Studying at Western University starts with a knife-forging competition

"Let's reshoot it." Robert's tone wasn't one of negotiation. "There are still ten days left, we can manage."

"Okay. I'll find someone to help me control the console this time."

Robert stood up and pushed his chair back under the table. He paused as he walked to the door.

"About the braised pork," he said, "my wife asked me to remind you that you said you wanted to make an extra portion last time."

Lin Yuan smiled.

"I'll remember. I'll do it tomorrow."

Robert nodded and opened the door. March sunlight streamed in, casting a bright square on the floor, then the door closed, and the square disappeared.

Lin Yuan stood in the workshop, mentally reviewing the issues Robert had pointed out earlier: camera position, lighting, and tracking shots. These were difficult to manage simultaneously when filming—with eyes fixed on the steel billet and hand gripping the hammer, there was no time to check the monitor.

We need someone to help us.

He picked up his phone and sent Matt a message.

Are you free next Wednesday afternoon?

The replies came almost instantly.

Yes. How so?

"Help me film a video. The camera angle we used before was wrong, we have to do it again."

There was a silence of about ten seconds on the other end, and then three messages were sent in quick succession.

"I?"

"I didn't touch your camera."

"Don't blame me if you fall."

Lin Yuan typed: You don't need to know how. Just follow my instructions and help me shoot from one position.

"Okay. I'm free on Wednesday afternoon."

"Thanks. I'll treat you to dinner when I'm done."

"No need. Next time, bring an extra serving of braised pork. And an extra serving of braised beef."

Lin Yuan smiled as he looked at the screen.

"OK."

-----------------

On Saturday morning, Lin Yuan didn't go anywhere.

He took the bag of oxtail bones out of the refrigerator. Matt had bought them; there was a thin layer of meat clinging to the bones, but the tendons and periosteum were the real good stuff—slow-cooked over low heat, all the collagen would be extracted into the soup, making it thick and white, and sticky when you drank it.

He put the oxtail bones in a pot of cold water with a few slices of ginger and two tablespoons of cooking wine. Once the water boiled, he skimmed off the foam, then boiled it for a few more minutes before taking it out and rinsing it with warm water. The blanched bones shouldn't come into contact with cold water; the sudden temperature change will make the meat tough, and it won't tenderize no matter how long you stew it.

Place the prepared bones into a soup pot, add ginger slices, scallion segments, a small handful of Sichuan peppercorns, and enough water to cover. Add enough water at once; adding more halfway through will dilute the broth. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer on the lowest setting. The broth should be calm and still, with only the occasional bubble rising to the surface, releasing a subtle aroma of ginger and bones. This soup needs to simmer for three hours. No rush.

Next, we'll process the beef.

Matt bought a large piece of Wagyu sirloin, its marbling unbelievably beautiful, the fat veins embedded in the meat like marble. Lin Yuan glanced at it and sighed inwardly. This guy never considered the intended use of the meat, only the price. Sirloin is best for pan-frying; high-temperature, quick searing brings out the aroma of the fat, resulting in a crispy exterior and tender interior. Stewing it would be too oily; prolonged stewing would cause the meat to fall apart and the broth to become greasy.

But since he'd already bought it, he cut the beef into chunks, blanched it in cold water, and rinsed it with warm water. He heated oil in a pot, then sautéed ginger slices, garlic cloves, and onion slices until fragrant. He sautéed the onions until translucent and slightly charred at the edges, releasing a wonderful aroma. He added the beef and stir-fried over medium heat until the surface changed color and the edges were slightly browned. He added light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and a small piece of rock sugar, stirring well to coat each piece of meat with the sauce. He poured in hot water to cover the beef, brought it to a boil over high heat, then reduced to medium heat, covered, and simmered.

After simmering for about forty minutes, he poked a piece with chopsticks. It went through, but didn't fall apart—just right. Then he added the potato and carrot chunks, salt, stirred, covered, and continued simmering. After another twenty minutes or so, the edges of the potatoes began to dissolve into the broth, and the sauce thickened. He turned off the heat, sprinkled in some chopped green onions, and let it simmer covered.

