All five ingredients were placed into the pot, covered with water, and then seasoned with scallions, ginger, and garlic. Normally, this would need to simmer for around six hours on low heat.
However, with the system's advanced technology, this time was reduced to just a few minutes.
Qi Han fetched a prepared strainer and removed all the ingredients from the pot, setting them aside. Their essence had already infused into the broth during the six hours of slow simmering, and the remaining meat would be recycled by the system.
"Meow?"
Pururu jumped down from the partition and took a few steps to the table, eyeing the pile of meat curiously with its head tilted.
Can I eat this?
Qi Han was moved and shook his head, "No, this won't do. It contains scallions, ginger, and garlic. But maybe I can improve the recipe for your cat food next time."
Using millennium Five-Colored Brocade Chicken and Jade Swan for cat food might be a bit extravagant.
[It's not just a bit extravagant, it's extremely wasteful!] Ru Yi's voice sounded in his mind, clearly annoyed.
Despite this, Qi Han decided to add these ingredients next time, along with millennium Cassia Pig and Sea Dream Clams, as they were also excellent.
After all, it's his own cat, so feeding it well shouldn't be an issue.
"Meow!"
New flavors for my cat food? Awesome! Pururu jumped down from the table, no longer interested in the meat.
Scallions, ginger, and garlic aren't good for cats; the master said so.
Feeding Pururu was just a small diversion; Qi Han's attention quickly shifted back to the broth, which had a slightly yellowish tinge.
Transforming this rich broth into a clear soup is the real challenge of making Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth.
The recipe from the system differed from the version of Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth on Earth. While the Earth version was clear but not colorless, the system's version aimed for a broth that truly looked like plain water.
Qi Han took a very fine sieve and strained the broth into another pot. He then placed the pot in ice water to cool it down to room temperature before setting it aside to settle.
Next, he took a piece of lean century-old Inferno Barbaric Bull meat. With swift knife work, he turned it into fine mince. He then did the same with a piece of lean century-old Cassia Pig meat, and finally, a piece of grass-fed century-old Xihua Plateau lamb meat.
The lean meats of these three animals were placed separately on the table, and upon closer inspection, the differences between them were noticeable.
The Inferno Barbaric Bull meat was deep red, full of myoglobin, giving it a plump appearance. The Cassia Pig meat was deep pink with no hint of a gamey smell, while the Xihua Plateau lamb meat was pale pink with a faint mutton scent.
The settled broth had changed slightly but was far from clear. Qi Han reheated the broth to a simmer, then added the minced meat in three batches.
The minced meat not only added unique flavors to the broth but also absorbed large particles, clarifying the soup.
As the broth boiled, the meat cooked, and Qi Han carefully skimmed off the froth and scum, transforming the broth into a pale yellow clear soup.
After filtering the clear soup through a fine sieve again, Qi Han took out two spongy, irregular pieces of a strange ingredient.
These were the hearts of the Mica Siren from the oceans of Douluo Continent.
The Mica Siren was a large, amorphous creature capable of changing its body shape rapidly to catch other sea Spirit Beasts, and it grew quickly—a palm-sized Mica Siren could grow to several hundred meters in just a year.
The heart of the Mica Siren is quite unique among Spirit Beasts; it also functions as its brain. As long as the heart remains intact, the Mica Siren can regenerate rapidly. However, these properties are not the main reason Qi Han selected it as an ingredient.
The Mica Siren boasts a distinct flavor, akin to sea urchin but even more delectable. Adding it to the soup enhances the already rich broth with an extra layer of taste. Additionally, the heart's structure resembles activated charcoal, capable of absorbing pigments. This allows Qi Han to transform the rich broth into the clear water required for the dish.
The heart, sensing danger, wriggled uneasily, but without its body, it had no chance of escaping Qi Han's grasp. After simmering it for ten minutes, he carefully removed it, leaving a broth that, once passed through a final fine sieve, was completely colorless and clear.
Qi Han poured the clear broth into the soup pot and turned to fetch three cabbages. These were not ordinary cabbages but a rare treasure known as Jade Delicate Apricot, akin to Immortal herbs. They belonged to the same family as the highest-grade fire element Immortal herb, Infernal Delicate Apricot, and were of exceptional quality.
The three cabbages were at least a 100 years old Immortal Herb, and with his knife skills, Qi Han swiftly transformed them into delicate lotus flowers. His proficiency in knife techniques and his spiritual connection to plants allowed him to carve them to perfection.
The three lotus flowers, shyly half-closed with only their tops blooming, brought a smile to Qi Han's face. He placed each flower in a small bowl, poured in the freshly made clear broth, and steamed them for half an hour. Thus, the dish "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth" would be ready.
Despite using fewer ingredients, the quality and quantity far surpassed that of "Fish Belly Hidden Sheep." The reason for the similar pricing was straightforward: one batch of ingredients could produce three portions of "Boiled Cabbage in Clear Broth."
The portions were small; such a delicate soup did not need to be abundant. Each serving filled a bowl roughly the size of a palm. Qi Han took one portion for himself, planning to let the Qin sisters try the other two.
Carefully, he took out a portion of the soup. Even after cooking the cabbage, the clear broth remained transparent. The lotus-shaped Jade Delicate Apricot had fully opened in the hot water, revealing its stunning beauty.
The surrounding atmospheric energy surged, and as the lotus flowers fully bloomed, mist began to gather above the soup. In the mist, a vision of a jade pool appeared, with celestial maidens bathing and playing, their laughter echoing through time. The moonlight reflected on the jade pool's surface, and from the depths of the pool, a golden lotus slowly emerged.
Bathed in moonlight, the golden lotus bloomed slowly but resolutely, radiating circles of light. The heavens seemed to celebrate its blooming with auspicious clouds and music. Koi swam beneath it, not daring to leap and steal its spotlight, while auspicious birds circled overhead, basking in the nine-colored light.
This heavenly phenomenon is known as Golden Lotus Blooming in Jade Pool.
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