"So... you went around in circles just because you wanted to eat crab?" Xie Baomin’s expression was sly; he found his junior’s actions somewhat amusing. If he wants to eat them, he should just say so directly, he thought. Why beat around the bush?
Lin Xu shook his head. "It’s not that I want to eat them, it’s that I want to use them. A few days ago, I promised Yueyue I’d make her Crab Buns, but I haven’t had the time. Seeing these crabs just reminded me."
"You know how to make Crab Buns?"
"I know a thing or two."
Lin Xu possessed the Filling Adjustment Technique, the Dough Technique, and the Filling Technique, backed by his experience in making Excellent Level Shengjian Soup Dumplings; he was indeed capable of making Crab Soup Dumplings. However, the process for Crab Buns was more complex and difficult than for Shengjian Buns.
For instance, the aspic jelly needed for the filling couldn’t be made with ordinary water. It required a rich chicken soup, and after simmering, the pork skin needed to be finely minced and added back into the soup. Only such aspic jelly, when incorporated into soup dumplings, would produce that rich and savory broth. This update is available on NoveI-Fire.ɴet
Additionally, the wrappers for Crab Buns weren’t made using usual dough-making methods. Instead, it involved combining a dough made mostly with boiling water (scalded dough) with a smaller portion of dough made with cold water. This mixture created a dough that could be stretched significantly while still maintaining sufficient elasticity. The wrappers used for Crab Soup Dumplings in "Tongue Point," which could be inflated like a balloon, referred to precisely this kind of dough.
Seeing that his junior wasn’t joking, Xie Baomin grabbed a landing net, fished out five or six large crabs from the pond, and asked, "Is this enough?"
"That’s more than enough! But Senior, could you please put them back for now? I haven’t even made the aspic jelly yet."
This senior is more impatient than I thought.
"Right, I forgot Crab Soup Dumplings need aspic jelly... and it seems it has to be an aspic jelly made with chicken soup, right? Well, go prepare it then. Just come and get the crabs whenever you’re ready to use them."
After speaking, Xie Baomin tossed the crabs from the net back into the pond. The crabs, having narrowly escaped death, quickly swam away, proving by their actions that they had not drowned.
Returning to his own stove, Lin Xu requested some raw pork skin. He put it in a pot with scallion, ginger, and cooking wine to boil for a while, then placed it on the chopping board and used a kitchen knife to scrape off the impurities and fat from the pork skin. After scraping, he washed it twice with hot water.
Then, carrying a soup pot, he strolled to the soup station to get some chicken soup. "Do you have any chicken soup?" he asked. "I’ll need about half a pot."
The assistant chef in charge of soups saw Lin Xu and immediately said, "Yes, yes, yes, Chef Lin! Do you need Chicken Soup or rich chicken soup?"
Wow! Fishing Platform truly lives up to its name, Lin Xu thought. They even have two types of chicken soup prepared! This place is a paradise for culinary creators!
"Rich chicken soup will do."
The assistant chef took the pot and went inside to fill half of it. Lin Xu carried it back to his stove, put the pork skin into the rich chicken soup, added a scallion knot and several slices of ginger, brought it to a boil, and then reduced the heat to a simmer.
This was a slow process, but Lin Xu was in no hurry. Crab Soup Dumplings couldn’t be delivered; they had to be steamed and eaten fresh. So, the best plan was to wait for Shen Jiayue to get off work and come over to eat them. If he started steaming them then, he would have plenty of time.
"Chef Lin, a customer has pre-ordered a dish you make. They’re coming at 11:30 a.m. to eat. If there’s anything you need to prepare, you can do it in advance, but please don’t delay the customer’s mealtime."
Just as he had turned down the heat on his stove, the head chef of this section came over with an order slip to inform him. Lin Xu took it and looked. It was an order for "Home." The price at Fishing Platform was actually 699 yuan per serving, and this was supposedly a special introductory price...
No wonder Wei Qian thought the Nori Egg Drop Soup at the old shop was cheap. These prices are worlds apart.
"Junior Brother, your arrival has really made a difference," Xie Baomin said, delighted. "It hasn’t been long at all, and several tables have already been booked for your dishes." He hadn’t expected business in Building Two to pick up so soon after his junior brother started working there.
That’s hardly my doing; it’s all Dundun’s ability. Bringing it to Fishing Platform was just a stroke of luck on your part... Lin Xu muttered inwardly. Just as he was about to get the ingredients for "Home," Xie Baomin spoke again, "Start preparing it in a bit. Make a couple of portions so everyone can learn. You should also explain the key points of making this dish, especially the Dragon Beard Candy. Many in the main kitchen have never encountered it before..."
Lin Xu didn’t refuse. He collected the ingredients and began to prepare the dish.
Last time, because it was for a competition, he had made a larger portion. Now, however, it was to be a dessert dish for the restaurant, so the quantities needed to be more refined. Lin Xu adjusted the arrangement, making the bird’s nest design even more unique and appealing.
Building Two had many renowned chefs. When Lin Xu first began to boil the sugar, most of them were somewhat bored. But when Lin Xu took the still scalding-hot sugar from the pot with his bare hands and began to make the Dragon Beard Candy, everyone’s attention was instantly captured.
As expected of Chef Lin! they thought. His hands are actually impervious to such scalding heat!
In the culinary world, prowess is respected. And being impervious to heat is a manifestation of prowess.
Watching Lin Xu skillfully pull the strands for the Dragon Beard Candy, the other chefs felt eager to try. They thought this Dragon Beard Candy seemed very similar to dragon beard noodles. The so-called dragon beard noodles involved pulling noodle dough into extremely thin strands. These noodles cooked almost instantly in boiling water and were very suitable for the elderly or young children.
Today, Lin Xu had boiled a lot of sugar. He had only used a small portion of it just now.
Once Lin Xu finished making the Dragon Beard Candy, the other chefs couldn’t restrain themselves any longer. They each grabbed a small, still quite hot, lump of sugar and began to mimic Lin Xu’s recent actions, rolling the sugar into a long strip and then joining the ends to form a loop, like a bracelet.