Chapter 13: Sweet and Sour Spare Ribs

(Half the culinary information in this book comes from research, half from pure invention; please do not attempt any of it.)

Bai Renzong examined the steak before him. It was a rib cut, plated with great care, garnished with broccoli, tomatoes, and other ingredients. Black sauce dotted the plate in three circles, large to small.

This plating technique was unmistakably the work of a professional chef from a Western restaurant.

To be honest, Bai Renzong hadn’t expected a girl like Han Jiayi to possess such skill; he’d assumed she was a pampered young lady.

“Eat while it’s hot,” Han Jiayi urged, already impatient to hear this notorious critic’s praise.

Bai Renzong cut a piece of rib steak, dipped it in the sauce, and tasted it.

“Hmm, not bad,” he nodded.

Han Jiayi nodded, satisfied, awaiting further comment.

But Bai Renzong said nothing more for a long time, prompting her to tilt her head and ask, somewhat accusingly, “That’s all?”

“I said ‘not bad,’ didn’t I?” Bai Renzong looked at her curiously.

Han Jiayi suppressed her irritation and forced a gentle smile. “How would you rate it as a content creator?”

“Work is work, life is life,” Bai Renzong shook his head. “There’s no need to be so critical in everyday life. If it tastes good, that’s enough. Picking at family’s cooking only hurts feelings.”

Han Jiayi agreed with this sentiment, but she wasn’t here for platitudes.

“Then, please evaluate this rib steak as a content creator,” she said with a pursed smile.

Bai Renzong gazed at her and sighed. “Let’s agree first—no getting angry?”

“Mm!” Han Jiayi nodded, crossing her arms, waiting for his review: Let’s see what you have to say, notorious critic!

“Have you tasted your own rib steak?” Bai Renzong cut another piece and asked.

“I tried the sauce. As long as the meat is cooked properly, it’s fine,” Han Jiayi replied.

Bai Renzong sighed. “Let’s start with the sauce. You used something akin to sweet-and-sour, but the vinegar isn’t rice vinegar; it’s some kind of fruit vinegar, right? I detect a bit of bitterness at the finish.”

Han Jiayi nodded. “It’s red wine vinegar. Abroad, they don’t have rice vinegar, only fruit vinegars.”

“Is that so?” Bai Renzong asked with interest. “What about soy sauce?”

“Even less so,” Han Jiayi rolled her eyes. “Western cuisine doesn’t use vinegar or soy sauce. They usually substitute lemon for vinegar, then add sauce. In terms of technique, our country’s cuisine is more refined—it just doesn’t suit foreigners’ tastes. Remember, dictionaries abroad don’t have a word for ‘stir-fry.’ That concept exists only in our culture.”

“Oh…” Bai Renzong listened attentively, then returned to the rib steak. “Back to this dish. The sauce is sweet-and-sour in style, seemingly meant to showcase the rib’s flavor through a Chinese culinary lens. But…”

He frowned, propping his chin thoughtfully. “First, the sauce is a misstep: it would be better poured over the meat than as decoration. Most importantly, the texture of the rib—springy and chewy—clashes with sweet-and-sour sauce, which suits tender, melt-in-your-mouth meat.”

Han Jiayi grew increasingly annoyed as she listened: This critic could find fault no matter what!

“Why not try a different method?” Bai Renzong suggested. “Slow-cook the meat until it melts in the mouth, then sear the exterior for crispness and aroma. Finally, let the sauce soak into the meat. Present it that way…”

“You know nothing!” Han Jiayi finally snapped, cutting him off. “That style wouldn’t align with international standards! Foreigners like their steak soft, chewy, and slightly underdone. If you cook it until it melts, why call it steak? Just make a stew!”

“Then why use a sweet-and-sour style for rib steak? Why not stick to the foreign style?” Bai Renzong asked, baffled. “If you’re trying to promote Chinese cuisine but also catering to foreign tastes at the expense of its essence, the result will be neither here nor there.”

Han Jiayi was momentarily speechless, unable to find a rebuttal. Her face flushed.

After a while, she stormed back to the kitchen, pulled out another rib steak, and began anew.

“I’ll make one your way and we’ll see which tastes better! You talk big, but I’ll lay the result before you and see how you argue then!” she muttered as she cooked.

Following Bai Renzong’s advice, she adjusted the oven to a low heat for slow roasting. The result: a rib steak more tender, yet with a crisp exterior. She swapped grape vinegar in the sauce for rice vinegar, pouring it directly over the meat instead of decorating the plate.

“Can this really taste good?” Han Jiayi sneered, cutting off a small piece to sample.

After a moment of silence, she slammed her fist on the stove, covering her mouth in disbelief: How can it be so delicious!?

The rib was crisp outside, tender inside, nearly melting in the mouth. Juices and sauce blended perfectly, the beef’s aroma harmonizing with the sweet-and-sour, neither overpowering the other but enhancing both. It was extraordinary!

“Why!?” Han Jiayi pounded the stove in frustration: It was just a simple adjustment!

Could the critic actually be right? The more she thought, the more annoyed she became, staring at the steak with a cold smile tugging at her lips...

When she returned to the living room, she wore a bright, serene smile.

“I made another one as you suggested. Try it,” Han Jiayi said gently.

“Isn’t that a bit much?” Bai Renzong hesitated. “Wouldn’t that be wasteful?”

“No worries—consider it research for a new recipe,” Han Jiayi replied with a soft smile.

Bai Renzong tasted the new sweet-and-sour rib steak, his eyebrows rising in surprise. “Hmm? Delicious, truly delicious. The crust is crisp, with a smoky aroma, the inside juicy and almost melting. The fat and sauce blend to highlight the beef’s flavor. I can’t speak for others, but I really like it.”

“As long as you like it,” Han Jiayi replied sweetly. “Eat it all, will you?”

“What about you?” Bai Renzong asked.

“Don’t worry about me—I’ll make something else,” Han Jiayi said with a cheerful smile. “Finish it all, okay?”

“Of course. With rib steak this good, how could I waste it?” Bai Renzong nodded, continuing to eat.