Chapter 386 - 156: The True Rating of the Cthulhu Soup-filled Bun

Chapter 386: Chapter 156: The True Rating of the Cthulhu Soup-filled Bun

It would be one thing if he were using a thermometer stuck in the pot.

But there’s a problem with using a thermometer. By the time you see the temperature is right and adjust the flame, there’s already a delay.

The temperature will still rise a bit before it starts to fall.

So, to control the temperature this precisely without a thermometer... this was beyond mere experience. It required an incredibly keen perception of the ingredients and the oil temperature!

And that wasn’t all.

When Su Chen poured the prepared crab meat and a mixture of crab oil and lard into the pork filling he had mixed earlier, the addition of a single spoonful of clear stock instantly solved the puzzle that had been bugging Sui Po all day.

"No wonder the umami of this filling is so complex! So that’s what you used! If that’s the case, I don’t just think your buns are a good deal—this is basically losing money just for the publicity!"

Of course.

To say he was losing money for publicity was a bit of an exaggeration.

But it was true that he wasn’t making much profit.

After Su Chen finished preparing the main batch of filling, he weighed the crab meat Sui Po had picked out in his hand. He then scooped a spoonful of the pork filling over it, mixing it all together again.

After following the same steps to prepare the buns and place them in the steamer, Aunt Fang went to the doorway and called out, "Next."

Zhang Li immediately brought in the crab meat picked by the next customer.

After watching the whole process, Sui Po sighed with emotion again. "It’s a steal. Buns made this way are genuinely a steal. I’m starting to regret only ordering two. That’s not nearly enough."

He glanced at the chat on his phone’s livestream.

"Did Teacher Sui get paid to say this? Two buns for over three hundred, and he says it’s a steal? Can ordinary folks like us afford that?"

"Give me a break. Some places sell steaks for over ten thousand, and I don’t see you complaining about that."

"Right now, I just want to know: are the buns really *that* good?"

"Teacher Sui, can you go out and film the people eating the buns? Even if we can’t eat them, watching them might help curb the craving."

Sui Po smiled and said to Su Chen, "Boss Su, I’ll let you get back to it. I’m going to head out now."

Su Chen was still mixing the bun filling. "Mm-hmm."

After leaving the kitchen, Sui Po breathed a sigh of relief. He returned to his seat and began speaking to his phone.

"I see some people in the chat questioning the price of these buns. Let me put it another way, and you’ll all understand."

"Two crabs at market price would cost at least sixty-something. And as you all saw, Boss Su packed every last bit of the crab meat we picked out—including the roe—right into those buns!"

"Plus, the aspic he uses... judging by its clarity, it was most likely made with clear stock. A lot of viewers might not know what clear stock is in Lu Cuisine, so let me give you all a little lesson today."

Sui Po then explained the general process of simmering clear stock.

Upon hearing the ingredients required, many viewers were utterly shocked!

It involved simmering various large bones, chicken, and duck, and then, at the very end, using minced chicken to clarify the stock.

With those ingredients, plus all the time and effort to simmer it, that clear stock was something you couldn’t even put a price on.

"And now I have another theory. It’s precisely because he uses clear stock to make the aspic that the buns are already packed with umami. That’s why Boss Su can place the crab roe directly into the filling instead of mixing it all together. This makes the crab roe flavor even more concentrated when you eat it."

"Sigh... only someone who’s tasted it can understand! When I get back, I’ll see if I can replicate it. If I can, I’ll definitely make a tutorial video for all of you!"

After finishing his explanation, and at his fans’ request, Sui Po took his phone and wandered around the nineteenth floor, showing his audience all the people busy picking crabs and eating buns.

As he strolled back toward the dining area, Sui Po noticed someone. At the same time, his livestream viewers noticed that person too.

"Holy shit, what rich dude is that? He’s eating those buns like they’re fucking free!"

"Isn’t he afraid of burning his mouth?"

"This guy’s definitely a whale. I’m speechless. Shoving a soup dumpling straight into his mouth? What a beast!"

"Just watching him eat is making my mouth water. If I didn’t have to work tomorrow, I’d buy a ticket to Jingzhou right now!"

This person was none other than Brother Fang Chang!

Brother Fang Chang, who had gained priority eating rights by betraying his sworn brothers, had come to the nineteenth floor and sat right down at the four-person table closest to the kitchen!

Furthermore, after ordering a serving of buns, Fang Chang discovered something very interesting.

When eating these Cthulhu Buns, there was absolutely no need to pick your own crab.

The people who picked their own crabs felt that since they were paying for what they chose, they were getting the real deal. But in reality, the standard-priced buns Boss Su sold were just as authentic!

Not only did you not have to pick your own crab, but you also didn’t have to wait very long. After all, Boss Su would steam these buns as soon as they were made, so you could just order them once they were cooked.

No exaggeration, Fang Chang was already on his tenth one!

’Damn it, this bun is just as amazing as the big meat buns Boss Su makes by hand! How am I getting hungrier the more I eat? It feels like my stomach is a bottomless pit.’

Of course, only Su Chen himself knew the rating for the Cthulhu Crab Soup Dumplings.

SS!

’It was like a RAM upgrade for the stomach!’

When he first saw the rating in the practice room, Su Chen had been a bit stunned himself. ’Did my simple experiment really lead to the unintentional creation of an SS Level dish?’

But on second thought, it made sense.

If the SS Level Big Meat Bun was the culmination of peak culinary skill, then the SS Level Cthulhu Bun was the culmination of the freshest, most exquisite ingredients!

It had clear stock, live crab, and even diced pork belly that had been steamed with the melted aspic made from that same stock.

With such an outstanding collection of ingredients, how could it possibly not be delicious?

So when Fang Chang finished his tenth Cthulhu Bun, he let out a long sigh. Reason told him he absolutely had to stop, but his brain was telling him...

’You’re going to fucking eat eat eat eat eat!’

"Zhang Li! Bring me two more... no, three! Bring me three more buns!"

Whoa!

Sui Po was stunned.

’This guy is incredible, isn’t he?’

As Zhang Li delivered the buns to Fang Chang, she also brought Sui Po’s order to his table.

"Alright, everyone, let’s dig in..."

"First, let’s make a little window and take a look inside!"

Sui Po lifted the small, stemmed dish and carefully took a small bite from the edge of the bun.

A scalding, pale-yellow broth immediately flowed from the opening, and you could faintly see wisps of steam rising from it!

And that pale-yellow color didn’t look thick or heavy, but rather delicate and clear, which was marvelous.

The fans were eagerly awaiting Sui Po’s review.

But all they heard from the stream were a series of mouth-watering sounds.

SSS... SLUUURP~~