Chapter 277: Chapter 184: Ziqiang Shengjian Grand Opening! Booming Business! Just How a Lost Cuisine Should Look! [Seeking Monthly Ticket]_3
There was even a queue at the door.
For business to be this good on the first day completely exceeded Wang Ziqiang’s expectations.
"What’s so surprising? When Boss Lin’s noodle shop first opened, it was the same—they’d sell out if you came even a little late."
"Yeah, back then it was just Boss Lin by himself. Customers had to help him clear bowls, wipe tables, and even operate the dishwasher. So many memories."
"Some people wouldn’t even bother to pick up an oil bottle they knocked over at home, but in Boss Lin’s shop, they were all bustling about, just to get a taste of that bowl of hand-pulled noodles a bit sooner."
"I hope the new restaurant opens soon; I’m waiting to eat."
"Exactly, waiting to eat! Nowadays, cheap takeout is all pre-packaged meals, and the expensive stuff is all flash and no substance. Lin Ji’s Food is still the best."
"..."
Many in the queue were loyal fans of Lin Ji’s Food. They were all eagerly waiting for Lin Ji to finish renovations and open for business soon.
A little after nine o’clock, the flow of customers had decreased somewhat, and Wang Ziqiang had also adjusted to the pace.
Lin Xu removed his apron, washed his hands, and then, carrying Dundun, headed back home.
Right, I can’t just stay here making Shengjian Buns; there’s another dish waiting for me. Besides, it’s getting hotter outside. Dundun is even starting to pant; we need to get back to the air-conditioned room quickly.
Before leaving, he asked Wang Ziqiang to pack some Shengjian Buns for him. He planned to take them home for his parents to try.
「Arriving back at home,」
Dundun immediately leaped from Lin Xu’s arms. It scooted over to its ’macho pink’ water bowl, stuck out its tiny, crimson tongue, and began to drink. After finishing the water, Dundun jumped onto the cat tree to diligently wash its face. The cool breeze from the air conditioner visibly cheered up the little creature.
Lin Xu, holding the bag of Shengjian Buns, walked into the kitchen. He found his dad peeling apples while his mom was deep-frying pumpkin blossoms.
Each cleaned pumpkin blossom, with its pistil removed, was dipped in the prepared batter and then tossed into oil heated to medium-low. As soon as they hit the oil, a delicate floral fragrance wafted out.
"Your dad and I went to the market for groceries this morning, and unexpectedly, we found someone selling pumpkin blossoms, so I bought some. When you were little, your favorite was pumpkin blossoms dipped in salt and pepper. Let Yueyue try them today too."
When the blossoms were ready, Lin Xu was about to pinch one to taste, but his mother stopped him, "These are for Yueyue. Wait until she arrives, and we can all eat together."
Lin Xu sighed inwardly. We’re not even married yet, and I’ve already dropped a notch in the family hierarchy. My future standing in this family looks pretty precarious. It seems from now on, I can only feel familial warmth from my in-laws.
TSK...
I used to think that switching allegiances was just a tactic in games; I never expected to encounter such a scenario in real life.
"Come try the Shengjian Buns from our shop. They taste really good. Business was booming right from the opening."
As he spoke, Lin Xu noticed some peeled apples nearby. Just as he was about to pick one up for a taste, Chen Meijuan spoke again, "Those are green apples I bought specially. They’re sour enough to set your teeth on edge; they’re only good for making apple soup."
Lin Xu gave an embarrassed chuckle. He had been accustomed to rummaging through the kitchen for snacks since childhood.
Lin Hongqi soaked the peeled apples in water and said to Lin Xu, "Xiaoxu, Yueyue already calls us Mom and Dad now. Her parents are coming over today, so remember to call them Mom and Dad too, alright? If you don’t, they might be unhappy."
Since his future daughter-in-law had already made the switch, his son had to do the same to avoid displeasing the other family.
"I will," Lin Xu responded.
While Chen Meijuan and Lin Hongqi started trying the Shengjian Buns, Lin Xu casually picked up a long, thick White Radish.
Alright, you’re the one.
Something this big is obviously perfect for an elaborate dish.
After washing the White Radish, Lin Xu took a kitchen knife, sliced off the top and bottom ends, leaving only the more uniformly thick middle section, about twenty-odd centimeters long. After removing the ends, he made a vertical cut along the White Radish, giving the originally round vegetable a flat surface. He then sliced the other three sides similarly. The once pristine white and round White Radish had now become a square prism, roughly ten centimeters to a side and about twenty-odd centimeters long.
