txolops Chapter 69 He didn't believe it
Chapter 69 He didn't believe it
Upon hearing this, the apprentices and kitchen helpers in the back kitchen all lowered their heads, not daring to even breathe loudly.
Koshihikari rice is one of the signature dishes at the restaurant.
To cook this rice properly, Watanabe required the kitchen to use purified water at a specific temperature, calculate the soaking time carefully, and finally steam it in a specially made earthenware pot.
This is Watanabe's proud "craftsman's bottom line".
And now, Xiao Li actually claims that the rice used in a 99-yuan roadside fried rice dish tastes better than the Koshihikari rice in their shop.
"Nonsense!"
Watanabe snapped back to his senses, his face turning bright red, and roared.
He strode forward and shoved Xiao Li aside.
Do you even know what real rice is?
"You apprentice who can't even cut sashimi properly, what right do you have to criticize Koshihikari rice!"
Watanabe pointed at Xiao Li and scolded him, "How dare a street food be compared to our top-grade Koshihikari rice?"
Has your sense of taste been ruined by inferior seasonings?
Xiao Li was pushed back two steps and bumped into the freezer behind him.
He lowered his head, not daring to refute, but the lingering aroma of the fried rice in his mouth made him extremely certain of his judgment.
"I'll make you give up today!"
Watanabe turned around and grabbed a spoon from above the counter.
He walked up to the transparent packaging box.
Watanabe snorted coldly as he looked at the fried rice in the box.
He absolutely did not believe that a roadside vendor pushing a tricycle could make any real gourmet food.
Watanabe gripped the spoon tightly, scooped up a spoonful of fried rice, and put it directly into his mouth.
Watanabe originally planned to point out the flaws in the rice with the first bite: such as undercooked rice, overcooked eggs with a burnt taste, or too much oil making it greasy.
But... when his teeth actually crushed each grain of rice...
Watanabe's movements froze instantly.
There wasn't a trace of excess oil in my mouth.
The slightly chewy texture of aged rice bursts with amazing elasticity in the mouth.
The savory aroma of the eggs not only coats the outside of the rice grains, but seems to have completely permeated the inside of the rice grains.
With each chew, the aroma of scallions and eggs intertwine on the lips and teeth.
Not a single grain of rice was stuck together, nor was any grain of rice dry or hard.
Watanabe's eyes widened slowly, a hint of shock flashing in them.
He was also a chef, and he had been standing in front of the stove for twenty years.
Because he is knowledgeable, he understands better how much solid basic skill is contained in this seemingly simple fried rice.
Koshihikari rice is known for its soft, sticky, and sweet taste, but this fried rice uses ordinary rice. Through careful stir-frying, it transforms its disadvantages into an unparalleled dry and chewy texture.
Watanabe's Adam's apple bobbed as he swallowed the fried rice in his mouth.
The kitchen was completely silent.
Everyone was watching Watanabe, waiting for him to, as usual, use the harshest words to denigrate the food to the point of being worthless.
However, Watanabe did not speak.
His hand, holding the spoon, froze in mid-air.
"Head Chef..."
The supervisor next to him called out cautiously.
Watanabe suddenly woke up with a start.
He slammed down the spoon in his hand, and the crisp "clang" sounded particularly clear in the kitchen.
"It's just good luck!"
Watanabe gritted his teeth and vehemently denied it, saying, "Sometimes, by sheer luck, the heat is just right in this kind of Chinese-style stir-frying."
But this is hardly a high-level cooking technique!
This is soulless food!
Watanabe turned his head and fixed his gaze on the plastic bowl containing clear soup next to him.
"Fried rice can be cooked over high heat, but what about this clear broth?"
Watanabe pointed at the bowl of soup, his voice sounding somewhat hurried, "I don't believe a roadside stall like his has the patience and skill to make a truly clear broth!"
Watanabe didn't take a spoon.
He simply reached out with both hands and picked up the soup bowl.
He leaned closer to the rim of the bowl, lowered his head, and took a sip.
The soup slid down the tip of my tongue and down my throat.
At that moment, Watanabe's expression froze completely.
Rich and full-bodied. The ultimate in richness and fullness.
The freshness of the old hen and the aroma of the pork bones blend perfectly together.
There is no off-flavor, and no interference from any extra spices.
This level of clear broth is called "dashi" in high-end Japanese cuisine.
To make the finest dashi, Watanabe needs to use the best kelp and bonito flakes, and carefully control the water temperature, ensuring the broth never boils, in order to maintain its clarity.
The soup in front of me is made with meat, which is the most likely ingredient to make the soup cloudy, yet it is so clear that you can see the bottom of it.
A street vendor in the square, selling fried rice for 99 yuan a serving, would actually lose money and precious time to give away this level of clear soup for free?
Watanabe slowly put down the soup bowl and took a step back.
"impossible……"
Watanabe looked at the lunchbox and soup bowl on the table and muttered something under his breath.
"Chef, what did you say?"
The supervisor didn't hear clearly and leaned forward to ask.
"Impossible! This is absolutely impossible!"
Watanabe suddenly raised his head, vehemently denying the facts before him.
"This kind of control over the heat, this kind of technique for making clear broth, cannot be achieved without decades of hard practice!"
"I heard that guy pushing the tricycle outside is only in his early twenties?"
Watanabe looked at Xiao Li and questioned him loudly.
Xiao Li nodded: "Yes, he's the head chef, and he looks very young."
"How could someone in their twenties possibly master this kind of technology!"
Watanabe completely lost his usual composure.
His unwavering belief in "craftsmanship" and his pride in high-end cuisine were shattered in front of this roadside stall.
He didn't accept it.
He absolutely refused to accept that he could be defeated by a roadside stall.
"There's definitely something fishy going on!"
Watanabe said, "This meal and this soup were definitely not made by him alone!"
He must have bought unfinished products somewhere, or he has a team behind him helping him falsify them!
Watanabe turned around and ripped off the white apron tied around his waist.
"Chef, where are you going?"
The supervisor was startled by Watanabe's demeanor.
"I want to see it for myself!"
Watanabe strode to the locker room door and yanked it open.
"I want to go downstairs and see for myself how he fries rice."
I want to see what tricks he can pull right under my nose!
Watanabe began to speak.
"Chef, the restaurant is still open..."
Are there any customers in the store right now?
Watanabe replied with a sullen face and walked straight into the locker room.
Two minutes later.
Watanabe changed into casual clothes and strode out of the store.
Watanabe stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for the first floor.
As the elevator doors slowly closed, Watanabe took a deep breath.
He didn't believe it.
He had to go to that tricycle stall today to find out what was going on; he wanted to see the stall owner's tricks for himself.