Su Tang tasted Bak Kut Teh for the first time in a Southeast Asian restaurant.
She was instantly captivated by its flavor.
As mentioned before, although Bak Kut Teh is called “tea,” it is actually a soup base made from various medicinal herbs. Because the word “medicine” is considered inauspicious, it was named “tea.” Of course, there is tea in it as well, but the main flavor comes from the fragrant herbs.
Initially, during their voyage at sea, they would simply cook these medicinal herbs together to nourish their bodies.
But later, by chance, they added pork bones to the mix, turning it into a delicious dish.
A bowl of Bak Kut Teh, a bowl of rice.
First, eat the pork ribs from the Bak Kut Teh, then use the tea soup to soak the rice. It combines the aroma of pork and the refreshing taste of the tea soup, creating a delightful combination.
It’s incredibly delicious.
As Su Tang took the ingredients to the competition venue, she regretted not making it beforehand.
It’s not that she thought she would fail, but she also wanted to eat it!
Regardless, after she finishes cooking, she plans to have a taste on the spot.
But as soon as Su Tang entered, she noticed that everyone’s expressions were a bit off.
Because she arrived a little late to get fresh pork ribs.
Just as she stepped out, everyone’s gaze fell upon her.
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“Su Tang, you’re finally here!”
“Oh my, it’s great that you’re here. We can breathe a sigh of relief.”
“No matter who advances, as long as you’re here, it’s good enough.”
“That’s right, we were really afraid of being nervous at the banquet.”
As Su Tang listened, she finally understood what was going on.
Everyone present was trying to find a solution.
They wanted to advance in the competition, but they didn’t want to attend the Mid-Autumn Banquet, even though it was a prestigious opportunity.
However, they knew very little about the Tibetan region. How exactly would the competition be held? Who knows?
Even those with the courage to show their faces were still anxious inside.
But if they had Su Tang, it would be different. The sky would be high, and having someone as talented as her would make things easier. Just roll around in the water, sprinkle a little salt, and everything would turn out delicious.
But Su Tang’s skill was to make this pork rib even more delicious.
After blanching the pork ribs, she set them aside and started frying the garlic.
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Garlic can suppress the fishy smell of the ribs and enhance their fragrance. Su Tang used vegetable oil to stir-fry the garlic until it released its aroma, then added clear water, along with the pre-prepared medicinal herb packet.
This clear water was also prepared by Su Tang in advance, purified to remove impurities.
The herbs in the packet were not limited to specific ones. Su Tang included Chinese angelica, cinnamon, star anise, cloves, Chinese angelica, Dang shen, and several other nourishing herbs.
She didn’t use too much of these herbs, so the resulting soup wouldn’t have a bitter taste. Instead, it would have a unique, refreshing aroma. The herbs were wrapped in gauze, and after boiling for a while, they could be easily removed, ensuring that they wouldn’t be encountered while eating.
After adding the herbs, it was time for the tea leaves.
The tea leaves used here were also sent by Qi Tian Yun.
Su Tang didn’t even need to guess. Could the tea leaves sent by Qi Tian Yun be of poor quality?
Last time, when she, her younger brother Su Jin Hang, Zhao Madam, and the scholars from the Confucian Academy drank tea together, they were amazed and asked where they could buy such excellent tea leaves.
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Su Tang wouldn’t dare to say that they were from Qi Tian Yun; she just mentioned that she happened to come across them.
Today, she also used them for cooking.
It may seem extravagant, but once you taste it, it’s incredibly fragrant!
After adding all these ingredients, the pork ribs from earlier can be placed inside.
People nearby were still puzzled. Why did Su Tang’s dish today seem so simple, just putting in one packet after another?
But in reality, Su Tang meticulously calculated the combination of all the medicinal herbs, determining the right herbs and quantities to create a tea soup that would be fragrant and pleasant, without any bitterness but with the aroma of the herbs.
It was a profound knowledge.
Although Su Tang hadn’t made meat bone tea at home, she had consumed a lot of this kind of tea soup.
The proportions of the tea leaves were accurate down to a few leaves, making it appear effortless now.
The Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Rites on the stage were still contemplating.
What kind of delicacy did Su Tang make? She seemed so composed and at ease.
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The ingredients on this side were all in place.
The soaked shiitake mushrooms were dried by Su Tang to remove excess moisture, and then she stir-fried them in lard in another pot.
These mushrooms were uniformly sized and just the right size to be eaten in one bite.
After soaking, they became soft, so there was no need to slice them. Once stir-fried, they were added to the soup from earlier.
Now that all the ingredients were in, Su Tang covered the pot and simmered it over low heat for nearly half an hour, until the pork ribs became tender and soaked in the tea soup from the herb packet. Then, she added a little pepper, salt, and chicken bouillon for seasoning and cooked a whole baby bok choy.
And thus, the meat bone tea was ready.
This time, Su Tang simplified the previous cumbersome process. It seemed like she had only made a simple pork rib dish?
But the people around her didn’t believe it!
They could all smell the fragrance, okay!
The aroma was just too tempting.
On the other side, Su Tang had already started steaming the rice.
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She obtained this year’s new rice from the grain shop, specifically buying the rice harvested once a year. This type of rice was plump and when steamed, it became fragrant and delicious, perfect even when eaten plain.
But Su Tang didn’t just steam the rice plain. She took out a bamboo tube from the basket, which had been cleaned and air-dried for several days.
Now the bamboo tube had the fragrance of bamboo and had rid itself of any bitterness.
With this method, when the rice was steamed, it carried the full aroma of the rice grains and the refreshing scent of bamboo.
Su Tang’s theme for this meal was precisely that.
All the natural aromas were present in this meal.
Meat bone tea and bamboo tube rice.
One with the unique fragrance of medicinal herbs, the other with the distinct aroma of bamboo.
Before tasting this dish, no one could have imagined that they could experience the taste of nature through their sense of taste.
But Su Tang accomplished it with this meal.
The Minister of Revenue and the Minister of Rites were eagerly waiting for Su Tang to have someone bring the food over!
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They saw Su Tang divide the meal into several portions!
But Su Tang picked up one portion of the bamboo tube rice and began to eat!
After having the rice, she started eating the meat bone tea, even using a spoon to pour the tea soup from the meat bone tea onto the rice.
The rice was translucent and glistening, and the tea soup from the meat bone tea was brightly colored.
Who wouldn’t salivate at the sight of it!
Su Tang don’t eat it all yourself!
Bring it over here for us!