Ch48 – Extraterrestrial Visit

The Academy of Sciences was very efficient, and in just a few days it introduced some new ingredients – button mushrooms, shiitake mushrooms and enoki mushrooms. This made Ruan Tang very happy. Finally, he could make new dishes!

Just as he was honing his knife and preparing for the evening’s live broadcast, he suddenly received a call from the Chefs’ Association’s President Gu.

“President Gu, hello.” Ruan Tang smiled as he received the call.

President Gu with his iconic white hair and beard appeared on the screen. “Hello, Xiao Tang, are you busy recently?”

“I’m okay, I’m not particularly busy. Do you need my help for anything?” he asked curiously.

“I do. The leaders of the Rute people are preparing to visit our Blue Star Empire to discuss trade cooperation. The Rute people have helped us a lot during the war, so the Empire attaches great importance to this matter. Our Chefs’ Association is responsible for their meals during their stay.” President Gu paused before continuing. “The Rute people really like our empire’s natural ingredients, and I don’t know how but they’ve heard about you and they hope that they can have a taste of your dishes. That’s why I can only thicken this old face and ask for your help.”

Ruan Tang thought about it and asked, “How many people will there be?”

“There are a total of 20 visitors, all of whom are nobles among the Rutes. As for their fleet and escorts, we will be responsible.”

“Then, that’s alright. Let me do it.” Ruan Tang didn’t hesitate for too long, and quickly nodded. “When will they arrive? How many days will they stay?”

“Great! They will arrive in the Empire within two days. They should be staying for four or five days. We will entertain them in the Empire State Building. You’d better come over tomorrow and help me plan the menu. We will be responsible for securing the ingredients. You just need to write it down.”

“Okay, I understand. What kind of foods do they like?”

“Hmm, they probably just like to eat meat?” President Gu wasn’t actually clear on the Rutes’ taste preference. He only knew that when they came to the empire last time, they particularly enjoyed the roasted meats so he could only give this vague answer.

“Alright. I understand.”

After the call, it was natural for Ruan Tang to become curious about the Rutes so he searched for their information on the Star network. It turned out that the Rutes were similar to the Avatar he had seen in a movie in his previous life, except that their skin wasn’t blue, but an almost transparent white. They were tall with long legs and a sturdy upper body, pointed ears, with beast-like eyes and fangs. They looked very aggressive. It seemed that President Gu was right when he said that they liked meat.

In any case, chickens, ducks, pigs, cattle, and sheep were available and at hand. These should be able to satisfy them.

After adding this to his schedule, Ruan Tang continued to prepare for the evening’s live broadcast. The Academy of Sciences had already sent him new ingredients in advance, and they were all piled up in the kitchen. He could use the mushrooms to make mushroom and egg soup. Enokis could be used for mushroom and beef roll ups. While the shiitakes could be steamed to make chicken with shiitake. Two dishes and one soup was just right.

[Salted fish was originally fish: Hahaha, I knew he was going to use these for the broadcast. Whenever the Academy comes out with new ingredients, he’s sure to create dishes with it on the same day. As expected from a consultant of the Academy of Sciences! 】

[Miao Miao loves to eat all the dishes of the anchor: Beef roll! I know that! When I was eating hot pot a few days ago, that piece of beef was super delicious! 】

[Can’t stop hugging trees: I’m going to sit back and wait for some good food!]

“The mushroom and beef roll up isn’t difficult at all. We just need to roll the fatty beef strip around the enoki mushrooms.” Thanks to the popularity of the hot pot, the fatty beef was now directly sold in the shopping mall, and Ruan Tang no longer needed to make it from scratch. The red and white layered beef strips were laid flat on the cutting board, and the washed enoki mushrooms were wrapped and rolled.

Ruan Tang placed the beef wrapped mushrooms into a hot pan and fried them until the fatty beef roll was fried to light golden brown.

Ruan Tang carefully arranged the mushroom and beef roll ups into a flower shape, creating a circle on the plate. In between, he interspersed some green vegetable flowers. He then used soy sauce, salt, sugar and some starch slurry to make a salty-sweet sauce, which he drizzled over the roll ups. The sauce drizzled over the mushroom and beef roll up gave it a bright reddish sheen, adorned with green vegetable flowers, it looked like a beautiful picture.

“Everyone, let’s have a taste..” He invited the audience to try it out. “Remember that if you dip it in sauce, it can taste much better.”

