"When Sichuan peppercorns are sealed in oil and then steamed, their aroma and numbing flavor can infuse into the fat..."

After explaining, Xie Baomin opened the steamer, cautiously placing the basin, sealed with cling film, inside. After positioning it properly, he closed the cabinet door and began the steaming process.

This step reminded Lin Xu of the method used for making fermented black bean sauce. The fermented black bean sauce the restaurant used every day was made by steaming fermented black beans in peanut oil for over four hours inside the steamer, allowing the bean's aroma to fully merge with the peanut oil.

Would Sichuan peppercorn oil and fermented black bean sauce share the same method?

"Not the same. Fermented black bean sauce can be used after steaming. However, Sichuan peppercorn oil must be poured into a pot and boiled again. This evaporates the water from the Sichuan peppercorns, making it less prone to spoilage. At the same time, the fragrance will become much richer."

It still needs to be boiled? The making of Sichuan peppercorn oil is indeed much more complicated than making Sichuan peppercorn powder. However, with such a complicated method, the resulting Sichuan peppercorn oil must be pretty good, right?

Lin Xu was a bit eager to try it.

Half an hour later, when Shen Jiayue came to the store to pick up boxed lunches, Xie Baomin, wearing heat-resistant gloves, took the Sichuan peppercorn oil out of the steamer. He first removed the cling film from the surface. Then he poured all the fat and Sichuan peppercorns from the basin into the wok in one go.

After half an hour of steaming, the numbing fragrance in the fat had become intense. But this still wasn't the best state for Sichuan peppercorn oil.

Xie Baomin turned on the stove, adjusted the flame to the lowest, and then stirred slowly with a spoon, allowing the oil temperature to gradually and evenly rise. This process needed to be handled with care. This was because the Sichuan peppercorns, after being soaked in boiling water and steamed for half an hour, had become completely soft. Just a bit too much force and they would crumble. And the crumbled Sichuan peppercorns could easily burn. This would cause the entire pot of Sichuan peppercorn oil to develop an unpleasant burnt taste.

As the oil temperature gradually increased, the water content in the Sichuan peppercorns was also continuously fried off, and it would even splatter occasionally. However, at this point the oil wasn't very hot, so even if it splashed onto an arm, it wouldn't burn much.

As the water in the fat was boiled off, the previously soggy peppercorn kernels were fried back to a crispy state. When stirred, it was clear the kernels had become lighter. When they collided, there was even a dry sound.

At that moment, Xie Baomin turned off the flame. Then he poured all the richly fragrant, numbing oil and Sichuan peppercorn kernels into the basin.

"Next is cooling. When the temperature completely drops, we'll remove the Sichuan peppercorn kernels and drain off some of the oil; Sichuan peppercorn oil will be ready. But don't throw away those kernels – they can still be used when braising Chicken Feet."

After the Sichuan peppercorn oil was prepared, the store unknowingly accumulated several types of flavored oils. There was Chili Oil, Seasoning Oil, chicken oil, pork lard, Soy Sauce, as well as the Scallion Oil created when frying red onions, and now including the just-made Sichuan peppercorn oil, the variety of seasoning oils was increasing.

As Lin Xu was reflecting on this, the system's prompt suddenly rang in his mind.

"Host has obtained six types of seasoning oils, completing the Hidden Task 'Making Seasoning Oils,' and is awarded one Excellent Level Basic Cooking Techniques lottery draw. Would you like to draw now?"

There's a lottery for this too? It won't draw another pig-slaughtering Skill, will it?

Lin Xu chose to draw.

When the lottery wheel in his mind started spinning, he was just about to say a prayer when he suddenly remembered Geng Lele's action of seeking good luck from Dundun the day before. That girl was supposed to get a scolding when she got home yesterday. But judging by her lively spirit in the group chat today, it didn't seem like she was punished; instead, it was as if she had been rewarded.

Could it be due to Dundun's good luck? Thinking about it, Dundun was said to bring wealth and popularity. Using Dundun in place of those vain prayers should be more effective. After all, that little guy is a Divine Artifact!

On this thought, Lin Xu went outside and picked up Dundun, who was playing hide and seek with Shen Jiayue, and held him in his arms. Dundun immediately curled up quietly in his arms. He rubbed his fluffy face against Lin Xu's neck. After the rub, he even looked at Shen Jiayue with a provocative gaze.

