The Cheat Emperor of the Culinary World

In addition to the rich aroma of Shaoxing wine, there’s also a very faint but distinct herbal scent.

Fu Yu carefully sniffed it. With the aid of a sensitive nose mask, he quickly identified all the herbal ingredients within.

First was the Rhododendron molle, which contains toxic elements like grayanotoxin and andromedotoxin. Therefore, when simmered with other herbs, one must be cautious about the temperature.

Repeated steaming can affect the taste and efficacy of the herbs.

Secondly, there was Datura.

The main toxic components of Datura are scopolamine, atropine, and hyoscyamine (alkaloids extracted from Datura). They are antagonists of muscarinic receptors, interrupting the control of the parasympathetic nervous system.

Extra care must be taken with the timing during steaming.

Lastly, there’s honey.

Natural honey, which contains active enzymes, must not be heated above 60 degrees Celsius; otherwise, the enzymes will denature and deactivate, destroying the nutritional components. Honey mixed in warm or cold water tastes sweet, while in hot water, it becomes sour.

Fu Yu carefully analyzed all the herbal components and suddenly his face changed!

Based on this herbal formula, the heating and time settings he originally planned were a bit too high and obviously too long.

Fu Yu originally thought that Liu Yunong was assessing his control over the heat and timing during the steaming process. However, it seemed now she intended to test his mastery of marination skills.

With this in mind, Fu Yu directly said, ”Teacher Liu, for the Drunken Fish, the best heat control is to start with a low flame, then medium, and back to low. The time should be precisely eleven minutes, just enough for the fish to steam perfectly!”

Fu Yu spoke with absolute confidence, not a trace of doubt in his voice, because it was the right moment to showcase his culinary skill to Liu Yunong, as well as to chefs Wang Yulong and Liu Zhangpeng.

According to Liu Yunong’s arrangement, whenever Fu Yu had time after work, he was to come here to learn cooking.

Making a good impression on Wang Yulong and Liu Zhangpeng in advance was necessary.

Moreover, letting Liu Yunong see his competence was crucial for his future study journey.

After all, teachers always favor students who are exceptional and talented.

Sure enough, upon hearing Fu Yu’s words, the three people present showed expressions of approval!

Liu Zhangpeng looked at Fu Yu, thinking to himself: What a remarkable young man!

This young man is indeed impressive!

Even when he learned to steam Drunken Fish at the beginning, it was his master, Wang Yulong, who guided him step by step.

Without dozens or even hundreds of operations, mastering the heat and timing with such precision is impossible.

No wonder the boss accepted him as an apprentice; this kid is really incredible!

Upon hearing Fu Yu’s words, Wang Yulong also paused a little, looking at Fu Yu with a hint of admiration.

After all, Drunken Fish is essentially a deep-processed freshwater fish, crafted using carefully selected fresh fish with Shaoxing wine.

The Liu Family Cuisine’s traditional recipe for Drunken Fish includes an added layer of fragrance extracted from a pure herbal formula.

The specifics of the herbs used are unknown to outsiders except for the Liu Sisters.

As for mastering the heat and timing during steaming, these instructions were handed down personally when learning from Elder Liu.

This type of culinary technique is often passed down through generations; outsiders wanting to learn do not even stand a chance.

Even after nearly thirty years of studying Liu Family Cuisine, Wang Yulong could only identify two or three types of herbs, yet had no clue about the proportions.

What Fu Yu mentioned matched exactly the Liu Family Cuisine’s steaming requirements.

Wang Yulong watched Fu Yu, feeling extremely complex emotions at the moment.

The control over the heat was entirely accurate!

The timing was incredibly precise!

He had mastered the Drunken Fish recipe so perfectly.

The more Wang Yulong thought about it, the more astonished he became, the more he watched, the more impressed he was.

Turning to Liu Yunong, he noticed she was giving Fu Yu a look full of praise, saying: ”Yes, you’re absolutely right in your judgment. The Drunken Fish we make uses grass carp of equal weight, with all the fish pieces weighed, evenly thick and the same size.”

Having confirmed his judgment, the next step was to proceed with the steaming step by step.