Gourmet Hunter - Chapter 83 (Patreon)

Chapter 83: Uniquely Unparalleled

Luo wanted to make a traditional Sichuan dish, Mapo Tofu, which combines the six flavors of numbing, spicy, hot, aromatic, crispy, and tender.

Pig liver, having a texture similar to soft tofu, inspired Luo to think outside the box and use it as a substitute for tofu in the dish.

Regardless of the feasibility of this idea, Luo was eager to try it out, hoping that the unique qualities of the ingredients could create a one-of-a-kind Mapo Tofu.

Once motivated, Luo immediately got busy gathering the necessary condiments.

The airship's kitchen was fully equipped, and Luo quickly found all the required condiments, except for the crucial doubanjiang.

Even without the essential doubanjiang, Luo was undeterred in his desire to use pig liver to cook Mapo Tofu.

"Without doubanjiang..."

Luo glanced at the ingredients next to the stove.

Sichuan peppercorns, fermented black beans, garlic, garlic sprouts, green onions, ginger, red chili peppers, starch, soy sauce...and the meat of the cornered beast.

Having previously eaten red wine pig liver, which increased his stats by 0.2%, and the meat of the cornered beast, which only increased them by 0.1%, Luo wondered about the combined effect of these two.

"Alright, let's get started."

Luo rolled up his sleeves, enthusiastic.

This would be a Mapo Tofu unique not only to Earth but also here.

"First, slice the pig liver."

Luo extended his hand towards the pig liver and used his ability to instantly separate it into equally sized small cubes, then he put a pot on the stove, added water, and a pinch of salt.

When the water was about to boil, he briefly blanched the cubed pig liver.

Blanching, a culinary term from the North, similar to the Cantonese 'lushui', involves cooking ingredients in boiling water until done, then removing and placing them into a bowl, followed by adding boiling soup.

After blanching, Luo did not discard the broth, since the process aimed to make tofu tender and remove its raw bean flavor. However, since he used pig liver instead of tofu, the blanched clear soup could be used in subsequent cooking steps.

"Next, we grind the meat, using the meat of the cornered beast."

After processing the pig liver and saving the blanched clear soup, Luo heated oil in a pot without pre-processing the ingredients by the stove, including the meat, Sichuan peppercorns, garlic, and green onions.

Typically, these ingredients would be pre-processed before cooking, but for Luo, this could be done during the cooking process.

This was not just about cooking a dish; the process allowed for practicing Nen abilities, and consuming the finished product could enhance Nen abilities, satisfying both palate and life's pleasures.

This was akin to...a combination of fun and work, a pursuit many people long for.

Moments later, the oil was hot.

Luo took a piece of the cornered beast's meat, held it over the pot, and activated his ability. A white light appeared, and the meat instantly turned into a pile of minced meat in the pot.

Sizzle!

The aroma, without any added spices, was the natural scent of the cornered beast's meat.

Luo's nose twitched slightly as he quickly stir-fried the minced meat.

When it was nearly done, Luo swiftly grabbed garlic and fermented black beans with one hand, used the ability of God's Hand to chop them finely, and then sprinkled them into the pot, followed by the same method for adding red chili peppers and ginger.

His movements, fluid as running water when instantaneously processing the condiments with his ability, would have made any top chef envious of his effortless skill.

Due to the absence of doubanjiang, Luo increased the amount of chili peppers, frying them until their bright red color spread out, releasing the spicy aroma before adding the blanched clear soup from the pig liver.

After adding the clear soup, the vibrant red color slightly dispersed.

Then, Luo gently added the sliced pig liver into the pot, along with cooking wine and soy sauce, turned down the heat to simmer, and finally sprinkled in garlic sprouts chopped with his ability.

At this stage, the aroma became even richer, tantalizing the senses, though not yet reaching the ultimate fragrance of Mapo Tofu.