"What are you doing?" Shen Jiayue asked curiously, putting down the cat teaser stick.

"Taking a few sniffs of the cat."

"Absorbing the cat's luck? Are you planning to siphon off Dundun's good fortune? That won't do, you need to recite a Spell."

Shen Jiayue put down the cat teaser, picked Dundun up, and then took hold of Dundun's two front paws. She mumbled words under her breath, chanting, "Holy fire bright and clear, holy fire shining near, all my disciples, MEOW, MEOW, MEOW, MEOW!"

After she finished, she ceremoniously placed Dundun's right front paw on Lin Xu's arm.

"Last night after Lele and I created the Meow Meow Sect, I immediately agreed. She is the High Priest of the Meow Meow Sect, and I am the leader. Professor Xu and his wife along with Old Master Zhou and his wife are the four Elders. What do you plan to be?"

Professor Xu and Old Master Zhou were among the elderly folks who had been attracted to Dundun because they liked cats. Now, they pretty much treated Lin Ji's Food as their own canteen.

I often feel out of place with you all because I'm not silly enough... Lin Xu silently complained in his heart. They say children with intellectual disabilities have lots of joy, but why is it that our Shen Jiayue, a graduate from a prestigious 985 university, and the genius girl Geng Lele are the same? And there's Professor Xu and the others, still so childlike even after retirement. It seems that silliness knows no age or IQ...

Lin Xu massaged Dundun's big head and silently pressed the lottery button in his mind.

The roulette wheel slowly came to a stop. The system's notification sound rang in his mind.

"Congratulations to the host for acquiring an Excellent Level Basic Cooking Technique—Filling."

Filling? What kind of Technique is that?

Just as Lin Xu was curious, a flood of knowledge poured into his mind. After going through it, he discovered that this Technique had a very wide range of uses. It could be used not only for making dumplings and buns but also for wrapping sweet rice balls, Fish Balls, and Snacks. In fact, it covered any culinary Technique that involved wrapping a filling.

Holy shit! I've hit the jackpot! Why didn't I think of rubbing Dundun for luck when I was drawing the lottery yesterday? From now on, I won't pray to those random gods and spirits during the lottery; I'll just rely on Dundun's luck. That's what you'd call getting the most out of something, putting the cat to good use, right?

Soon, the lunch service at the restaurant started. Today, the fish Lin Xu steamed was wrapped in the pork net fat that his master mentioned the day before. He placed the pork net fat in water, blanched it with Scallion and Ginger and Cooking Wine to remove the gamey smell and impurities, then wrapped the fish and put it into the steaming cabinet.

After steaming, the pork net fat disappeared. But the fragrance on the fish had become even more intense.

"Wow! It tastes even better than yesterday's fish." Shen Jiayue took a taste and immediately fell in love with the flavor. It was more fragrant than yesterday's, and the Fish Skin seemed to have stayed more intact, not as burst and frayed.

My Xu Bao's cooking is getting better and better!

Many customers who came late yesterday didn't get to eat fish. They specifically requested Lin Xu to prepare more today to satisfy their cravings. So, Lin Xu prepared fifty fish, which was the limit of the aquarium.

After lunch ended, Lin Xu curiously checked his phone. Yue Liyue would usually have come by now, why is there no sign of him today?

「At the same time.」

Zhong Huairen, carrying various gifts from Yangcheng and accompanied by his son Yue Liyue, arrived at a small community at the end of Yingchun Street.

"Good boy, I'll take you to meet my teacher in a while. You need to be polite, okay? While I can't help much with your career, I can help you build some connections in Beijing."

"I got it, I got it!"

The father and son entered the building and knocked on the door of an apartment.

Soon, the door opened. Professor Xu's figure appeared at the door.

"Professor Xu, I've come to see you."

"Oh, Huairen is still such a fine figure of a man."

After greeting Zhong Huairen, Professor Xu finally noticed Yue Liyue following behind. "Yue Liyue? How come you're here too? Have you tried the new steamed fish at the restaurant? That fish is really delicious! We almost didn't get any yesterday..."

Zhong Huairen: ???

What did I come to see Professor Xu for?

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