Chapter 186: Making Lotus Root Starch
Translator: Xiong Guoqi Editor: DesTheSloth
"System, do I need to make preparations for the Lotus Root Starch dish myself?" Yuan Zhou took a look and decided to make things clear first.
Yuan Zhou knew a little about the method of making Lotus Root Starch. For example, the Lotus Root Starch was basically considered to be artificial unless somebody actually witnessed the whole process. The ingredients sold on the market were actually all fakes with tapioca starch.
The tapioca starch was originally white and would become transparent after being soaked in hot water. The genuine Lotus Root Starch, nevertheless, would have a beautiful light pink color. Although the fragrance was not strong, it would linger on.
The reason why it appeared to be light pink was that the genuine Lotus Root Starch contained much iron and low sugar. After it came in contact with air, it would oxidize.
The system displayed, "Host, you can check on your own."
"It seems that I have to receive it first if I want to know," Yuan Zhou muttered to himself.
He tapped to receive the reward. Then all the skills streamed into Yuan Zhou’s mind in just a little while.
Then, Yuan Zhou found that he still underestimated the system. This simple Lotus Root Starch was far more detailed than what it was supposed to be. He was really a green hand.
It had strict requirements and criteria on selecting lotus seeds to grow, blossoming, and bearing the lotus root.
Currently, Yuan Zhou had an extraordinary enthusiasm toward new dishes.
Yuan Zhou spent all night long grinding Lotus Root Starch. He needed to grind the Lotus Root Starch with the stone mill as required by the system.
Even if he had the system to back him up, Yuan Zhou still failed in making much.
According to the number of visitors entering Yuan Zhou’s restaurant, however, the amount was only sufficient for two days. Every time when he laboriously cooked the tasty dishes, yz would eat two extra bowls as his reward. This time was no exception.
Having busied himself for a whole night, Yuan Zhou opened the door spiritedly, following a sound of "Hua La".
"Boss, morning," while entering the restaurant, Mu Xiaoyun watched Yuan Zhou’s face curiously.
"Um, your medicine have a good effect," Yuan Zhou had a relatively mild look today and his panda eye had basically disappeared.
"Boss Yuan, good morning. We will start now," after the four guys went up and greeted Yuan Zhou, they started to diligently do the work that they had agreed on yesterday. They didn’t make any more apologies. After all, it mattered more to do the work well.
"Humm," the four guys didn’t leave Yuan Zhou any good impression; therefore, Yuan Zhou’s expression seemed to be rather formulated.
"It’s so rare, Boss Yuan. You are finally willing to open the restaurant," Ling Hong gnashed the teeth in anger before saying that.
"It’s been a long time since I saw you last time," Yuan Zhou was anyhow quite enthusiastic towards his regular customers.
"Ho Ho. You rested so many days just for the bruise?" Ling Hong straightforwardly complained.
"Yes. I’m not like you. I live off my capabilities and my face," Yuan Zhou primly spoke of words that made Ling Hong speechless.
"Huh, huh. You live off your face? You’d better live off your culinary skills," Ling Hong was quite speechless toward Yuan Zhou’s mysterious confidence.
"Yes. As well as my craftsmanship in cooking," Yuan Zhou nodded shamelessly, not revealing any bit of flush.
Speaking of the most handsome face or anything else, he was probably not number 1. But on the aspect of cooking, he was definitely the first and best.
Yuan Zhou always believed he was number 1 on cooking and number 2 in being good-looking.
"If you don’t order dishes, please make way for others," from behind of Ling Hong came a resentful voice.
"I’m startled. You don’t eat much recently," Ling Hong said affirmatively.
"I’m not like you," Wu Hai’s expression of contempt was beyond what words could describe. He just didn’t express directly that Ling Hong was like a pig, eating everything.
"Boss Yuan, what delicious dishes are you serving this morning?" To Wu Hai, the best way to take revenge was to disregard him and order dishes first to make him envious.
"I am providing Lotus Root Starch this morning. Nothing more," Yuan Zhou pointed at the new price list and then said.
"So that’s why you painted the lotus flower over here?" Ling Hong felt slightly speechless when he saw lotus flowers all over the wall incomprehensibly.
"Not really. This is the restaurant’s flower," Yuan Zhou answered primly.
When Ling Hong heard Yuan Zhou answer that way, he instantly didn’t want to know about the restaurant flower anymore and decisively started to order his dishes.
