Gourmet: Twins' Father and Chef of the Kindergarten

"Sweet-scented osmanthus syrup is a sweet sauce made by simmering dried osmanthus flowers with sugar or honey. We often see it in traditional snacks like glutinous rice balls, mooncakes, and small pastries."

"The syrup not only emits an enticing fragrance but also has a golden, alluring color. It’s particularly beautiful, with intact dried osmanthus flowers visible in it, making it especially liked by people when eaten."

"However, as good as sweet-scented osmanthus syrup is, we usually use it as a garnish."

"For example, when making glutinous rice balls, once they’re cooked, you scoop them into a bowl, and then sprinkle a little osmanthus syrup on top. This makes the glutinous rice balls look even more tempting and delicious."

"Once the syrup meets the heat, the fragrance of osmanthus wafts through the bowl, making the rice balls smell more delightful and taste even better."

"Moreover, the syrup adds a hint of sweetness to the soup of the rice balls, making it more refreshing to drink and increasing one’s appetite."

Huang Jun chatted with Ye Guilan about the benefits of sweet-scented osmanthus syrup while busy wrapping the glutinous rice balls.

When Ye Guilan heard this, her somewhat cloudy eyes immediately lit up, and she suddenly understood, nodding her head: "Oh, so that’s how it is. I always knew sweet-scented osmanthus syrup was delicious; I used to put it directly into the filling and never thought there were so many tricks to using it... No wonder Chef Huang’s food is so tasty, it’s all these little secrets!"

Aunt Li chimed in from the side, "Isn’t it just, Chef Huang’s food is delicious because he pays attention to these details."

Huang Jun smiled and waved his hand, humbly saying, "Not at all, these are actually experiences passed down by the older generation, I’ve just paid more attention to them. Cooking is about putting your heart into it; even the slightest addition in the right way can make a big difference in taste."

He continued, "Take this sweet-scented osmanthus syrup for instance, not only can it make glutinous rice balls more delicious, but it can also pair with many other items. For example, spreading it on bread, mixing it in yogurt, or even making it into a sugar drink all have unique flavors. The key lies in how you use it and how you pair it to unleash its fullest potential."

Ye Guilan listened with great interest, nodding repeatedly, "Listening to you makes me want to try it. I really underestimated this sweet-scented osmanthus syrup before; it turns out it has such varied uses."

In the midst of the conversation.

All the glutinous rice balls had been wrapped.

Huang Jun fired up the stove and prepared to cook the rice balls.

Cooking glutinous rice balls isn’t as simple as throwing them in water as soon as it boils, letting it simmer away. There’s a lot to it.

For delicious glutinous rice balls, the key isn’t just about cooking them thoroughly, but "nurturing" them until fully cooked — though it’s a mere difference of a word, it carries significant distinction.

"Nurturing" glutinous rice balls means gently poaching them to doneness with water that’s nearing a boil but hasn’t fully come to a rolling boil.

This method has several benefits:

Firstly, it ensures that the rice balls maintain a perfect shape.

The outer skin of the rice balls is made of glutinous rice, and if cooked on high heat, the vigorously boiling water can easily cause the skin to deform or even fall off, greatly affecting aesthetics.

Secondly, it ensures the filling inside is thoroughly cooked.

Especially if the rice balls contain lard; insufficient cooking time may prevent the pork fat inside from fully cooking and melting. But "nurturing" ensures the filling is completely cooked through.

Lastly, this method is also safer.

During the wrapping process, it’s inevitable that some air will be enclosed in the rice balls. If the heat is too high, the expanding gas can cause the rice balls to burst, and the hot filling may splatter out, easily causing burns.

Thus, gently "nurturing" the rice balls with hot water is both delicious and safe.

𝓯𝙧𝓮𝓮𝒘𝓮𝙗𝙣𝒐𝒗𝒆𝓵.𝓬𝓸𝒎

When the water in the pot began to boil, Huang Jun carefully placed the prepared rice balls into the pot one by one. As the water surface was about to roll again, he promptly reduced the heat and used a spatula to gently move the rice balls along the bottom to prevent them sticking.

Next comes the time for patience.

As the white, smooth rice balls leisurely float to the surface one by one, he knew the time was almost right.

He then extinguished the fire, allowing the rice balls to continue floating in the hot water for a while.

This step is crucial, as it allows the filling inside the rice balls to be more thoroughly cooked, achieving the best texture.

"Chef Huang, look, the rice balls have floated to the top. Are they done? Why haven’t you taken them out yet?" Ye Guilan asked with some confusion.

"Just wait a little longer; the timing isn’t right yet..." Huang Jun replied with a smile, eyes fixed intently on the rice balls in the pot.

Aunt Li laughed from the side, breaking the tension: "Chef Huang is all about perfect timing when cooking. We shouldn’t worry unnecessarily; let’s just wait patiently to eat!"

She finished by patting Ye Guilan’s shoulder, signaling her to wait at ease.

Ye Guilan listened to Aunt Li and laughed too, saying, "Right, right, we can certainly trust Chef Huang’s skills! I’ll just wait to eat the most authentic rice balls."

Huang Jun also smiled, explaining: "Actually, although they look done, letting them ’nurture’ a little longer allows the flavors in the filling to merge more fully, making them taste more aromatic and layered. Just like in how we handle matters normally; with a bit of patience, things can be done more perfectly, right?"

As his words echoed in the kitchen, an even more enchanting aroma began to permeate the air — the blissful scent of glutinous rice and filling perfectly coming together.

Huang Jun carefully observed the rice balls in the pot, feeling that the timing was just right.