Chapter 985: Chapter 411: Men’s Refueling Station? Men’s Soccer: Don’t Believe or Spread Rumors—It’s Useless Even If You Eat It!

The recent steps of cleaning and blanching were all to remove the odor from the sea cucumber. Now that the odor is gone, it’s time to let it absorb flavors.

And the first step in letting the sea cucumber absorb flavors is through the stock.

Stock is an indispensable part of the sea cucumber cooking process. 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

No matter what type of sea cucumber dish is being made, the first time it needs to be cooked with stock until it’s soft and tender.

Only then can the next steps be carried out.

The reason for using stock is because it enhances the rich, gelatinous texture of the sea cucumber, making its flavor more aromatic and enticing.

Adding salt is to give the sea cucumber a basic flavor, and sugar is added to enhance its taste.

If making braised sea cucumber with scallions, this step also requires adding fried scallions.

Letting the onion aroma seep into the sea cucumber from the cooking process.

However, today’s dish, sea cucumber with abalone sauce, emphasizes the gelatinous texture of the sea cucumber and the aroma of the abalone sauce, so onions should not be added, nor should other ingredients like ginger.

Once those are added, the sea cucumber will absorb the flavor like a sponge, making it difficult to infuse other flavors later.

Let the stock cook for seven to eight minutes, turn off the heat, and move the pot aside to start soaking.

If it was to be eaten at noon, the sea cucumber would be cooked until soft immediately. But since it’s for the afternoon, it can be cooked lightly and soaked.

This way, by the afternoon, the sea cucumber is already infused with the fragrance of the stock, tasting more delicious.

However, because it requires long soaking, the sea cucumber should not be cooked too long—just heated briefly will suffice for soaking; otherwise, the gelatin will cook out, impacting its texture and flavor.

At noon, the restaurant serves steamed noodles prepared by Ma Zhiqiang.

This is a common type of noodle dish in the Central Plains.

Noodles are placed in a steaming cabinet, while diced pork belly is stir-fried in a pan, then water is added—more than usual—followed by vegetables like beans, celery, garlic shoots, and soybean sprouts.

Once the vegetables are stewed, the noodles are about steamed through.

Use chopsticks to separate the noodles, then mix them with the vegetables, allowing the noodles to be coated with the oily vegetable broth.

After mixing, it can actually be eaten directly.

But for better enjoyment, steaming it again is best, allowing the meat broth’s aroma to thoroughly penetrate the noodles, enhancing the fragrance and improving the texture.

Lin Xu served himself a large bowl, picking up a chopstick-full and putting it in his mouth.

The noodles were flavorful, somewhat similar to fried noodles, but fried noodles are dry and fragrant; steamed noodles are soft and fragrant when eaten, offering a slightly different texture.

Guo Xinghai said with a smile:

"Chef Ma’s noodles are really well-steamed, even as a southerner, I’m quite accustomed to them."

"There’s no secret to it, just be generous with the oil. As long as there’s plenty of oil, steamed noodles never taste bad."

Ma Zhiqiang is skilled at various large pot dishes and meals, and they all taste authentic because he’s liberal with ingredients; if you’re willing to use them, the food won’t taste bad.

Lin Xu took a few bites, reminiscing about eating steamed noodles in school.

In fact, these noodles were tastier than those from the school cafeteria, with more meat, more vegetables, and even lard used—speaking of flavor, it’s undeniable. Even the noodles were handmade in Ji Minghui’s pastry department.

This combination, steamed twice, is truly aromatic and delicious.

Lin Xu held his bowl, pinching a few peeled and cleaned garlic cloves from the kitchen, and sat by the window, eating while video calling Shen Baobao.

On the other end, Shen Baobao was eating lunch in the management center’s office.

Even though it’s an office, the dishes are ordered from the nearby five-star hotel, with over a dozen dishes and a waiter standing by.

Under the power of money, the service from large hotels is impeccable.

Today’s meal seems to be Cantonese or Min Cuisine, Lin Xu noticed a small Basin of Buddha Jumps Wall in the middle. I have to say, Li Shiqiang really takes this seriously.

If you love to eat, then lavishly spend on food.

Actually, from yesterday to today, the cost of food doesn’t even equal a car’s deposit.

When it comes to investment, this group of car sellers are all experts.

Shen Baobao glanced at Lin Xu’s bowl of steamed noodles and suddenly asked aggressively:

"Remember when you had no pocket money at the end of the month and ate steamed noodles for days? Where did the money from your parents go? Did you secretly spend it on someone else?"

"I spent it on games... Remember you hinted several times asking if I needed money... It’s all my fault for being thin-skinned, insisting I didn’t. If I were to go back now, on the first day of school, I’d be clinging to your leg, begging you to support me."

"Hahaha, dream on, I’d kick you away with one foot."

Beside her, Chen Yan muttered:

"If you two want to act lovey-dovey, go home to do it, I’ve got goose bumps... Sister’s husband, yesterday I set a low price, I feel like I’ve lost a lot of money."

Lin Xu placed his phone on the octopus tripod nearby and curiously asked:

"What happened?"

Chen Yan picked up a piece of roasted goose, and said indignantly:

"I heard that yesterday’s car exhibition sales exceeded the entire exhibition period’s sales, meaning today and tomorrow, whatever they sell is pure profit... I should have insisted on 1.5 percent yesterday, even 1.4 percent would have been better than 1.25 percent... Dundun will blame me again."

Lin Xu thought it was something serious and laughed saying:

"It’s fine, there will be more opportunities like this in the future, don’t rush, and let Dundun adapt; if it doesn’t like it, no amount of money will be earned."