The first thing I did was to find out

Chapter 165 Zheng Da’s Teaching

Although Zheng Da considers himself a low-key famous teacher, he still has obvious shortcomings compared to real famous teachers.

His language is very poor.

This can be seen from the fact that Zheng Da went to Yunzhong Canteen to guide Qin Huai a long time ago.

His language is basically limited to: You understand this, right? I’m talking about this, not that. The key point is this, this is the feeling, right, right, it’s this, not that.

Purely encrypted conversations.

Although Zheng Da was well prepared this time, he still failed to overcome the language barrier.

Zheng Da chose not to overcome it and gave up directly.

As long as there is no language in the teaching process, there are no difficulties to overcome!
Teaching with language is something that only a master like Huang Shengli who has never taught a genius would do. Zheng Da said that geniuses like them don't need language and can just demonstrate directly.

Zheng Da was well prepared.

In order to prevent his teaching content from being too boring, he tried to do some fancy moves when taking out the crab meat and crab roe, wanting to show Qin Huai his superb crab meat picking technique, but ended up taking too much crab meat.

It’s okay, just add water if there’s too much flour, and add flour if there’s too much water. This formula applies to most dim sum.

Just add a little more.

The process of making dim sum fillings is full of uncertainties. The simplest thing is that the single filling is not well controlled, and the more complicated thing is that there is a problem with a single ingredient. For example, the sweet potato is not sweet enough, the pepper is too spicy, and the carrot tastes too strong...

Making dim sum is not about applying formulas to problems. Once you have learned the examples, you can apply the formula to all similar problems. To be precise, whether it is red or white, most dishes are like this. The more difficult the dish, the greater the uncertainty. Problems may occur at any time during the production process.

Just like the recipe for longevity noodles that Qin Huai obtained, it was clearly an S-grade longevity noodles, but because the head chef had something to do and asked the assistant chef to watch the heat, and the assistant chef was distracted and the heat went awry, this was an extremely rare and outrageous situation, and the S-grade longevity noodles were turned into A-grade.

Zheng Da’s situation cannot even be considered a failure, it is just a small episode in the dim sum making process.

Ignoring these minor incidents, there is nothing impeccable about Zheng Da's craftsmanship.

When it comes to kneading dough, Zheng Da's level of making a simple siomai skin that is thick inside and thin outside is simply a dimensionality reduction attack. He doesn't even need to be serious about it. Just like Qin Huai kneading the dough for ordinary noodles, he can still complete it by muscle memory while being absent-minded.

In terms of seasoning, Zheng Da's seasoning level is far higher than Zheng Siyuan and Qin Huai. Qin Huai's seasoning is certified by the game system. Based on the rating of the game system, he thinks Zheng Da's seasoning must be at the master level.

Just like the lack of language in Zheng Da’s teaching, Zheng Da’s seasoning is basically based on intuition.

The chef's intuition.

After chopped shrimp, crab meat and crab roe were put in a bowl, Zheng Da did not need to find a small bowl to put a small amount of seasoning to test the degree, he just added the ingredients, salt, Shaoxing wine and sesame oil directly. Watching his seasoning process, Huang Anyao, an outsider, would never be able to tell that seasoning crab roe siu mai is difficult, because Zheng Da did it too casually.

Flowing smoothly and done in one go.

It's not as smooth as a master's, but when watching Huang Shengli making the three-set duck, outsiders can clearly tell that Huang Shengli is a master with superb skills, because the process of making it is very impressive.

But when watching Zheng Da making crab roe siu mai, those who don't know the business can't see the tricks at all, and will think that this middle-aged chef is just so-so and not very serious about making dim sum. It feels like he just does this and that, stirs it randomly, and the filling is ready to start wrapping the siu mai.

Fortunately, Zheng Da’s skill in wrapping siomai is very beautiful.

With quick movements and skilled techniques, each of the steamed dumplings is beautiful, similar in size and appearance, and looks like they were produced on an assembly line.

Zheng Da has still retained the basic skills he acquired as a pastry chef in a state-owned restaurant in his early years.

The main focus is high efficiency and fast work.

Zheng Da hardly said a word during the whole process of making the crab roe dumplings, right until they were put into the steamer.

Purely made.

Qin Huai was watching very seriously from the side.

The crab roe steamed buns in the pot were still steaming. Qin Huai had never eaten crab roe steamed buns so he didn't know what it tasted like, nor could he imagine what it would taste like, but he was already looking forward to it.

certainly delicious!

