Chapter 653: A Bowl of Knife-Shaved Noodles
Translator: CatatoPatch Editor: Vermillion
Bang! Bang!
Bu Fang’s expression was indifferent and his mental energy intertwined with the dough and surged immensely as he sensed the changes in energy within it.
His wrist rotated continuously, and the dough rose with each rotation, emitting a m.u.f.fled sound, after which he slapped it hard atop the stove, creating sounds of explosions.
Everyone looked at him in amazement as if it were really about to explode.
It was their first time witnessing such a kneading technique, and this violent technique was simply shocking to the eye.
Initially, Ouyang Chenfeng did not pay close attention to the scene before him, but within a short period of time, his eyes opened wide as he felt the strong spiritual energy that was permeating throughout the dough.
This dough had not been soaked with the medicinal fluid of any spirit herb, neither had it been enhanced with any herbs. Then, how did the large fluctuation in the spirit energy come about? Could it be that by smas.h.i.+ng the dough down a few times, the spirit energy within it would rise tremendously?
The others’ senses were not as acute as Ouyang Chenfeng’s so they could not sense the spirit energy within the dough, but they were very much impressed by Bu Fang’s method.
“Is this chap really cooking? It simply looks like he is releasing his anger.”
“This is called kneading? Then I know this too!”
“How dare he have the audacity to challenge Master Ouyang when he doesn’t possess any kneading technique! This chap is truly arrogant!”
…
The chefs outside the kitchen were engaged in a rigorous discussion. As they watched Bu Fang’s movements, the looks of disdain on their faces intensified to the highest extent. It was obvious that these chefs completely disregarded Bu Fang’s kneading techniques.
However, if there were ignorant people, naturally there would be those who were aware as well.
In addition to a group of third-grade chefs, there was also a second-grade chef who looked at Bu Fang with a dignified expression on his face, seemingly unable to see through Bu Fang’s kneading technique.
However, he was able to sense the shock from Master Ouyang’s face.
Could it be that this violent kneading technique… was indeed useful?
Bang!
Once again, the dough was slapped against the stove. At this moment, the dough was so abundant with spirit energy it seemed as if it were an enormous piece of jade, exuding brilliance and radiance.
“This… is a fine piece of kneaded dough!”
Master Ouyang’s eyes glittered as he looked at the jade-like dough, and he could not help but sincerely praise it from the bottom of his heart. This dough was of the highest quality. It was difficult to imagine that this was achieved by this sort of violent kneading technique.
Bu Fang extended his slender fingers and gently tapped on the dough, leaving a depression which slowly rebounded. He was quite satisfied with the soft and moist texture.
With the use of only high-quality flour and clear water, the noodles made from them would be the best.
Bu Fang turned his head to look at the other people and noticed that they were staring blankly at him, while their eyes were filled with doubt and disbelief.
“He actually managed to knead it?!”
Looking at the warm-jade-like dough, everyone inhaled a breath of cool air and they were all extremely appalled. With that technique, one could knead such high-quality dough?!
Master Ouyang leaned his head onto his hands and watched that moist dough, and a corner of his mouth raised.
His hand gently caressed the front of the dough. That soft touch; that pure, uncontaminated fragrance of the flour…
“This is truly unbelievable.”
After a long while, Master Ouyang sighed and he seemed to age a little.
“Hey… Will you like me to continue making the noodles?” Seeing Master Ouyang caressing the dough and sighing continuously, Bu Fang turned his head, looked at him, and asked.
“The purity and quality of this dough truly makes one not bear to work on it. Today, you’ve really taught me something,” said Ouyang Chenfeng.
Initially, he thought that Bu Fang was joking about it, but when the latter really performed that violent kneading technique, he was truly amazed. His mocking att.i.tude towards Bu Fang disappeared naturally.
“Sure, you may do it.”
Hearing that Bu Fang wanted to make noodles, Ouyang Chenfeng was taken aback at first, but in the next moment, his eyes sparkled.
Upon getting the approval from Ouyang Chenfeng, Bu Fang suddenly raised his eyebrows.
Even Bu Fang himself was not able to fathom how he was able to knead such high-quality dough this time, because the failure rate to produce such high-quality dough was too high. After actually kneading this kind of dough, Bu Fang wanted to take a shot at cooking it.
With a sway of his hands, the dough swirled, and flour filled the air.
This time, Bu Fang did not summon the Black Turtle Constellation Wok as he discovered that there was another pretty good black wok on the stove.
When he flipped his hand, a flame started burning in his hands. This flame was not very hot since it was not the Heaven and Earth Obsidian Flame.
Flicking his fingers, the flame jumped to the bottom of the wok and burned intensely, heating up the black wok.
With his peripheral vision, Bu Fang spotted the ingredients rack which was cluttered with ingredients far away.
“Can I use the ingredients?” asked Bu Fang.
“Use them as you please.” Ouyang Chenfeng’s curiosity was piqued as he wondered what kind of noodle dish Bu Fang would whip up with this dough.
The use of the ingredients did not matter to chef Ouyang at all.
Bu Fang nodded his head and, in the next moment, arrived in front of the ingredients rack and selected various among them.
With a thud, Bu Fang placed the bone of a cow spirit beast on the chopping board and brutally chopped it with a kitchen knife. With little effort, the bone instantly cracked.
Ouyang Chenfeng’s expression changed slightly as he looked at the Dragon Bone Kitchen Knife in Bu Fang’s hand.
“This kitchen knife… is interesting!”
