Gourmet Hunter (HxH Fanfic)

The dish Law wanted to make was none other than Sichuan's traditional delicacy, Mapo Tofu, which combines the six flavors of numbing, spicy, hot, fragrant, crispy, and tender flavors.

Since the appearance and taste of the white liver are very similar to silken tofu, Law boldly came up with the idea of ​​using the liver as a substitute for tofu.

Regardless of whether this idea is feasible or not, Law wants to give it a try. Perhaps with the help of the special characteristics of the ingredients, he might create a unique Mapo Tofu.

As soon as Law got up, he immediately got busy. He began gathering the necessary ingredients.

The airship's kitchen was fully equipped, including the ingredients. Law quickly found all the ingredients, except for the crucial doubanjiang. (T/N: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doubanjiang. Basically a bean paste, but spicy.)

Although the important doubanjiang was missing, it did not stop Law from wanting to use the white liver to cook Mapo Tofu.

"No doubanjiang, huh…"

Law glanced at the ingredients lined up by the stove.

Peppercorns, fermented black beans, garlic, garlic sprouts, onions, ginger, red chilies, cornstarch, soy sauce... and the meat of Horned Cattle.

He has eaten Red Wine White Liver alone before, and it increased the Awakening Rates by 0.2%, while Horned Cattle's meat only increased them by 0.1%. So Law wondered what the effect will be when the two are combined.

"Okay, let's get started."

Rolling up his sleeves, Law dove in enthusiastically.

This would be a Mapo Tofu unlike anything seen on Earth, even in this world.

"First, cut the white liver into pieces."

Law stretched out his hand and used his God Hand on the liver. In the blink of an eye, he cut the liver into equal-sized cubes. He then filled a pot with water, then added a pinch of salt before bringing it to a near boil.

When the water began to bubble, he blanched the liver cubes briefly.

This blanching technique is similar to the Cantonese method of luk, where ingredients are briefly cooked in boiling water before being transferred to a dish.

After blanching, Law did not pour out the soup in the pot. It is typically done to remove the beany taste and ensure tofu is thoroughly cooked. However, this white liver is not tofu, but the liver of Spiny Sea Pork. The clear soup after blanching can be used in subsequent cooking.

"Next is ground meat, using the meat of the Horned Cattle."

After processing the liver, Law poured the blanched clear soup into a bowl and heated oil in the pot. None of the other ingredients, from the meat to the aromatics like peppercorns and garlic, had been prepped yet.

Generally speaking, chefs would prepare these before cooking, but for Law, all of this can be done during the cooking process.

For him, this wasn't just cooking. He can train his Nen Ability in the process of making food. And eating the finished product can also enhance his Nen and satisfy his appetite. It is simply a great pleasure in life.

This is equivalent to... the combination of fun and work, which is probably what many people pursue.

In no time, the oil was ready.

Law picked up a piece of meat and hung it over the pot. He then activated his Nen Ability, and a white light emerged. The meat immediately turned into a pile of minced meat and was scattered into the hot oil.

Sizzle!

The aroma emanates along with the oil smoke. The natural fragrance of the Horned Cattle's meat emerged even without additional spices.

Law's nose twitched slightly and he quickly stir-fried the minced beef in the pot.

Once it was browned, Law quickly picked up garlic and fermented black beans with his hands, hung them on the pot, chopped them up with God Hand, and sprinkled them into the pot. He then added red pepper and ginger in the same way.

By using his Nen Ability, Law was able to process the side dishes in an instant, and his movements are as smooth as flowing water. If there are top chefs watching, they will definitely envy Law's ability to turn the side dishes into crumbs with just a flip of his hands. It looked downright elegant.

Because there was no doubanjiang, Law increased the amount of chili peppers and fried them until the bright red color was developed to let the spicy fragrance emerging. Only then did he pour in the clear soup that had just been used to boil the liver.

After adding the broth, the bright red color slightly disperses.

At this time, Law gently placed the liver cubes into the pot, added cooking wine and soy sauce, turned the heat to low, stirred it slightly, and then sprinkled in the finely chopped garlic sprouts.

By this stage, the aroma becomes more intense, making one's mouth water uncontrollably with just the smell. However, this is not the peak of Mapo Tofu's signature fragrance.