In the pot, the red of the chili peppers contrasted with the white of the pig liver, with chopped garlic sprouts adding spots of green, creating a visually appealing mixture of colors.

"Finally, turn up the heat!"

Luo cranked up the fire to maximum and started stir-frying vigorously.

This final step used high heat to maximize the aroma.

Soon, the entire kitchen was filled with an appetizing fragrance.

As it was nearly ready, Luo picked up Sichuan peppercorns and green onions, and with a wave of his hand, turned them into powder and sprinkled it into the pot for the final touch.

Moments later, Luo turned off the heat, took the pot off the stove, and served the Mapo Tofu into a dish. The aroma lingering around his nose made him want to dive into it with a bowl of white rice right away.

Numbing, spicy, hot, aromatic, crispy, and tender—the dish achieved all six flavors. Sichuan peppercorns for numbing, red chili peppers for spiciness, the fragrance elicited by garlic sprouts, the crispiness from the minced meat of the cornered beast, the tenderness of the pig liver, and the heat from the fierce cooking.

The main ingredients were the meat of the cornered beast and pig liver used as a substitute for tofu. The inherent quality of the ingredients, combined with Sichuan cooking methods, was bound to create a delicious dish.

Suppressing the urge to sneak a taste, Luo placed the steaming Mapo Tofu on a tray, accompanied by a sufficient amount of rice, and quickly walked towards Elly's room.

As Luo entered the room with the Mapo Tofu, Elly and Kenda were immediately captivated by its unique spicy and aromatic scent, a fragrance they had never experienced before.

"What is this?" Elly stared intently at the Mapo Tofu in Luo's hand, not feeling hungry until the aroma hit her and suddenly feeling a strong appetite.

Kenda, though well-traveled and knowledgeable, had never seen Mapo Tofu before. He could only guess from its appearance that it was a dish related to chili peppers, but the enticing aroma was irresistible.

"This dish is called Mapo Pig Liver." Hearing Elly's question, Luo thought for a moment. Since he used pig liver as a substitute for tofu, he decided to change the name as well.

"Mapo Pig Liver?" Elly ran to the table, looking closely at the Mapo Tofu covered in bright red sauce, her appetite surging.

"Come, give it a try."

As Luo spoke, he began to serve the rice, believing that Mapo Tofu paired with white rice was the best combination.

Elly, thinking Luo was serving her rice, happily reached out to take it, only to be surprised when Luo pulled his hand back.

"Serve yourself."

Luo gave Elly a look, ignoring her slightly aggrieved expression, and took a spoonful of Mapo Tofu into his mouth.

The robust spiciness and numbness were accompanied by a unique freshness—the pig liver. The minced meat from the cornered beast was elastic, unlike ordinary beef or pork mince.

The fresh and tender taste of the pig liver, along with the elasticity of the cornered beast meat, complemented each other perfectly. Combined with the cooking method of Mapo Tofu, it created a flavor never to be found on Earth.

To be able to enjoy such a delicacy was truly a blessing.

Seeing Luo's blissful expression, Elly and Kenda put aside their previous teasing and didn't bother serving themselves rice. They grabbed spoons and scooped the Mapo Tofu into their mouths.

The pig liver melted in their mouths, but the elasticity of the cornered beast meat made each chew release more sauce on their tongues.

The intense spiciness and numbing sensation overwhelmed Elly and Kenda for a moment, turning their cheeks a flushed red. Yet, they continued to eat spoonful after spoonful, not even bothering with rice.

"Wow, this is the most delicious dish I've ever eaten!" Elly's cheeks were puffed, her lips smeared with red oil, completely losing her composure as she indulged in the dish.

Kenda didn't speak, but his actions transcended their master-servant relationship as he began to eat more aggressively.

In the room, the three of them launched a fierce attack on the large plate of Mapo Pig Liver, quickly finishing it.

"Phew..."

Luo let out a satisfied sigh, checking the data, only to find that there was no increase.

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