The first thing I did was to find out

Chapter 391 Shake

Qin Huai could roughly guess that he would not be able to see the clumsy Master Zheng today.

It doesn't matter. If you can't learn the Four Happiness Roll today, you can learn it tomorrow. If you can't see Master Zheng tomorrow, you can learn it the day after tomorrow. Qin Huai is expected to stay at Huang Ji for a month. The monk can run away, but the temple cannot. Master Zheng will come to Huang Ji's kitchen sooner or later.

The most urgent task now is to make the lotus root powder balls first.

Qin Huai shook the iron tube in his hand again and felt that it felt OK, but the iron tube was a little light, probably because it was too thin. But being light also had its advantages, as it made it easier to roll balls.

"The noodles are over there. You can cook them yourself if you want." Qin Huai pointed to the noodles that had been kneaded on the kitchen counter. He shook the iron tube in his hand, and felt that there was something wrong with the way he was holding the iron tube. He adjusted it slightly and twisted his wrist.

Zheng Siyuan had no intention of watching his hands kneading the dough. All his attention was on Qin Huai's hands. He just stared at Qin Huai shaking the iron cylinder in the air for more than a minute and asked, "Are you going to make those... rolled lotus root powder balls?"

"Yes." Qin Huai nodded, not surprised that Zheng Siyuan knew this approach.

The recipe belongs to Master Jing. As Master Jing's apprentice, it is normal for Zheng Siyuan to have learned all the techniques and skills.

"Why do you suddenly want to make lotus root starch balls? Didn't you say on the high-speed train that you wanted to learn how to make four-happiness rolls?" Zheng Siyuan asked.

"Luoluo is clamoring to eat." Qin Huai said that when he was indecisive, he would pass the blame to Qin Luo. "She watched a palace drama some time ago. The empress in the palace especially loved to eat lotus root powder meatballs. She would hold a bowl of lotus root powder meatballs and eat while chatting every day."

"I thought lotus root powder meatballs are not difficult to make, and they are definitely simpler than double crab dumplings. I will have to stay in Gusu for a long time before I can go back, and Luoluo will definitely make a fuss. If I learn how to make lotus root powder meatballs and go back, the child will be happier."

Faced with Qin Huai's almost impeccable reason, Zheng Siyuan chose to believe it without any doubt. He stopped staring at Qin Huai's hand holding the iron bucket and turned around to cook noodles.

The broth is from Huang Jiadiao and has been simmering on the stove. It is perfect for making chicken noodle soup.

Zheng Siyuan cooked noodles silently and cooked Qin Huai's portion as well. Before cooking, Zheng Siyuan counted the number of noodles and found that Qin Huai had not had breakfast yet.

Qin Huai started rolling lotus root powder balls.

He followed the instructions in the video tutorial and put the filling kneaded into small balls into an iron bucket. He sprinkled an appropriate amount of lotus root powder on it. The amount of lotus root powder should be as small as possible. If too much is sprinkled, the balls will be too big.

Qin Huai shook the iron barrel and used force from his wrist to make the balls in the barrel roll.

The moment he started shaking it, Qin Huai knew that this thing definitely required some skills. In the video tutorial, Jing Lixiang shook it so casually that he could chat with Zheng Da and Huang Shengli while shaking the bamboo tube. Qin Huai was shaking it so awkwardly at this moment.

It's not that I can't shake it well, it's just that my hands feel clumsy. The iron tube is sometimes light and sometimes heavy, and the balls inside are shaking all over. Without looking, you can tell by feeling that it is not shaken evenly.

There was no time to worry about that. After shaking it for the first time, Qin Huai dipped the meatballs into boiling water to blanch them.

1 second, 2...

It took less than two seconds for Qin Huai to quickly take out the meatballs, controlling the timing just right.

Roll it a second time, control the amount of lotus root powder, and continue shaking.

hot.

摇。

After repeating this three times, a not-so-successful lotus root starch meatball was born.

As for why it was not very successful nor a failure, it was because Qin Huai felt that the lotus root powder balls were not too bad. After blanching three times, the color was similar to that in the video tutorial, but the shape was very different.

The lotus root starch balls in the video tutorial are round and small. Although there are inevitable differences in size, they all look great when taken out individually.

The lotus root powder balls that Qinhuai shakes...

A little bit deformed.

Round, but not completely round, somewhere between round and oval. Each time it is shaken and put into the pot, it is actually a kind of final shape. When Qinhuai shook it and put it into the pot for the first time, he didn’t feel that the meatballs were deformed, but with each time there is a little deviation, these deviations will become very obvious after accumulating three times.

Qin Huai looked at the first lotus root powder ball that had been shaken and thought that it was just a small problem in the shape, so it was not a big deal and he continued to shake.

The next few were a little better, mainly because Qin Huai found the right trick to use when shaking the meatballs. There is definitely a skill to shaking the meatballs. While reasonably controlling the amount of lotus root powder, one must also master the amplitude of shaking and the technique of using force.

Qin Huai even felt that it was a little bit like the skillful force that should be used when kneading dough.

