RPAGF Chapter 62 Creating a National-Level Zero-Dish!
Chapter 62 Creating a National-Level Zero-Dish!
Chapter 62 Creating a National-Level Snack!
The voice was loud and resonant, echoing throughout the main hall.
Li Lizhi lowered her head, her shoulders trembling slightly, as if she was trying to suppress a laugh.
Li Shimin's face flushed slightly, he coughed, turned his back, and said in a still-hard tone, "Since Wang Dequan has said so—then—let's give it a try? I'm only doing this because we can't waste food!"
"Yes, yes, Your Majesty is wise! This servant will arrange it immediately!"
Wang Dequan felt as if he had been granted a pardon. He picked up the pottery jar and ran outside, fearing that His Majesty might change his mind.
Fifteen minutes later.
A large bowl of steaming hot vegetarian noodles was served.
This time, the Imperial Kitchen learned its lesson. The noodles were rolled out extremely thin, cooked until chewy, rinsed in cold water, and then rinsed again in hot soup, so that they were neatly arranged in a large celadon bowl, white and glossy.
Wang Dequan personally took charge.
He used a strainer to filter out the shrimp heads and impurities from the jar, leaving only the bright red, glossy broth.
A large spoonful of chili oil is poured over the white noodles.
It's sizzling!
Although it wasn't hot oil, the visual impact of the red and white contrast was still dazzling.
The chili oil flowed down the gaps between the noodles, instantly giving each noodle an enticing color. The originally plain noodles suddenly seemed to come alive.
The savory aroma, sealed within the oil, bursts forth with the heat of the noodles.
Li Shimin sat at the table, chopsticks in his hand, his Adam's apple bobbing up and down.
This flavor—it's definitely something special.
"Your Majesty, please have some."
Wang Dequan pushed the mixed noodles over.
Li Shimin gave a reserved "hmm" and picked up a mouthful of noodles.
The noodles were coated with chili oil and sprinkled with bits of minced garlic and spices.
Put it in your mouth.
boom!
Li Shimin's eyes widened suddenly.
No meat.
There was definitely no meat.
But this broth—it's simply divine!
The umami flavor of the shrimp brains is completely melted into the oil, the heat of the chili peppers is neutralized by the malty aroma of the beer, and the spiciness of the minced garlic is the finishing touch.
The noodles are smooth and chewy, soaking up the complex broth. One bite and the numbing, spicy, fresh, and fragrant flavors dance wildly on your tongue!
"hiss--!"
Li Shimin gasped, the spiciness instantly rushing to his head. All the resentment and chill he felt earlier vanished without a trace after that bite of noodles.
good to eat!
This isn't just leftover soup; it's practically nectar!
Li Shimin originally wanted to maintain some imperial demeanor and eat slowly and deliberately.
But after the second bite, the cravings in my stomach completely rebelled.
To hell with formalities!
He rolled up his sleeves, picked up the celadon bowl that was bigger than his face, and shoveled large mouthfuls of the contents into his mouth.
"Snoring—snoring—!"
The sounds of slurping noodles echoed throughout the silent hall.
Li Shimin ate until he was covered in sweat, with fine beads of perspiration on the tip of his nose. His lips were red and swollen from the spiciness, and his tongue was so numb he could barely feel it, but he just couldn't stop eating.
The spicier it is, the more you want to eat it; the more you eat, the more addicted you become.
That thrill was even more exhilarating than when he was killing people on the battlefield!
"Water! Give me water!"
Li Shimin was panting from the spiciness, so Wang Dequan quickly handed him a cup of warm tea.
After drinking a cup of water, Li Shimin put down the bowl.
The bowl was spotless; he even used a piece of bread to wipe away the layer of red oil.
"belch--!"
A long, satisfying burp.
Li Shimin leaned back in his chair, touching his slightly bulging belly, a very complex expression on his face.
Satisfy.
ashamed.
There's also a kind of inexplicable annoyance.
A simple bowl of noodles mixed with leftover broth rendered the meticulously prepared delicacies of the imperial kitchen utterly worthless.
What if the meat is fresh out of the pot?
