Little Chef - Chapter 63

Translator: Cherry Riri

Editor: Need editor asap!!

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The duck is carefully prepared on the table.

Three catties of tender duck, and it’s just right.

Su Tang’s movements are quick and beautiful, and the audience enjoys looking at them and focusing their attention on her movements.

Furthermore, once she had finished the dishes, there would be no water stains on the table, as they had all been wiped clean. With this diligence, it was already highly regarded.

Su Tang removed the ducks from their heads, buttocks, and claws and cleaned them again. Before they arrived, the internal organs had been washed.

The duck is processed, the water is cleaned, and the marinating process begins.

This step is critical; onion, ginger, garlic, salt, and soy sauce should be ground into very fine particles and coated well on the surface of the duck, which will have begun to change color.

It began to resemble soy sauce in color.

The oil pan next to it is heating up. Start frying such ducks in the oil pan.

This step does not involve frying the duck; rather, it focuses on the flavor of the fried duck skin, and the surface of the duck will be crispy and delicious at that point.

Wait until the duck turns golden brown before removing it.

Su Tang had been paying attention to the heat when it was just fried to ensure that the whole duck was fried perfectly.

There’s a lot to learn here, slightly golden but not too much.

When this step is finished, the duck stew will begin. The duck must be stewed slowly over a low fire, so that the meat will be soft and delicious.

Su Tang took out a small bowl of soup that she had carefully cooked all night.

Su Tang slaughtered two old ducks for soup yesterday. She used dang shen, Angelica sinensis, wolfberry, duck soup stewed over a slow fire, and 20 bowls of water. Simmering into a large bowl took four hours. It was fragrant enough with just a pinch of salt.

This bowl of duck soup, however, is not for drinking.

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However, important ingredients for today’s soup.

When this bowl of golden-colored old duck soup was brought out, everyone’s eyes were drawn to it because it smelled so good.

Su Tang, on the other hand, was not in a hurry to put it to use. Instead, she changed the pot, added oil, fried onions, ginger, and garlic, then poured in the new soup and added special cooking wine to get rid of the fishy smell.

Then pour in the old duck soup and continue to season with Su Tang’s seasoning.

When the fragrant soup begins to smell, add the freshly fried tender duck; the fire should be very low at this point.

Now, using the soup simmered by two old ducks, slowly stew the tender duck until the bones are stewed and soft.

People can consider the taste even if they are already swallowing their saliva!

But it’s not good enough.

Don’t forget that this dish is known as the “eight treasure duck.” The eight ingredients have yet to be used.

In this way, the eight ingredients are cut using various knife techniques.

Fish Maw is cut into slender strips similar to sea cucumber. After passing it through hot water, it can get rid of the fishy smell.

To make duck gizzard, shrimp, chicken breast, and mushrooms more flavorful, they are cut into flower shapes.

Different food processing methods produce different flavors.

When eating potatoes, the soft ones must be diced, while the crisp ones must be shredded.

After processing these ingredients, blanch them again, remove them in a few seconds, drain the water, mix them with raw flour, and fry them directly.

Sea cucumbers, shrimp, and mushrooms are all very tasty foods. The flavor has been magnified once more. Even the contestants in the location of Su Tang are swallowing.

Oh, my god, with this kind of technique, someone said before that she can’t cook grandiose dishes?

Is this what you mean by “not good at cooking”?

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The aroma of Su Tang’s stewed duck and the fragrance of fried eight treasure ingredients wafted past the site as a gust of wind blew by.

Ah, ah, ah, it seems to be the fragrance of Su Tang’s cooking.

This also has an overpowering smell.

If the people have never eaten anything good, it would be fine to say.

But there were many dignitaries sitting in the tent next to them, and they were all asking if Su Tang had opened a restaurant, and they should try it later.

And it turned out that Su Tang didn’t cook for anyone else.

Her two stores only taught the chef and she did not cook on her own.

This statement made a lot of people choking.

They would go on stage and draw lots if they knew.

Even though they can’t see Su Tang cooking, they can try it later.

But it’s too late for anyone to be regretful.

All of the judges are waiting in the wing.

Governor Pei, who was seated on the stage, was also swallowing his saliva. Oh, my goodness, it’s no surprise that Marquis admires this little chef’s culinary abilities.

If it hadn’t been for Marquis falling in love with her first, he would have invited this little chef to his house.

Su Tang didn’t care what others thought; her progress was unaffected.

The juice of the old duck soup has completely filled the fresh duck, which will be very soft and separate from the bones. Su Tang took up a knife and began deboning the duck.

When they saw Su Tang’s hand continue to move with a knife, a complete set of duck bones was stripped out.

People realized Su Tang’s basic skills must be very good after seeing this technique.

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The duck meat can still be formed into a duck in a bowl after the bones have been removed. In fact, such duck meat is still too firm. It should be steamed for less than half an hour in a steamer.

And the eight treasures simmering nearby will make people salivate.

Su Tang’s method emits the best fragrance from any type of food material.

The competition’s two-hour time limit is approaching.

The steamed duck next to it is still golden and in perfect shape.

People are unaware that the duck has been boned in this way.