Qin Huai had never felt so intuitively that Zheng Da was a top-notch white-casserole chef with superb skills.

No wonder Huang Shengli always criticizes Zheng Da. Seeing his junior fellow apprentice with outstanding skills give up cooking and go into business, achieving financial freedom, living a happy life like a god every day, and having a son with great talent to inherit his skills, if he were Huang Shengli, he would also criticize Zheng Da.

"Xiao Qin, how was it? Did you understand it just now? It doesn't matter if you didn't understand it. The seasoning of this crab roe steamed bun is indeed quite complicated. If you feel that you don't understand it the first time, wait until this batch of steamed buns comes out of the pot and taste it first to feel the flavor. I will make it for you again, and then you can try it yourself."

"Oh, it's already past three o'clock. If you do it again, you won't have time to try it. It's okay. You can learn to digest it today and try it tomorrow. There's no rush. Your Master Huang has to do physical therapy tomorrow afternoon and has no time to come."

"I have to tell him that this back disease is not a small problem and he needs more physical therapy. It's useless to do physical therapy for just two days after finally getting better. He needs to do it for a few more days!"

Qin Huai:......

Is it possible that Huang Shengli was not seen every morning because he was doing physical therapy in the morning?

Qin Huai decided to chat first.

"Master Zheng, I've actually always been a little curious. How did you and Master Huang learn cooking back then? Did you learn it the same way you are teaching me now?" Qin Huai asked.

It's no wonder that he was curious. It was just that the teaching methods of Zheng Da and Huang Shengli were so different that it didn't seem like they were taught by the same master.

"Back then." Zheng Da couldn't help but reveal a nostalgic look when he heard Qin Huai ask this, "Did your Master Huang tell you about it?"

Qin Huai shook his head.

Zheng Da immediately became excited and said, "Then I have to talk to you carefully!"

"My senior brother and I have known each other since we were young. Our parents worked in the same unit and both worked in a silk weaving factory. At that time, there were many children in the family, and my father was the only one who had a job. My mother could only do odd jobs and lived a tight life. I have six brothers and sisters in my family, and I am the fourth oldest, sandwiched in the middle. I was hungry every day and felt anxious. Your Master Huang was in a similar situation. He had fewer children, only three, and he was the eldest. However, his grandmother had tuberculosis and had to take medicine all year round. The situation at home was even worse than mine."

"At that time, being a chef in a state-owned restaurant was a good job. Although my master had a face injury and a lame leg due to the war when he was young, he was a good cook. Among the several state-owned restaurants in the city at that time, my master's cooking skills were the best. Whenever there was an important banquet, my master would be the chef. When foreign guests and foreign business leaders came, they would specifically ask my master to cook. At that time, there were state-owned factories around here. We, the children of state-owned factories, might not know who the factory director was, but we definitely knew who Master Jing was."

"One day, my master announced that he wanted to take in a few apprentices. Xiao Qin, you don't know how sensational that news was. My master was already over 30 years old at that time and had not married. Even matchmakers knocked on his door but failed to persuade him. At that time, we took in apprentices as half-sons. My master had no children, so he took in apprentices to pass on his skills to them and let them take care of him in his old age. My senior brother and I also went through layers of selection, and even defeated the workshop director's son to stand out and become the master's apprentices!"

Zheng Da's face lit up as he spoke, and he was almost like Uncle Wang reminiscing about the past.

Qin Huai felt that Zheng Da was not dumb, he was good at speaking and had a lot to say. He asked Zheng Da how Master Jing taught his apprentices, and Zheng Da talked a lot, but didn't get to the point.

"Then how did Master Jing teach you and Master Huang?" Qin Huai asked.

"Just like what I am doing today, teaching you step by step." Zheng Da said.

"First, we practiced basic skills, such as horse stance, hanging sandbags, moving bricks, and building strength. Then we cut vegetables, kneaded dough, flipped pots, and flipped sand. My master's way of teaching his apprentices is actually very traditional and luxurious. His philosophy is to first let the apprentices have enough food, keep their bodies healthy and nutritious, and then build strength, eat good food, and train their tongues."

"At that time, my senior brother and I were both skinny boys. Master let me live in his house. I didn't learn anything in the first six months. I just ate. I had a full bowl of white rice, two big bowls a day. If that wasn't enough, we would eat whole grain steamed buns, corn, and sweet potatoes. Not only rice, but also vegetables. Master would cook meat for us every now and then. At that time, let alone call me Master, he would just call me Dad. I would be happy to call me Dad Master."

Qin Huai couldn't help but laugh.

