Chapter 80: Night Fragrance Skewers, Incredibly Satisfying
Chapter 80: Chapter 80: Night Fragrance Skewers, Incredibly Satisfying
The process for the meat was similar.
After cutting everything into suitable sizes, Lu Wu took out a bundle of bamboo skewers and began the painstaking task of skewering the ingredients.
At this moment, she really missed her three "gofers."
She had asked before coming. Qin Zhan and Jiang Yunhe both had to return to their Sects for business, likely related to the Fire Secret Realm.
Meanwhile, Lou Xiaotian felt his strength was a bit lacking, so he went home to raid Lou Batian’s treasury before entering seclusion. It was unknown when he would emerge.
Without her gofers to order around, Lu Wu looked at Dahuang squatting nearby and Huohuo occasionally flying through the air, and felt a pang of envy.
The thought of having to skewer ingredients endlessly for the next few days made Lu Wu feel like her arms were about to fall off.
"Sigh, isn’t there some Spell that could help with this?"
A woman of action, Lu Wu immediately started searching on the One World Communication.
The Green Origin Realm was full of all sorts of strange and wonderful Spells. Some were powerful and used for combat, while others were invented simply to make life more convenient.
Lu Wu searched for a good while and found that such a thing actually existed.
The Wind Cutting Technique. Just as its name implied, it was straightforward and easy to understand.
It manipulated the wind in the air to cut target objects. It was just a very ordinary Spell; for some Cultivators, the damage it caused couldn’t even break through their defenses.
But Lu Wu didn’t need to break through any defenses.
She gave it a try. After circulating her Spiritual Power according to the tutorial, tiny wind blades appeared around her.
Lu Wu guided the wind blades to start processing the ingredients.
It was slow at first. The meat slices were uneven in thickness and required Lu Wu to process them a second time.
But as Lu Wu grew more familiar with this Magic, the knife skills she displayed would make even top-tier chefs admit defeat.
Holding up a slice of lean meat, Lu Wu could see the light and shadows on the other side through it.
’These knife skills are top-notch.’
"I’m such a genius."
With the help of the Wind Cutting Technique, Lu Wu’s efficiency increased dramatically.
She discovered that the Dust Clearing Technique also worked on the food. After casting the Spell, any dirt and dried blood on them would disappear.
Still, for her own peace of mind, Lu Wu washed them again with clean water just in case.
After all was said and done and the ingredients were prepared, Lu Wu stood up, rubbing her waist and sighing dramatically.
"So tiring."
But she wasn’t done yet.
The key to delicious skewers, besides having good enough ingredients, was a broth with enough kick.
To cater to different customers’ tastes, Lu Wu decided to prepare three types of broth: clear, spicy, and numbing peppercorn.
The clear broth was the simplest.
Lu Wu planned to make a rich stock using chicken and duck carcasses, as well as pork and beef bones.
After washing these ingredients, she put them in a pot of water and brought it to a boil. She also had to add ginger and white wine to remove any gamey taste. Once it boiled, she skimmed off the scum.
Then, she removed them and placed them in a separate, clean, large pot.
Spices like garlic, star anise, cinnamon, and black cardamom also had to be added to build a base flavor.
After bringing it to a boil again, Lu Wu controlled the heat to maintain a medium-low simmer. The next step was to let time elevate the quality of the clear broth as it cooked.
Lu Wu prepared a large amount of this rich stock, as the spicy and numbing peppercorn broths would also use it as a base.
Amidst the rising steam and smoke, a meaty aroma began to waft over the small courtyard.
Huohuo squatted on Dahuang’s head, directing him to run back and forth. Dahuang, who had completely become her little underling, sniffed the air and was about to start drooling again.
Gluttonous dog.
And so, the dog received a sharp peck on the snout from the bird.
"CHIRP!"
’Hold it in! Don’t be embarrassing.’
Huohuo knew they were on someone else’s territory. Even if no one was watching, she wouldn’t allow Dahuang to disgrace them.
"WOOF!"
