As soon as she finished speaking, everyone saw the woman walk straight to the vegetable section and start picking and choosing. She looked for things like bean sprouts and cabbage, but after searching for a long time, she couldn't find any potatoes. These were essential for making grilled fish! Especially after they were mixed with the oil used to fry the fish, the taste was indescribably delicious!
Thinking of this, she turned to look at the other chefs who were helping out.
"Where are the potatoes?"
The person being stared at was momentarily stunned. He subconsciously turned to look at the burly chef, only to see that the chef also looked bewildered and frowned.
"Potatoes? What are those?"
Qin Qing then remembered something and quickly changed his words.
"It's a steamed bun, round and bumpy, and the inside is light yellow when you cut it open."
To everyone's surprise, the chef burst out laughing upon hearing this, looking at her with utter disdain...
"Steamed cornbread? How could such coarse food be on the menu of my Thousand Autumns Inn? As expected! People from humble backgrounds are just not fit for the table!"
This blatant disdain immediately garnered the approval of the onlookers at the entrance, with some even speaking out directly.
"People who can afford to eat at Qianqiu Inn wouldn't eat that kind of pig swill. You're such a clueless woman, you should go home and take care of your children!"
"Hahaha!"
As soon as she finished speaking, a burst of laughter erupted from the crowd, everyone mocking her ignorance.
Qin Qing then realized, "Oh right, the food at Qianqiu Inn is so expensive. When steamed buns were first discovered in ancient times, they were mainly eaten cooked directly, and the taste was indeed just so-so."
She wasn't annoyed and looked directly at the shopkeeper beside her.
"Then I'll trouble you to find me three or four, the bigger ones, oh right, and one more female fish..."
The shopkeeper's face darkened as he listened to her detailed explanation. He had never seen anyone so shameless! She was the one who challenged his chef, yet she had the audacity to ask for ingredients?
But when he thought of his master's expression just now, he finally sighed. The Second Master had only been back for a short time and was in a strong position, so he should give him face.
"You wait!"
After saying that, he turned and left angrily.
Qin Qing had no idea about the intricacies involved. In any case, once her grilled fish became famous, the shopkeeper wouldn't suffer any losses.
Immediately afterwards, she pulled a small square in red packaging from her pocket—the very source of her arrogance! 'Hao Ren Jia' hot pot base!
She first added oil to the pan, then started washing the scallions and ginger, and peeling the cabbage, while the chef next to her had already begun to show off his skills!
"duang..."
The sound of chopping vegetables filled the air; each chop was swift and precise, demonstrating skillful technique!
On the other hand, Qin Qing, the moment the shopkeeper brought the fish and potatoes, quickly began to scale the fish…
Unlike the heroine in the novel who becomes a god with every move, she struggled immensely, her face showing a slow and deliberate pace, while inwardly cursing! She never expected the slap in the face to come so quickly; it seemed so easy in the video!!
Just as the saying goes, "Eyes: I've learned it! Hands: No! You can't!"
In the end, she awkwardly turned her head and caught a glimpse of the old woman beside her.
"Um... could you please clean the fish scales off for me?"
As soon as she finished speaking, a chorus of scornful laughter and disdain arose from the crowd, and even Qin Qing, who was usually quite thick-skinned, couldn't help but blush.
A moment later, she took a deep breath, and when the old woman handed her the cleaned fish, she gave her a strange look, making her feel incredibly embarrassed.
Sure enough… TikTok short videos! They're doing a lot of harm!
Then, she adjusted her mindset, heated the oil, put the fish in, and fried it until golden brown on both sides. She then added ginger slices and scallions to remove the fishy smell. After that, she took out the ginger and scallions and, estimating that the fish was almost done, put it into another small pot that she had prepared in advance!
Then add the base oil, tear open the packaging, stir-fry the hot pot base, and a rich aroma instantly spreads out...
The crowd, who had no expectations of her, were immediately drawn to her. Seeing this, Qin Qing calmed down, added some water, and quickly sliced the potatoes while waiting for the water to boil!
Everyone stared in astonishment at her step-by-step procedure, making Qin Qing's hands tremble and her heart pound with guilt! If it weren't for this thing in her spatial storage, she would have been crippled long ago!
Soon, the water boiled, and she put in the pre-washed vegetables, sprinkled in a little salt, essentially frying and boiling them at the same time.
When the dishes were almost ready, the previously fried fish was put in, and a large iron ladle was used to pour the broth over the fish, and the aroma of grilled fish immediately wafted over.
This was her first time making this, and the heat seemed a bit too high; the fish almost fell apart. But thankfully, it looked pretty good, so it should taste alright.
"Phew~ All done!"
When she looked up, the burly chef beside her was staring blankly at the grilled fish. He had never heard of such a cooking method before; its aroma was intoxicating, a true feast for the eyes, nose, and palate! Although the fish looked rather ugly…
Soon, the dishes prepared by both sides were served, and the referee was temporarily selected by the innkeeper from among the guests present.
This was also her first time cooking like this, and seeing that the others had already started eating, Qin Qing was even more anxious than they were!
The first person put the fish in their mouth, chewed a few times, and their eyes lit up! They ate while showing a surprised and satisfied smile.
"The flavor of this grilled fish paired with the broth is like the finishing touch on a masterpiece, dancing in your throat, and with each chew, the taste becomes more and more wonderful and comforting..."
The second person looked like a scholar. After taking a bite of vegetables, he was immediately visibly shaken and began to praise them repeatedly.
"This dish has a delicate texture and rich flavor. The fish meat is tender and silky, with a fragrant aroma and a bright and eye-catching color. It can be said that 'the Yangtze River encircles the city, revealing the deliciousness of the fish; the bamboo connects the mountains, making the bamboo shoots fragrant!'"
It wasn't until the third and fourth people tasted it that they all praised it highly, clapped their hands in delight, and ate one bite after another, completely absorbed in the delicious food!
People around her cast envious glances, and Qin Qing finally breathed a sigh of relief.
The shopkeeper also ran downstairs at that moment, and without saying a word, filled a bowl with fish and vegetables and went back upstairs when no one was paying attention.
By the time the guests began to enjoy the food prepared by the burly chef, they were already half full and no longer felt hungry. In this respect alone, Qin Qing had a slight advantage!
The result was obvious: Qin Qing won! But it was a narrow victory. The burly chef's dishes were quite good, but unfortunately, they were far inferior to her base sauce! Mainly, her cooking skills were also lacking…
When the shopkeeper came down, his face was full of surprise and excitement, showing no sign of the dejection he had felt after losing a hundred taels of silver…
"Madam, this grilled fish is absolutely superb! I've never tasted such a vibrant and eye-catching dish in my life. I'm completely convinced! Absolutely convinced!"
Qin Qing felt guilty and just smiled awkwardly. As soon as he took the silver, his eyes lit up. It was so easy to get it!
Seeing the shopkeeper's ingratiating expression, she knew what it meant. But back in Qingcheng, she had promised Young Master Fang that the secret recipe would never be revealed!
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