Cover image via 菜男 (YouTube)
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A food blogger and content creator known as Cai Nan has sparked viral interest online after successfully crafting a "translucent" fried chicken wing
In a video titled I Want To Make Fried Chicken Transparent, But The Result Is Strange, the creator demonstrates a complex, scientific process to turn the classic fast-food staple into a glass-like culinary creation.
Cai Nan's approach involves breaking down the chicken into its basic components and rebuilding them using techniques common in molecular gastronomy
The process includes several technical steps. First, the creator mimics the chicken bone by mixing bone marrow, collagen, and a cold gel. This mixture is set inside bone-shaped moulds to create a transparent structure.
Next, using a specialised device, the chicken meat is turned into a liquid "primordial soup" that retains the flavour of the poultry without its original physical form.
The liquid is then processed using a technique called spherification, a method often used to turn liquids into gel-like substances. This allows the creator to restore the muscle fibres while maintaining a translucent appearance before the mixture is set into a wing-shaped mould.
The most surprising aspect of the creation is the translucent, crunchy outer shell
While the creator keeps the exact technical method for the batter a secret, the end product is a fully assembled fried chicken wing that looks like a piece of glass art.
Although the process has been described as "Frankenstein-like" due to its scientific complexity, it succeeds in its primary goal: retaining the flavour of the original dish while completely altering its physical appearance.
