Gourmet: Midnight Vending-Chapter 318 - 295: Tasty, But Just Tasty

"This!"

Chen Mo made his debut...

Since setting up his stall, this was the first time he had seen such knife skills, able to cut tofu into threads as fine as sewing threads!

It’s only slightly thicker than a strand of hair.

Seeing the shocked and incredulous expressions of those present, Zhou Yu was very pleased.

Wen Si Tofu is arguably the dish that best showcases knife skills in Chinese cuisine. Today’s conditions were limited; otherwise, Zhou Yu would have wanted to show them a dish like Eight Treasure Stuffed Pumpkin, which also requires significant carving skills.

The more skilled the master, the more indifferent they must be.

Zhou Yu remained silent, just continuing to cook with his head down.

He rolled up bok choy leaves and sliced them, cutting them to the same thickness as the tofu threads. Compared to the soft and delicate tofu, the vegetable threads were much easier to cut.

"Gentlemen, if I were cooking in a proper kitchen, I would always have chicken broth ready. Due to today’s limitations, I’m making a basic version of Wen Si Tofu without chicken broth."

Zhou Yu offered a brief explanation.

Many dishes require a rich broth for preparation, including lion’s head meatballs. They taste different when braised in rich broth versus plain water.

Fang Zhizhong just nodded, without speaking.

This master chef had already demonstrated his skills with his knife work, and Old Fang thought to himself that if he were to invest in a restaurant in the Jiangnan area, he’d be willing to offer a salary of 30,000 for such skills.

But here, they were in Jingzhou!

Management doesn’t set salaries based solely on ability. One has to consider every aspect.

Old Fang’s business could reach its current level because he understood one principle: for ordinary workers, they worry not about having too little, but about being unevenly compensated.

If you’re skilled, you can earn more, but not excessively so; otherwise, how would others work?

Zhou Yu placed the sliced vegetable threads into a sieve, briefly dipped them in hot water, turning them a bright green.

Then he strained the tofu threads from the water basin using a fine sieve and poured hot water over them.

The iron pot on the stove had been waiting for quite some time. Zhou Yu’s movements became quicker.

With high heat, he boiled water, adding MSG and salt, holding an iron spoon in one hand and a small bowl of cornstarch slurry in the other.

He constantly stirred the boiling water in the pot, letting the cornstarch slurry drip into the pot. Then, using the spoon, he scooped some broth and poured it back, creating a long, thread-like appearance.

Only then did he add the tofu and vegetable threads to the pot, using the rounded base of the spoon to swirl on the water’s surface.

"At this step, you can’t stir, or it’ll all break apart. Gently knead with the spoon’s base; if the sauce isn’t done correctly, the tofu and vegetable threads won’t separate," Hou Yao commented approvingly as he watched.

At this moment, the tofu and vegetable threads in the pot gradually spread out according to Zhou Yu’s swirling direction, forming a circular shape with the spoon’s base.

Once all the threads were separated, he carefully scooped the final product into a large bowl, adding a few sliced red peppers for garnish.

"Wen Si Tofu, everyone."

Fang Zhizhong reached out, and the canteen chef sensibly handed him a small spoon, then gave one to everyone else.

As a "competitor," Chen Mo also received a spoon.

Hou Yao scooped a spoonful of tofu soup from the bowl, blew on it slightly, and tasted it.

"Salty, fresh, with no other off-flavors. Just the genuine freshness of tofu and the subtle fragrance of vegetables."

Fang Zhizhong took a sip, "The tofu melts in your mouth, the vegetables are crisp and tender; it’s delicious."

Mu Xin nodded continuously, "Besides the knife work, the challenge of this dish is in the thickening. If the sauce is too thick, the tofu threads won’t separate; if too thin, the broth won’t hold the tofu."

So, thickening is an art. Chen Mo picked up the basic techniques during a moment at Yueyun Pavilion.

Chen Mo sipped the soup.

It was smooth on the palate, savory and fresh, but without any particularly unique sensations.

But that’s how this dish is, as Zhou Yu said, it’s a basic version. If made with chicken broth, the flavor would be richer.

