Lin Xu stirred continuously in the pot with a spoon. This step truly tested one’s patience because agar didn’t dissolve easily, and the stove still had to maintain a low heat. It felt as if he’d been stirring forever, yet the agar remained unchanged.
"Would using something else be faster?" People in the shop were waiting to eat, so they were quite concerned about the cooking method.
Lin Xu said, "Using Gelatin or Ice Jelly would be easier; cornstarch could also work. It’s just that agar dissolves slowly. But overall, agar produces the best texture."
Gelatin results in a springier texture, with a somewhat sticky, jelly-like quality. Ice Jelly results in a somewhat runnier texture. Neither offered the distinct, crisp sensation that agar provided, especially after chilling—that crispness brought an instant cooling sensation.
After bringing it to a boil over low heat, he let it simmer a while longer, until all the added agar appeared to have dissolved. Lin Xu turned off the heat. Holding the non-stick pot in one hand and a fine-mesh sieve over a small basin with the other, he strained the almond milk mixture through it to remove any undissolved agar lumps that could spoil the texture.
After this initial straining, a second filtration was necessary. Lin Xu took two food containers suitable for use as molds. He placed the cleaned fine-mesh sieve into the containers and, holding the basin with one hand, gently poured the mixture into the middle of the sieve. This second filtration was to remove foam from the mixture, making the resulting Almond Tofu smoother, denser, and ultimately more delicious. To achieve better filtration, the sieve had to be submerged to the bottom of the food container, thus completely isolating the foam.
He made a good amount of Almond Tofu today. The two food containers serving as molds were filled to the brim. Once filled, Lin Xu placed them in the refrigerator’s cold storage compartment. This not only accelerated solidification but also enhanced the Almond Tofu’s cool, refreshing quality.
If one preferred it not cold, it could also be left to set naturally at room temperature. Once set, the still-warm Almond Tofu, drizzled with osmanthus honey, offered a unique flavor particularly suited for seniors with delicate stomachs or women during their menstrual cycle.
After finishing these tasks, Lin Xu began frying small pieces of Crispy Meat for the Crispy Meat Bowls. The shop’s signature Crispy Meat featured larger pieces, which weren’t easy to steam thoroughly or fit neatly into bowls. So, to facilitate steaming, he had specially fried some smaller pieces of Crispy Meat today. He had steamed about a hundred bowls of Crispy Meat that morning, expecting leftovers. To his surprise, the customers were extremely satisfied. They not only wanted more that afternoon but also asked Lin Xu to add Crispy Pork Soup to the menu. The customers had clearly been anticipating this dish, often part of group meals. Now that he had these smaller pieces of Crispy Meat, Lin Xu thought it was worth trying to offer some.
「At four-thirty in the afternoon.」
Dinner time was about to start in the shop when Shen Guofu, Han Shuzhen, and Shen Jiayue arrived together. Shen Jiayue was pouting, her expression ironically screaming "delighted."
"Xu, the clothes we bought for you are in the car. Give me your house keys later. Your uncle and I will deliver them to your place and see if your place needs any tidying up."
Han Shuzhen was genuinely pleased with him from the bottom of her heart. Furthermore, since Lin Xu’s parents weren’t in Beijing, she felt an even stronger desire to look after him.
Lin Xu replied, "No need, no need, Che Zi and I can take them later... Oh, Auntie, I made some Almond Tofu for you to try. It’s so hot today; it should be perfect for cooling down."
"Almond Tofu? That’s wonderful! I was just thinking of having something cool to beat the heat." Han Shuzhen was pleasantly surprised.
I just bought this boy a few clothes, and he’s already made my favorite Almond Tofu! He’s such a good kid. Not like my own daughter, who only knows how to cause trouble.
As Lin Xu went to retrieve the Almond Tofu from the refrigerator, he saw Shen Jiayue’s unhappy face and whispered to her, "I’ll give you an extra portion later."
Then Shen Jiayue cheered up.
Haha, Xu is the best to me, unlike Director Han who always plays favorites!
Lin Xu took out the Almond Tofu that had been chilling in the fridge for an hour or two. The white tofu had a slightly translucent appearance, and it trembled slightly when turned out of the container, resembling Ice Jelly but far more visually appealing. Ice Jelly often looks a bit murky, while Almond Tofu is a pure milky white.
