Chapter 35: The moment Su Zhihan's suggestion to compete was made, it was as if a button was being pressed in the kitchen...

The kitchen seemed to freeze as soon as Su Zhihan made her suggestion. Cao's mother, who had just been beaming with joy, was now so anxious that she almost tore her handkerchief to shreds.

Sister Han, you're really too bold!

Seeing this, the butcher walked over to Cao's mother and murmured, "Putting everything else aside, just his courage... this kid has the makings of a chef!"

As for Wu's mother, she felt like she had fallen from heaven to hell, and then flew back from hell to heaven. She was both surprised and delighted, and at the same time very suspicious, wondering why Su Zhihan would be so kind.

Surely Han-jie isn't stupid... right?

There was no reason for Madam Wu not to agree, and then she looked at Cook Xu: "Madam Xu, this is what Han-jie said herself!"

Upon hearing this, Chef Xu glanced at Su Zhihan and, seeing that she showed no sign of regret, agreed.

Seeing that the matter was already settled, Cao's mother wished she could close her eyes and hope that this was just a dream and that such an outrageous thing had never happened.

The butcher, however, seemed rather puzzled by her reaction. She patted Cao's mother on the shoulder and pointed ahead cheerfully: "Cao's mother, what are you afraid of? Look, even Han'er isn't scared."

The butcher quite liked Su Zhihan's temperament. A twelve or thirteen-year-old girl should be lively and boisterous; being too rigid and inflexible is so boring.

"You don't know, that girl is very bold."

“Being bold is a good thing,” the butcher said, unconvinced, actually thinking it was quite good. She smiled and looked ahead, gesturing with her hands: “In our line of work, being bold is always better than being timid.”

"Think about it."

"From killing chickens and ducks to slaughtering pigs, who doesn't have a lot of guts? Besides, since you're confident enough to compete with Mother Wu, Han-jie must have come up with some good dishes by now, right? I remember you've been thinking about dishes every day these days, haven't you?"

At first, Cao's mother was worried, but after listening to the butcher's words, she was moved.

Indeed, Han-jie is a composed child; she must have made thorough preparations before speaking.

Thinking this over, Cao's mother nodded and said to the butcher, "Yes, yes...you're right, I was worrying too much."

"Han-jie has been thinking about several mutton dishes these days, such as the stir-fried mutton I made a few days ago, as well as sauerkraut mutton hot pot, cumin roasted mutton... They all taste very good."

The more Cao's mother talked, the more confident she became.

Seeing her expression, the butcher also became interested and looked up at Su Zhihan: "What you've said has piqued my interest..."

The butcher's voice grew softer and softer, and he finally let out a soft "hmm."

Noticing something was wrong, Cao's mother looked up, her relaxed expression tightening again. She saw that Su Zhihan and Wu's mother had each taken a lamb leg.

? ? ? ? ?

The butcher was taken aback at first, then suddenly realized: "Wait? Sister Han isn't planning to make... braised mutton with scallions too!?"

Almost as soon as she finished speaking, gasps of surprise rose from other parts of the large kitchen.

The butcher gasped, glancing at her again and again: "Aunt Cao, I misspoke. This girl's courage is extraordinary, truly—too great."

Faced with the butcher's words, Cao's mother stared wide-eyed, utterly speechless.

She had thought that Su Zhihan might be making the other mutton dishes she had been thinking about these past few days, but unexpectedly, it was... Cao Mama didn't know how to react, silently staring at Su Zhihan, praying in her heart.

"Really?"

"Is Han Jie'er also going to make braised mutton with scallions?"

"Impossible, right? These past few days, Han-jie has cooked a few mutton dishes, but compared to braised mutton with scallions, they're... they're... they're not quite the same, are they?"

The exclamations that erupted from the large kitchen undoubtedly caught Wu's mother's attention. She paused in her work and subconsciously looked at Su Zhihan.

She ignored the sounds around her, carried the lamb leg to her seat, picked up a cleaver, and cut the meat off the leg along the bone.

Next, she removed the excess skin and tendons from the surface of the mutton and put them into the pot of water one by one. Her movements were swift and efficient, a sight to behold.

Even Wu's mother couldn't help but take a second look. In the past, if she had seen such a skilled maid, she would have praised her and then used the opportunity to scold the cooks.

Now, looking at Su Zhihan's excellent knife skills, she subconsciously raised her guard. She didn't want to give Su Zhihan any chance to regret it, nor did she want to lose the chance to regain her position!

