Chapter 407 Satisfaction
"Ah Qing, come and try it. How is my dish?"

Ke Ling excitedly brought the dishes to the table and looked at Xu Qing expectantly.

Xu Qing nodded and said, "It looks unusual."

"Yeah! I did it very seriously!"

Ke Ling raised her head proudly.

"Let me try it."

Xu Qing said as he picked up a piece of food with chopsticks and put it into his mouth.

This dish of Ke Ling's is really different from the previous ones. After working in the kitchen for two days, Ke Ling's cooking skills have improved a lot.

This dish of stir-fried shredded potatoes gradually activated Xu Qing's five senses, which had been on strike, and then continuously filled his mind with all kinds of negative information, constantly telling him what was wrong with the dish, what needed to be improved, and how to improve it.

Just like always, his extraordinary five senses kept chattering in his mind.

But this time, Xu Qing would not be easily affected by them. The feedback from his five senses that made him very irritated in the past was now like background music, still existing but unable to take the lead.

His senses seemed to be split into two parts. One part was rationally analyzing the pros and cons of the dishes, while the other part was immersed in the taste of the dishes, savoring the flavor and hidden meaning of the dishes.

This allows Xu Qing, who possesses extraordinary five senses, to experience happiness from ordinary dishes like ordinary people, or even more intensely than ordinary people, because what he experiences is not only the taste, but also the intention hidden in them.

Even though Ke Ling's dish was a little lacking in taste, the thoughtfulness she put into it was stronger than that of ordinary dishes.

Ke Ling always remembered what Master Abei told her, and she always had an expectation when cooking, hoping that Xu Qing would like the dishes she made, hoping that Xu Qing would be able to immerse himself in them and show a happy and cheerful expression.

This thoughtfulness is more touching than just deliciousness.

The crispy shredded potatoes have a refreshing taste. Although they are not cut as thin as hair, the potato shreds of equal thickness are evenly heated, forming a consistent taste. They are not too hard, nor too soft. The potato shreds have just the right crisp taste. The moment you put them in your mouth, you can feel the potato shreds breaking gently between your teeth.

At the same time, the crispness of the surface and the softness of the inside form a sharp contrast. The slightly thick potato shreds can more clearly feel the delicate texture inside, making the overall taste more rich and varied.

Proper heat control and water addition make the shredded potatoes more moist, not too dry, nor greasy and soft, making the taste of the whole dish more balanced.

In terms of taste, potatoes themselves have a sweet taste, and this sweetness becomes more distinct after being fried at high temperature. The right sauce adds a bit of mellowness to the sweetness. The deliciousness and slight saltiness of soy sauce make the sweet taste more distinct, and also make the sweetness more complex and varied, and the fragrance of the vegetables adds a meat-like aroma.

Sourness and spiciness are indispensable. Sourness mainly comes from vinegar, which adds a fresh and appetizing taste to the dishes, stimulates the taste buds, and stimulates appetite. Spiciness comes from chili peppers or chili oil, which are moderately spicy, not too stimulating, but can feel a little bit of heat jumping on the tip of the tongue. The slight tingling sensation it brings gives people a subtle pleasure that makes people unable to stop.

The umami flavor comes from the soy sauce, and the sweetness of the potatoes and the addition of a moderate amount of salt make the whole dish more flavorful. The aroma released by the garlic, chopped green onions and other seasonings after being sautéed in hot oil is perfectly integrated with the potatoes and the sour and spicy taste, forming a unique and attractive aroma. What is even more amazing is the thoughtfulness hidden in it.

When Xu Qing was tasting the dish, he seemed to hear the shredded potatoes telling him about its past experiences, everything it had seen and known.

Xu Qing could feel how serious and careful Ke Ling was when she was cutting the vegetables, as if every potato shred in her hand was an invaluable treasure. She was extremely cautious every time she cut, and tried her best to cut the potato shreds smooth and even.

And the seriousness with which she prepared the sauce, the carefulness with which she cooked the dishes, Xu Qing seemed to be able to see the sparkling light in her eyes, which was the love and respect for the dishes.

And Xu Qing also felt the anticipation hidden in the dishes.

People who look forward to eating this dish can feel joy and happiness.

This expectation starts from the moment she starts cutting the vegetables and continues throughout the entire process. It permeates every corner of the dish and lurks in every flavor.

This warm expectation is like a gentle spring breeze blowing across your face, sweeping away the cold and chilliness of late winter and bringing the message of spring.

It gently brushes past, causing new green buds to sprout from dry branches, allowing dormant seeds to emerge from the bottom and produce a little green. It also causes flower buds to form, blooming the first touch of tender yellow in the early spring when everything is still dormant, welcoming the coming spring and paving a new way for the colorful flowers that have not yet awakened.

This warmth, like the spring breeze, sweeps through the heart as gently as the spring breeze. It does not have any impact, nor does it bring any shocking feelings. It just comes and goes gently, without any purpose, and it seems that it has left nothing behind.

But a warm feeling comes with it, just like the warmth brought by the spring breeze, which will only become stronger each time and will never weaken.

It comes with anticipation, and with it comes joy and happiness.

This gentle expectation warms the soul, brings a smile to the corners of the mouth, and makes the body warm and relaxed, as if you are really in early spring, with the first spring breeze blowing towards you.

No matter how noisy the five extraordinary senses are, the sound becomes smaller and smaller in the face of this warm expectation, until it is barely noticeable.

In the face of such strong emotions, does deliciousness matter so much?
Or rather, it is really a shame to use the five senses to explore whether the food is delicious or not at this moment.

In the past, Xu Qing always felt the chef’s intentions from the delicious food, because taste is the key to open the heart. If the taste is not touching enough, how can people feel the hidden intentions in the food?

But at this moment, Xu Qing can already go beyond the constraints of taste, touch the heart of the ingredients, and feel the heart of the chef.

Even though the taste was not good enough, the mood was still warm, which made Xu Qing smile and immersed himself in it wholeheartedly, immersed in the happy taste created by the dishes, allowing him to truly feel the happiness that the dishes brought to people.

This dish, which was once his favorite, once again brought him joy and satisfaction beyond the taste through Ke Ling's hands.

　Oh, I have a migraine. No wonder I have been feeling a little uncomfortable these past two days. It turns out it was waiting for me.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)