They've all separated, so what does it matter to me if they get poorer and poorer?

Chapter 24 Fifty Taels Income

A woman who can make ice jelly, gray tofu, and gray bean shreds must be incredibly clever. Manager Tang was very interested: "Miss Xu, would you like to come inside and discuss this in detail?"

"No need, it's just a few words. This fish skin can be used to make something extremely delicious, guaranteed to add another signature dish to Lotus Restaurant. Not only is it delicious, but it's also very easy to make. I wonder if Manager Tang would be interested?"

"Is it made from this fish skin?"

"Yes."

"But this fish skin is fishy and there's no meat in it. I really can't think of any special dish that can be made from it."

"I'm still working with Manager Tang, why would I lie to him?"

Manager Tang has managed the restaurant for many years. He may not have eaten pork, but he has seen pigs run. He has seen many exquisite dishes and cooking methods, and he has tasted many delicacies. He can be said to have been immersed in this field for a long time. However, no matter how he thinks out of his mind and imagines boldly, he can't figure out what kind of delicious thing can be made from an ordinary fish skin.
Seeing Xu Zhichun's confident expression, which didn't seem like he was lying, Manager Tang became even more eager to try his luck.

“Alright, if you can add a signature dish to our restaurant, I will decide to buy the recipe from Miss Xu. However, once I buy it, Miss Xu can make it for her own consumption, but she cannot sell it or teach others to make it.”

Xu Zhichun nodded and smiled, "Of course. This dish is really easy to make. Manager Tang should change the name when you sell it, otherwise people might easily guess how to make it."

Shopkeeper Tang nodded. Everyone knows what fish skin looks like, so it's not surprising that it's easily recognizable.

"If it's good, I'll take fifty taels of silver."

"this--"

"Manager Tang, this is a recipe."

She knew quite a few recipes for elaborate dishes, but those complex ones were clearly beyond her comprehension. Making small snacks was best left alone; making a big fuss from the start would attract attention and easily cause trouble. This was also why she dared not openly display the many valuable items in the harbor warehouse.

Once she has a stable foundation, she can open her own restaurant, and then she will naturally need it.

Fifty taels of silver for a recipe is indeed not expensive. Manager Tang smiled readily and said, "As long as the ingredients are really good, it's fine."

Xu Zhichun smiled and said, "I'll do it now. Please tell my companion who's driving the carriage to go ahead and that I have something to do and need to stay for a while."

Shopkeeper Tang nodded: "Go quickly and talk to them properly."

"Yes, boss."

Xu Zhichun went into the kitchen and asked everyone to leave. It wasn't mealtime yet, so it wouldn't affect the restaurant's business.

She deftly cleaned the fish skin, brought the water to a boil over high heat, and then blanched the cut fish skin in the boiling water.

After about a minute, take it out and quickly rinse the scalding hot fish skin with ice-cold well water. This will remove the fishy smell and blood, and also make the fish skin more elastic and crisp.

Then, blanch the fish skin in boiling water for six or seven seconds, then quickly remove it, cool it in cold water, and cut it into strips about the size of a finger.

Finally, mix the fish skin with the prepared shredded green onions, cilantro, crushed peanuts, minced garlic, sesame oil, vinegar, salt, dried chili peppers, etc.

Originally, fresh soy sauce, which was specially used for preparing cold dishes, was also needed, but it didn't exist in this era. So Xu Zhichun had to boil soy sauce and water in a pot, pour it into a bowl, and mix them together.

A refreshing and slightly spicy cold fish skin salad is now ready.

Xu Zhichun opened the kitchen door. "Manager Tang, please."

Manager Tang led Chef Fang in, and seeing that the fish skin was still unremarkable, the two were a little disappointed.

However, since we've already gone this far, let's just have a taste.

Just one bite, just a token gesture, I absolutely won't take a second bite.

Ok?
Both of them were stunned. Chef Fang exclaimed, "Is this really made of fish skin? It's crisp, chewy, and has a touch of spiciness—perfect as an appetizer with drinks!"

Xu Zhichun gave a thumbs-up and smiled, "Chef Fang has a good eye!"

Chef Fang looked at Manager Tang with surprise: "Manager Tang."

Shopkeeper Tang smiled and nodded, "Not bad, not bad at all. I never thought fish skin could be made so delicious. I'm willing to spend this fifty taels of silver, and I think it's well worth it."

Xu Zhichun smiled and said, "Then let's sign a contract as proof, so that Manager Tang can rest assured."

"to make."

Manager Tang ordered someone to prepare the contract, and Xu Zhichun taught Chef Fang how to make fish skin. Manager Tang carefully wrote it down.

From now on, their Lotus Restaurant will have one more signature dish on its menu.

Manager Tang felt a strong sense of satisfaction and accomplishment.

He looked at his notes and then at Xu Zhichun, who was pointing out instructions to Chef Fang, and sighed inwardly: Indeed, it is true that different professions are like different worlds, and it is true that it is not difficult for the capable.

Look! Who would have thought? Fish skin that was originally only fit to be thrown away to feed pigs can be transformed into a delicious cold fish skin salad with just such a simple treatment.

That's truly turning something rotten into something magical!

Manager Tang couldn't help but say, "Miss Xu, if you have any good ideas in the future, you must think of our Lotus Restaurant first."

Xu Zhichun nodded and smiled: "Of course."

Making cold fish skin salad is very simple; Chef Fang learned it in just one try.

With a contract, fifty taels of silver notes, and a box of two kinds of pastries given to him by Manager Tang—mung bean cake and jujube paste yam cake—Xu Zhichun happily returned to the market and sold konjac tofu and konjac noodles with Zeng Xiaoyan and the others.

As for the cold noodles, they will no longer be sold starting today. The Lotus Restaurant will take all of what was brought today. When someone asked, they explained the reason and told everyone to go to the Lotus Restaurant or the Biyue Tea House to eat.

A bowl of ice jelly with only brown sugar syrup and no toppings costs three copper coins, which is affordable for city dwellers.

Today's closing time was similar to yesterday's. Several small restaurants came to buy konjac tofu and konjac knots, buying three to five jin each. These few small restaurants alone bought about twenty jin.

The amount they brought today is about the same as yesterday.

Zeng Xiaoyan and Aunt Zhu'er both expressed some regret, saying, "It's a pity we're too busy, otherwise we could have made more to sell." "That's right, it's all money."

Xu Zhichun smiled and said, "This amount is actually just right. At most, it would be about twenty more pounds. Any more and it probably wouldn't sell well. Let's leave it at this for now and discuss whether we need to hire some people later."

"Hire someone?" Aunt Pearl was taken aback. "Maybe we should forget about it. We can do it ourselves."

Xu Zhichun laughed and said, "It's just hiring people to help out. We'll be the ones selling and cooking. If we need to hire people, we'll just hire them to dig up the konjac, peel it, and cut it into pieces."

Aunt Pearl breathed a sigh of relief: "Yes, yes, that's good, that's good. You scared me a little. What if people found out?"

Zeng Xiaoyan also laughed: "Sister-in-law Zhichun has thought things through very well, we'll just listen to her."

"Yep!"

Xu Zhichun then laughed and said, "Let's not talk about it now, let's go have lunch first. Today we're having meat sauce noodles, two big spoonfuls of meat sauce for each person, it's on me."

The fifty taels from the sale of the house were of course hers, but she felt there was no need to hide it from them; she should tell them and generously treat them to a meal.

(End of this chapter)