more, and the ingredient of stewed fish is very important.

Then add a little sugar, peppercorn powder and soy sauce.

In any stew, soy sauce is an indispensable seasoning, so you can put a little more in moderation, you don't have to be afraid to put too much, if you feel that you put too much, then put less salt in the back.

At this time, after stir-frying the seasoning until fragrant, you can add water, then add catfish and eggplant, the amount of water is preferably not over the eggplant, and finally cover the pot and simmer.

The stew time is about half an hour, and you can simmer it over medium heat, so that the stew tastes more fragrant.

Finally, when it comes out of the pot, add salt and reduce the juice over high heat.

Don't think that the dish of catfish stewed eggplant is so simple, the taste is not delicious, when the freshness of the catfish is integrated into the fragrance of the eggplant, you will know how beautiful the fat but not greasy big catfish tastes.