Zheng Da also said cheerfully: "Don't laugh, Xiao Qin. This sounds funny, but under the circumstances at that time, our master was really no different from our reborn parents."

"At that time, we not only had enough food every day, but also new clothes for the Chinese New Year. Huang Shengli was the eldest in the family, and his brothers and sisters all picked up his old clothes to wear. He wore new clothes and felt that a full man did not feel hungry. I am the fourth child, and the clothes I wore had been through four hands before they came to me. They were basically patched clothes. I never wore second-hand clothes, let alone new clothes. When the master made me a new set of clothes for the Chinese New Year of the first year, I was reluctant to wear them. I secretly took them off and held them in my arms before going to bed at night."

"At that time, I swore that when I became a chef in a state-owned restaurant and had a salary, I would buy clothes for my master every Chinese New Year."

"What a pity..." Zheng Da sighed, "I didn't become the chef of the state-owned restaurant. They looked down on a plain pastry chef like me and let Huang Shengli take the job. I didn't even buy clothes for my master for a few years before he..."

"But it's okay. Although I don't have any disciples, I have many nephews. Xiao Qin, you can ask Dong Shi and the others. I didn't give the most red envelopes during the Chinese New Year that year. Huang Shengli can't compare with me at all. Xiao Qin, don't worry, as long as you are willing to take me as your master, your red envelope will definitely be the biggest, bigger than all theirs combined!"

"We buy clothes not only during the Chinese New Year, but every season. We can buy any brand. If you don't like those branded goods, we can also ask Gong Liang to customize them. He not only does silk business, but also sells clothes. He has his own brand. You can wear whatever you want!"

Qin Huai felt that the topic had gone off track, so he led the conversation back: "After you finish practicing the basics, will Master Jing teach you and Master Huang just like you did today when you made crab roe steamed buns?"

Zheng Da nodded: "Almost the same, my master teaches in the traditional way, bringing the apprentice to his side to do odd jobs in the kitchen, watching first and then learning. Watch with your eyes first, if you can see with your eyes, you don't need to be taught, and if you can't see with your eyes, then ask. With the master demonstrating again and again in front of you for years, even the dumbest apprentice can be led into the door." "When you have learned enough, you can work as an apprentice and be independent."

"When I first started selling fermented glutinous rice steamed buns in a state-owned restaurant, my neighbors despised me to death. They all said that the fermented glutinous rice steamed buns I made were not as good as those made by my master. I am not afraid to tell you that I sold steamed buns in the state-owned restaurant during the day and went home at night to cry secretly in my room, thinking that I had brought shame to my master."

"My senior brother is in much the same situation. His dishes also received rave reviews."

"In fact, when I think about it later, the neighbors didn't say anything bad. Although they said that my cooking skills were far inferior to my master's, they still bought a lot of steamed buns and there were long queues every day. It's normal that I'm not as good as my master. Not to mention that I was still a young boy and my cooking skills were not as good as my master's, I'm still not as good as my master now."

"Sometimes I think that being a master is better than being an apprentice. If the apprentice doesn't do well, people will say that it's unavoidable and that a famous teacher may not produce a good apprentice. If the apprentice does well, then he is better than his master, and the master will be proud of it when he tells others about it."

"I'm already this old, and it's impossible for me to surpass my master in this lifetime. But if I have an apprentice who can surpass me, then I, Zheng Da, won't have spent my time in the criminal circle in vain."

As he spoke, Zheng Da looked at Qin Huai with sharp eyes.

Qin Huai:......

No, Master Zheng, you just want to reminisce about the past, why do you need to bring in your own agenda?
When Uncle Wang reminisces about the past, he never has any ulterior motives in his words; it is just a pure reminiscence of the past.

Qin Huai really wanted to say that he really had no intention of becoming a disciple.

If it were a few years ago, when he was still in high school or college, the game system had not been activated, and he had not inherited any inheritance, Qin Huai might really be willing to apprentice to a wealthy and skilled master of white case like Zheng Da.

But it’s different now, now we have a system.

Also inherited the estate.

There is also the inheritance that is about to be inherited.

Life is so abundant that I can’t find any goals to strive for.

Qin Huai felt that his current goal was to make the recipe given by the game system, and victory would be achieved if he could make S-grade locust flower steamed buns.

Become a disciple.

He has been accustomed to the wild ways for so many years and really has no thoughts in this regard.

Qin Huai thought about it and said directly: "Master Zheng, I have no plans to become your apprentice now."