Chen Mo thought about sending a message to Hou Yao, asking if it was too late to leave now.

Was Boss Fang’s expectation of him too high? Just because he makes a great Mapo Tofu doesn’t mean he can cook every dish well, dang it!

Today he encountered a tough challenge.

Having completed Wen Si Tofu, everyone sampled it sparingly. Though the soup was delicious, the overall impression was just that it was good.

Fang Zhizhong furrowed his brows slightly, pondering a question.

Why did it taste quite good, yet whenever he ate dishes made by Boss Xiao Chen, there was an irresistible urge to have more?

Yes, that was the feeling.

Boss Xiao Chen’s cooking always made people want to take another bite right away, whereas this Wen Si Tofu, while good, was fine if you continued or not.

’Ah, there lies the difference!’

’For the upscale restaurant I plan to open at the resort, it has to be like the caliber of Boss Xiao Chen’s dishes!’

Zhou Yu, seeing that everyone was quite satisfied, though he was extremely confident in his skills, still breathed a sigh of relief.

Noticing the time was about right, Zhou Yu fetched a cabbage and tore a few leaves, uncovering the braised lion’s head casserole and placing them on top.

"Ladies and gentlemen, the lion’s head will take an hour and a half on a low flame, so kindly wait a bit."

He adjusted the stove to a simmering flame; the rest was just waiting.

After speaking, Zhou Yu turned his gaze to Chen Mo, "Well, my work is basically done."

Two dishes, one with meat and one meatless, each showcasing a chef’s exquisite knife skills and precise heat control.

So, Fang Zhizhong and the others turned their attention to Chen Mo.

Oh...

Chen Mo sighed slightly in his heart, saying with some resignation, "I also prepared a few dishes today, including one that’s also lion’s head."

Hou Yao’s eyes lit up, "Oh? That’s great. Comparing the same dishes makes the differences clearer. What else?"

This second dish, Chen Mo was indeed prepared, though a bit embarrassed to mention.

"It’s... okay, the second dish is called Mirror Box Tofu."

"Tofu Box?" Hou Yao asked.

Zhou Yu’s expression became visibly complex upon hearing the name, "Mirror Box Tofu is Wuxi cuisine, while Tofu Box is Lu Cuisine."

Cantonese cuisine master Hou Yao was a bit embarrassed but puzzled, "Isn’t the preparation the same?"

Zhou Yu did not know how to explain and simply looked at Chen Mo.

Honestly, Chen Mo also did not know how to explain this.

In terms of preparation, they’re certainly different. The two dishes have similar ingredients and methods but vastly differ in cooking techniques.

"Once I prepare it, you’ll know; please move outside to watch."

Chen Mo led the way outside.

The others were accustomed; ever since they met Chen Mo, he’s always cooked from his small car, nothing unusual.

Yet Zhou Yu found it puzzling.

Such a large and spacious kitchen was available, why insist on cooking in that small yellow car?

Strange.

And here he was applying for a chef position, not an office job, wearing a suit and shirt, what was that about?

Following Chen Mo, they walked out of the canteen. The head chef insightfully brought out several chairs and lined them up on the concrete outside the door.

The second "applicant" tasting session was about to begin.

Zhou Yu sat down, curiously observing Chen Mo, feeling a bit expectant, unsure about how this young man’s lion’s head would turn out, but certain it couldn’t surpass his own.

As for that Mirror Box Tofu...

Zhou Yu had no expectations; very few manage to perfect this dish due to several difficulties within it. Even modern chefs find it hard to overcome them.

Perhaps ordinary customers wouldn’t notice, but for real chefs or those with discerning palates, those flaws due to insurmountable difficulties are devastating.

Unless, one employs the Lu Cuisine technique.

But if done that way, would the dish still be considered Huaiyang cuisine, or "Su cuisine?"

Zhou Yu sat there, enjoying the cool breeze of a northern summer, unlike the humid heat of the south.

Quietly waiting, ready to see what kind of background this young brother, competing on the same stage with him, truly had!