Chapter 498: Chapter 491: Finally Showing His Might
Liu Yunong pointed at the hen on the cutting board.
"The making of Hulu Chicken involves three processes: boiling, steaming, and deep frying. When preparing, first soak it in clean water, remove the blood stains completely, and then tie the chicken with twine during boiling to keep its shape."
At this point, Liu Yunong couldn’t help but add, "The common method for Hulu Chicken doesn’t actually require deboning. After cooking, it should be tender enough that the bones can easily separate with chopsticks. In Liu Family Cuisine, however, we’ve improved upon this. The meat tastes better and has a better texture if deboned before cooking."
Upon hearing this, Fu Yu realized that Liu Yunong was about to pass on some culinary wisdom, immediately becoming more alert and attentive.
Liu Yunong was gratified by Fu Yu’s serious attitude and explained even more meticulously.
"Deboning a chicken is quite similar to deboning a duck, though I’ve developed an even quicker and more efficient technique myself."
"Removing the bones while maintaining the overall shape of the hen is much simpler than it sounds. By finding the right point to separate the muscle from the bone, the hen can remain intact throughout the cooking process."
Recalling her own experiences, Liu Yunong smiled and said, "When I first practiced deboning chickens, I set a time-based challenge for myself: how many steps could I complete within a set time? Though it was stressful and intense, every improvement was extremely rewarding."
Cooking operations are often monotonous and tedious.
Finding some joy in repetitive practice can greatly alleviate mental fatigue.
Fu Yu nodded in strong agreement.
In the practice kitchen, he approached the exercises like a game, tirelessly practicing over and over.
This indeed helped to dispel the irritability and frustration caused by monotonous practice.
Standing nearby, Liu Zhangpeng was also full of admiration.
Even as Liu Yunong spoke, Liu Zhangpeng listened intently.
Despite her young age, Liu Yunong, being a direct descendant of Lady Liu, certainly possessed extensive culinary skills and knowledge.
A single comment or a hint of a technique could be greatly beneficial.
After speaking, Liu Yunong stepped aside, leaving space for Fu Yu and Liu Zhangpeng to practice deboning the chicken.
Just as Fu Yu was about to step forward, he suddenly heard an electronic notification sound:
[Ding! Chef Designation Reward: Congratulations on receiving the heartfelt guidance of NPC Master Chef Liu Yunong: Mastering the Three Methods of Hulu Chicken]
Fu Yu: "!"
The next moment, Liu Yunong suddenly turned back, her gaze falling on Liu Zhangpeng by the cooking station.
Liu Zhangpeng inexplicably felt a chill down his spine, his sixth sense telling him that this gaze carried deep meaning.
"Well, Chef Liu, you’ve mastered the methods of Hulu Chicken, so I’ll borrow your station for a moment." Liu Yunong walked over and took over Liu Zhangpeng’s station.
"...Alright, Boss."
Liu Zhangpeng watched in awe as his boss picked up a knife and entered teaching mode.
Ah! This... this...
Liu Zhangpeng opened his mouth but could not utter a sound.
Is it because he’s a direct disciple that he gets hands-on teaching guidance from the boss?
Isn’t this favoritism a bit too blatant?
Changing her previous evaluative attitude, Liu Yunong stood in front of the cooking station and said, "Xiaofu, I’ll now teach you how to make this Hulu Chicken. The authentic Liu Family Cuisine includes three versions: Classic Hulu Chicken, Eight Treasures Hulu Chicken, and Crispy Hulu Chicken."
"According to the family records, if the chicken is first steam-cooked and then deep-fried, the meat will be too tough and not meet the standard of being crispy yet tender."
"If it’s first boiled, then steamed, and finally deep-fried, it can achieve the crispy tender standard. But since the chicken goes through three processes, it’s already separated and in pieces by the end, resulting in a poor presentation when plated."
"In the market, the methods of tying Hulu Chicken vary, but in Liu Family Cuisine, we excel in this area. Our unique tying method not only keeps the chicken’s shape perfectly but also allows for easy untying with a simple pull."
"This tying method has always been passed down to our master chefs in the kitchen, outsiders will never catch a glimpse of it."
"Soon, I’ll teach you how to select ingredients and tie the knots."
Observing from the sidelines, Wang Yulong thought, "..."
Could the boss be grooming Fu Yu as the heir to Liu Family Cuisine?
Why is she even revealing the secrets of the three special dishes?
"Alright, Chef Liu!" Fu Yu’s eyes sparkled brightly.
The Chef Designation Reward was finally showcasing its power!
Liu Yunong said, "I’ll first teach you how to make the Classic Hulu Chicken. The most crucial part of this dish is deboning the chicken."
Explaining as she went, Liu Yunong placed the hen breast-side down, held the deboning knife in her right hand, and started the operation.
"Lay the chicken breast-side down and locate the spine."
While speaking, Liu Yunong felt along the chicken and quickly found the spine.
"Once located, place the back of the knife carefully along one side of the spine. Then, using the spine as a guide, make an incision on the skin to serve as a starting point."
Liu Yunong paused her operation, turning to Fu Yu to seriously remind him, "This step is crucial. After making some small cuts in certain areas, you’ll find it greatly aids the subsequent steps."
Fu Yu quickly nodded, committing this instruction to memory.
Liu Yunong continued her demonstration: "Flip the knife over and cut the meat from under the skin. It’s easier to uniformly start deboning from either the right or left side of the spine."
"When starting to debone from one side of the thoracic cavity, grasp the skin and apply significant pressure with your fingertips to separate the meat from the bones. During the cutting process, be cautious and move your hand gradually with the knife."
After personally demonstrating, Liu Yunong reiterated: "While deboning, grasp the skin around the spine at the farthest point, and keep the knife as close to the bone as possible when cutting."
"Next, we can begin removing the wishbone. During separation of the chicken meat and rib bones, you’ll certainly encounter the wishbone. At that time, turn the chicken so the neck opening faces you, and make cuts around the wishbone to loosen it before removing the bone."
"Here again, take care. The wishbone can easily break and may even pop out during removal. Make sure to remove all the fragments."
"During removal, be cautious not to be hurt by broken bones."
...
Standing quietly to the side, silently listening, was Liu Zhangpeng, who was utterly stunned.
This... is this how you train a disciple?
Even when he first followed his master Wang Yulong’s teachings on Hulu Chicken deboning, his master did not teach with such meticulous detail; often it was just a couple of pointers, leaving him to figure out the rest.
Why, when it comes to Fu Yu, does it become so attentive, gentle, and considerate...
The same apprentices, how is he less than Fu Yu?
As the thought arose, Liu Zhangpeng instinctively reached out and touched his face...
Instantly enlightened!
