Cooking System: Street Food Rules
Chapter 79: Top-notch ingredients and gourmet food, the second cafeteria is jammed again!

Chapter 79: Chapter 79: Top-notch ingredients and gourmet food, the second cafeteria is jammed again!

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[Exceeded the task requirement, receiving additional rewards: one Premium Deep Mountain Free-Range Chicken; Beggar’s Chicken recipe.]

[Deep Mountain Free-Range Chicken Meat: Sourced from free-range chickens in the deep mountains, fed on wild insects and vegetable leaves, resulting in firm-fleshed and highly nutritious meat.]

Today’s rewards were an ingredient and a recipe.

The ingredient was a rare find.

The taste of an animal differed based on the food it consumed as it grew. Take lamb as an example; those fed with fodder often taste gamey and have poorer meat quality. In contrast, lamb that grazes on grassland doesn’t taste as gamey, and its meat quality is excellent. The same goes for chicken and duck.

Nowadays, the majority of chicken farms raise poultry on fodder; free-range chickens that grow by eating insects and vegetable leaves are very rare.

Having now obtained a system-produced free-range chicken, Jiang Feng immediately became interested. The chicken had already been plucked and was ready to be cooked. The thoughtful system had also prepared the recipe, so naturally, tonight’s dinner would be Beggar’s Chicken.

The authentic way to make Beggar’s Chicken is to wrap it in lotus leaves, not aluminum foil. Many people believe Beggar’s Chicken was invented by beggars, but this is entirely incorrect. Beggar’s Chicken is not only an imperial dish but also ranks fourth among the ’six chickens and four ducks.’ The six chickens are: Ghost Town Spicy Chicken, Shaoxing Drunken Chicken, Fuli Town Roast Chicken, Beggar’s Chicken, King’s Departure, and Dezhou Braised Chicken. This dish is a legacy of Chinese culinary culture.

However, with today’s technological advancements, it is often wrapped in foil and baked in a specialized oven, omitting the need for the more troublesome lotus leaves and clay wrapping.

Jiang Feng, however, decided to make an authentic Beggar’s Chicken himself, taking advantage of an empty afternoon.

He phoned the butcher shop owner.

"You need a large lotus leaf?"

Upon hearing Jiang Feng’s request, the butcher shop owner was also perplexed. "What do you need that for?"

"Yeah, a lotus leaf," Jiang Feng confirmed.

"No problem, I’ll check at the flower market for you. Those flower enthusiasts are committed; I know some people grow lotuses in pots with large leaves. Getting one shouldn’t be a big issue," the butcher shop owner replied.

"Okay, thanks a lot," Jiang Feng said.

He breathed a sigh of relief. Good, there’s hope.

Then, Jiang Feng began preparing the seasonings and other ingredients. The chicken was already cleaned. Jiang Feng found a clean, transparent basin and placed the chicken inside. He added green onions, ginger, cooking wine, star anise, bay leaves, ground pepper, Sichuan pepper powder, salt, light soy sauce, and dark soy sauce to the basin. Next, he put on disposable gloves and gave the chicken a thorough massage.

*Real chicken massage therapy!*

The method of making Beggar’s Chicken is not complex. Jiang Feng massaged the chicken thoroughly, then put it in the refrigerator to marinate for at least two hours; it wouldn’t hurt to marinate for an extra hour or two. Meanwhile, he went to get the lotus leaf and clay.

The quality of raw materials for a dish is extremely important and can critically affect the taste. This time, having obtained a premium free-range chicken, Jiang Feng naturally wanted to do his best. After being out for an hour, Jiang Feng returned with the lotus leaf and clay.

He soaked the lotus leaf in saltwater in a basin to soften it. In another basin, he added half a bottle of baijiu to the clay without adding water, then mixed it into a mud. This way, the baked chicken wouldn’t have any earthy smell; instead, it would have a faint aroma of wine.

The only liquor available at home was Maotai. Maotai was something Jiang Feng had impulsively bought after receiving his first system reward, but he left it unused after tasting it a few times and not liking it. Now it was just right for mixing with the clay. It wasn’t that he was wasteful; he simply didn’t care for it and had no one to gift it to. It was using the item to its full potential, perfect for preparing the clay.

Then, the process became simple. He prepared and mixed the stuffing ingredients. Jiang Feng chose cured pork, sausage, shiitake mushrooms, wood ear mushrooms, longan, and goji berries, adding light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil, salt, and sugar to make a bowl of filling.

He stuffed all the filling into the chicken’s cavity. Then he wrapped it in two layers of lotus leaves to prevent any leakage. After tying it up with string, he coated it with the mud mixed with baijiu. He put it on a baking tray, placed it in the oven, and baked at 200 degrees Celsius for one hour and then at 180 degrees Celsius for another two hours.

Including the two and a half hours for marinating the chicken and additional preparation time, the dish took a total of about six hours to make.

A traditional delicacy is indeed a labor of love. For anyone else, spending six hours on a dish would definitely be madness. But for Jiang Feng, a chef, it was no big deal. Besides, during the three hours it was in the oven, he didn’t need to do anything but rest.