While the beef stewed, braised beef was simmering in another pot.

The beef shank was marinated three days ago. After trimming away the tendons and membranes, I poked some small holes in it with bamboo skewers, rubbed it twice with salt, Sichuan peppercorns, ginger, and cooking wine, and then put it in a plastic bag and refrigerated for two days and two nights. The marinated beef shank darkened in color by one shade, became firmer on the surface, and felt significantly firmer than when I first bought it. I took it out and soaked it in cold water for two hours to thoroughly remove the blood.

The brine was aged for almost half a year, used since last autumn, and its color had changed from light brown to dark brown, like strong tea. After each use, it was filtered clean, boiled, cooled, and stored back in the refrigerator. He poured the aged brine into a pot, added a bowl of water, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, Sichuan peppercorns, cloves, a few pieces of rock sugar, and a spoonful of dark soy sauce. After boiling, he added the beef shank, cooked it over high heat for ten minutes, then turned to low heat and let it simmer slowly.

Turn off the heat after an hour and a half. Don't remove the beef shank; cover it tightly and let it continue soaking in the braising liquid. The real flavor of braised beef comes not from boiling, but from soaking. The residual heat of the braising liquid infuses the meat with the flavors of the spices layer by layer. Soak until tomorrow morning, and every slice will have a uniformly deep brown color.

The smells in the kitchen started to build up.

First comes the aroma of the braising liquid—the sweetness of star anise and cinnamon, mixed with the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, wafting from the edge of the pot lid and rising up the wall. Then comes the savory aroma of stewed beef, the base flavor of sautéed onions and garlic, and the sweet and salty balance achieved by soy sauce and sugar melting at high heat. At the bottom is the rich, mellow flavor of oxtail soup, with few spices, only the natural taste of bones, ginger, and scallions slowly simmered, steadily supporting all the other aromas. The three flavors blend together, wafting from the kitchen and through the hallway.

My phone vibrated.

Matt's message: What to do today.

"Braised beef, oxtail soup, and a pot of beef stew with potatoes."

There was a few seconds of silence on the other end, then three messages were sent in quick succession.

"Beef stew with potatoes".

"Is it ready to eat?"

"Hungry."

Lin Yuan smiled and typed: Then come back.

"They're already running."

The sound of sneakers scraping the floor echoed down the hallway. Matt, still carrying his backpack, pushed open the door and headed straight for the kitchen, his eyes immediately drawn to the stew pot on the stove.

"Beef stew with potatoes." He leaned closer, sniffing to confirm, "Is this ready to eat now?"

"able."

Matt then turned to look at the pot of braising liquid next to him, bent down, and brought his face close to the edge of the lid to smell it.

"What about this one?"

"Braised beef. It needs to soak until tomorrow to fully develop its flavor."

Matt's expression instantly fell.

Lin Yuan pointed at the stew pot with a spatula: "Let's eat this first."

Matt's gaze darted back and forth between the two pots twice before he finally nodded, his expression shifting from "hurt" to "acceptable." He opened the refrigerator, grabbed a can of Coke, and pulled up a chair to sit at the kitchen doorway—not coming in, not pointing fingers, just sitting on the threshold, drinking his Coke and watching Lin Yuan cook. Like a dog waiting at the kitchen door.

"Do you need to reshoot that video?" he asked.

"Yes. The camera angle wasn't set up properly, and the lighting wasn't good either, so the picture wasn't clear enough."

"So what do you want me to do?"

"Help me control the camera. Mainly the quenching part; the camera has to follow me when I turn around without cutting out."

Matt tilted his head and thought for a moment.

"I know how to follow you. You move, and I'll follow you with the camera."

"right."

"How difficult could it be?" Matt took a sip of his Coke. "Just tell me where to stand when the time comes."

Lin Yuan stirred the beef in the pot without replying. Matt usually seemed indifferent to everything, but he never broke a promise.

"Wednesday afternoon," Matt said, "how long will your forging take from start to finish?"

"Including preparation and adjustments, it takes about two hours."

"Okay. I'll free up the afternoon."