Just as he finished, his mother lightly smacked him on the back. "What are you doing, cutting vegetables like that? Such a waste!"
Such a large White Radish had been reduced by half in an instant. Chen Meijuan’s heart ached at the sight; after all, they had paid good money for it.
Lin Xu didn’t want to use this Dubai Knife Technique either. But to make the dish more visually appealing, he had no other choice.
"I’m planning to try a new dish, and this is the only way. Whether it turns out good or bad, you and Dad have to praise me," he said.
"What are you talking about? Even if you just gave us a raw White Radish, we wouldn’t mind," she responded.
Lin Xu placed the square White Radish on the cutting board, measured it with his knife, and then sliced. With one clean cut through, a long, thin slice of White Radish, almost translucent, was ready. It indeed looked even thinner than what he had cut the previous day.
He continued slicing. Once the entire White Radish was sliced, he straightened the pieces, aligned them, and then began to julienne them.
Chen Meijuan watched in amazement from the side. She felt her son’s Knife Skills had improved again. The julienned White Radish strips were truly almost as fine as strands of hair.
After all the White Radish strips were cut, even with Lin Xu’s Superior Knife Skills, his forehead was beaded with sweat. These Knife Skills were incredibly physically demanding. They required not only complete concentration but also constant adjustments of the wrist and palm angles; the slightest deviation would result in flawed strands.
He carefully slid his knife under the cut White Radish strips and then transferred them into clean water to soak and rinse. While washing, he was careful not to make any overly vigorous movements, fearing he might break the delicate strips or mess up their alignment.
Hmm, for a dish with long, thin strands like this to look good, it must be arranged neatly. That way, no matter how it was plated, it would look outstanding.
After rinsing them once, Lin Xu prepared a bowl of saltwater and carefully placed the White Radish strips inside. At this stage, he couldn’t use salt granules to draw out moisture, as that would cause the strips to break.
After soaking in the saltwater for about ten minutes, the White Radish strips had noticeably softened and even gained a bit of resilience.
He scooped them out, rinsed them twice more, then placed them in a colander, carefully spreading them with his hands. Then, he took them to the balcony to air dry, aiming to remove as much surface moisture as possible.
During this time, Lin Xu took out a bag of Potato Starch, poured some out, and sifted it through a fine-mesh sieve. What’s known as Tai Bai Fen is simply Potato Starch. Using Potato Starch instead of cornstarch would give the steamed White Radish strips a more beautiful color. Sifting it through a fine-mesh sieve was to make the Potato Starch finer.
Once the surface of the White Radish strips was dry, he filled a small kitchen spray bottle with some cooking oil and carefully sprayed it onto the surface of the strips. This would prevent them from becoming damp and sticky from absorbing steam during the steaming process.
After spraying the oil, he gently tossed the White Radish strips to distribute the oil evenly, then placed them in a bowl filled with Potato Starch and carefully tossed them again to coat each strand. Next, he removed them and gently shook off any excess Potato Starch.
He laid them on a dry steaming cloth and steamed them over high heat for five minutes.
After five minutes, when he lifted the pot lid, the sight of the silvery-white strands inside surprised Lin Xu, while Chen Meijuan and Lin Hongqi gasped in amazement. They had initially thought their son was wasting ingredients, but he had made the White Radish look so beautiful.
Lin Xu carefully removed the White Radish strips from the steamer and arranged them neatly on a plate. They looked somewhat like freshly pulled Dragon Beard Candy.
Yes, this is how a lost culinary masterpiece should look!
A thrill went through him. I’ve finally nailed this dish.
However, he soon faced another dilemma. For such a visually stunning dish, what was the best way to season it? Ordinary steamed julienned radish only needed some sesame oil and garlic sauce. But using sesame oil and garlic sauce on this dish would ruin its aesthetic appeal.
As he pondered, Lin Xu’s gaze fell upon the small oil spray bottle he had used earlier. An idea suddenly flashed through his mind...
Writing about this dish has me itching to try it myself, but unfortunately, I’m too busy, and my knife skills aren’t up to par. Otherwise, I’d definitely have to make it and see how it tastes. This Chapter is 5,600 characters long. Brothers, please give me your Monthly Tickets!