The Cheat Emperor of the Culinary World

Fu Yu started by adding rapeseed oil and rendered lard to the wok, heating them to 80% hot.

The flavor profile of the Soft Braised Fragrant Duck belongs to the slightly spicy, soy sauce category, and the classic cooking method combines different southern and northern flavors, skillfully blending various sauces together in a very harmonious way.

In the operation of the classic old-fashioned recipe, it is advocated to use rapeseed oil mixed with rendered lard instead of salad oil when stir-frying the duck.

Rapeseed oil can highlight the aroma, while rendered lard accentuates the meaty fragrance. Combining the two is just perfect.

The nearby assistant standing nearby showed a surprised expression instantly.

He never thought that rapeseed oil could be mixed with rendered lard for frying.

And this mixed aroma, when smelled...

Really, it is very fragrant!

Even though one might think that using lard would overshadow the old duck’s fragrance, unexpectedly, the combination of lard and rapeseed oil turned out to be such a perfect aroma.

Fu Yu was also very satisfied with the rich aroma of the mixed rapeseed and lard oil.

He added ginger slices into the oil to stir-fry for fragrance, then added duck meat, slow-frying it on low heat until it’s dry and fragrant.

Adding rib sauce, spicy sauce, hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce... and spicy chili sauce to stir-fry for aroma.

Then adding bay leaves, amomum fruit... codonopsis and dried chili, continuing to stir-fry.

After stir-frying to a good aroma, add the broth, covering the duck meat.

Add MSG, chicken essence, and sugar, simmer on low heat for 90 minutes.

In the classic old taste recipe, there is an additional suggestion, if time is short, you can use a pressure cooker.

However, while saving time, the tenderness of the duck meat will certainly be affected.

In terms of taste, it can never compare to the duck meat slowly stewed over a low flame.

Fu Yu checked the time, confirmed there was still time, and decided to continue the slow stewing method step by step.

After all, only this way of stewing can make the duck meat soft and flavorful.

Moreover, he was very confident in his skill at managing the heat.

Taking advantage of the time while the duck was stewing, Fu Yu actively took over the kitchen orders from the front hall from Liu Zhangpeng.

With Fu Yu’s help, things became much easier for Liu Zhangpeng.

However, since it was peak dining time, they didn’t have any time to chat, each busying themselves in front of their cooking stations.

7:40 in the evening.

Finally, with the orders getting served, ensuring every customer in the restaurant had their meal, the high-intensity pace in the kitchen finally eased a bit.

Liu Zhangpeng breathed a sigh of relief, barely catching his breath, when he heard Fu Yu asking: ”Chef Liu, it’s almost 8 o’clock, shouldn’t you be getting ready to cook the Golden Soup and Green Tofu?”

Liu Zhangpeng checked the time and nodded: ”Yeah, I’ll start making it now.”

Fu Yu was very interested in this Golden Soup and Green Tofu.

Because the classic old taste recipe also includes tutorials on cooking this dish.

He was curious about how Liu Family Cuisine would improve this dish.

And this improvement method might potentially benefit his own culinary skills advancement.

Fu Yu proactively took over Liu Zhangpeng’s current work.

The current orders, although not urgent to serve, still required the back kitchen to work fast and finish cooking all the dishes soon.

Fu Yu, used to directing Zhang Jinyu, was just as unreservedly giving orders to the assistant chef assigned by Liu Yunong.

He put the semi-finished dishes into the pot for simple stewing, set the heat well, and then openly moved over to Liu Zhangpeng to watch and learn the cooking method of Golden Soup and Green Tofu.

For Fu Yu’s observing, Liu Zhangpeng felt no pressure about being watched.

Moreover, following his own boss’s teaching style, Liu Zhangpeng even explained to Fu Yu while cooking.

”First, like this, beat the egg and soy milk together, then steam them until done.”

”Cut into pieces and fry for later use.”

”Steam and mash the pumpkin, add the appropriate amount of water, and boil into a puree.”

”At this point, be careful not to add too much water, or the pumpkin won’t be thick enough, affecting the taste and presentation of the final dish.”

”Finally, fry the mushrooms well, place them on the fried tofu pieces, and then pour the pumpkin puree over them.”

Fu Yu watched Liu Zhangpeng’s operation, secretly comparing it to the classic old taste recipe tutorial.

He discovered that in the cooking method, Liu Family Cuisine made very clever improvements.

For example, the tofu used is authentic brined soft tofu, and in the cooking process, pure soybean-ground soy milk was added, making the flavor very authentic.

Another example is the Yunnan matsutake placed on the fried tofu pieces, which has a rich particular aroma that, combined with the tofu’s freshness, creates a very unique taste.

After watching Liu Zhangpeng cook from start to finish, Fu Yu learned a great deal.

He realized that the cooking methods passed down by a cuisine like Liu Family Cuisine, with such deep family tradition and knowledge from generations of cooking experience and wisdom, are treasures that ordinary people simply cannot access, let alone figure out on their own power.

Although he always knew that learning Liu Family Cuisine from Liu Yunong was very fortunate.

At this moment, he truly realized this was not just pure luck, but like a blessing from the master, feeding him with luck, bite by bite, right into his mouth.

Fu Yu, after watching Liu Zhangpeng’s final plating, wasted no more time and turned back to his cooking station.

He continued cooking the Soft Braised Fragrant Duck.

At this moment, the waiter came to the kitchen to inform them that the reserved customer had arrived.

Shen the Third was taken by the waiter to the private room, ready to be served and dine at any time.

Upon receiving the news, Fu Yu worked even more swiftly.

The old duck in the pot was already stewed to perfection.

Fu Yu took the pot off the stove, placing the duck meat in a bowl.

He instructed the kitchen assistant to start another pot, adding red oil for stir-fry.

Put the braised duck meat and its sauce into the pot, adding 50 grams of broth to thicken the sauce.

Plating and adding sliced scallions, cilantro, and chili strips.

In less than three minutes, the Soft Braised Fragrant Duck was ready to be served.

Liu Zhangpeng specifically came over to take a look at the Soft Braised Fragrant Duck made by Fu Yu.

The plating was flawless, with sizes of duck pieces just right, the color bright red, and the sauce color perfectly balanced.

Without even tasting, just by smelling the rich fragrance, it was clear that this dish was made very authentically.

Liu Zhangpeng didn’t touch the dish on the plate but instead used a spoon to scoop a bit of the sauce from the pot to taste.

The taste was rich, with a thick sauce, the robust flavor lingering in the mouth, stimulating the appetite.

Although there were indeed some differences in taste compared to the dish cooked by Liu Family Cuisine’s methods, it cannot be denied that this dish was very delicious.

Moreover, in terms of color, aroma, and taste, it was handled close to perfection.

He wondered how others would feel tasting it. Though he didn’t sample the duck meat itself, just based on this rich, aromatic sauce alone, Liu Zhangpeng felt the taste of this dish was not inferior to that made with the cooking method of Liu Family Cuisine.

There was even a feeling of each having their own merits.