Source: Xinhua Net
On the 27th, the National Rural Revitalization Vocational Skills Competition, which was being held at the Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center, wafted a strong aroma of lamb on the spot. Looking for the taste, it turned out that the contestants in the "Chinese Cook (Lamb Roasting)" project were fiercely competing for kebabs...
On September 27, Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center. At the ongoing National Rural Revitalization Vocational Skills Competition, a participant in the "Chinese Cook (Lamb Roasting)" project made kebabs. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ding Lei
"This is the first time that a lamb roasting program has been set up in a national skills competition, and in the past, the Chinese chef competition was mainly based on the production of eight major dishes. The new project not only highlights the food characteristics of Xinjiang, where the competition is held, but also conforms to the new trend of young people's consumption. Xia Jinlong, the project's referee, told reporters.
According to him, the entire competition includes two "prescribed actions" of kebabs and grilled lamb chops, as well as a "self-selected action" that highlights the cooking characteristics of hometown lamb. The players had to do it all in one go and finish it in four hours.
On September 27, Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center. At the National Rural Revitalization Vocational Skills Competition, the contestants are fiercely competing for the "Chinese Cook (Lamb Roasting)" project. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ding Lei
Don't underestimate the kebab competition, there are not many essentials and skills in it. First of all, the contestants' eyes on picking meat and the precision of the knife work are tested. The competition provides each contestant with a whole sheep, which can be used at will, but requires 10 skewers of color, aroma, taste, meaning, shape and nutrition, and the finished product weighs between 45 grams and 50 grams after roasting.
"The lamb should be fat and lean, and after roasting, it should be tender on the outside, have a heat and a fragrance, and eat it with a good taste and no wood." Xia Jinlong said.
The reporter saw at the scene that the contestants raised their knives and dropped, added the cut meat pieces to various seasonings, and then put them into bamboo skewers and racks. With the sound of baking, strings of fragrant, oily lamb skewers quickly come out of the oven, looking very tempting. After scoring by a number of judges on the spot, the highest score is naturally the national champion of kebabs.
On September 27, Xinjiang International Convention and Exhibition Center. At the ongoing National Rural Revitalization Vocational Skills Competition, the contestants' kebab works attracted the audience to stop and shoot. Photo by Xinhua News Agency reporter Ding Lei
How does a small skewer highlight the theme of rural revitalization? The answer is to encourage the incorporation of hometown specialties and your own innovations in the use of ingredients. The reporter noted that in addition to common spices such as salt, cumin powder, and chili powder, some players also added lemon, fragrant leaves, basil leaves, white pepper, etc., while retaining the fresh flavor of lamb, giving the kebabs a different flavor.
Throughout the competition, Xia Jinlong, who is also a Master of Chinese Cooking and an international referee of the World Federation of Chefs, said that he was satisfied with the performance of the contestants, bluntly saying that it was "unexpected".
"Kebabs are not the standard dish in Chinese cooking, they are basically 'free growth' in the folk, and the techniques are not systematic and standardized. But this time, the contestants are very particular about the selection of materials, cooking, plate, and design, indicating that they have really worked hard. Xia Jinlong said.
Li Xinxin from Hubei Zou Zhiping Skill Master Studio used lamb kebabs, lamb chops and roast leg of lamb to represent the provincial staff group. He told reporters that he had begun to prepare for the event two months ago. Zhang Zihao, who was on the same team with him and represented the student group, also went to the local Xinjiang special barbecue restaurant in Hubei to study for a week.
"This competition broadened my horizons, and I learned from each other and integrated exchanges while competing on the same stage with everyone." Li Xinxin said.
Previously, a total of 23 provinces (autonomous regions and municipalities) across the country carried out provincial-level selection competitions, and more than 6,000 players participated in the selection. In the end, 640 contestants were selected and came to Xinjiang to compete in the National Rural Revitalization Vocational Skills Competition.
"Through training and selection in various places, a group of outstanding skilled talents can be cultivated among the household registration personnel of agricultural families, and more people can be encouraged to learn skills." Xia Jinlong said, "After a period of training, the technical level and cultural literacy of the players have improved, and we have truly achieved the purpose of promoting learning and training by competition." ”
Netizen comment: I want to be a judge!
Source: Xinhua News Agency
Reporters: Jiang Lin, Ding Lei, Faye Wang