Qin Huai shook one ball after another, and later he felt that he was not shaking the balls, but maybe milk tea. If he continued shaking, he should be able to apply for a job shaking milk tea at Ouyang's Xiao Ou Hand-made Lemon Tea Shop.

Qin Huai sometimes went to Ouyang's store to buy milk tea. When he saw the clerk in his store being lazy and just shaking the cup casually, it was probably the intensity and amplitude of his current state.

It's quite boring.

No wonder Master Jing just did it casually. Qin Huai didn't expect that the core process of making a dim sum could be so boring.

Zheng Siyuan had been cooking the noodles silently without saying anything. When the noodles were ready and served, he spoke: "Do you want to eat now or later?"

Qin Huai glanced at the number of balls that had been shaken and found that there were more than twenty of them. Each one was small and pocket-sized, and a bowl of six was indeed just the amount for a small dessert.

Since it was the first time Qin Huai made lotus root powder meatballs, he was very cautious when adding lotus root powder and controlled the amount to be very small each time. As a result, the meatballs he made were slightly smaller than those made by Master Jing in the video tutorial.

The final result is probably a youthful mini version of lotus root powder meatballs.

"Wait a moment, I'll cook the lotus root powder balls first." Qin Huai said, and without any hesitation, he cooked all the lotus root powder balls in one pot.

It is very simple to cook lotus root starch balls. The principle is the same as cooking dumplings. Just wait for the lotus root starch balls to float up after being cooked.

Put the lotus root powder balls into the pot and Qinhuai goes to serve the noodles.

Qin Huai picked up the chicken noodle soup and took a look, and found that Zheng Siyuan had beaten one egg into his noodles, but two eggs into his own noodles.

It can be seen that Zheng Siyuan is a little hungry today.

Qin Huai picked up the bowl and started to eat noodles. It must be said that this chicken noodle soup is only delicious if it is made at Huang Ji (Yunzhong Canteen does not have good broth).

Zang Liang's soup making skills are not as good as Huang Jia's, and Cao Guixiang's soup making skills are too good. It always feels a bit of a waste to use her soup to cook chicken noodle soup with Qin Huai. Only Huang Jia's soup can achieve a perfect balance with Qin Huai's hand-rolled noodles. The chicken noodle soup composed of them is perfect and evenly matched.

Zheng Siyuan also ate noodles in silence, staring at the pot where the lotus root powder balls were being cooked. When the lotus root powder balls began to float up, Zheng Siyuan reminded: "The lotus root powder balls are ready."

Qin Huai quickly put down the bowl and started to scoop out the lotus root powder balls, scooped two large spoonfuls of soup into the bowl, then added a little honey and sugar, seasoned it simply and sprinkled a pinch of dried osmanthus.

out of the pot.

[Lotus Root Starch Meatballs Grade B] With Qinhuai's current level, making Grade B dim sum can be said to be a piece of cake. As long as they don't fail and perform normally, they can make Grade B dim sum.

This lotus root powder meatball is actually a super simplified version of lotus root powder meatball. The production method is very simple. Only the shaking and blanching steps are more demanding in terms of skills. It is not surprising that it turned out to be a B-grade Qinhuai.

But he had a headache.

Because Qin Huai knew very well how big the gap was between Grade B and Grade A dim sum, and the difference between the two was definitely not in appearance. The fact that Qin Huai's lotus root powder meatballs were only Grade B meant that there were other problems with his lotus root powder meatballs, and they were obvious problems.

Qin Huai was scratching his head.

He felt that there was no major problem except that he did not shake it well, resulting in the meatballs not being round enough, delicate enough, and not good-looking enough. The color of the meatballs was also very good, with a translucent surface and a color between gray and brown. The soup was slightly yellowish because of the addition of a little honey.

It can be said that it is very similar to the lotus root starch meatballs in the video tutorial.

The freshly cooked lotus root powder balls must have been very hot. Qin Huai did not eat them first. Instead, he took the bowl and ate the chicken soup noodles. After drinking the last bit of chicken soup, Qin Huai put down the bowl and began to study the lotus root powder balls.

The research method is very simple. Just eat one and you will know where the problem lies. Qin Huai has confidence in his tongue.

Qin Huai scooped up a lotus root powder ball and put it into his mouth, intending to chew it carefully.

Then chew and swallow.

too small.

As expected, practice makes perfect. When Qin Huai actually ate it, he finally understood why Master Jing deliberately made the lotus root powder balls small, but not that small. This is because if the lotus root powder balls are made too small, they are really not edible. You can swallow them after chewing them twice, and you can't experience the joy of chewing at all. The deliciousness of lotus root powder can be chewed out.

Qin Huai scooped up two at a time with the second spoon and put them into his mouth.

Mmmm, very chewy.

sweet.

The filling of this simplified version of lotus root powder balls is very simple, which is white sugar, lard and a little dried osmanthus. The dried osmanthus provides a unique fragrance and flavor, the white sugar provides sweetness, and the lard makes the filling less dry and smoother.

The combination is simple but reasonable.

