The Gourmet Customizer

Su Chen mused.

’What exactly is a "braise?"’

It means you have to pre-cook all the ingredients. During the final braising step, the ingredients are actually already cooked. You then use a rich stock to bring everything together.

And a stew? That’s slow-cooking over a low flame. A reduction, on the other hand, is made by simmering over medium to high heat.

These three methods seemed similar, but in reality, there were huge differences in how the ingredients were prepared and how heat was applied.

"Ah Bao, get me some sliced cabbage and pan-fried tofu."

"You got it!"

Meanwhile, Su Chen heated up a generous amount of oil in a wok, preparing to deep-fry the roll-cut potato chunks he had prepared earlier.

As he lit the stove, Su Chen remembered something.

He hadn’t used his once-a-day White Jade Hand yet. And if he was right, he wouldn’t have any more customer orders to fill today.

’It’d be a waste not to use it.’

With a thought, he activated the Skill. He didn’t feel anything special. The Skill’s description read: *Enhances perceptive ability.*

Su Chen didn’t pay it much mind. He reached for the wok handle to swirl the oil inside.

The very instant he touched the handle!

’Huh?’

Su Chen’s movements paused for a moment. ’What’s going on?’

Without any warning, the moment his right hand made contact with the handle, his brain suddenly seemed to know something.

’The oil isn’t hot enough.’

’What kind of logic is that?’

He swirled the wok, letting the oil coat the inside. Su Chen didn’t even look, but his mind knew something else.

’The oil is hot enough!’

He immediately switched to medium heat, maintaining the temperature as he slid all the potato chunks into the wok.

’Not enough time.’

This sudden thought baffled Su Chen. ’Could this be the perceptive ability from activating White Jade Hand?’

’If this is real, then this is absolutely insane!’

This was practically a forced, instantaneous boost to his culinary Skills!

’Whether it’s heat control or doneness—for any process that can be manually controlled, as long as I touch it, I’ll instantly know the specific details!’

’Time’s up.’

When that thought appeared in Su Chen’s mind, he immediately scooped all the potato chunks out and placed them in a strainer to drain the excess oil.

’What an amazing Skill!’

On the other side, Ah Bao’s pan-fried tofu was also ready.

Su Chen fired up another stove. He dipped a spoon into the lard container and scooped a little out, but a thought popped into his head.

’A bit too little.’

So he pressed the spoon down again, dug out a bit more, and only then did he put the lard into the wok.

With the White Jade Hand’s perceptive ability amplifying his senses, Su Chen’s movements became even faster. Whether it was adding seasonings or judging cooking time, he hardly needed to think at all!

He stir-fried the pork in the wok with star anise and ginger powder until its color darkened slightly. Only then did he add the sliced cabbage and continue to stir-fry.

Under his precise heat control, the moisture from the cabbage leaves was quickly cooked out and evaporated until the wok was dry.

He then added the deep-fried potato chunks and pan-fried tofu, poured in soy sauce, and stir-fried everything evenly.

"Chicken stock."

Liu Ahbao quickly brought over the pre-made chicken stock. Without a second thought, Su Chen poured in more than half a bowl, so much that the stock completely submerged the ingredients in the wok.

"Boss Su, isn’t that a bit too much?" Liu Ahbao asked, confused.

If this was a ’hui’ dish, you didn’t really need that much broth. Since the ingredients were already cooked, it shouldn’t take long.

With too much liquid, it could easily turn into a pot of ’boiled’ ingredients.

That’s why the ’hui’ method not only required a short cooking time but also pre-thickening the sauce. This was something every chef should know.

"It won’t be. You’ll see in a minute."

Su Chen looked completely confident.

But the ever-increasing amount of broth simmering in the wok didn’t look very skillful.

Just then, Brother Fang Chang came into the kitchen again.

"Boss Su, are there any more dishes?"

Fang Chang looked a little listless, like a wilted eggplant.

"Yes, it’s almost ready."

"Oh? What is it? I feel like six dishes might not be enough..."

Su Chen was a bit puzzled. "How could that be? My portions are very generous, and this last dish is even bigger."

Not only were the portions large, but a dish like this braised pork and vegetable medley was practically considered a main course in Jingzhou.

Many families would often cook a whole pot of it, and one bowl per person was usually enough to fill them up.

At most, they’d add a steamed bun. And they had already taken rice earlier, so how could it not be enough?

Brother Fang Chang sighed. "Maybe your food is just too delicious? It’s gone before I can even get a few bites in."

Su Chen shrugged. "Well, there’s nothing I can do about that. I haven’t prepared any other ingredients. Logically, these dishes should be enough to fill you up. Take a look."

Su Chen lifted the lid, revealing a large wok filled to the brim with ingredients.

"Oh, this is great!" Fang Chang relaxed when he saw it was a medley dish. "With this, we’ll definitely be full."

Su Chen nodded. "There’s more."

With that, he added a handful of thin vermicelli to the wok, covered it, and let it simmer for about half a minute before uncovering it again.

He then used his spatula to stir all the ingredients together.

After a quick stir, the white potato vermicelli immediately soaked up the sauce, turning a savory brown and looking incredibly soft.

Liu Ahbao slapped his forehead. "So that’s how it is! How could I have forgotten about that?"

"Potato vermicelli absorbs a lot of liquid, and when you stir it, the starch leaches out and acts as a thickener! Boss Su, you’re a genius!"

Su Chen was unfazed.

’Sometimes, cooking just takes a bit of talent.’

"It’ll be ready in a moment. Just wait."

After stirring the ingredients evenly, he cranked the heat to high!

He drizzled vinegar from a pot around the rim of the wok, and the unique aroma of aged black vinegar instantly filled the kitchen.

Holding the wok in his left hand and the spatula in his right, he transferred the brimming pot of braised medley into a massive serving bowl.

"Here. You can serve it yourself."

"You got it!"

Brother Fang Chang eagerly carried the fragrant, piping-hot medley and scurried toward the private room.

As for Su Chen, one last thought lingered in his mind.

’A nearly perfect Braised Pork and Vegetable Medley!’