Chapter 56: Heavenly Fairy Face

Xu Qing and Chang Lin walked to their respective desks.

The dough needed to make knife-cut noodles needs to be fermented for more than half an hour, and they had already prepared it in advance.

Sliced ​​noodles come from Shanxi. Shanxi people are very good at making noodles, and there are many kinds of noodles, so Shanxi is also known as the "hometown of noodles". It is said that Shanxi people can make a whole table of dishes with only noodles, and each dish is different, which shows the love and craftsmanship of Shanxi people for noodles.

Among the many types of noodles in Shanxi, knife-cut noodles are the most famous and influential, which is why they are called the "king of noodles."

Sliced ​​noodles have a long history, and there are many versions of their origin, the most famous of which are the Tang Dynasty theory and the Yuan Dynasty theory. The Tang Dynasty theory states that slicing noodles originated in the Tang Dynasty and were created by Chai Shao, a son-in-law of the Tang Dynasty. Because Chai Shao had been fighting on the battlefield for many years and lacked cooking utensils, he ate slicing noodles, and slicing noodles were therefore called "son-in-law noodles."

The Yuan Dynasty said that in order to prevent the Han people from rebelling, the Mongols confiscated metal tools from every household, and even kitchen knives could only be shared by ten households. One day, an old farmer went to get a kitchen knife to cut noodles, but found that the knife had been taken away first. On the way back, he accidentally picked up a piece of iron sheet and used it to cut noodles. This method was gradually passed down and became the knife-cut noodles we have today.

The dough required for knife-cut noodles is harder than normal dough.

Usually, the ratio of water to flour is about one to two, that is, half a pound of water to one pound of flour. If you want the dough to be softer, add more water.

The required ratio of dough for making knife-cut noodles is about one to three, that is, half a pound of water to one and a half pounds of flour. The more flour is added, the harder the dough will feel, and the noodles made will be more chewy and elastic.

Because knife-cut noodles are made by using a knife to cut the dough, dough that is too soft will cause it to stick to the knife and break, and the cut noodles will be shapeless, which will not only affect the appearance but also greatly affect its unique taste.

After kneading the dough, let it rest for half an hour and then knead it again.

The purpose of fermenting dough is to cover the dough with a wet cloth and let it rest for a period of time. The purpose is to make the dough loose and elastic, increase its extensibility, and make the surface of the dough smooth and even.

In addition to the requirements of the noodles, the second important factor affecting the taste of knife-cut noodles is the knife skills.

Knife-cut noodles is named after the knife, and the requirements for knife skills are extremely high. Even the knife used to cut the noodles needs to be a special flat knife. Only noodles cut with this kind of knife can be thick in the middle and thin on the edges, shaped like a willow leaf.

The reason why Xu Qing chose knife-cut noodles is because knife-cut noodles require high knife skills, and the stronger the knife skills, the better the noodles taste.

Knife-cut noodles can fully and thoroughly bring out his advantages.

Xu Qing first prepared the side dishes needed for the knife-cut noodles. He used a wide variety of side dishes, more than ten at a rough count, and it took quite a time to prepare them one by one.

Unlike dough, side dishes cannot be prepared in advance and basically have to be cut and used immediately to ensure their freshness and crispness.

On the other side, Chang Lin set up two large pots, boiling water in one pot and boiling snow-white broth in the other.

On his chopping board, apart from the common condiments such as soy sauce, there were only a few yellow flowers and no other vegetables.

The sharp contrast between the two sides made Wen Shizhang and the other two very confused and puzzled.

Zhao Boming asked, "The young man is well prepared, but what's going on with Chang Lin? Is he just going to do it perfunctorily?"

Qian Rong shook his head and said, "I don't think so. He may feel that he doesn't need to show his true ability against a teenager. If it were me, I wouldn't take it too seriously when I saw that my opponent is such a young child. I'd just have a casual competition and let it end in a draw. I'd just treat it as playing with a child."

Zhao Boming smacked his lips and said, "If Chang Lin really thinks so, he will probably suffer. I think this child is extraordinary. Look at his calm expression, and his nimble hands and feet when cutting and picking vegetables. How can he be like a child? Even if I do it myself, I can't do better than him."

Qian Rong said, "You're overthinking it. Chang Lin is a top-notch chef, how could he lose to a kid? Even if Chang Lin performs at half his level, it would be more than enough to win this duel." Wen Shizhang listened to the two of them talking, and in his heart he hoped that Chang Lin would really look down on Xu Qing, so that Xu Qing could easily win the duel, and he wouldn't have to worry all day long.

Unfortunately, this possibility is too small. If Chang Lin really didn't care about Xu Qing, he wouldn't have challenged him to a life-and-death duel.

Wen Shizhang knew very well that Chang Lin wanted to kill Xu Qing more than anyone else. In this competition, Chang Lin would not let up, but would exert 200% of his strength.

Can Xu Qing really win?
he does not know.

Wen Shizhang sighed inwardly, his stomach aching from anxiety.

While busy, Xu Qing looked up at Chang Lin, and then his eyes turned to the pot of broth.

The essence of Chang Lin’s dish probably lies in the soup.

He discarded other side dishes so that the taste of the side dishes would not affect the deliciousness of the soup.

He wanted to bring out the original flavor of the soup.

As for the flowers...

Xu Qing suddenly remembered the herb Tianxianzi that Chen Hu had told him about. Its appearance was exactly the same as Chen Hu's description.

It seems that this is Chang Lin’s secret weapon.

By this time the water had boiled. Chang Lin lifted up the long strip of dough and placed it on one arm. With the other hand, he held a flat knife and started cutting from the edge of the dough, quickly sliding it down.

In just a blink of an eye, the knife in Chang Lin's hand was so fast that the blade was almost invisible. Only the thin noodles were seen flying and tumbling in the air. The noodles were slightly thick in the center and thin at the edges, clear and flowing, as if a feather belt accidentally dropped from heaven to the earth, floating in the air and falling into the water very gently.

Chang Lin's technique was precise and steady. He could make dozens of cuts in one breath, and the noodles cut by each cut were exactly the same, with no discernible difference in shape, thickness, or length.

Such a wonderful scene attracted everyone's attention.

This is the fun of knife-cut noodles. Even if you have never eaten it, just seeing how it is made can bring you a rare enjoyment. People are so fascinated by the sharp knife skills that they don't even want to blink, for fear of missing the next exciting second.

After a few minutes, the entire dough turned into noodles rolling in the pot.

Chang Lin seized the opportunity and quickly took out the cooked sliced ​​noodles and rinsed them with water. The cold water allowed the noodles to cool down and shrink quickly, making them more resilient and with a more chewy texture.

Chang Lin grinds the yellow flowers into fine powder and adds seasonings to mix evenly.

He scooped a spoonful of broth and poured it evenly over the noodles, then sprinkled the prepared sauce on the soup.

Chang Lin brought three bowls of noodles and placed them in front of Wen Shizhang and the other two, saying, "This is the knife-cut noodles I made. Of course, it has a more appropriate name - Heavenly Noodles. Because as long as you take a bite, it will make you feel the perfection of the world."

(End of this chapter)