Although she didn't know if Su Zhihan was making braised mutton with scallions, Wu's mother was actually looking forward to it. She had heard Su Lan say that Han'er's braised mutton with scallions hadn't grasped the essence at all, and that kind of cooking method would definitely not make it taste good.

Mother Wu only hoped that Su Zhihan would do this, so that she would know what it means to show off one's limited abilities before an expert and to be overconfident!

With a stern face, Mrs. Wu carried the lamb leg back to her seat with one hand. After cutting the lamb leg meat, she put it in cold water, added scallions, ginger, and garlic to remove the gamey smell, and then simmered it over low heat.

Immediately afterwards, Wu's mother asked Xu, the cook, for the key to the cabinet, took out several kinds of spices, and hid aside to prepare sauces.

She was very careful in her movements, trying not to let anyone—especially not Su Zhihan—see her actions. She had heard from Su Lan that Su Zhihan had secretly learned other people's skills.

Seeing Wu's appearance, Cao Mama felt angry. She used to be wary of her like this: "Look at Wu Mama's sneaky appearance! It's like someone is trying to steal her recipe."

The butcher also looked up and agreed with Cao's mother's guess, but she quickly realized what Wu's mother was thinking.

Having been frustrated for so long, and with today's events, Mother Wu is now determined to suppress Han Jie'er.

But...

The butcher glanced at Chef Xu again, thinking to himself, "Given Mama Wu's attitude today, even if her dishes are better than Han'er's, they probably won't satisfy Madam Xu."

Zhang's mother only temporarily left her post to take care of her daughter; she didn't say she really wouldn't go back to the main kitchen.

Besides, Zhang Mama's daughter saved her master. Instead of worrying about her, you immediately looked for the seat she left behind.

It really is—

The butcher secretly shook his head and then focused his attention on Su Zhihan, who was clearly unaware of Wu Mama's wariness.

After she put the mutton into the pot one after another, she took out scallions, celery, radishes and ginger, and cut them into sections or chunks, and put them into the water one after another. The experienced butcher quickly realized that everything Han Jie'er did was very orderly and well-planned, and it did not seem to be a spur-of-the-moment thing.

Oh dear, oh dear.

The butcher rubbed his palms together, examining the meat even more closely.

Over there, full of confidence, Mrs. Wu prepared the dipping sauce, took the mutton out of the pot, and served the braised mutton with scallions in less than the time it takes for two incense sticks to burn.

The evenly sliced ​​mutton was neatly arranged on the plate, its color as soft as jade, its marbling a perfect balance of fat and lean, and its unique, subtle aroma.

Most importantly, there's a bowl of dipping sauce on the side. It's made with scallion oil as a base and more than a dozen spices, creating a sauce with an overpowering aroma that makes your mouth water just by smelling it.

Most of the people in the main kitchen had tasted this dish before, and just looking at it brought back memories of its flavor. Everyone picked up their wooden chopsticks, each taking a bite, dipping it in the sauce, and then putting it in their mouths.

"how?"

"Still the same as always, tastes great," the butcher replied with a smile. Following her, the other cooks, and even Cao Mama and others, all chimed in with their praise. Su Lan and the other maids were especially enthusiastic, showering her with compliments.

Just as Wu's mother was feeling smug, she happened to glance at Su Zhihan, who was walking up with a white porcelain plate. She muttered to herself: "Han-jie started preparing the mutton before me, but in the end she was slower than me."

Could it be that what happened earlier was just an act, and they weren't actually making braised mutton with scallions? Wu's mother wondered and hurriedly looked over, only to see that Su Zhihan's porcelain plate also contained slices of mutton.

It's not that they're exactly the same, but rather that Han Jie'er's dishes are virtually indistinguishable from her own.

Mrs. Wu was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed. Su Zhihan had started preparing the mutton earlier than her, but now she was serving the mutton later than her. This meant that Su Zhihan had taken longer to stew the mutton than she had.

It's important to know that to ensure a firm and tender texture, lamb leg meat requires extremely precise stewing time; even a slight difference in cooking time can drastically alter the taste.

In addition, there are differences in dipping sauces.

For a moment, Mrs. Wu felt confident of victory. She glanced to the side, wanting to see how the dipping sauce would taste.

She glanced at it and was immediately taken aback. What came into view was not one seasoning, but three!