Su Tang spooned the eight precious side dishes from the pot onto the steamed duck, thickening the sauce to make the side dishes appear crystal clear and appetizing.

Su Tang wiped the sweat from her head.

Finally, it’s finished.

She also had a small smile at the corner of her mouth.

After all, the steps in this dish are complicated, and in order to make it in two hours, the time must be precisely calculated.

She is now counting on herself to get to work and finish this dish.

Take a whiff of the duck meat or the side ingredients and your mouth will water.

This is not an exaggeration.

Even Huang Yue Tong’s brother stood up and praised Su Tang’s ability to pull it off.

She can make such a complicated dish by herself, and everything is neatly arranged.

It’s truly incredible.

Su Tang stood there watching the guards carry her dish to the high platform in front of her.

The high platform allows everyone in the area to see the appearance of the cuisine. When the wind blows, the fragrance is strong enough to make everyone below salivate.

“Oh, my God, this is overpoweringly fragrant.”

“So much for divine delicacies.”

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“I really want to try it.”

“Those who can be judges are extremely lucky!”

“Aaahh, give me a taste. It’s fine to only eat a spoonful of soup!”

All twenty contestants have already finished one after the other.

Each dish is placed on a high platform.

Twenty dishes, twenty fragrances.

The audience’s stomach is already growling!

They are extremely hungry!

However, they are unable to eat it.

Governor Pei was actually feeling greedy. He’d eaten a lot of food and thought he was tough, but in the face of Su Tang’s dishes, he swallowed quietly.

If he knew, he’d be a judge as well!

That way, he’ll be able to taste it openly!

It’s a big mistake. He’ll do it correctly the next time.

Five officials and five people who had been locked up for nearly four hours appeared when a low-ranking official began to explain the procedure.

The five officials’ expressions were not pleasant, but fortunately, there were books, chess, and tea, so everyone was just chatting there.

And four of the five common people are also fine. It’s not a big deal because they just sleep, but the other one is dressed extravagantly and does not appear to be a normal family.

He was displeased. He was locked up with four other people and was bored out of his mind.

In the midst of trying to leave, he was informed by imperial guards that because he chose to be a judge, he could not leave, as the Young Master had agreed to do previously.

In any case, he just won’t come out.

As a result, the gloomy expression.

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The audience immediately hollered as ten people stood together.

“I envy you!”

“I’d like to be a judge as well!”

“Try the food right away! Check out which ones can be advanced!”

These people have also been told that they cannot reveal which contestants cooked what food because the Imperial guards standing next to them will take them away directly.

Take a look at those imperial guards wielding swords. Who dares to mess around.

But it’s okay to heckle.

The ten judges also went to the high platform under the supervision of the low-ranking official.

Everyone smelled a very special fragrance as soon as they went up.

Six of the ten of them have eaten countless delicacies, but they have never smelled anything like this.

Even so, their responses are all the same, not to mention the four ordinary people.

“It smells so good, what dish is this, I have to try it first!”

“Wow, don’t rob later!”

“I want to eat everything. What am I supposed to do?”

“Does the smell seem to be from that duck?”

“Duck? Duck meat isn’t particularly tasty.”

During their conversation, the junior official shouted loudly: “The scoring begins with presentation and fragrance points combined, followed by taste points! Please come up to the platform, judge, and give your scores!”

Wow, scoring has become so consistent!

Presentation and fragrance are scored in one section, taste in another, each with ten points, and the top ten with the highest overall scores will be promoted directly.

And it will be ranked this time!

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It’s the first time!

Su Tang arrived with the spirit, listening to the little official above continue to explain the rules.

That is, one part is for presentation and fragrance, and one part is for taste. The total score is ten from the ten judges; deduct one with the highest and one with the lowest score, and then take the average.

Yes, this is the fairest scoring method.

Su Tang began to wonder how many points she could obtain.

Huang Yue Tong, Jing Liang, and Zhu Jin Yuan also approached her, and someone commented, “This competition appears to be very different, and I’m not sure who thought it.”

Su Tang had a name in her head but couldn’t say it.

“Some people say that Weiyuan Marquis has inquired about this, maybe it’s him?” said Huang Yue Tong next to her.

The news from Huang Yue Tong had come from the palace’s imperial kitchen.

Her information must be correct.

When it came to Weiyuan Marquis, Jing Liang subconsciously glanced at Su Tang and saw her normal expression. Shouldn’t she be aware that Young Master Qi is Weiyuan Marquis?

She couldn’t be that calm if she was.

But the truth is that Su Tang knows, but it doesn’t matter.

Anyway, Qi Tian Yun is now a scoundrel in her eyes.

After all, no serious person would rush up to her and holler Tang Tang!

In any case, no one can deny Qi Tian Yun’s ability.

They were chatting, and the judges on stage were already moving.

When they have completed the score, it will be recorded in the book in the hands of the junior official.

And someone next to him immediately counted the points.

First, the first dish.

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This dish is known as Sixi reunion (aka four happy reunion). You’ll recognize it as Sixi balls (aka four happy balls) as soon as you hear the name.

The color and presentation of this meatball, on the other hand, are appealing.

At first glance, it looks delicious!

Sixi balls (Si Xi Wan Xi -四喜丸子)

Sixi balls