Zhou Yan really didn't expect his Master to shift the blame onto him. He had been hoping to see his Master show off and make him look good.
Unexpectedly, his Master thought the same thing.
There was nothing he could do. The atmosphere had reached this point, so he could only smile and face it.
Taking a cleaver from his bag, Zhou Yan stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and said, "Dear elders, Master Uncles, Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers, please excuse my poor skills."
"Okay, let me see if you've mastered knife skills after two and a half years of learning cooking." Kong Qingfeng nodded.
Zhou Yan first washed his hands and the cleaver, then took the last piece of pork liver from a nearby basin.
This piece of pork liver was left after it had been cut once. The part near the middle had a lot of fascia and blood vessels, making it the most troublesome to cut.
Everyone crowded around, ready to see how Zhou Yan would handle it.
Even the grand-disciples who had been scolded like grandchildren earlier squeezed to the front, their faces full of anticipation.
This Junior Brother is handsome, the youngest, and has only been learning to cook for two and a half years, which is also the shortest. Logically speaking, his cooking skills should be the worst, right?
Chefs compete on their culinary skills.
As long as you're not the worst cook, it's not the most embarrassing, and you'll get a less severe scolding when you get back.
Poor Little Junior Brother, he's destined to be their scapegoat today.
The senior brothers' faces already showed pity.
Xiao Lei stood to the side, calmly with his hands behind his back, looking more relaxed than the three old men.
Zheng Qiang stood beside him, his expression somewhat subtle.
He thought through all the bad things that had happened in his life before he finally shut his mouth.
It has to be Master Uncle Xiao! Who knew that Zhou Yan's Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver was actually better than Master Uncle Xiao's?
In fact, lately, he'd been going to the restaurant everyday to ask Master Zhou how to stir-fry Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver properly, and he'd often been scolded like a grandson.
Today, however, he can casually say: "The last piece of pork liver, I'll give the opportunity to my apprentice."
How impressive.
Zhou Yan placed the pork liver on the cutting board, first examining its texture from both sides, his brow furrowing slightly.
This pork liver was truly awful, leftovers from a group of chefs, full of tangled fascia. Normally, in his kitchen, this was just scraps to be discarded.
Kong Qingfeng, holding a covered bowl of tea, was about to take a sip when he noticed his predicament and said with a smile, "It's alright, cut whatever you like..."
Before he could finish speaking, Zhou Yan had already started cutting.
The cleaver flew in his hands, fast, accurate, steady, and remarkably clean and efficient!
Thin, even slices of pork liver landed on the cutting board, the fascia and blood vessels precisely separated during the slicing process, placed on the other side of the cutting board.
In a short while, a piece of pork liver full of tangled fascia was sliced.
On one side are thin, evenly sliced pieces of pork liver, and on the other side are neatly removed fascia and blood vessels.
The scene immediately fell silent.
The senior apprentices who had squeezed to the front all stared wide-eyed.
A loud gulp followed.
Someone swallowed loudly.
"Excellent knife skills!" Kong Qingfeng exclaimed as he placed the lid of his cup on the teacup.
Li Liangcai nodded repeatedly. "Indeed impressive. One cut without stopping, not a single strand of fascia penetrated the liver. Remarkably skillful."
"After two and a half years of culinary training, his knife skills are already so solid! This kid must have put in a lot of hard work." Qin Kun exclaimed in admiration.
The three elders praised him in unison, their eyes filled with admiration as they looked at Zhou Yan.
The master uncles were losing face, and the more they thought about it, the angrier they became. They then scolded the disciples who had come closer.
"Look at him, he can cut pork liver like this after only two and a half years of learning to cook. What have you learned in the past ten years?"
"Look at how well he picked out the fascia! He can even cut a pork liver into such even sizes and thicknesses. You picked such a good piece of pork liver, and you cut it into such a mess!"
The apprentices: ???
No, Junior Brother, are you kidding us?
"Master, yours isn't as good as his…" a disgruntled voice rang out.
