Despite constantly cooking and then discarding the dishes, Mai Ge maintained a serious attitude and was not deterred by the system's harsh comments.
"Amy will definitely love this braised chicken, she can eat lots of meat." Mai Ge thought to himself, his hands moving even more smoothly.
As the days passed on the wall, Mai Ge's expression grew increasingly calm. Holding a spoon in one hand and a pot in the other, he seemed to have become one with them, his movements fluid and harmonious.
Turn off the heat and remove from the pot. A serving of Braised Chicken Rice, golden and glistening under the light, exuding a wonderful aroma, was casually placed by Mai Ge on the brighter sink. Then, he ladled out a bowl of perfectly moist Moonlight Fragrant Rice and placed it next to it, smiling as he asked, "System, how about this time?"
The golden yellow chicken pieces were evenly colored and had no blemishes on the surface. The potatoes were cooked through but not falling apart, the celtuce was still tender and green, and green peppers and dried chili peppers were scattered throughout. The bright red and clear soup reflected the light and had no greasiness whatsoever.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of chickens and mushrooms, just looking at it made one's mouth water.
"Based on the host's initial requirements for Braised Chicken Rice, the following three points are determined:
First, the soup: a bright red color, a smooth and glutinous texture, rich and mellow, oily yet not greasy, with an unforgettable aftertaste—achieved!
Second, the meat: golden in color, tender and juicy, fresh and delicious, leaving a lingering fragrance on the lips and teeth—achieved!
Third, the rice: fragrant, chewy and resilient, with a sweet taste—achieved!
All three requirements have been met simultaneously. Congratulations, host! You have successfully learned how to make Braised Chicken Rice and completed the mission." The system's voice rang out.
"That's all there is to it." Mai Ge curled his lips, a sense of accomplishment welling up inside him. Although he felt that the system seemed to have left something unsaid, but he didn't take it to heart. He glanced at the time on the wall and saw that eighty days had passed. Pursuing perfection in the details was indeed the most time-consuming and energy-intensive thing.
"Host, you have ten minutes to enjoy this Braised Chicken Rice. After ten minutes, you will be sent out of the Chef God Trial Ground." the system's voice sounded again.
"Hmm? Why are you being so nice this time?" Mai Ge raised an eyebrow, somewhat surprised. He used to always have to ask the system for time to eat a few bites. This time, the system was actually letting him sit down and eat at his own pace.
The system didn't reply, it remained silent.
"Alright, after all that hard work to make this perfect braised chicken, I should at least try it myself first." Mai Ge muttered to himself, took a spoon and a pair of chopsticks from the cupboard next to him, picked up a piece of chicken, which was cut into rhombus shapes, so that it could perfectly absorb the flavor of the seasonings and broth. The golden surface was stained with a layer of bright red broth, and he slowly fed it to his mouth.
The moment it entered his mouth, Mai Ge's eyes lit up. The broth coating the chicken pieces contained a rich chicken soup and mushroom flavor. The wonderful taste instantly made his long dormant taste buds rejoice, as if he had been trapped in the chicken soup and mushrooms and could not extricate himself.
He gently bit into the chicken, the meat was incredibly tender, with a chewier texture than overcooked braised meat, yet it wasn't tough or dry at all. The flavors of the seasonings and mushrooms had perfectly permeated the meat, elevating its savory taste to another level. After swallowing, the aroma lingered on his lips and teeth.
"The taste is superb, the texture is excellent, it's top notch!" Mai Ge's eyes lit up as he looked at the braised chicken in front of him. Even though he made it himself, he couldn't help but praise it.
He picked up the spoon with his left hand, scooped up a spoonful of soup, and drank it. The savory aroma of the chicken soup was enhanced to the extreme by the premium shiitake mushrooms. After one sip, he felt as if all the pores of his body opened up, and a warm, nourishing feeling spread throughout his body, making him feel completely comfortable.
Finally, he scooped up a spoonful of rice. Each glistening grain of rice contained a tiny crescent moon, emitting a faint fragrance. He put it in his mouth, and it had a slightly chewy texture. After biting into the little crescent moon, the aroma became even more intense, and the more he chewed, the sweeter it became. The taste was superb!
"It's so delicious!" Mai Ge ate with chopsticks in one hand and a spoon in the other, taking bites of braised chicken and rice, unable to stop. The side dishes were also excellent, especially the shiitake mushrooms, which were smooth and fragrant after absorbing the chicken soup.
After finishing half a bowl of rice, Mai Ge picked up the clay pot bowl and poured half of the broth into the rice bowl. After stirring it well, it became soup rice.
With one spoonful, he seemed to see the true meaning of life: this is the right way to enjoy Braised Chicken Rice!
After finishing one bowl, Mai Ge had another bowl of rice. Only when both bowls were completely empty did he put down his spoon and chopsticks with satisfaction and let out a happy burp.
With a flash of light, Mai Ge was ejected from the Chef God Trial Ground. However, this time Mai Ge didn't open his eyes but chose to continue sleeping. This Braised Chicken Rice was incredibly satisfying.
At five o'clock the next day, Mai Ge was woken up by the alarm clock. He reached out and turned off the alarm clock, then sat up refreshed. He glanced at Amy, who was still sleeping, and then his gaze fell on the Ugly Duckling on the edge of the bed, who was struggling to keep itself from falling off with its two little paws.
So this is how the little one falls down everyday? Mai Ge looked a little puzzled.
"Meow~" The Ugly Duckling turned its head to Mai Ge for help, but after just one cry, it fell to the ground with a thud, lying on its back, powerless and staring at the ceiling.
"How about I make you your own little bed?" Mai Ge got out of bed, reached out and picked up the Ugly Duckling, and said with a smile. The little one was indeed quite pitiful, being kicked off the bed by Amy everyday.
Upon hearing this, the Ugly Duckling peeked out at Amy, then at Mai Ge, hesitated for a moment with conflicted eyes, and finally shook its head, pointed at Amy with its little paw, and meowed twice.
"Well, it was your own decision." Mai Ge said with a helpless smile, but he still felt quite touched by the Ugly Duckling's choice.
Amy may have mistreated it a thousand times, but it still treats her as if it was the first time it saw her. Perhaps it was the first glance it took when it hatched from its shell.
He placed the Ugly Duckling next to Amy, who rolled over and naturally hugged it, muttering, "Ugly Duckling, where did you go..."
The Ugly Duckling licked her little hand, found a comfortable position to curl up in, and closed its eyes to continue sleeping.
Mai Ge covered the two little ones with a small blanket, then quietly took a clean set of clothes to wash up. He couldn't forget the deliciousness of the Braised Chicken Rice from yesterday, so he naturally wanted to make another serving to try today. After all, he had promised Amy yesterday that he would make her a delicious meal with lots of meat.
Thinking of the little one happily eating braised chicken, Mai Ge's mood brightened. He went downstairs to the kitchen, but suddenly stopped at the kitchen door.
"System, is there something you've forgotten?" Mai Ge asked tentatively, looking at the lone Chinese cleaver on the knife rack and the stove that looked exactly the same as last night.
"No." the system replied calmly.
"Where's my knife? Where's my pot? Where're my big chicken legs?" Mai Ge flung open the refrigerator door, but there were no big chicken legs inside.
"Congratulations, host! A new mission has been triggered by the three consecutive questions! Please capture a wild Flaming Chicken within 24 hours! Note that you must capture it yourself, not buy it! Reward for successful mission: A gold-edged cleaver! Unlock the ingredients and cooking utensils needed for braised chicken. Penalty for mission failure: -0.5 physical fitness points." The system's voice sounded.