Using a small knife, he cut the Almond Tofu into pieces slightly smaller than mahjong tiles. Then he took a stack of plates and arranged the cut pieces on them, forming a pyramid shape. Next, he took the red osmanthus honey given by his senior brother, Xie Baomin. With a spoon, he carefully drizzled it over the Almond Tofu. Once done, he served it to everyone.
The milky-white Almond Tofu, drizzled with a layer of red osmanthus honey, looked increasingly tempting. Holding it, Han Shuzhen was almost in disbelief. "My, this is so pretty."
She scooped a small piece into her mouth. First, she tasted the sweet fragrance of the osmanthus honey, followed by the coolness of the Almond Tofu. No chewing was necessary. With just a light press of the tongue, the Almond Tofu crumbled in her mouth. The almond’s sweet flavor and the creamy taste of milk spread throughout her mouth, with the osmanthus fragrance becoming a mere accompaniment.
"Delicious! So tasty!"
"Old Shen, this is so much better than those private kitchens charging three or four thousand per person! Those places are all about gimmicks nowadays, no real skill at all," she remarked.
Having dined throughout Beijing, Shen Guofu was a credible voice on the matter. He nodded after trying a bite. "Absolutely. Last time, Old Tan and I had Almond Tofu for 499 yuan a serving. Apart from the presentation being fancier than Lin Xu’s, everything else was lacking. Even their osmanthus honey wasn’t as good as this one... Where did you buy this osmanthus honey, Lin Xu? Is there a link?"
Lin Xu replied with a smile, "My senior brother brought two bottles from the Fishing Platform. If you like it, take the rest. We don’t serve this dish in the restaurant, so we don’t really need the osmanthus honey."
"Hah! From the Fishing Platform, no wonder it tastes so good. Oh, I was just asking. I eat here every day now, so I wouldn’t have a chance to use it even if I took it home." After speaking, he whispered to Lin Xu, "Tomorrow afternoon, I’m planning to invite your Uncle Tan to dine here. Could you arrange it?"
Yueyue’s supervisor, right? He’s the one who helped me get the training contract from the Audit Bureau. I absolutely have to arrange this.
"What does Uncle Tan like to eat, and what are his taste preferences?"
Shen Guofu thought for a moment and replied, "Old Tan enjoys chicken, but he doesn’t like heavily flavored preparations like braised or dry-fried. He prefers something light and refreshing. Do you have any suitable dishes?"
"Lighter and more refreshing?"
Lin Xu thought for a moment. The only dish in the restaurant that fits that description is Steamed Pork Ribs with Fermented Black Beans. But Uncle Tan likes chicken... What if...
An idea popped into his head, and he said, "Then I’ll try making steamed chicken in black bean sauce tomorrow. I’ll steam the chicken using the same method as for the Steamed Pork Ribs with Fermented Black Beans. The texture should be quite similar."
"Sounds good, that’s settled then. Old Tan and I will be looking forward to it tomorrow afternoon," Shen Guofu said. These days, his main interest was food, with few other desires. He reckoned the steamed chicken in black bean sauce, as Lin Xu described, couldn’t possibly be bad.
Wanting his son-in-law to remember the favor from others, Shen Guofu whispered in Lin Xu’s ear, "Your Uncle Tan knew about you and Yueyue even before I did. To prevent me from objecting to your relationship, he specifically called me to put in a good word for you. Remember to thank him properly when you see him tomorrow."
After confirming Lin Xu’s relationship with his daughter, Shen Guofu finally understood the true meaning behind his previous, seemingly off-topic conversation with Old Tan. That was also why he was inviting Old Tan for a private meal tomorrow.
I really must thank him properly... Lin Xu hadn’t expected Uncle Tan to not only help his shop secure a six-figure contract but also to have vouched for him with his future father-in-law. No doubt about it, I have to make this steamed chicken in black bean sauce perfectly and sincerely thank Uncle Tan for his help.
He decided to start experimenting first thing in the morning. If it didn’t turn out well, he could ask his master or his senior brothers for advice. After all, he still had an Excellent Level Cooking Learning Card in hand.
He wasn’t worried about failing to make a delicious steamed chicken!