Zheng Da didn't expect Qin Huai to speak so directly. He was stunned for a moment, but quickly convinced himself.

Just because there is none now doesn’t mean there won’t be none in the future.

Or I haven't shown myself enough.

It’s all Huang Shengli’s fault. Why was he in such a hurry to see the world? He disrupted his plans.

"It's okay, let's... Hey, it seems like it's time to prepare the shaomai. Let me check the time, there's still one minute left, let's eat some shaomai first."

After eating it, you will know how awesome I, your future master, am!

One minute later, the crab roe steamed buns were ready.

Qin Huai didn't have Qin Luo's iron mouth, so he couldn't stuff the freshly-cooked snacks into his mouth. He took the small plate and put three steamed buns on it, then stepped aside and waited for the steamed buns to cool down to a temperature that was suitable for eating.

As for why Qin Huai stepped aside.

Because there were many people queuing up with small plates waiting to get the shaomai.

Zheng Da took the initiative to make crab roe steamed buns. The probability of this happening is no different from red rain from the sky.

Normally, when Zheng Da takes the initiative to make a steamed bun with fermented glutinous rice wine, the staff in Huangji's kitchen would wonder if Zheng Da had made a big deal and earned eight figures, so he was so happy to give back to the public. Crab roe siu mai may not be better than steamed bun with fermented glutinous rice wine, but it is definitely more complicated than steamed bun with fermented glutinous rice wine.

Seasoning is too difficult. The first seasoning method Zheng Da mentioned is no different from the secret recipe. Ordinary chefs would rather use the second method than challenge the difficulty. This seasoning requirement reaches the level of a master chef, which in a sense also makes it difficult for chefs.

It looks easy for Zheng Da to make crab roe steamed buns because he has the technique. Being skilled and bold means being confident, but it doesn't mean it is really easy.

Let me put it this way. This afternoon, Huang Anyao was in the hospital with Huang Shengli for physical therapy. When he heard that Zheng Da had made crab roe steamed buns, he immediately begged the enthusiastic people in the kitchen on WeChat to save two for him so that he could come over to eat in the evening.

Please, since he is the young master, leave two for him!
The young master hasn’t eaten the crab roe steamed buns made by Zheng Da for three and a half years!
Huang Anyao is still begging everywhere.

The crab roe steamed buns on the Qinhuai plate are already at a temperature that is ready to eat.

The siomai looks great.

Zheng Da specially made the shape and put egg skin on the top of the steamed buns as decoration.

The steamed buns are small, and if Qin Luo were to eat them, he could eat one at a time without stopping.

Qin Huai chose to take a bite and half to taste it.

Entrance.

fresh.

He knew that "fresh" was a very general adjective, but the taste of this steamed bun was really fresh.

The siu mai skin is thin and a bit chewy, with no taste. It is best served with fresh shrimp filling.

Qin Huai had never known before that fresh shrimp filling and crab meat and crab roe go so well together.

The taste of shrimp meat is very light. People who often eat shrimp know that when fresh live shrimp are boiled in plain water, you can taste the unique sweetness of the shrimp meat.

The crab meat is just as light as the shrimp meat, and also has a hint of the unique sweetness of crab meat.

Crab roe is different. Compared with the above two ingredients, crab roe has a very strong taste.

These three ingredients, with the help of a small amount of deodorizing seasoning, combine to create a rather wonderful taste.

Qin Huai had eaten crab roe soup dumplings before and had also learned to make them. He always thought that crab roe would taste better if it was made into soup dumplings with soup to slightly dilute the overbearing taste.

But the crab roe steamed buns in front of him told him that this was not the case.

As long as the combination is good, as long as the seasoning level is sufficient, as long as the taste of fresh shrimp and crab meat can be fully displayed in the steamed dumplings, and the several ingredients are combined with each other without overshadowing the main ingredients and without losing their original flavor, it will be delicious.

good to eat!

Purely delicious seasoning.

There is not much pastry-making skills involved; the taste is simply due to the fillings and fresh ingredients.

This is pure craftsmanship!

Qin Huai suddenly felt a little jealous of Gong Liang.

He can actually eat crab roe steamed buns that are even more delicious than this for a month!

What kind of family conditions!

You can’t eat like this, the head of the sales department. You won’t be able to eat for the rest of your life.

No wonder he kept pestering Huang Shengli and Zheng Da to do something good for him every day. It turned out that he was just too picky.

It's so enviable. He also wants to cultivate his taste buds in this way.

Qin Huai shed tears of jealousy in his heart.

(End of this chapter)