As a first-grade chef in the Valley of Gluttony, Ouyang Chenfeng’s range of experience was extraordinary. That Dragon Bone Kitchen Knife seemed to be of equal standing with the Cicada’s Wing Knife he possessed.
Bu Fang’s expression was indifferent as he raised his kitchen knife and then struck the bone once again, chopping the beef bone bit by bit.
When Bu Fang raised his finger, the Dragon Bone Kitchen Knife spun in his hand, emitting a buzzing sound, and in the next instant the kitchen knife was tossed onto the chopping board.
With a clatter, those beef bones landed into the black wok one by one.
Inside the wok, there was hot, boiling water.
Once the beef bones were placed into the wok, boundless spirit essence spurted out.
At this moment, the group of chefs peeping through the door was dumbfounded. Everyone inhaled sharply. Judging from Bu Fang’s knife technique, he was definitely not an ordinary chef. This youth was an extremely talented, low profile chef.
Covering the wok with the lid, he allowed the beef bones within the black wok to boil, and began to prepare other things.
Whoosh whoosh whoos.h.!.+
With a flick of his wrist and a spin of his kitchen knife, the knife cut out swaths of patterns in the air adroitly. That showy and spontaneous action dazzled the eyes of many. They never expected that cooking could be this cool!
Thuck thuck thuck!
The rhythmic sound of the kitchen knife hitting the chopping board reverberated in everyone’s ears and in the next instant, the ingredients that Bu Fang had selected were chopped up into small pieces.
Boom!
Flames leaped into the sky as Bu Fang lit up the bottom of another wok, and after adding oil, he used a ladle and emptied the cut ingredients into the wok.
A flame soared into the sky, blurring everyone’s vision slightly and causing some people to exclaim out with shock within their hearts.
However, after the exclamation, they began to quiet down as the fire within the wok that had just appeared was nothing but an ordinary scene. Even they could achieve it easily.
Sc.r.a.pe sc.r.a.pe sc.r.a.pe!
With a well-practiced stir-fry, the ingredients within the wok were coated with a layer of oil, glistening and looking absolutely beautiful, with a rich fragrance emanating from them.
Some of the people in the audience inadvertently took a sniff of the fragrance and were shocked.
They pondered, why would the food cooked by this chap be more fragrant than the ones they cooked?
Ouyang Chenfeng’s expression tightened slightly.
His facial expressions had already been changing continuously since a while ago as he observed the way Bu Fang cooked.
He finally knew where the pressure imposed by Bu Fang originated from; just from this skilled operation, one could tell that Bu Fang was definitely an experienced chef. Bu Fang’s extent of familiarity with the kitchen was no less than his.
Furthermore, one could even say that Bu Fang’s culinary experience surpa.s.sed his.
“Could it be that this chap was actually a first-grade chef? A first-grade chef from outside of this valley? Then this chap’s culinary talent would be terrifying!” Ouyang Chenfeng muttered.
After the cooking of the dishes had been completed, the wok was raised, and its contents were presented on a plate before being set it aside.
Bu Fang then uncovered the black wok that contained the boiling beef bones. The hot water in the wok was boiling and constantly bubbling.
The beef bones rolled around in the wok, emitting a meaty fragrance.
Instead of picking up the beef bones, Bu Fang used a single hand to grab the high-quality dough, while the other flipped the Dragon Bone Knife, which landed into his hand.
Waving the knife gently downwards, a slice of dough flew out and landed accurately into the hot wok containing the boiling beef bone soup, leaving the onlookers surprised and stunned.
In an instant, the slice of noodle was swallowed by the hot, bubbling water and disappeared.
“What are you doing?!” Ouyang Chenfeng’s eyes shrunk. It did not strike him that Bu Fang would do something like that!
That high-quality dough was destroyed just like that!
That G.o.dd.a.m.ned b.a.s.t.a.r.d!
How could he do such an outrageous thing!
Without waiting for him to finish, Bu Fang made a second cut. The second slice of dough fell into the wok without a sound.
Closing four fingers together and holding the knife horizontally, Bu Fang masterfully waved his kitchen knife in a rhythmic fas.h.i.+on, casting slices of dough into the sky – each slice accurately landing into the beef bone soup.
No one made sense of what Bu Fang was doing, using a knife to shave noodles?
Was he crazy?!
How could the noodles produced via such means have a good texture?!
Even Ouyang Chenfeng could not help but think that Bu Fang was indeed wasting the dough recklessly. Such high-quality dough was so hard to come by!
After slicing approximately half of the dough, Bu Fang stopped. He placed the unused dough on the stove. Using a colander, he fished out the contents of the beef bone soup, and immediately, steaming hot water splashed in all directions.
Within the colander, a dense mist permeated the s.p.a.ce, accompanied by an abundance of spirit energy.
Glancing at the big, glittering pile of noodles, everyone was slightly astonished.
Master Ouyang was also taken aback and let out a mocking laugh.
“You really made noodles with the dough… It is somewhat similar to the wide noodles that I knead.” Master Ouyang commented.
Bu Fang picked a large blue and white porcelain bowl, and poured the knife-shaved noodles into the bowl, after which he topped the noodles with the stir-fried ingredients. Lastly, a spoonful of boiling beef bone soup was added to the bowl.
The aroma instantly filled the people’s nostrils and pervaded the air! After preparing all that, Bu Fang was still not done cooking yet.
Again, he prepared another wok, poured the oil in, and once the oil was bubbling, Bu Fang cracked a spirit beast egg with one hand.
With a crack, the spirit beast egg split open and both the egg white and yolk slipped into the wok.
Plop!
In that instant, a dense aroma surged out!