Chapter 238: Chapter 170: Crab Bun Upgrade! Master’s Another Original Dish—Furong Chicken Slices! [Soliciting Monthly Tickets]
Finally, I can get started! Lin Xu inwardly sighed with relief.
The dough had rested sufficiently, and the chicken soup aspic, pork filling, and crab roe filling were all prepared. He was just waiting for Qiu Zhenhua to arrive to trigger the upgrade reward from the State Banquet Master’s guidance.
He and Qin Wei brought the prepared fillings and the dough from the cold storage.
Under Qiu Zhenhua’s watchful gaze, Lin Xu began mixing the fillings.
After blending the fillings, he took out the dough, kneaded it into a long roll, and then divided it into small, individual portions. Next, he used a small rolling pin, tapered at both ends, to roll each portion out into a thin wrapper.
He held a wrapper in his palm, added the filling, and expertly shaped it into a Crab Soup Dumpling.
The entire process flowed smoothly, earning continuous nods of approval from Qiu Zhenhua.
This level of proficiency is about on par with the chefs in Building No. 6. It’s a good thing I came. Otherwise, if that fellow Xie Baomin secretly sold these in his shop, Building No. 6 might actually lose customers.
While Lin Xu was wrapping the dumplings, he kept waiting for Qiu Zhenhua to offer guidance and trigger the system upgrade.
Yet, even after he had filled an entire steamer tray, the expert hadn’t uttered a single word.
With no other choice, Lin Xu handed the tray to Qin Wei, who was beside him.
"Master Qin, put these in the steamer. Steam for six minutes, then let them rest for another two minutes."
Having completed his tasks, Lin Xu thought it was good to give Qin Wei something to do. This would help them get along better and make it easier to poach him eventually.
After Qin Wei left, just as Lin Xu was preparing to wrap another steamer tray, the hitherto silent Qiu Zhenhua suddenly spoke.
"The chicken soup aspic is indeed good. However, when you make the aspic, the flavorful compounds evaporate with the steam, which is a bit wasteful."
Is it finally starting? Lin Xu asked, "Then what should I do, Chef Qiu?"
"That’s easily remedied. When you’re simmering the chicken soup, you can add the Pork Skin directly into the pot. This way, by the time the chicken soup is ready, the Pork Skin will have completely melted. Once it’s cooked, filter it and then refrigerate. The resulting aspic will be pure chicken soup aspic, delicious and free of sediment."
Wow! It can be done like that? After hearing Qiu Zhenhua’s words, Lin Xu felt a sense of sudden enlightenment.
Before long, the Crab Buns were steamed and ready.
When Lin Xu took them out of the steamer, Qiu Zhenhua felt even more affirmed that his visit was the right decision; these Crab Buns were indeed up to par for selling.
If Xie Baomin were to start selling them in Building No. 2, they might actually become a bestseller.
"Chef Qiu, please give them a taste and your assessment."
Lin Xu skillfully transferred a soup dumpling, which looked like a delicate water-filled balloon, from the steamer tray to a plate. This deftness made Qiu Zhenhua look at him in a new light.
He’s even this skilled at plating, and his hands don’t seem to fear the heat! It seems Chef Lin has practiced a lot in private. What a pity he’s Xie Baomin’s junior apprentice brother. Otherwise, I’d poach him for Building No. 6, no matter the cost.
Taking the plate, Qiu Zhenhua didn’t eat immediately. Instead, he gently tapped the wrapper a few times with his finger, then lifted the bun by its pleated top and gave it a little shake.
Then he said, "You’ve done a fine job with this dough. The ratio of cooked dough to raw dough is 7:3, right? I suggest you increase the proportion of raw dough, making it 6:4. That will improve the elasticity of the wrapper."
What is a master? This is it. Just by touching the wrapper, he could discern the dough’s ratio and suggest improvements! Truly worthy of being a State Banquet Master!
After commenting on the wrapper, Qiu Zhenhua used his chopsticks to gently pierce it, tasted the broth, and then said, "The roe from June Hairy Crabs is different from that of the Hairy Crabs in September. June Hairy Crab roe is semi-liquid and has a more concentrated umami flavor. Therefore, you should slightly increase the proportion of meat filling to achieve a more harmonious savory profile."
Before Qiu Zhenhua arrived, Lin Xu had thought his Crab Buns were quite good. But after Qiu Zhenhua’s pointers, Lin Xu realized that whether it was the wrapper or the filling, there was still a considerable gap when compared to a professional.
This is the gap! As he was marveling at this, the system’s notification sounded in his mind:
"Host has listened to the guidance of the State Banquet Master. The Excellent Level Crab Soup Dumpling Technique has been upgraded to the Superior Crab Soup Dumpling Technique. Congratulations to the Host."
"Host visited Building No. 6 and, under Qiu Zhenhua’s guidance, upgraded the Excellent Level Crab Bun Technique to Superior. Side quest [Soup Dumpling Upgrade] completed. Awarded: Dish Upgrade Card (Soup Dumplings). Congratulations to the Host."
Two consecutive notifications made Lin Xu breathe a sigh of relief.
Finally, it’s completed. But where should I use this Dish Upgrade Card for soup dumplings? Should I use it directly on the Crab Soup Dumplings to get Perfect Level Crab Buns and help Senior Brother make a killing? Or should I upgrade the Shengjian Soup Dumplings and introduce them as a new item in the restaurant later? He hadn’t planned to feature Crab Soup Dumplings. They were too seasonal, Northerners weren’t particularly fond of such soupy dumplings, and they could easily scald a customer’s mouth. Comparatively, Shengjian Soup Dumplings were a better option. However, Lin Xu decided to wait before choosing which one to upgrade. What if he learned to make Xiaolongbao soup dumplings later? That would be even more suitable than Shengjian Soup Dumplings. Yes, I’ll save it.
With that thought, he dismissed his musings and sincerely thanked Qiu Zhenhua, "Thank you so much for your guidance, Chef Qiu. Without your advice, I might have never understood where the difference between my skills and yours lay."
Such a humble young man! How did he end up as that scoundrel Xie Baomin’s junior apprentice brother? Qiu Zhenhua sighed inwardly with regret. The more he looked at Lin Xu, the stronger his desire to recruit such talent became. If Eldest Uncle knew about this, he’d probably be so happy he’d eat an extra bowl of Eel Noodles, wouldn’t he?
Thinking this, he smiled and said,