Just the way he kneaded the meat paste, his expression and movements, was captivating.
After kneading for three minutes, Law picked up an egg, separated the egg white and poured it into the meat paste, added a little cornstarch, and then kneaded the meat paste into eight fist-sized meatballs.
The most crucial preliminary preparation was now complete.
'Since the bone broth isn't ready yet, I'll deep-fry first.'
Law glanced over at Tonpa, then heated the wok and added oil.
Once the oil reached the right temperature, he dropped in four meatballs. The wok immediately sizzled.
That sound, for lovers of deep-fried food, was like beautiful music.
"Gulp."
Buhara swallowed, feeling even hungrier.
The oily smoke drifted upwards. Law raised his hand and held it over the wok, a Nen Circle slowly covering the entire pot.
After a while, when the outer skin of the meatballs turned golden, Law retracted the Nen Circle, quickly fished out the meatballs, and then used his ability to separate the excess oil.
Menchi watched as Law continuously used his Nen Ability to assist in the cooking process, and the more she saw, the more pleasing she found it.
In her heart, she leaned towards the idea that Law was a professional Gourmet Hunter who just hadn't obtained his license.
'No wonder he was familiar with Buhara.'
After frying four meatballs, Law heated the wok again and began preparations for steaming, placing a steamer basket over the stove.
Then, he placed the other four meatballs into the steamer.
After doing all this, Law directly took over Tonpa's position, activating his ability to penetrate the soup pot and force the essence from the bones into the broth.
Doing this could speed up the broth-making process, as both the steamed and braised methods required this broth.
For the steamed method, this broth was the pure soup base.
For the braised method, this broth was used for reducing the sauce and enhancing freshness.
Under the effect of his ability, the soup was quickly ready, and the steamed meatballs were also finished.
Law took the meatballs out of the steamer, placed them in a bowl, poured in the bone broth, and sprinkled on some chopped green onions for garnish.
The Steamed Lion's Head was done.
However, Law didn't serve it out immediately. Instead, he covered the dish with a lid and used a separated strand of Nen to maintain its temperature.
Afterwards, he started on the braised version. He put oil in the wok, and once the oil temperature reached the standard, he added the broth.
Sizzle!
The broth and hot oil met, emitting puffs of white steam.
Law picked up the fried meatballs and gently placed them into the wok. He didn't use necessary seasonings like salt or white sugar, but instead added a sauce he had learned to make from Linne.
Instantly, the color of the soup turned a reddish-brown, and the high heat drew out waves of aroma.
Buhara sniffed the aroma, thinking to himself: 'Only Law and Linne can make dishes that are out of the ordinary.'
Menchi wasn't as calm as Buhara. She was an expert, and with one smell, she knew this sauce was extraordinary, most likely made from a secret recipe.
Inside the wok, the reddish-brown sauce bubbled and gurgled, releasing small bubbles.
Law picked up a ladle, scooped up the reddish-brown sauce, and repeatedly poured it over the meatballs.
Time passed slowly, the sauce reducing, gradually thickening and reducing.
Law watched for the right moment, then served the meatballs, now coated in a layer of thick, reddish-brown sauce, into a bowl, sprinkling on a few bits of chopped green onion.
After both versions of the Lion's Head were done, he, in front of the two examiners, handed the steamed dish to Tonpa.
Buhara and Menchi saw this but didn't voice any objection, because the stated passing conditions didn't specify that cooperation wasn't allowed.
After placing the two dishes on the table in front of the sofa, Law and Tonpa took a few steps back, waiting for Buhara to taste.
'This is too easy.' Tonpa secretly rejoiced, 'Having someone strong to rely on was really different.'
Buhara rubbed his hands together and picked up his chopsticks.
At that moment, an examinee carrying a whole pig ran in.
Gon, Killua, Kurapika, Leorio, Hanzo, Xiaoyu, Pokkle, and Geretta, these examinees with solid foundational skills, all returned to the venue carrying whole pigs. In less than ten seconds, about thirty examinees had run in.
Then, they saw the dishes on the table, and Law and Tonpa standing in front of it.
"Meatballs?"
Seeing the true form of the Lion's Head, and Buhara's drooling reaction, the eyes of these returning examinees all lit up.
'So it was meatballs. But there were two cooking methods.'
"That gesture really was indicating the dish's volume. So the sixty-forty split..." Kurapika pondered, then suddenly smiled and said in a low voice, "It's the ratio of fatty meat to lean meat!"
"Ah, so the sixty-forty split refers to the ratio of fatty meat to lean meat," Leorio said upon hearing this, clapping his hands with a look of realization.
His voice was loud, and the others easily heard it, all looking over.
Leorio immediately realized he had leaked something and gave Kurapika an awkward smile.
Kurapika looked at the embarrassed Leorio, the corner of his mouth twitching.
Buhara and Menchi paid no attention to the other examinees, their focus entirely on the two plates of Lion's Head.
"Buhara, you don't mind if I overstep, do you?" Menchi said seriously.
Buhara immediately showed a troubled expression, but thinking that later Menchi would also share the food Law made with him, he agreed, saying, "Half each."
Upon hearing this, Menchi didn't speak. Instead, she picked up her chopsticks, swiftly picked up a Braised Lion's Head with them, brought it to her mouth, and took a bite.
Crisp.
A light, crisp sound was heard.
The outer skin was crispy, but the meat paste inside bounced against the teeth.
As she chewed, the meat paste, like a contracting rubber band, suddenly rebounded, wantonly splashing out the broth, drenching the tip of her tongue. The flavor instantly washed over her like a tidal wave.
Menchi's upper body straightened involuntarily, her semi-transparent mesh top instantly tightening, making her curvaceous figure appear even more seductive and attracting the gazes of many males.
She let out a satisfied low moan, tilted her head back slightly, exhaled a small breath of hot air, and her eyes became dazed.
'It's the spices. He added two kinds of spices I can't identify. And this sauce, it's indeed extraordinary.'
Menchi thought, then quickly took two more bites. The sauce on the crispy skin became even more distinct this time. As the heat rushed through her nerves, a sense of satisfaction welled up from the bottom of her heart.
Seeing Menchi take the first bite, Buhara also picked up his chopsticks, picked up a Braised Lion's Head, and directly stuffed it into his mouth, chewing.
"Mmm!"
The examinees saw the reactions of the two examiners and couldn't help but look at Law and Tonpa.
'These two are definitely going to pass, right?'
"I really want to eat it."
Gon bit his finger, staring eagerly at the Lion's Head on the table.
Killua, hearing this, subconsciously touched his stomach and sighed inwardly: 'I'm hungry.'
In contrast, the other examinees all felt hunger. After all, they hadn't eaten anything after the long run that took most of the day.
"Law, it's really too delicious!"
At that moment, Buhara, after swallowing the Lion's Head, couldn't help but shout.
"Law?"
"Law?"
"Law?"
"Law?"
Hearing this name, for a moment, including Menchi, Gon, Killua, and several others, they all reacted.
Buhara's excited expression stiffened. He cautiously looked at Law, and seeing that the other party didn't have much of a reaction, he let out a sigh of relief.
However, his glance directly caused Menchi and the others to look at Law.