Siheyuan: Tathagata's Palm suppresses the entire courtyard!

Xu Mingjie's continuous improvement in cooking skills has gradually made him one of the core figures in the restaurant. He is not only good at traditional dishes, but also has unique insights on innovative dishes. One day, Xu Mingjie's good friend Zhang Yu suddenly found him. Zhang Yu is also a chef, but he works in another restaurant. The two became friends because of their common interests and hobbies. Zhang Yu is cheerful and his cooking style is bold, sometimes even a little unconventional, which Xu Mingjie admires very much.

"Mingjie, I have an idea. Let's make a special dish together. What do you think?" Zhang Yu said excitedly as soon as he entered the door.

Xu Mingjie put down the knife in his hand and smiled slightly: "Tell me, what is the special dish?"

Zhang Yu came over mysteriously and said in a low voice, "I've been researching a fusion dish recently. I want to combine several seemingly incompatible ingredients to make a special dish. We can use some local ingredients and add some modern cooking techniques to make an unprecedented dish."

After listening to this, Xu Mingjie's eyes flashed with interest. He has always liked challenges and innovations, and this idea suits him just fine. So he nodded and said, "This is a good idea, but how do you do it specifically? Do you have a plan?"

Zhang Yu patted his chest and smiled, "Of course we have a plan! We can use fresh and tender duck meat as the main ingredient, and pair it with sweet and sour fruits, such as pineapple, to increase the taste. And then add some special spices to make a sweet and sour duck dish. This dish not only has a unique flavor, but also has an unexpectedly refreshing feeling."

Xu Mingjie pondered for a moment and had some ideas in mind. He felt that this idea had great potential, but it also needed to be handled with caution, especially in the combination of ingredients and the control of the heat. If you are not careful, the taste may lose balance.

"I think this is a good idea, but in order to perfectly blend the flavors of duck and pineapple, I need to find the right seasoning and cooking method. The specific steps have begun to emerge in my mind.

Seeing Xu Mingjie's interest, Zhang Yu immediately said enthusiastically: "I have done several experiments and the results are pretty good, but I always feel that there is something missing. Let's try it together and see if we can make it more perfect."

The two hit it off and decided to use the time after the restaurant closed in the evening to study this special dish together. At night, the restaurant was quiet and there were only two of them in the kitchen. Xu Mingjie took out the fresh duck meat, while Zhang Yu prepared pineapple and some special spices. The two had a clear division of labor, Xu Mingjie was responsible for processing the duck meat, and Zhang Yu focused on preparing the sauce.

Xu Mingjie skillfully cuts the duck meat into even pieces, soaks it in water to remove the fishy smell, and then slowly cooks it at low temperature until it is 80% done, retaining the tenderness of the meat. At the same time, Zhang Yu is also preparing the sauce. He cuts the pineapple into small pieces and boils it with some spices and sugar to fully blend the sweet and sour flavors.

The two worked well together, and soon the kitchen was filled with a rich aroma. Xu Mingjie took out the cooked duck meat, gently shook off the water, and then put them into the oil pan and fried them quickly until the skin was golden and crispy. Then, he put the fried duck meat into the sauce prepared by Zhang Yu and stir-fried it, so that each piece of duck meat was evenly coated with the sweet and sour sauce.

"Mingjie, try it. How does it taste?" Zhang Yu asked as he stir-fried the food, with anticipation in his eyes.

Xu Mingjie picked up a piece of duck meat and took a bite. The sweet and sour sauce and the aroma of duck meat burst out in his mouth, instantly filling his taste buds. The sweet and sour taste was perfectly combined with the freshness of duck meat, which had both the traditional richness and a hint of freshness.

"Not bad, especially the balance of sour and sweet." Xu Mingjie said approvingly, his eyes full of appreciation.

Zhang Yu smiled and said proudly: "I knew you would like it! But do you think there is anything that can be improved?"

Xu Mingjie thought for a moment, nodded and said, "The sweet and sour taste of the sauce is indeed very good, but I think we can add a little bit of shredded ginger to increase the spicy layering, so that the taste will be richer."

"That's a good idea!" Zhang Yu immediately took action, adding shredded ginger to the sauce and stir-frying again. With the addition of shredded ginger, the aroma of the whole dish became more three-dimensional. Both of them nodded involuntarily, thinking that this dish was close to perfection.

After the dishes were finished, they brought out a few small dishes, intending to let He Yuzhu and the other chefs taste them. He Yuzhu walked into the kitchen and saw the two busy figures, with a smile on his face: "What new tricks are you two doing?"

"Brother He, we have made a new special dish and would like to invite you to try it." He handed over a small plate of sweet and sour duck.

He Yuzhu picked up a piece of duck meat and tasted it carefully, with a satisfied look on his face: "Not bad, this dish is very creative and tastes unique. The balance of sweet and sour is very good, and the addition of shredded ginger also makes the whole dish more layered."

After hearing He Yuzhu's comments, Zhang Yu said happily: "Since Master He praised it, our dish is a success!"

Xu Mingjie also smiled, feeling satisfied. He knew that this was not just the success of a dish, but also a new breakthrough and attempt. Every innovation was an improvement in their cooking skills, and this cooperation also deepened his friendship with Zhang Yu.

In the following days, Xu Mingjie and Zhang Yu continued to improve this sweet and sour duck, and each time they made new discoveries and progress. In the end, this dish became the signature dish of the restaurant and was loved by customers. Xu Mingjie knew that such success was inseparable from Zhang Yu's creativity and the tacit cooperation between the two.

One day, the restaurant welcomed a special guest. This guest was a food critic, known for his critical eyes and sharp comments. When he walked into the restaurant, everyone felt a little nervous because they knew that this person's comments could directly affect the reputation of the restaurant.

After hearing the news, Xu Mingjie couldn't help but feel a little nervous. He was confident in his cooking skills, but facing such a guest, he still had some concerns in his heart. He understood that this was not only a test for himself, but also a challenge for the entire restaurant.

He Yuzhu walked up to Xu Mingjie, patted his shoulder, and said in a calm but encouraging tone: "Mingjie, don't feel stressed, just cook as usual. Remember, the most important thing about food is its taste and the thought behind it." He took a deep breath and suppressed the tension in his heart. He decided to personally prepare one of his best dishes for the critic - the improved sweet and sour duck.