Chapter 57 Replicating Braised Pork Rice
"Sizzle—" An enticing sound rang out as chunks of meat tumbled in the pot, gradually turning into a tempting caramel color.
Next, she added light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and oyster sauce for seasoning, then added star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, and two preserved plums—this is her exclusive recipe. The sweet and sour taste of the preserved plums perfectly balances the greasiness, making the braising sauce more complex.
Unlike Chef Wei's method of stewing for an hour, Su Yingxue chose to bring it to a boil over high heat first, then simmer it over low heat for forty minutes, and finally turn off the heat and let it sit for ten minutes to allow the meat to fully absorb the essence of the broth.
About half an hour later, another order finally came in from the kitchen.
"One bowl of signature braised pork rice." Su Yingxue picked up the order, looked at Chef Wei who was still fast asleep, and couldn't help but laugh out loud.
"Alright, I'll make one too." Su Yingxue winked mischievously, but had already started preparing her own version.
As for the side dishes, she prepared them carefully:
Broccoli that has been blanched and then soaked in ice water retains its bright green color and crispness.
A halved soft-boiled egg, the yolk slightly runny, as tempting as lava.
A small handful of soaked shiitake mushroom slices, simmered separately in braising liquid, have an irresistible aroma.
Press the pre-cooked white rice firmly into a small bowl and then invert it onto the center of a plate, so that each grain is distinct.
When plating, she first laid a layer of plump rice at the bottom of the plate, then neatly arranged slices of braised pork of moderate thickness, drizzled with thick and rich braising sauce, garnished with bright green broccoli and brownish-red shiitake mushroom slices, and finally placed half a soft-boiled egg on top, sprinkling a little white sesame seeds. The entire plating was vibrant in color and exuded a wonderful aroma, resembling a meticulously crafted work of art.
"Wow—" Chef Wei, who had been awakened by the aroma, rubbed his eyes and leaned closer. "Your braised pork rice isn't just delicious, it's a work of art!"
Su Yingxue smiled slightly, her eyes sparkling with satisfaction: "Even meals should have a sense of ritual."
"Sister Su, it's B3 again!" Waitress Xiao Fang jogged over to get the food, her eyes fixed on the plate of braised pork rice. "Strange, the braised pork rice smells so good today... Did Sister Su make it? I get Chef Wei's every day, and I'm never this hungry." She looked at the glistening slices of meat and unconsciously swallowed. "I... can I have a bite first?"
Su Yingxue smiled and gently patted the back of her hand: "Go on, go on, come back and eat later. Be careful it's hot."
Xiao Fang carefully carried the plate away, her steps much lighter than usual. Su Yingxue watched her retreating figure, then glanced at the remaining braised meat in the pot, thinking: Perhaps, tomorrow I could try launching my own version of braised pork rice?
The clock in the kitchen quietly pointed to midnight, and the plate of braised pork rice, brimming with care and creativity, was being slowly delivered to the B3 private room with a warm aroma.
"Hello, your braised pork rice is ready."
With her signature sweet smile, Xiao Fang carried a tray and strode quickly through the noisy crowd of people in the KTV, heading towards the B3 private room in the corner. Her uniform was neat and crisp, and the name tag on her chest gleamed under the lights—"Luo Xiao Fang, Golden Brilliance."
Inside booth B3, two young men were chatting casually. One, wearing a loose green hoodie, was gesturing enthusiastically at something; the other, wearing a dark blue shirt, was scrolling through his phone expressionlessly, occasionally glancing up to reply with a word or two.
"Here you go, Brother Bing." Wang Meng, the young man in the green hoodie, snatched the tray from Xiao Fang, his eyes crinkling into crescents. "I noticed you hadn't eaten dinner, so I ordered this especially for you. And let me tell you, I just had a bowl of the Golden Splendor braised pork rice; it was pretty good."
As he spoke, he pushed one of the bowls of braised pork rice towards the man named Ye Bingbin across from him. Ye Bingbin looked up, his gaze shifting from his phone screen, and glanced at the steaming bowl of braised pork rice, his lips slightly drooping.
"What's so great about braised pork rice?" Ye Bingbin's tone was clearly disdainful. "I just saw you eat a serving, and you didn't even finish it."
Wang Meng's eyes widened dramatically: "I was just trying it out! I've had their braised pork rice before, it's just so-so." He shrugged. "But I saw you haven't eaten, why don't you give it a try?"
Ye Bingbin picked up the disposable chopsticks with some skepticism and slowly unpacked them. He was twenty years old and a freshman in college. He was quite picky about food. In his opinion, most braised pork rice on the market was the same—greasy minced meat, overly sweet sauce, and a bowl of plain white rice, which didn't appeal to him at all.
"Alright, let me see what's so special about this bowl today," Ye Bingbin muttered, lifting the lid of the bowl.
The next second, his movements froze.
A rich and complex aroma assaults the nostrils—not the simple sweetness of ordinary braised meat, but a complex blend of meaty, savory, and scallion flavors, with even subtle hints of star anise and cinnamon. The rice grains are distinct, evenly coated in a deep brown braising sauce, glistening with an enticing sheen. Several pieces of perfectly marbled braised pork lie quietly atop them, their skin slightly translucent, the fat glistening, and the lean meat's texture clearly visible.
Ye Bingbin's Adam's apple bobbed involuntarily.
"Wow!" he blurted out, his voice so loud that the guests in the next room turned to look.
Wang Meng observed his friend's reaction with great interest: "How is it? It looks pretty delicious!"
Ye Bingbin didn't have time to answer; he picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in his mouth. His first sensation was the springy texture of the skin, followed by the delicate melt-in-your-mouth sensation of the fat on his tongue, and finally the firmness and savory aroma of the lean meat. And the braising sauce—good heavens, that braising sauce was like magic! The perfect balance of salty and sweet, the spices just right, blended perfectly with the rice.
He mechanically shoveled spoonful after spoonful into his mouth, completely oblivious to everything around him. His previous disdain for braised pork rice had long since vanished; at this moment, he only knew that this bowl of rice was the best braised pork rice he had ever eaten in his life, bar none.
"Hey, eat slowly..." Wang Meng reminded him with a smile, but seeing Ye Bingbin wolfing down his food, he couldn't help but laugh out loud. "This is the first time I've seen you like this. Aren't you usually the one who hates braised pork rice the most?"
With his mouth full of food, Ye Bingbin mumbled, "Shut...shut up...it's too delicious..."
Xiao Fang, a waitress sitting not far away, couldn't help but smile when she heard the commotion. She turned to her colleague and whispered, "The new girl, Sister Su, is really something. The moment that braised pork rice was served in the private room, that customer was like a completely different person."
Her colleague asked curiously, "Which Sister Su? Doesn't our kitchen only have Chef Wei and a few helpers?"
"Oh, she's the girl who just replaced Chef Zhang yesterday, her name is Su Yingxue," Xiao Fang explained. "I heard she used to work at other restaurants, and Chef Wei said her technique is very special."
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