Jiang Feng continued to play with Little Black. Just over half a month had passed, and the little guy’s size had shot up a bit. The first time Jiang Feng saw him, he was tiny, resembling a fluffy slipper that could move. Now his size was comparable to that of a small teddy bear. This little fellow was full of energy, and both his body and legs felt exceptionally strong to the touch. Some dogs are slender; even if their bodies aren’t thin, their legs are very thin, making them seem unstable. Little Black, however, was robust and steady. Crucially, he was also smart. He knew how to follow commands, play fetch, and even proactively retrieve his leash. He was even less trouble than most pet dogs!

Jiang Feng played with Little Black for a while, then spent some time on his phone, adjusting the oven temperature midway.

It wasn’t until three hours later that he went to the oven to check on the Beggar’s Chicken. The mud had become dry and hard from the high heat of the oven, adhering to the outer lotus leaves. Thanks to the airtight seal, all the delightful aromas of the chicken were concentrated right in the meat.

Jiang Feng recalled making Beggar’s Chicken in his past life when his culinary skills weren’t great. When he had followed the Beggar’s Chicken recipe and placed the mud-coated chicken in the oven, the chicken had caught fire instantly. Later, he realized that he had used too much wine in the mud, which ignited and set the lotus leaves ablaze as well.

Today’s Beggar’s Chicken, however, turned out perfectly.

As the oven door opened, a warm gust scented with alcohol hit him. Because of the alcohol in the mud, this was the most prominent aroma at this stage.

After waiting for it to cool down a bit, Jiang Feng, wearing thermal gloves, took the baking tray out of the oven. He put on disposable gloves and scraped all the mud off with his hands. Instantly, the scent of lotus leaves and chicken filled the air.

He untied the string, peeled back the two layers of lotus leaves, and the thoroughly cooked chicken was fully exposed before him. The subtle fragrance of lotus leaves mingled with the rich aroma of roasted chicken, washing over him.

Jiang Feng changed gloves once more and began to savor this exquisite imperial dish.

He first tried a chicken leg. The whole chicken easily fell off the bone; the meat was tender and not at all dry or greasy. The fat from the chicken had rendered out, clinging to the surface of the skin. The fragrance of the stuffing inside also permeated the meat.

One bite, and his mouth was filled with aroma. The piping hot chicken meat entering his mouth was simply delicious. It was like walking from the freezing outdoors into a hot spring room during the depths of winter, warming his whole body.

Jiang Feng ate several more pieces of chicken, then handed the bones with some meat still on them to Little Black. The chicken bones, after being roasted for hours, were quite brittle and safe to feed directly to the dog, who could easily crunch them up. The powdered bone is also highly nutritious.

Jiang Feng continued to tear into the chicken and eat. This chicken was already an exceptional ingredient, and with such meticulous cooking, it was the most perfect Beggar’s Chicken. The flavor was truly exceptional.

Jiang Feng ate with increasing relish. Every now and then, he would also tear off some chicken meat and bones to feed Little Black. Chewing on the meat, he relished the deliciousness of the sauce in the chicken, savoring the scent of lotus leaves, longan, and shiitake mushrooms. This feeling was pure enjoyment.

Jiang Feng took his time, his hands never ceasing their work. Soon, only a chicken skeleton remained on the lotus leaves. Little Black, having had his fill of meat and crunchy bones, ran off contentedly to sleep in his bed.

"Whew, so satisfying!"

Jiang Feng removed his gloves and took a couple of deep breaths, trying to lessen the rich taste in his mouth. After drinking some plain water, he felt even better.

It would be great if I got more ingredient rewards. After all, ingredients are the foundation of good food. The same dish can taste worlds apart when made with different ingredients. To create such exquisite dishes, one must use top-quality ingredients, Jiang Feng thought to himself.

He stretched leisurely, feeling completely satisfied. Then he tidied up the table and the kitchen, went to his computer, and started to grind on Pals for work.

「...」

「The next day.」

It was still a beautiful day. It was day four of operating his stall at the University of Science and Technology.

Jiang Feng maintained his usual rhythm. The butcher shop owner had delivered even more ingredients to him. With the queue so long, Jiang Feng had prepared some extra food. He began to bustle about in the back kitchen. They were all common household dishes, quick to prepare.

Other stall owners were busy at their stoves too, but everyone had a different style. Jiang Feng, wearing a white apron and possessing a good physique and an air of poise, cooked with fiery zeal; occasionally, when he flipped the wok, flames would flare up from the stove. He was clearly a professional. The other owners simply added seasonings and stirred the food in their pans.

Watching Jiang Feng’s elegant performance, envy whispered in their hearts: Go on, cook all you want. Who can possibly outdo you anyway?

Jiang Feng, however, didn’t notice these sentiments, nor did he pay them any mind. He just focused on finishing the hot dishes, placing them in serving pans, and pushing them out. It was around noon, and business officially began.

Outside, a dense crowd had already formed.

The second cafeteria was jammed again!