Dahuang pouted.
’I, Gou Aotian, am becoming more and more of a pushover.’
’This tyrannical bird’s pecks really hurt.’
But when he thought about the big bones he would get to eat later, Gou Aotian felt that this bit of bullying was nothing.
SIZZLE, SIZZLE.
That was the sound of hot oil being poured over green rattan peppers.
A pot of intensely numbing rattan pepper oil was set aside.
She cleaned the wok and poured in a generous amount of oil.
She stir-fried cumin, dried Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and cassia bark until fragrant, then tossed in dried chilies, scallions, garlic, and ginger slices.
After the aroma of all the spices was fully released, Lu Wu added broad bean paste.
Under the right heat, the broad bean paste was fried until it released its red oil.
Now it was time for the rich stock to make its entrance.
She poured it into the spicy broth base and continued to simmer it.
The pure, rich stock and the stimulating spicy base swirled together in the pot, creating a brilliant red color.
Just the broth base alone was enough to make one’s mouth water and whet one’s appetite.
Only after all these preparations were complete did Lu Wu finally have time to rest.
Late at night, Lu Wu estimated the time and set out with her stall and her two beasts.
Hong’an City was a city that never slept.
The streets were still brightly lit.
Their powerful physiques gave Cultivators boundless energy. Many of them weaved through the crowds, creating a vibrant tapestry of mortal life.
However, as she walked on, Lu Wu noticed that the closer she got to her stall’s location, the fewer pedestrians she encountered.
When Lu Wu stepped onto Free Street, she found it was so quiet she couldn’t even hear the chirping of birds or the buzzing of insects.
A host of ghost stories immediately floated through her mind.
Fortunately, lanterns were lit at the entrance of the Heaven and Earth Casino in the middle of the street, and their flickering candlelight brought a small measure of comfort.
Lu Wu rubbed her arms, gave herself a pep talk to muster her courage, and walked toward her designated spot.
The casino’s main doors were closed.
An Array had been carved into the doors, isolating all sound from within. Lu Wu couldn’t tell if the casino’s business was good or not.
If all went as expected, the success of her mission would depend on this casino’s customer traffic.
The four words, "Heaven and Earth Casino," were carved in large script on the plaque. But after looking at them for just a few moments, Lu Wu felt a little dizzy.
’It seems to contain a strange power... one that’s giving me the urge to go inside and gamble.’
Lu Wu’s expression changed.
She quickly averted her gaze and silently recited the Mental Tranquility Technique to dispel the strange feeling.
’This special mission really can’t be underestimated.’
’Even the stall location has a trap.’
Lu Wu, a firm believer in the principle of "Just say no," glanced at the time and began setting up her stall with single-minded focus.
The skewers needed to be cooked on-site, so Lu Wu had made a few modifications to her food stall.
The stove was deepened.
Below, the Glazed Fire swayed and danced.
As soon as the flame appeared, the chilly feeling in the air seemed to weaken considerably.
After finishing her preparations, Lu Wu hung up her sign.
"Night Fragrance Skewers, Incredibly Satisfying."
Everyone probably knows what "Night Fragrance" refers to.
Skewers with such a name could easily make uninformed people lose their appetite.
Unfortunately, this was the system’s sick sense of humor, and Lu Wu couldn’t change it.
The pricing for the skewers wasn’t too expensive.
Meat skewers were ten low-grade spirit stones for two, while vegetable skewers were the same price for three.
There were no customers yet, but Lu Wu heated up the broths anyway.
The three broths were heated separately.
Compared to the clear and numbing peppercorn broths, the spicy one was a glossy, ruddy red, visually arresting all on its own.
The broth bubbled, and the aroma released by the spices under high heat, combined with the mellow fragrance of the bone stock, was absolutely intoxicating.
In front of the stall, all kinds of skewers were neatly arranged.
Tender and juicy meat slices, crisp and refreshing green leafy vegetables, sweet and delicious corn, and even some chicken feet, duck feet, and offal were all waiting to be chosen by the first lucky customer.