"Do I need you to tell me?! Go back and clean the kitchen for a month."
"Master, I was wrong!"
Xiao Lei tried hard to restrain himself, but a smile was already creeping onto his face.
Zhou Yan, on the other hand, remained calm and composed. He had mastered the perfect recipe for spicy stir-fried pork liver. No matter what the pork liver looked like, he could slice it perfectly.
This wasn't the rule, but it was close to it.
An ability etched into muscle memory.
The sliced pork liver was first rinsed in cold water to remove excess blood and impurities.
This step was performed by some of the previous chefs, and some people didn't do it.
Those who did it generally produced watery, soupy dishes and were severely reprimanded.
Therefore, seeing Zhou Yan rinsing the liver, many of the senior brothers breathed a sigh of relief.
It seemed that while this junior brother's knife skills were good, he hadn't properly learned how to cook.
The three older men remained silent, watching Zhou Yan work with great interest.
After two and a half years of culinary training, his knife skills were already quite good in their eyes; they wouldn't demand too much from him in other aspects.
With such perseverance and determination, he will surely amount to something in the future.
After rinsing the liver twice with cold well water until it became clear, Zhou Yan poured it into a bamboo sieve, gently squeezed and shook it to remove most of the surface moisture. Then, he used a clean gauze cloth to rinse it again and absorb the surface moisture.
Throughout the process, his movements were gentle yet efficient, and the tender pork liver was not damaged in the slightest. After drying the surface moisture of the pork liver, he began to add scallions, ginger, and cooking wine to remove the fishy smell.
Only then did he begin to chop green peppers, dried chilies, scallions, and garlic slices. He also grabbed a small handful of Sichuan peppercorns and finely chopped a spoonful of fermented broad bean paste, placing them on a plate for later use.
The whole process was orderly and smooth, and it was clear that everything was under his control.
Kong Qingfeng and Qin Kun exchanged a glance and nodded simultaneously.
"Junior Brother, let me help you start the fire." Zheng Qiang came forward, opened the stove door, peeked inside, stuffed a piece of wood in, closed the lid, and pulled the bellows twice. The flames immediately roared up.
"Thanks, Senior Brother Zheng." Zhou Yan said with a smile. He scooped out the hot water from the wok, waited for the steam to evaporate, heated the bottom of the wok, added a spoonful of rapeseed oil, and then half a spoonful of lard.
The two oils mixed and quickly blended together, the oil temperature gradually rising.
Zhou Yan calmly adjusted the cornstarch slurry, coating the surface of the pork liver with a thin layer of starch, thinner than any of the previous chefs' preparations, almost just a thin layer on top.
The three old men instinctively took a half-step forward, watching Zhou Yan's movements.
The oil was at the perfect temperature. Zhou Yan poured the pork liver from the bowl into the wok and quickly separated it with a ladle.
Heat oil over high heat and cook vigorously. The pork liver, coated with a thin cornstarch slurry, bursts with oil, quickly curls up, and changes color.
Then, add the prepared ingredients one by one. As the oil heats up, the aroma of garlic, scallions, and fermented bean paste, along with the spiciness, wafts out.
Finely chopped fermented bean paste was stir-fried until it released its red oil, evenly coating each piece of pork liver. After a few quick stirs, it was quickly removed from the wok and plated.
The pork liver was served on a plate, still sizzling with oil.
Zhou Yan had already ladled a ladle of water into the wok, creating a sizzling sound.
Everyone stared at the Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver on the stove. Its bright red color, coated with a thin layer of sauce, gave it an amber-like sheen.
Scallion whites, green bell peppers, and red chili pepper slices are scattered among the piles of pork liver, which resemble red agate slices, creating such a vibrant color. Sichuan peppercorns are also interspersed among them, and the aroma is irresistible.
The crackling sound of burning firewood from the stove accentuated the quietness of the scene.
Whether a dish is good or not.
For an experienced chef, a single glance is enough to give a general idea.
The Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver that Zhou Yan cooked last was better than the ones cooked by everyone else before him.
Moreover, it's much better!
The pork liver was light and refreshing, not coated with a thick layer of starch and made sticky, nor overcooked and burnt. The thin layer of starch on the surface of the pork liver formed a slightly charred crust in the hot oil, glistening with oil.
There was a small pool of oil at the bottom of the plate, unlike some dishes where the pork liver was completely submerged in oil, making it look greasy.
Kong Qingfeng looked somewhat dazed, staring at the Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver in silence for a few seconds. He looked up at Zhou Yan and said with some emotion, "Excellent! So skillful, kid. I see a shadow of my Senior Brother in you back then."
These words shocked everyone.
Who was Kong Qingfeng's Senior Brother?
That must be the late, renowned Jiazhou chef, Master Kong Huaifeng!
Kong Qingfeng hadn't even tasted it yet, and he'd already given it such high praise.
Xiao Lei, who had been standing with his hands behind his back, put them down, a smile playing on his lips, a mixture of pride and satisfaction.
Zhou Yan put down his iron ladle and smiled, "Please, esteemed elders, Master Uncles, Senior Brothers and Junior Brothers, offer your guidance."
"Come on, have a taste." Kong Qingfeng invited the two old men to taste it together. He picked up a piece and put it in his mouth first. His brows furrowed slightly, then slowly relaxed, and a look of nostalgia appeared on his face.
"It's bursting with wok hei (wok aroma), perfectly balanced between numbing spiciness and freshness. The thickening technique used here is superb. The intense heat and hot oil quickly create a slightly charred crust on the surface, but inside, it's incredibly tender. The perfect contrast between crispness and tenderness creates an amazing texture." Kong Qingfeng exclaimed, "This Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver is exceptionally well-made! Better than mine. The only one I've ever had that's comparable is the Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver my Senior Brother made back in the day."
"It's really good! The texture is so smooth and tender, without a single grainy part. The thin sauce holds the numbing spiciness and fresh fragrance without affecting the texture of the pork liver. It truly has the style of Senior Brother Huaifeng back in the day." Qin Kun looked at Zhou Yan and said, "Although I received his guidance, but I have never been able to replicate it. I didn't expect that Zhou Yan, at such a young age, could already control the heat and seasoning to such an extent!"
"This is the best Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver I've had today, and also the best I've had in recent years." Li Liangcai put down his chopsticks and said with a touch of emotion, "The Kong Sect truly produces a wealth of talent."
After the three elders finished speaking, Kong Qingfeng's disciples and grand-disciples all gasped in astonishment.
This praise was incredibly high!
Second Master Kong has elevated Zhou Yan's Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver to such a high level!
He can cook better than him and even rival the peak of First Master Kong!
Even the notoriously strict Uncle Qin said he had the style of First Master Kong!
Uncle Li, who once represented the highest level of Feiyan Restaurant, was deeply impressed by the abundance of talented people from the Kong Sect.
Who was this talent?
It goes without saying.
Everyone looked at Zhou Yan with a different expression.
Could it be…
This is what genius is?!
Kong Guodong and his fellow disciples looked at Xiao Lei with a mixture of envy and twisted jealousy.
Xiao Lei straightened his back, a smirk creeping onto his face.
Is this what it feels like to be a genius's master?
It's definitely pretty awesome!
Hehehe…
Zheng Qiang crossed his arms, looking left and right, his smugness practically written all over his face.
See that--
Zhou Yan!
My Junior Brother!
The Kong Sect still has to rely on Huaifeng!
Qingfeng is ultimately just a collateral branch.
Zhou Yan smiled and cupped his hands: "You three are too kind. My meager skills are all thanks to my Master's excellent teaching. How could I possibly be compared to Grandmaster?"
"Don't too modest. We've lived long enough to know the difference in skill just by tasting it." Kong Qingfeng said with a smile, waving his hand. Then he gestured to everyone, "Come and try it, see how top quality Spicy Stir-fried Pork Liver is made!"