[Taxise: sooooooooooooo delicious! 】

[Love Potion: The fatty cow is so tender. The mushrooms inside doesn’t have a lot of taste, but it has such a nice texture. It’s so chewy, and the eating it with the sauce is simply delicious! 】

[Peacefully sleeping: 1, I think something got stuck between my teeth. 】

[The scenery from my hometown: I think I can eat a few more plates of this! 】

The mushroom and beef roll up Ruan Tang made had a savory taste with a hint of sweetness. The beef was layered with fat and lean meat and was very tender.While the chewy enoki mushrooms had absorbed the oil from the beef and the sweetness of the sauce. Because it had been pan fried, it also carried a hint of char. This dish, with its seemingly simple cooking method, was actually rich and multi-layered in flavor, which fascinated everyone who tasted it.

“The chicken with shiitake uses meat from the chicken thighs. It’s also very easy to make, so everyone can learn to make it at home.”

Ruan Tang washed the chicken thighs under the tap and then smeared it with a little salt and scallion-ginger juice. After cutting it into small pieces, he put it in a bowl with sliced scallions, ginger, sugar, soy sauce and salt. After mixing well all the ingredients, he wrapped the bowl with plastic wrap and let it marinate for 15 minutes.

While the chicken was marinating, Ruan Tang started to make the mushroom and egg soup. He first washed the button mushrooms and cut it into slices. He heated some oil in a pan and sauteed the onion, ginger and garlic until they were fragrant. He then added the mushrooms to the stir fry. Hot water was poured in and finally, the beaten egg mixture was stirred into the soup. After seasoning with salt and pepper, a bowl of delicious mushroom and egg soup was done.

[Purple Fantasy: I originally thought that this soup was too simple ad that the taste would be nothing special. I didn’t expec that it would taste this good!]

[Little Swallows Fly: That’s right! Making this soup is so simple. I think even I can make it at home!]

[Following broadcasts to learn cooking: I learned how to make two new dishes. I’m so happy! XD]

At this time, Ruan Tang took the marinated chicken thigh meat and poured it into the heated pan. When the surface of the meat had slightly discolored, he put in the mushroom slices and continued to stir fry until the chicken had completely changed color. He turned up the heat to allow it to absorb the flavors. After that, he put the shiitake and chicken thighs into the steamer and let it steam for 10 minutes.

The chicken meat steamed this way was especially succulent, tender and extremely tasty. The flavor of the shiitake mushrooms had seeped into the chicken giving it a unique taste that made people unable to stop with just one bite.

[Liu Yebai: This kind of rich dish must go very well with rice! ]

[Shaliye: If I could have rice on top of this, I would eat until I’m about to burst! ]

The two dishes and soup that Ruan Tang made today were quite popular, and the audience was already wriggling about. After all, the dishes were finished, what came next was what was most exciting for them!

[Weak hearted idiot: [housefly rubbing its hands.jpg] Will you draw a lottery today?]

“For today’s lucky draw there will be five lucky viewers who will receive this mushroom set meal of two dishes and one soup.” He smiled and replied.

[Rustling leaves in the forest: I heard that prayers were useful. Please quickly get familiar with my ID! ]

[Can’t stop hugging trees: The chance of winning is one in 300 million [smile gradually disappearing.jpg]]

[Zigui: Although the chance is very small, I’m still holding on to this glimmer of hope… QAQ]

[I wish for tranquility: Hu hu hu, I’ve never gotten any prize! ! 】

[chayy Lan: Today’s dishes were pretty simple to make, if I can’t win the prize… I may be able to learn how to do it myself… (*whispers* though I still really want to win a prize)

He opened the lottery function, and from the names floating around him, he randomly chose five names that turned out to be a bit familiar. “Congratulations to China Garden Moon, Liu Yebai, Horoscope Writer, Yue Zhi Xin remembers snow and Yan Gui. To the five lucky viewers, your packages will be sent later. Please remember to check and receive.”

[Yue Zhi Xin remembers snow: I actually won the prize in this lifetime! I’m so touched! I’m crying!]

The winners were rejoicing while those who didn’t win a prize were wailing in grief. Ruan Tang didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

He then remembered the matter regarding the Rutes’ banquet. He was uncertain whether he would be able to do a live broadcast tomorrow. “Also, I may go out again tomorrow. I’m not sure if I’ll have time to broadcast. If I do, I’ll make the announcement on Weibo.”

[Miao Miao loves to eat all the dishes of the anchor: Hu hu hu, anchor, where are you going?… I can’t eat without you! ]

After shutting down the live broadcast, the dishes were packing into the preservation boxes and then sent out to the winners. Of course, he didn’t forget He Yun Chen and He Yun Yi’s shares.

After handling these matters, he gave it some thought and then sent a message to He Yun Chen.

“Will you be attending the banquet for the Rutes?”

He Yun Chen responded quickly.

“I will.”

After all, Ruan Tang was going to cook for an unfamiliar alien race. Having He Yun Chen there gave Ruan Tang great peace of mind. “That’s great. President Gu asked me to help prepare the reception. I’ll be responsible for the dishes at the banquet.”

“En, I’ll be there.”