"What task are you referring to, host?" the system countered, seemingly puzzled.
"Well, I'm about to enter the Chef God Trial Grounds. Shouldn't you issue a task like learning how to make a La Zhi Rou Jia Mo (Chinese hamburger) within one night, and then give me a reward?" Mai Ge asked matter of factly.
"This system currently has no tasks issued. Please choose your actions independently." the system calmly replied.
"If there's no reward, then I'm not happy learning." Mai Ge said, seemingly indifferent.
"After opening the experience pack, the Chef God Trial Grounds will disappear in twenty four hours. Please do as you see fit." the system replied, equally nonchalantly.
"Wow, this system has improved!" Mai Ge raised an eyebrow, surprised to be rebuffed. Was this the system's way of rebelling?
Seeing the 24 hours countdown on the door of the Chef God Trial Grounds, Mai Ge didn't bother arguing with the system. He simply pushed open the door with his consciousness, and just like last time, all his mental energy was swept away. When he opened his eyes again, he was already in that enclosed kitchen.
Mai Ge looked around and saw a large, round oven in the corner of the stove. Its outer shell was made of silver stainless steel; it was an electric oven, somewhat similar to a traditional charcoal grill, but simpler.
"This batch can bake at least fifteen Bai Ji Mo (buns); it's definitely much faster than making Yang Zhou Fried Rice." Mai Ge walked over, opened the lid, and nodded in satisfaction.
There was also a spice box nearby. Mai Ge opened it and found bay leaves, cinnamon, star anise… all the spices needed for braising meat were there.
Several large bags of flour were in the cupboard, half a cupboard of pork belly was in the refrigerator, and there was also a small pile of ribs.
"Alright, it's time to show off my real culinary skills." Mai Ge washed and dried his hands, took a large piece of pork belly from the refrigerator, washed it, cut it into 15 centimeters long and 10 centimeters wide pieces, and then put it in a large jar with various seasonings to marinate.
The marinating time usually takes more than a day, but since this is within the Chef God Space, that time is automatically eliminated. After five minutes, the marinating is complete. The marinated meat is then placed in a pot with various spices and seasonings. After bringing it to a boil over high heat, the foam is skimmed off, and then it's simmered over low heat for two hours. That's how a serving of La Zhi Rou (braised juicy meat) is made.
During the braising process, Mai Ge also had his first experience working with flour.
After practicing Yang Zhou Fried Rice tens of thousands of times, Mai Ge's knife skills were sufficient for 80% of kitchen situations. However, kneading dough was different; it wasn't just a technical skill, but also physically demanding.
Although the system restored his stamina every hour, kneading dough was incredibly strenuous. He needed to rest after just ten minutes or so before continuing. His current physical condition was truly terrible; it took him over an hour to knead just one lump of dough.
After kneading the dough, let it rest for half an hour. Then, pinch off small dough balls, stretch them into long, thin strips, spread some sesame oil on them, sprinkle with a little salt and pepper, roll them up, flatten them into a disc shape, and then roll them out into a circle with a rolling pin. This completes the preparation of a raw dough disc.
He turned on the oven, preheated it, and placed the discs on a griddle to set their shape. Then he stood them upright against the oven wall until they were fully baked. This batch yielded sixteen Bai Ji Mo (buns).
Mai Ge took one of the baked Bai Ji Mo (buns) out of the oven to examine it. Since it was his first time making them, the shape was a little crooked and there were some cracks; it wasn't a complete success.
The braised pork was almost ready. Opening the lid, the aroma of the braised pork wafted out. The light brown pork looked quite good, though a few pieces had fallen apart; it still needed improvement.
Recalling the Rou Jia Mo (Chinese hamburger) he ate in Xi An in his past life, and the comments and demands he made on Weibo afterwards, these had now become his own expectations. His expression suddenly became somewhat strange.
It's true what they say, karma works its magic; He had brought trouble upon himself.
He wondered when he'll be able to make a Rou Jia Mo like that again.
Then, Mai Ge began the somewhat monotonous process of repeatedly making La Zhi Rou Jia Mo. However, having learned from his previous experience, he was now completely calm and didn't feel uneasy at all from spending so much time in the enclosed kitchen.
He didn't know how many times he'd done it, but when the countdown on the wall reached 335 days, Mai Ge skillfully took a Bai Ji Mo from the oven. With a thin knife, he lightly sliced the edge, creating a slit. He then took a piece of braised pork from a nearby pot, chopped it on a cutting board, stuffed it all into the slit of the bun, poured a small spoonful of braised pork sauce over it, and a steaming La Zhi Rou Jia Mo was ready.
"System, this time it should work, right?" Mai Ge asked expectantly.
"Based on the host's previous life's evaluation requirements:
1. Fragrant meat, lean meat without leaving any residue, fatty meat without being greasy—achieved;
2. White bun, crispy crust and tender interior, hollow center, with a ring-shaped edge and a chrysanthemum-like center—achieved;
3. Delicious meat, crispy bun, soft filling, and bursting with flavor with every bite—achieved.
Congratulations, host, you have achieved all three requirements for the La Zhi Rou Jia Mo (Chinese hamburger), successfully mastered the recipe of La Zhi Rou Jia Mo (Chinese Hamburger), unlocked the purchase permission for the necessary ingredients, and unlocked the usage permission for the required kitchen utensils." The system's voice rang out.
"Perfect." Mai Ge immediately opened his mouth and took a bite of the Rou Jia Mo in his hand. The crispy bun became slightly soft after being soaked in the meat juices. Biting into the fatty but not greasy braised meat released the delicious sauce. One bite, and his mouth was filled with oil, making him involuntarily close his eyes. This feeling was simply too satisfying.
The moment he swallowed a bite of Rou Jia Mo, Mai Ge abruptly opened his eyes from the bed. His mouth moved, but he felt utterly tasteless.
Recalling the delicious meat gravy that had just assaulted his taste buds, he was instantly wide awake. Gently turning on the bedside lamp, Mai Ge glanced at the time: 12 a.m.
He had only been in the Chef God Trial Grounds for thirty days, most of which had been spent practicing making Bai Ji Mo so only two hours had passed in reality.
After getting up, putting on his shoes, and changing into his chef's uniform, Mai Ge quietly turned off the lights and went downstairs into the kitchen. Sure enough, there was a new oven in the corner of the stove, and all the spices and seasonings were ready. The refrigerator, which had previously been crammed with ingredients for Yang Zhou Fried Rice, now had a separate section filled with pork belly—the same layout as in the Chef God Trial Grounds.
Mai Ge grabbed an apron, tied it on, and took out two large pieces of pork belly from the refrigerator. After washing and cutting them into chunks, he put them in a large jar, added various spices and seasonings, and marinated them.
After all, in reality, the system wouldn't skip the marinating step for him. Although it took a little longer than expected, it should be ready by tomorrow morning, and he could make Amy an authentic La Zhi Rou Jia Mo (Chinese hamburger) for breakfast.
Imagining Amy happily eating the Rou Jia Mo, Mai Ge's smile grew even brighter.