What if it was the shrimp meat with big pincers that Su Mu had personally peeled?
They eat meat.
I'll drink the soup.
They ate with their mouths greasy, while I ate here sweating profusely and still felt immensely favored by the Emperor.
This isn't right.
This is very wrong!
"Your Majesty?" Wang Dequan cautiously observed Li Shimin's unpredictable expression. "Would you like—another bowl?"
Li Shimin opened his eyes, his gaze becoming unusually firm.
"I'm not eating anymore."
He stood up, walked to the window, and looked in the direction of the imperial kitchen in the distance.
The night was deep, and the lights over there had gone out.
"I've had enough. Whether it's cold pancakes, crumbled egg tarts, or this leftover soup—I've had enough of eating secondhand food!"
The lingering heat of late summer still lingers, and the sun is scorching in the backyard of the imperial kitchen.
Su Mu moved a small stool and sat by the well, with the large wooden tub for bathing in front of him.
The white liquid in the basin was churning, and he repeatedly kneaded a lump of dough in the water with both hands.
[Ding! The Food God System has issued a mission: Create a national-level snack. Requirements: Low cost, easy to preserve, addictive taste, and irresistible. Reward: A lost braised food recipe]
A national-level snack?
Su Mu looked at the sticky, chewy gluten in his hand and a mischievous smile appeared on his lips.
What could better represent the word "national level" than that thing? From eighty-year-old grandmothers to three-year-old children, who can resist that sweet, spicy, and oily flavor?
"Washing your face is hard work."
Su Mu shook the water off his hands and poured the starchy water from washing into a large vat next to him to settle. That was good stuff for making cold noodles, and he couldn't waste it.
What's left is this honeycomb-shaped, pale yellow gluten in my hand.
This stuff was just a dumping ground in the Tang Dynasty. Even the imperial kitchen would find it too coarse and hard to chew, and it was usually used to feed pigs.
Su Mu spread the gluten on the steamer and steamed it over a high flame.
After a short while, a faint aroma of wheat wafted from the kitchen.
Lifting the lid, the originally soft dough had risen, its surface covered with fine air pockets, and it would spring back when pressed.
"It has good elasticity."
Su Mu took a knife and cut it into strips.
Knife skills require speed, precision, and ruthlessness.
They must be the same length and thickness, each one about the thickness of a chopstick. If they are too thick, they won't absorb the flavor; if they are too thin, they won't be chewy.
The chopped gluten strips were piled on the cutting board, a large, white heap.
Now comes the main event.
Su Mu started cooking, but this time he didn't pour in rapeseed oil. Instead, he took out a jar of refined soybean oil from his system space.
Soybean oil has no off-odor and adheres well to the ingredients.
Heat the oil to medium-high heat, then add the spices and fry them first.
Star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves are fried in oil until the moisture evaporates, then removed and discarded.
At this point, the oil already has a base flavor.
Su Mu took a deep breath and grabbed a large bowl of ingredients that had been prepared next to him.
This material is the soul of the story.
The fine powder made from top-quality Erjingtiao peppers is responsible for enhancing the color; the devilish chili peppers provide the kick; and most importantly, there's a pinch of fennel seeds and a generous amount of cumin powder.
Cumin, which was called Anxi fennel in the Tang Dynasty and was extremely expensive, was just a seasoning in Su Mu's area.
Finally, there was a large handful of white sugar and roasted white sesame seeds.
"Sizzle—!"
Hot oil is poured into the condiment bowl, creating a rolling red wave.
It's not that pungent spiciness, but rather a flavor that's a blend of cumin's unique aroma, caramel sweetness, and rich, oily richness.
The taste isn't overpowering, but it's incredibly pungent, like a hook that pulls you down your nose and into your brain.
Put the gluten strips into the pot.
He reduced the fire from a large flame to a small one, and Su Mu wielded the shovel in his hand with incredible speed.
Each white gluten strand is coated in chili oil, its tiny pores frantically absorbing the broth. The sugar melts under the high temperature, giving the gluten a glistening caramel coating.
The red oil and sauce are bright red and glossy, making your mouth water just looking at it.
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