"I haven’t eaten the snacks of the southern region for long. So serve me one bowl of that," Ling Hong often went to the south of Yangtze River.
In that region, there was warm water and tender girls as well as mild streets and people.
More importantly, there were various exquisite snacks there.
"I also want one serving," Wu Hai said immediately.
"One moment, please," Yuan Zhou answered after a nod. Then he took up the Lotus Root Starch that had been prepared last night and prepared to soak it.
It was yet easy for senior foodies to distinguish the Lotus Root Starch.
"It seems Boss Yuan also uses the West Lake lotus root," looking at the quality of the Lotus Root Starch, Wu Hai said.
"What Boss Yuan uses is definitely the lotus root reaped in Sanjia Village. The texture is fine and smooth while the color is white with a hint of red," Ling Hong brought out which place it was from more confidently.
Yuan Zhou didn’t answer him in words but just nodded to confirm that Ling Hong was right. The only difference, however, was that the lotus root selected by Yuan Zhou was not only from Sanjia Village but also the best one among the produce.
The ingredients provided by the system would naturally match his status.
The lotus root produced from the pointy white lotus had small holes, thick flesh, sweet and mellow taste.
Others would definitely use the old lotus root to make the starch. That way, they can get more starch and the fragrance would also be stronger. However, things were different for Yuan Zhou. He liked to use the fresh lotus root; moreover, he used only the third node in the middle.
The Lotus Root Starch made out of the node had a pleasant white color with a tinge of faint red; the texture was fine and smooth; moreover, it was clean and fragrant.
It was different from the sweet fragrance of the old lotus root. The scent of fresh lotus root was, nevertheless, light and lingered at the nose with an air of freshness.
"Boss Yuan, what kind of water is it? It does not seem to be cold water." With his sharp eyes, Ling Hong immediately observed Yuan Zhou pouring a different type of water.
"Central lotus leaf dew," as long as Yuan Zhou prepared the dish, he would always wear a mask. There were no exceptions this time.
"Do you mean the dew of the lotus leaf?" Ling Hong looked at it and asked.
Yuan Zhou didn’t answer him this time. He was pouring the cold water into the lotus leaf starch attentively and, meanwhile, stirring quite carefully, without a single tremble of his hands.
Seeing Yuan Zhou doing the work so earnestly, Ling Hong restrained his curiosity and watched carefully.
This time, Yuan Zhou used the lotus leaf bowl in dark green color, which seemed to be made of lotus leaves. The lotus-leaf-edge-alike bow edges and the patterns reaching the bottom of the bowl were like the veins of the lotus leaf.
After being soaked in the cold water, the Lotus Root Starch wasn’t really sticky and dense, nor did it have clear pink color.
"Hua Hua"
At that time, Yuan Zhou poured hot water into the bowl. The water to brew the Lotus Root Starch cannot be boiling water. For that, Yuan Zhou had to command the temperature well.
Of course, that amount of water was just right. The Lotus Root Starch was then filled 80% of the lotus leaf bowl.
The dark green lotus leaf bowl matched the pink color while the steam dissipating above the bowl made it appear as if a pink white lotus flower was being served.
"Please enjoy your meal," Yuan Zhou carried two servings of the dish to them at a time and then said.
"A mere bowl of Lotus Root Starch can be made so exquisite. Boss Yuan’s reputation is well deserved," only after quite a while did the hungry Wu Hai say that.
"Even this little thing was produce that was formerly used as a tribute in ancient times. Of course it’s exquisite," Ling Hong despised Wu Hai’s knowledge again.
Nevertheless, Wu Hai didn’t debate over that with Ling Hong. He straightforwardly scooped up a spoonful of the Lotus Root Starch and started to eat. The spoon used to eat the dish was made of fragrance-free wood. After the spoon was polished, it didn’t have any peculiar smells and moreover, emitted a faint fragrance in the mouth.
The Lotus Root Starch appeared more crystal and clear on the brown wooden spoon. He swallowed it up at one gulp and felt it was extremely mellow, smooth and without any sharp taste. Furthermore, it emitted a light scent in the mouth.
The warmth of the dish was just right. After Wu Hai gulped it down, the fragrance of the lotus flower surprisingly started to burst out from the throat as if he had eaten not only a gulp of Lotus Root Starch, but also a petal of the lotus flower. Naturally, the lotus leaf bowl in his hands also contributed to bringing out the best of this delicacy.