“Please present the second dish,” the judges requested.
At once, the second set of trays were served, but this time, the dish revealed to them made the audience arch a brow at Lu Xinyi’s direction. The golden-brown half-moon-shaped meat pie presented to them was as large as the palm of a woman. It was a very popular dish in their region. Some even considered it as cheap street food and a usual snack.
“A cla.s.sic meat pie, huh?”
“What’s so special about this one?”
“I haven’t seen a restaurant serving meat pies over the years. Now that I think about it, you can also find these at the supermarkets ready-made.”
Everyone eyed at Lu Xinyi. They couldn’t decide whether this woman was playing tricks on them, or there was something special about these boring meat pies.
Because they had no other choice but take a taste of this meat pie, the judges and the locals—who got a ticket to taste the dishes—begrudgingly took a bite on it. They were almost in shock once their palate met the savory filling and the crispy crust of the meat pie! It was the complete contrast to the steamed kimchi pork buns they’d eaten earlier.
“This…”
How could they describe this beef meat pie?! It was so delicious that they forgot the words to describe it. Lu Xinyi was able to turn ordinary street food into an extraordinary dis.h.!.+
The charm of this meat pie came from its crispiness. Its crust was made up of layers of dough that were thin as a paper. This was the most crucial part of making a tasty meat pie. Unlike the other dumplings and potstickers, meat pies would use layered, oily dough to create a super crispy crust—like pastry dough.
For some people, this might look a bit daunting; but because Lu Xinyi knew how pastry worked, she found it very easy and straightforward to do. Meat pies were obviously larger than the usual potstickers. It meant that she only needed to roll the dough and wrap the filling a few times without any restrictions.
“This is Grace Palace’s Cla.s.sic Beef Meat Pie.” Lu Xinyi confidently smiled. This meat pie was easier to make than the first dish she presented, for she didn’t need to exert much effort on making its dough. She used peanut oil to the dough to complement the savory filling inside.
For this dish, Lu Xinyi was the one to knead the dough, for Shen Yi was a.s.signed to chop the beef into small cubes until it almost resembled minced meat once he was done. Lu Xinyi chose to use this method to make sure that the meat wouldn’t lose some of its taste, compared to using the usual ground beef that the recipe called for.
As she worked on the dough, Shen Yi had to prepare the filling at the same time, or else the filling would be watery if they prepared it later.
Naturally, beef had a strong aroma so the addition of green onions, ginger, and peppers was essential for balance. While her husband was busy cutting the meat in smaller pieces, Lu Xinyi placed some Sichuan peppercorns in a small saucepan and dry-fried them until they were brittle.
Once cooked, she placed them into a mortar and ground them into a fine powder. The freshly-ground pepper powder would give her beef meat pies a more fragrant aroma and stronger taste.
The audience was once again at awe. This beef meat pies were certainly above the meat pies they’d tried before. They couldn’t understand how Lu Xinyi was able to keep the filling moist without sacrificing the crispiness of the crust.
The judges kept silent this time… but not because they disapproved Lu Xinyi’s meat pies. Just like the rest, they found it really refres.h.i.+ng. The meat pies were aromatic, had a crispy crust that everyone loves, and stuffed with a moist filling that would make one ask for more.
Of course, Lu Xinyi wouldn’t reveal her techniques. To be able to create moist fillings for most dumplings, one must choose to use meat that contained twenty to thirty percent of fat. The fat would keep the filling juicy and moist as it cooked. A cut of meat that was too lean would produce a dry and bland filling.
Adding water on the meat before mixing the other dry ingredients would also add moisture to the texture of the meat pie, but adding it too much could make the filling too runny—making it difficult to wrap. After that, adding oil after the water would lock the moisture within the meat while being marinated. Once these steps were done, one could start adding other ingredients and chop the veggies.
Lu Xinyi had to mix the vegetables with the meat before wrapping and cooking it to prevent the filling from getting too runny. The salty seasoning on the vegetables would draw out moisture from the meat; hence, it should be mixed, wrapped, cooked, and eaten as soon as possible.
Served warm with c.h.i.n.kiang vinegar that has a rich, pungent, and tart flavor, Lu Xinyi’s meat pies were given another level of flavor with this dip’s added fermented malty taste and woody character.
The people at the audience area nodded in approval. They were smiling—happily conversing with each other—as if they hadn’t seen an acquaintance for a long time.
These meat pies were cooked to perfection. They were golden brown, and the fillings were cooked thoroughly without losing moisture. They were crispy, and the fillings were juicy and delicious. The warmth inside the pies was enough to burn one’s mouth, and yet those who had a taste of Lu Xinyi’s beef meat pies didn’t bother to cool it down and ate them in one go.