Chapter 30: Four Dishes and One Soup!
"Who cooked the rice today? Why is it so delicious?" one worker asked.
"I heard that the former cook on the construction site has left, so it should be a new cook," another worker replied.
"Don't look, let's work quickly, finish the morning's work, and then go to eat, I'm already hungry," a third worker chimed in.
The workers gathered together and whispered to each other, discussing the situation in the kitchen. Many of them couldn't help but salivate after smelling the delightful aroma.
At the construction site kitchen, Qin Mu stood by the stove, tending to the almost-ready rice. He also prepared to cook four dishes and one soup. The food on the construction site was meant to be simple but nourishing, ensuring that the workers were well-fed and had the strength to work.
"One stir-fried pork with green peppers, one fish-flavored eggplant, one Kung Pao chicken, one stir-fried seasonal vegetables, plus a seaweed egg drop soup," Qin Mu decided on today's dishes. He called upon the twelve cooks who were eliminated earlier to help with washing, preparing vegetables, and chopping ingredients, as he couldn't prepare meals for hundreds of people alone.
"Look, everyone! The anchor is about to cook, and it's time to test his cooking skills!" a viewer exclaimed in the live broadcast room.
"What a big pot, this pot is ten times the size of my pot," another viewer commented.
"It's enough to feed fifty people at a time. I suspect that the host can't even season it properly," someone else remarked.
"The anchor's cooking is so good; the stir-frying skills shouldn't be much worse, right?" speculated another viewer.
In the live broadcast room, over 100,000 viewers were watching Qin Mu attentively, eager to see his cooking skills. Some keyboard warriors were ready to criticize him at any moment.
"Hot pan, add oil!" Qin Mu stood in front of the stove, waiting for the oil to reach the required temperature. He poured half a barrel of oil into the pan, and as the temperature gradually rose, he checked the heat by holding his hand about ten centimeters above the soil surface. He then added chopped onions, ginger, garlic, and other ingredients.
"Sizzle!" Suddenly, hot air erupted from the frying pan, creating a spark of fire that ignited the entire pot. Flames shot up into the sky, reaching a meter high, surprising the netizens in the live broadcast room.
"Good guy! I said he doesn't know how to cook, but he set the pot on fire!" one viewer exclaimed.
"Hurry up and add water to put out the fire; this is half a barrel of oil, it may explode!" another viewer urged.
"God damn it, add water to put out the fire, are you afraid that the anchor will not survive?" someone else commented.
Amid the barrage of comments, Qin Mu remained calm in front of the blazing fire. After a few seconds, he grabbed a large bowl of the main course and poured it into the fire. Simultaneously, he used a large spatula to control the flames, dividing them into four groups, and creating a spectacular display resembling fire dragons.
"Isn't this killing me? Not only did I not put out the fire, but I was playing with fire here. I was scared even through the screen," a viewer remarked.
"Damn it?! Have you noticed, the fire is low, it's gone already!" another viewer observed.
"Why did this happen? After frying and frying, the fire went out?" a curious viewer asked.
"What a fuss! It seems that the live broadcast room is full of laymen who haven't cooked before. The oil in the pan needs to reach the ignition point when it catches fire. The anchor added the main dish and used the quarter stir-fry method. When the ignition point is lowered, the fire will naturally go out!" an informed viewer explained.
After witnessing the flames gradually die down in the pot, the viewers were left surprised. The knowledgeable viewer from New Oriental once again explained patiently, putting some in their place.
This stir-fry method for big pot dishes allows the dishes to be cooked quickly without burning them. The open flame doesn't last long, and the dishes remain unharmed, ultimately reducing the cooking time.
Ten minutes later, with the help of the fire, Qin Mu successfully cooked the first dish. He remained composed throughout the entire process, impressing many viewers.
After an hour, mealtime approached. Qin Mu had prepared four dishes and one soup for hundreds of people and placed them in the temporary canteen on the construction site.
"Dinner time!" Qin Mu announced. The workers heard the news and eagerly put down their work, rushing to the temporary cafeteria.
Within minutes, more than 200 workers lined up in two long queues to get their food.
"Rice is on the left, and vegetables are on the right. Four dishes and one soup, if you don't have enough, feel free to take more," Qin Mu instructed as he stood at the front of the line.