Chapter 5

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Protagonist:

Lu Feng

To make xiaolongbao, he first had to prepare the corresponding ingredients.

Lu Feng checked the System Mall's ingredient section, buying a jin of Premium Pork Belly and Pork Skin Jelly to test the waters.

The Premium Pork in the mall cost more than twice the market price, making Lu Feng wince again.

But to pursue the most perfect xiaolongbao, ingredient costs could not be spared.

Lu Feng also bought some other ingredients and seasonings from the mall.

The System Mall was very efficient; as soon as Lu Feng finished placing his order, a sound came from that room in the corner of the Kitchen.

Pushing the door open to look, the ingredients he had just bought had arrived.

Different ingredients were packed in cardboard boxes, placed neatly on the floor.

Lu Feng took out the ingredients one by one, separated the seasonings, and laid the ingredients on the Kitchen's Operation Counter.

Next he boiled a pot of hot water; after it boiled, he took a bowl and poured out half.

He took a Green Onion and a piece of ginger.

He cut the Green Onion into sections and the ginger into slices, putting the sections and slices into the hot water in the bowl.

He also added some Sichuan pepper and star anise.

Then he set the bowl aside, letting the scallion, ginger, and spices fully soak in the hot water to release their fragrance.

He mixed some cold water into the remaining half pot of water to quickly lower the hot water's temperature.

Making xiaolongbao was similar to making Steamed Buns; naturally, the first step was kneading dough.

Lu Feng used All-Purpose Flour.

Xiaolongbao made with this flour would be soft and tasty while retaining elasticity.

Lu Feng took a Stainless Steel Bowl and placed it on the Operation Counter, pouring some Flour into it, forming a small white mountain in the bowl.

He checked the temperature display on the kettle; it showed 60 degrees, just right.

Lu Feng picked up the kettle, slowly pouring the water into the flour bowl, stirring quickly with chopsticks as he poured.

After the flour mixed with the warm water, under the chopsticks' stirring it gradually became flocculent.

When the water in the kettle was almost poured out, the flour in the bowl had almost all become dough flakes.

Lu Feng nodded in satisfaction, put down the chopsticks, and tested the temperature with his hand; it was slightly hot.

After the temperature dropped a bit, he rolled up his sleeves and began kneading dough.

Dough kneaded with flour scalded by hot water would make xiaolongbao wrappers thinner.

And they would not break easily after steaming.

Soon, under his vigorous kneading, the dough flakes in the bowl became a smooth Dough.

Next he found some Cling Film, covered the flour bowl with it, and moved it aside to Ferment.

While the Dough Fermented, Lu Feng began preparing the Filling for the xiaolongbao.

He picked up that piece of Pork and looked at it carefully; the fat-to-lean ratio was just right.

Even up close he could not smell the pork's characteristic gaminess.

The Pork from the System Mall was indeed top quality, hard to find on the market.

Lu Feng picked up a Kitchen Knife and first cut the Pork into chunks.

He then took a second Kitchen Knife, wielding Double Knives, chopping away with a dong dong dong sound.

In a short while, the diced meat was chopped into minced meat, the gelatin in the fat released, becoming somewhat sticky.

After chopping the Filling, Lu Feng took a larger Enamel Bowl and put the Filling into it.

Just then the Scallion Ginger Water had soaked enough, and the water temperature had dropped to around room temperature.

Filtering out excess residue, Lu Feng picked up the bowl of Scallion Ginger Water, pouring it into the Filling in small amounts multiple times while stirring with chopsticks.

Scallion Ginger Water could remove the gaminess from the pork Filling.

And after adding star anise and Sichuan pepper, it made the Filling's fragrance richer; this was the key to making the Filling tender and juicy.

After the Scallion Ginger Water in the bowl was poured out, Lu Feng stirred vigorously with chopsticks for a while, letting the liquid mix fully.

The Pork Skin Jelly bought from the mall had been refrigerated, so it could be used directly.

He cut the Pork Skin Jelly into small cubes and put them into the Filling.

Mixing Pork Skin Jelly into the Filling, when the xiaolongbao steamed in the Steamer Basket, it would melt into rich Soup/Juice.

Then he added light soy sauce, oyster sauce, White Sugar, and a Spoon of sesame oil.

Under the Max-level Xiaolongbao Technique's enhancement, Lu Feng controlled all seasoning amounts very perfectly.

After mixing uniformly, Lu Feng leaned over and sniffed hard; a strong fresh fragrance rushed straight to the top of his head from his nostrils.

Fragrant! Too fragrant!

Just smelling the aroma of the prepared xiaolongbao Filling made his mouth water uncontrollably.

"Gurgle gurgle..."

Lu Feng's stomach started growling uncontrollably again.

But it was no wonder; he had only eaten six xiaolongbao at noon, not enough to fill the gaps between his teeth.

Hold on a little longer, and he could soon eat delicious xiaolongbao.

Lu Feng silently hypnotized himself,

By this time the dough had risen almost enough, and the dough was twice as big as before.

Lu Feng took out the dough, placed it on the chopping board, and kneaded it hard for a while, then rolled the dough into a long stick shape and divided it into individual small dough portions.

Picking up the rolling pin, he rolled the dough portions into wrappers thick in the middle and thin at the edges.

Taking out the spoon, he scooped a spoonful of filling, placed it in the middle of the wrapper, and used his thumb to hold the filling in place.

While slowly turning with his left hand, his right hand quickly pinched up pleat after pleat until the steamed bun was completely sealed.

The wrapped steamed buns were placed into the prepared steamer basket, then he began wrapping the next one.

Lu Feng's fingers were very nimble, and his two hands worked together in perfect coordination.

If there had been an experienced pastry chef present at this time, they would surely have marveled at Lu Feng's proficient and exquisite technique.

Not long after, he had already wrapped three steamer baskets of steamed buns.

One steamer basket held six steamed buns, with enough space left between them to ensure they would not stick together after steaming and expanding.

Since he was making them for himself to eat, there was no need to wrap so many; three steamers were about enough to eat.

Lu Feng stood up, connected cold water into the steamer, and turned on the switch.

Next, he put the steamer basket holding the steamed buns into the steamer, adjusted to high heat, and began steaming.

The steamed buns steamed quickly; after the water boiled, steaming for 8 minutes would cook them.

The water under the steamer slowly began to boil as the temperature rose, and white steam also slowly rose in the steamer basket above.

The fragrance of the steamed buns began to spread in the steam, and the mouth-watering flavor instantly filled the entire kitchen.

8 minutes passed quickly, and Lu Feng hurriedly turned off the steamer's switch.

After steaming, he did not rush to take out the steamed buns, although he had long been unable to bear the fragrance permeating the kitchen.

Because there was still a key step to do next.

After turning off the fire, it still needed to simmer for two more minutes, otherwise the steamed buns would collapse due to too great a temperature difference.

For Lu Feng, who pursued perfection, this was unacceptable.

Two minutes seemed very short.

But at this moment Lu Feng felt it became incomparably long.

Finally, the two minutes that made him feel tormented passed.

Lu Feng impatiently lifted the lid of the steamer basket; after a cloud of white steam dispersed, six spotless, glistening steamed buns appeared before his eyes.

Without caring to admire the appearance of the steamed buns, Lu Feng quickly grabbed one, stuffed it into his mouth, and took a bite.

Unparalleled deliciousness exploded instantly in his mouth!

Lu Feng's soul seemed to feel an unprecedented impact!

He was shocked: Are these really the steamed buns I made?