Chapter 481 - 228: Master’s Obsession! Completed

Chapter 481: Chapter 228: Master’s Obsession! Completed

Xiao Lei couldn’t help but stand a little straighter. "In that case, I’ll make some Stir-fried Pork Liver for lunch. I’ll get started right away."

Zhou Yan pulled his watch from his apron pocket and glanced at it. "Sounds good," he said with a nod. "I’ll stir-fry some cabbage with pork cracklings and make a Fish-Flavored Tofu. That’ll work for our staff lunch."

"Fish-Flavored Tofu? Junior Brother Zhou, you’ve learned a new dish?" asked Zheng Qiang, who was tending the fire.

"It’s a new dish I learned from the *Sichuan Cuisine Recipe*," Zhou Yan explained as he took out a block of tofu. "I figured since I’ve already mastered the fish-flavored sauce and we have plenty of tofu on hand, I should try learning Fish-Flavored Tofu. It’s still pretty mediocre, though—not ready for the menu. I was hoping you and Master could give me some pointers later. Maybe I’ll improve faster that way."

Even though they saw each other often, his master was a genuine Second-level Chef with over twenty years of experience as the head chef of a textile factory.

Zheng Qiang was also a Third-level Chef, with over a decade of experience learning his craft and running the wok at the Rongcheng Restaurant.

He was a pillar of the Kong Sect and a top chef in Jiazhou’s culinary circles.

In comparison, Zhou Yan was just a fledgling who had only been cooking for two and a half years. He had only mastered about a dozen dishes and was still sorely lacking in experience.

Presenting a newly learned dish for two Grandmasters to critique was an extremely effective way to exchange pointers and improve.

This was their own little internal Kong Sect workshop.

Zhou Yan cut the tofu into rectangular strips, coated them in soybean flour, and fried them in the wok until golden brown. After taking them out, he began to chop the pickled Erjingtiao chili peppers and other seasonings.

"Master Zhou, your Fish-Flavored Shredded Pork is fantastic. I want to see how you prepare your fish-flavored sauce," Zheng Qiang said. He added a log to the stove and stood up to watch Zhou Yan work.

Zhou Yan didn’t hold back. As he added the ingredients, he explained, "The ratios are crucial. Take the sugar and vinegar, for example..."

"Master Zheng, get that fire roaring for me! Make it bigger! I need to hit this perfect Stir-fried Pork Liver with intense heat," Xiao Lei called out.

"You got it!" Zheng Qiang replied. He tossed two logs of Chestnut Wood into the stove and gave the bellows several hard pumps. The flames immediately flared up with a WHOOSH. The freshly washed wok steamed, dried in an instant, and began to let off a faint wisp of white smoke.

Once the wok was searing hot, Xiao Lei ladled in a spoonful of rapeseed oil, added a bit of lard, and let the mixture heat up before tossing in the pork liver to flash-fry.

SIZZLE!

Hot oil splattered as the pieces of liver, now coated in a glossy, reddish sheen, curled up in the wok. He swiftly removed them.

Just as Zhou Yan finished plating his Fish-Flavored Tofu, he glanced over.

[A Perfect Stir-fried Pork Liver]

Zhou Yan’s eyes instantly lit up.

’He did it!’

’Master did it!’

’Perfect Stir-fried Pork Liver. What a dazzling golden title!’

"Give it a try. I have a good feeling about this batch," Xiao Lei said, handing them chopsticks. His expression was a mixture of tension and anticipation.

"It already looks incredible, Master. I’m sure you nailed it this time." Zhou Yan took the chopsticks, picked up a piece of liver, and popped it into his mouth. Supreme tenderness met the fiery ’wok hei’ fresh from the pan. A numbing, spicy, and savory fragrance exploded on the tip of his tongue.

’Delicious!’

’It was on par with his own version.’

"Perfect! Master, you did it." Zhou Yan set down his chopsticks and gave Xiao Lei a big thumbs-up.

Zheng Qiang nodded enthusiastically. "Mhm, this is completely different from before! It’s just as good as Zhou Yan’s. Incredibly tender, perfect Fire Control! And the seasoning is spot-on!"

"Let me try." Xiao Lei picked up his chopsticks, placed a piece of liver in his mouth, and began to chew. As he did, his eyes grew red, and tears welled up, threatening to spill over.

That familiar face surfaced in his mind once more—the patient lessons, the sting of the bamboo cane on his palm, the disappointed glare that wished for him to be better, the gratified smile...

He had spent twenty years trying to master this one dish: Stir-fried Pork Liver.

This time, he had finally reproduced the taste of his Master’s cooking.

’Yes!’

’This is the flavor. Master, I did it.’

He wanted to smile, but the tears welling in his eyes finally spilled and trickled down his cheeks.

’It’s a shame... Master will never get to taste it.’

Zhou Yan and Zheng Qiang didn’t dare to speak. They silently exchanged a look, both seeing the shock in the other’s eyes.

’A tough guy in tears.’

’Did he cook something so good it made him cry?’

’Master really is a sentimental guy.’

[Ding! Side Quests: The Master’s Obsession! Complete!]

[Reward Gained: Salted Burnt White Recipe]

Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow. ’The reward came through instantly.’

Salted Burnt White was a classic steamed dish in Sichuan Cuisine. Alongside Sweet Burnt White, it was one of a celebrated pair, and a staple of the "Nine Great Bowls" served at traditional outdoor banquets.

Compared to the somewhat cloying Sweet Burnt White, Zhou Yan much preferred the incredibly savory Salted Burnt White!

’Rich but not greasy, it’s the perfect dish to serve with rice!’

’This is great,’ he thought. ’Steamed dishes are exactly what my restaurant is missing!’

Steamed dishes, much like braised dishes, could be prepared in advance. During mealtimes, they could be kept warm in steamers and served on demand, which wouldn’t put any extra pressure on the kitchen.

You could often see stacks of small steamers piled up on the stoves near the entrance of Sichuan Cuisine restaurants, each one holding a different steamed dish.

For Sichuan Cuisine restaurants that specialized in signature dishes like Sweet and Salted Burnt White, Steamed Spareribs with Rice Flour, or Steamed Pork with Rice Flour, the steamers at the entrance would be even larger and more numerous.

Zhou Yan had been planning to ask his master to teach him some steamed dishes, but it looked like he wouldn’t need to learn Salted Burnt White anymore.

He could ask him to teach him Steamed Pork with Rice Flour, Steamed Pork Intestines with Rice Flour, and Steamed Beef with Rice Flour later. All of them used ingredients they already had on hand at the restaurant, and they were all incredibly delicious.

Zhou Yan had a real soft spot for Steamed Pork Intestines with Rice Flour. The intestines, coated in rice flour and steamed until meltingly tender, offered a completely different sensation from the braised version.

Xiao Lei quickly composed himself. He turned his head to wipe away his tears, then faced them with a smile. "I did it! I can finally tell people that my Stir-fried Pork Liver is a true inheritance from your Master."

"That’s awesome, Master!" Zhou Yan said with a grin.