As for the layer of lotus root powder on the outside, it has a chewy and bouncy texture. The more you chew it, the more you can taste the unique sweetness of the lotus root powder. This sweetness needs to be amplified by boiling white sugar, otherwise it will taste very bland if eaten alone.

This time he chewed for a little longer and Qin Huai noticed something was a little off.

But he couldn't tell what was wrong, because he had never eaten lotus root powder meatballs. He just felt that something was not done well. This lotus root powder meatball should be more delicious, more delicate and refreshing, and more fragrant, but he didn't do it.

Qin Huai ate a few more lotus root powder balls, and the longer he chewed, the stronger the feeling became. He seemed to understand why this lotus root powder ball was only B-grade, and it could only be B-grade. Qin Huai had a little bit of A-grade thinking in his mind, and he thought the problem should be with the lotus root powder, that is, the scalding and boiling step, but he didn't know where the problem was.

This is the disadvantage of simple imitation without the guidance of a famous teacher. Even if problems are discovered during the imitation process, they are difficult to solve because the imitator has no idea where the problem lies.

"Siyuan, do you want to try it? I think something is weird about it." Qin Huai handed the lotus root powder balls to Zheng Siyuan. He put all the more than 20 lotus root powder balls that he had just cooked into a bowl.

Zheng Siyuan took the lotus root starch balls, scooped up two with a spoon, and started eating.

After eating seven or eight balls, Zheng Siyuan put down the bowl and said, "Do you think there's something missing from the lotus root powder skin of these lotus root balls?"

"Yes, yes, yes." Qin Huai nodded frantically, feeling that Zheng Siyuan was truly a close friend, as he could tell from the food he ate.

"I saw you making the lotus root starch balls just now. There was no problem with the blanching. The timing was very good. It went in and out of the pot quickly. It was just boiled in boiling water."

“But there’s something wrong with the way you shake it.”

"There is a skill to shaking the balls. You need to use your wrists to exert force, but you can't use your wrists completely because it will be tiring after a long time."

"The lotus root powder must be evenly coated on the meatballs and must be shaken well, and the meatballs should be round in the end. If there is a problem with the shape of the meatballs, it means that the lotus root powder was not coated evenly during the shaking process. The blanching time is constant, and uneven results will cause the lotus root powder on the surface of the meatballs to be heated unevenly."

"The lotus root powder balls made this way have to be boiled several times. Uneven heating each time will cause problems with the taste of the final product. The lotus root powder will be uneven when chewing. Some parts will feel very chewy, while others will feel slightly less chewy. The taste of the lotus root powder balls comes from chewing, so it will affect the taste in the end."

"So the lotus root starch meatballs made in this way are of course much tastier than those made in other ways, but at the same time they are very difficult to make. The core of the meatballs is not the filling or the soup, but the shaking process."

Zheng Siyuan finished speaking.

The thinking is clear and the language is fluent, without any jams or even excessive nonsense.

Qin Huai was completely convinced.

Master Qin immediately switched back to Master Xiao Qin's mode and humbly asked Master Xiao Zheng: "Does this shaking require a unique technique, or is it simply a matter of practice?"

"Practice makes perfect." Zheng Siyuan said affirmatively, "There was basically no problem with the process of making the lotus root starch balls just now. It's just that you are not very familiar with the shaking step. You will get it with more practice. Just find the feel. Aren't you the best at finding the feel?"

"Just shake a few balls in between making snacks. It will take at most half a month. I believe there will be no problem."

Qin Huai nodded, indicating that he understood and that Master Zheng’s explanation was very thorough.

It seems that A-grade lotus root starch balls are just around the corner, but you can’t be impatient and practice slowly, nor can you practice all the time because you can’t stand shaking your hands all the time.

Qin Huai looked at Zheng Siyuan with some curiosity: "How do you know so much about lotus root powder meatballs? No, it should be how do you know so much about the method of making lotus root powder meatballs?"

"Because I love to eat it." Zheng Siyuan said very frankly, "When I was a child, my favorite thing to eat was lotus root starch meatballs. Any filling is fine, as long as it is cooked this way."

"But my dad is too lazy. He thinks it's boring to keep making lotus root starch balls. Lotus root starch balls are also too simple and not challenging, so he rarely makes them."

"Then why don't you do it yourself?" Qin Huai asked.

"I made it." Zheng Siyuan said frankly, "I make it every day. Every night when I get home from get off work, I make myself a portion of lotus root starch meatballs."

Qin Huai:?!

"I make a variety of fillings. Do you want to eat some? If you want to eat it, come to my place tonight and I'll make you a bowl as well."

"If you are interested in other fillings for lotus root powder balls, you can ask me at any time. Oh, and your lotus root powder balls are too small. They won't taste good if they are too small."

"Will you make lotus root starch meatballs every morning? If you do, I won't make wontons. I will just eat lotus root starch meatballs and chicken noodle soup in the morning."

Qin Huai understood the meaning of the song and said, "Okay, I will make lotus root starch meatballs every morning from now on."

(End of this chapter)