A dish of dark brown sauce similar to its own, a dish of lighter-colored sauce, and a dish of dry powder.

Is this a strategy of winning by sheer volume? Mrs. Wu glanced at Su Zhihan with a smile and warmly invited her to try her braised mutton with scallions.

Su Zhihan naturally wouldn't refuse. She first put down the tray in her hand and invited everyone to try it. Then she picked up the wooden chopsticks and first picked up a piece of plain mutton without any sauce to savor.

Su Zhihan remained calm and composed, her expression unchanged, and picked up another piece of food with her chopsticks.

This time, she dipped it in the sauce.

This time, Su Zhihan raised her eyebrows, revealing a look of surprise—no wonder Cao Mama and the others couldn't stop thinking about this braised mutton with scallions; Wu Mama's sauce was truly amazing.

The moment the lamb enters your mouth, you are greeted by the aroma of scallion oil, followed by a wonderful fragrance created by spices such as angelica and cardamom that clings tightly to the lamb.

The otherwise ordinary mutton becomes exceptionally succulent and flavorful when paired with the dipping sauce, with a firm texture and a wonderfully unique taste.

However, the problem also lies with the dipping sauce.

The dipping sauce has a unique and wonderful aroma, yet it's just that it smells good.

The flavor of scallion oil is already strong and domineering. When combined with more than a dozen spices, it becomes a sauce that is so delicious that it can be used as a dip for shoe insoles. It completely masks the original flavor of the mutton, and only through this tightly packed aroma can one find a trace of the rich flavor that belongs to the mutton.

Su Zhihan offered no comment, only glancing at the others.

At this moment, led by Madam Xu, everyone was reaching out with their chopsticks and placing them on Su Zhihan's plate of mutton.

After picking up a piece with her chopsticks, Cook Xu immediately noticed the difference in texture. She examined it closely and exclaimed in surprise, "This...isn't lamb leg meat, but lamb tongue?"

Upon closer inspection, everyone realized that this was not ordinary mutton, but a platter consisting of lamb leg meat, lamb tongue, and lamb cheek meat.

Su Zhihan agreed and briefly introduced the three sauces. There was no fixed combination of the three sauces; instead, everyone could choose according to their preferences.

Upon hearing this, Madam Xu chose the one with sesame oil. The lamb tongue was thick and plump, soft, sweet, and almost melted in the mouth. Paired with the sauce made with sesame oil, it was incredibly delicious and made one want to swallow the tongue whole.

"Wow, this tastes amazing!"

"...This taste is amazing!" The butcher tasted lamb cheek meat, which was marbled with fat and lean meat, rich in collagen, and had a unique soft, sticky texture that caught her eye.

The moment the tip of the tongue touches the fat, it melts instantly, while the lean meat releases juices under the pressure of the teeth, allowing the rich aroma of the lamb to spread throughout the mouth.

Of the three seasonings, the chef chose the simple and unpretentious flavor of pepper salt. Its rich and satisfying salty aroma complements the lamb cheek perfectly, like a match made in heaven, as they work together to create a powerful impact on the taste buds.

The last option is the same lamb leg meat chosen by Wu's mother, which comes from the same sheep and is of the same quality.

Therefore, one can better appreciate the differences in their cooking methods. Compared to Wu's mother, who simply removes the gamey smell, Su Zhihan is much more meticulous in the boiling step, perfectly removing the excess gamey smell from the mutton while preserving the mutton's own flavor to the greatest extent.

No sauce needed, it's a treat even on its own.

Ever since Su Zhihan started working in the main kitchen, Madam Xu had been keeping a close eye on her every move. In the past, she would at most praise Su Zhihan for being somewhat clever, but this time she genuinely showed surprise.

What surprised Madam Xu the most was that Su Zhihan's method was completely different from what she knew, and also completely different from the other cooks in the Marquis's mansion.

Is he taught by another master, or... a genius?

Madam Xu put down her chopsticks, suppressing her curiosity, and glanced indifferently at Mama Wu: "Mama Wu, what do you think?"

Ever since she picked up a piece to taste, Wu's mother hadn't uttered a sound. Her face was ashen, and she was completely mute, staring blankly at the food in front of her, as if she hadn't heard Xu's question.

"Does anyone have any objections?" Madam Xu withdrew her gaze and looked up at the others. In the silence of the crowd, she announced the arrangements for the future again.