In the pot, the red of the chili pepper and the white of the liver presented a sharp contrast, while the scattered green garlic sprouts added vibrant color. The combination of the three colors created a visually stunning dish.

"Finally, finish it with high heat!"

Law turned the heat to maximum and started tossing the dish vigorously.

This is the final finishing step, using the intense heat to bring out the aroma to the extreme.

After a while, the entire kitchen was filled with an appetite-stimulating aroma.

When it was almost done, Law picked up the peppercorns and onions, crushed them into powder with a flick of his hand and sprinkled them over the dish. He then poured in the cornstarch slurry to finalize the consistency.

After a while, Law turned off the fire and plated the Mapo Tofu. Smelling the lingering aroma, Law had the urge to eat it immediately with a steaming bowl of white rice.

'Numbing, spicy, hot, fragrant, crispy, and tender, the six flavors in perfect harmony.'

The peppercorns brought the numbing sensation, the chilies the spiciness, the garlic sprouts enhanced the aroma, the minced beef contributed a crispy texture, the pork liver lent its tenderness, and the high-heat stir-frying sealed the dish's warmth.

The main ingredients are Horned Cattle's meat and Spiny Sea Pork's liver, which is the substitute for tofu. The excellent ingredients themselves, coupled with the intricate Sichuan cooking techniques, promised a remarkable dish.

Suppressing his urge to sample it, Law placed the steaming Mapo Tofu onto a tray alongside a generous serving of rice and quickly made his way to Ellie's room.

When Law walked into the room with the Mapo Tofu, Ellie and Kenda were immediately captivated by the unique spicy aroma. They had never smelled anything like it before.

"What is this?" Ellie stared at the Mapo Tofu in Law's hand. She didn't feel hungry at first, but her stomach started growling when she smelled the fragrance.

Even Kenda, who was well-traveled and experienced, had never encountered a dish like Mapo Tofu. He could only tell from the appearance that it was a dish related to chili peppers, but the aroma that kept coming into his nose was too tempting.

"This dish is called Mapo White Liver." After hearing Ellie's question, Law thought about it for a moment and decided that since the white liver was used instead of tofu, he might as well change the name.

"Mapo White Liver?" Ellie ran to the table and looked closely at the Mapo White Liver with a layer of bright red sauce floating on it, and her appetite was aroused.

"Go on, give it a try."

As Law said that, he served some rice. He knew that Mapo Tofu was best enjoyed with a good serving of plain rice.

Ellie thought the rice was for her, so she happily reached out to take it, but unexpectedly, Law pulled the bowl back.

"Serve it yourself."

Law rolled his eyes at Ellie. Ignoring her resentful look, he scooped up a spoonful of Mapo White Liver and tasted it himself.

'The spicy and chewy taste is complemented by a unique umami flavor, which comes from the white liver... The minced meat made from Horned Cattle is elastic and different from the minced meat made from ordinary beef and pork.'

'The tender texture of pork liver and the elasticity of meat complement each other, and combined with the cooking method of Mapo Tofu, they create a flavor that I will never have the chance to taste on Earth.'

'It's really a blessing to be able to eat such delicious food.'

Seeing Law's delighted expression, Ellie and Kenda didn't care about their previous teasing, and immediately scooped up the Mapo White Liver with a spoon and stuffed it into their mouths without even serving their rice.

The liver part melted in the mouth, but the springiness of the Horned Cattle's meat made the two chew it hard, and with every chew, the sauce that blended into the minced meat would gush out on the tip of their tongues.

The spicy and numbing taste made it difficult for Ellie and Kenda to bear for a while. Their faces immediately turned red, but even so, they still ate one mouthful after another without even bothering to pair it with rice.

"Wow, it's so delicious, this is the most delicious dish I've ever eaten!" Ellie exclaimed as her cheeks puffed up. Her lips were covered with red oil, and she completely forgot all semblance of decorum.

Kenda didn't say anything, but he went so far as to abandon the master-servant relationship and shamelessly fights for bites of the dish.

Inside the room, the three men launched a fierce attack on a large plate of Mapo White Liver, and soon cleared it out.

"Ahh…"

Law let out a satisfied sigh and looked at the data, only to find that there was no increase.