1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Did you learn Chapter 115?

Zhou Yan's smile was sincere and expectant, making him look like a harmless disciple waiting for his master's guidance.

Xiao Lei unconsciously sat up straight; he couldn't laugh anymore.

Give pointers? What else is there to give pointers on?

Today's stir-fried pork liver is even better than his.

This is putting his master on the hot stove to roast!

Zheng Qiang also looked at Xiao Lei with anticipation.

With such a perfectly prepared stir-fried pig liver, I wonder what other profound insights my martial uncle could offer.

"Your stir-fried pork liver is exceptionally well-made. The heat and seasoning are both perfect. Even I would find it difficult to reach this level." Xiao Lei looked at Zhou Yan, his smile tinged with a touch of admiration: "Like new bamboo shoots sprouting from the old eaves—rising higher and higher!"

Zheng Qiang was stunned. He didn't expect that his martial uncle would also admit defeat.

But... he must be very proud to have taught such a talented student!
He deserves to die. All he does is embarrass his master and think about finding another famous teacher.

"Master is too modest. I haven't even mastered a tenth of your skills." Zhou Yan quickly waved his hand, and said with a hint of regret, "If I were to say that I can stir-fry this spicy pig liver well, besides Master's careful teaching, there is actually another reason."

"What's the reason?" Zheng Qiang asked, intrigued.

Xiao Lei leaned forward slightly, staring at Zhou Yan with undisguised anticipation on his face.

Zhou Yan leaned forward a little and whispered, "Actually, I got two tattered recipes from my grandmother. They are said to have been passed down from the Shang and Zhou dynasties. After reading them, I gained a lot of insights, and the quality of several dishes improved significantly."

"Did the Shang and Zhou dynasties have Sichuan cuisine? Did people eat stir-fried pig liver back then?" Zheng Qiang scratched his head, feeling that something was not quite right.

"Your grandma's kidding you. Although Sichuan cuisine has a long history, to say that recipes passed down from the Shang and Zhou dynasties can teach you how to make stir-fried pork kidneys and crucian carp with mint is utter nonsense." Xiao Lei laughed, not believing it at all.

"Then did I mishear it? It's not Shang and Zhou, it's last week?" Zhou Yan scratched his head and looked at Xiao Lei, saying, "Anyway, I think it's quite well written. Master, why don't you come tomorrow and I'll borrow it for you to take a look? Maybe you'll gain some insights."

“It’s not convenient for me to look at your family heirlooms,” Xiao Lei shook his head, his attitude firm.

“That’s right, family recipes are not passed down to outsiders, that’s the rule,” Zheng Qiang added.

Zhou Yan looked at Xiao Lei and said, "Master, stir-fried pig liver is your specialty. Don't you want to improve it a bit more?"

Xiao Lei remained silent; it was something he had been thinking about day and night, and he couldn't help but think about it.

“Let’s study this together tomorrow. I feel there are still many things I want to learn from you, so we can improve together,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

Xiao Lei smiled upon hearing this and nodded, saying, "Okay."

……

The next day, at the crack of dawn, Master Zhou and Master Zhou went out to buy groceries.

Today, Zhou Yan asked forty catties of lard; he wanted to fill the large oil vat in the kitchen.

The oil left by Comrade Xiao Zhou has run out as business has been booming for the past two weeks.

Buying oil and firewood, and other normal extra expenses began to increase.

However, Zhang Laosan brought him some good news today: the rationing system for pork purchases is expected to be lifted soon, and the pork prices at their meat stalls may drop significantly compared to those at the supply and marketing cooperatives.

This is a huge boon for self-employed individuals like Zhou Yan.

Are pork ribs that cost 1.8 yuan per pound the same as pork ribs that cost 1 yuan per pound?

If the price is lowered, customers' willingness to buy will increase, and he can earn more.

After finishing his work at noon, Xiao Lei rode his bike and arrived as promised without any rush.

"Master, I've washed all the lard, and I'm just waiting for your guidance," Zhou Yan greeted him with a smile as he came out the door.

"Come on, you must have been up a lot." Xiao Lei followed him into the kitchen.

This was his first time entering Zhou Yan's kitchen. The kitchen was larger than he had expected, and the layout was very reasonable. The washing, chopping, and cooking areas had a logical flow of movement, which made him nod in approval.

A large basin next to him was already filled with snow-white pork fat, weighing at least forty pounds. He said, "Come on, let's get started!"

"Great!" Zhou Yan liked his straightforward and direct personality, which meant he didn't waste any words.

"The lard has been washed clean. Cut it out first. I'll tell you how, and you can do it. Next time, you'll be able to render it yourself," Xiao Lei said.

"Okay." Zhou Yan tied on her apron, picked up a piece of lard from the basin, and placed it on the cutting board.

"Cut it into pieces the size of a mahjong tile. That way, the cracklings will be just right for stir-frying cabbage. See the lymph nodes and blood vessels over there? Cut them off and throw them away when you cut it, otherwise the rendered lard will have a foul, fishy smell..."

With his master providing guidance, Zhou Yan got to work.

Large chunks of lard were quickly transformed into uniformly sized lard pellets, filling two large basins.

"This amount is too much; it can't be cooked in one pot. You should heat two pots at the same time and pour both into the pot to cook together."

"Give me some Sichuan peppercorns from Hanyuan, smash a piece of ginger, add some cooking wine to remove the fishy smell and enhance the aroma, and after putting the lard into the pot, add some water."

Zhou Yan added the cooking wine, paused, and looked at Xiao Lei with confusion: "Master, why add water when refining oil?"

"Adding a little water makes the oil whiter, as the water will slowly evaporate during the refining process," Xiao Lei explained with a smile.

"Okay." Zhou Yan nodded, added some water to the pot, and put the fire on.

"There's a trick to controlling the heat. When refining oil, you need to start with high heat and then reduce it to low heat. If you get the order wrong, the oil will turn black and bitter. You need to stir constantly during the refining process to ensure that the fat is heated evenly..." For beginners, refining oil is not a simple task, but it has a high margin for error. As long as you keep an eye on the pot and have an experienced chef guiding you, you can't go wrong.

The white lard sizzled in the pot, the oil seeped out, and the cracklings turned golden yellow and gradually floated to the surface.

The fire was reduced to a simmer, and the refining process continued.

"Alright, let's first drain the excess oil from the pot and put it in an oil can, then force out the excess oil from the cracklings," Xiao Lei said.

Zhou Yan quickly brought over two large oil vats from the side; the remaining oil inside had already been cleaned out and dried yesterday.

Scoop up the clear, pale golden lard with a large ladle, pass it through a sieve into an oil container, and filter out the residue. The resulting lard will be cleaner and fresher. Some dishes require specific types of oil.

Press the remaining pork cracklings in the pot with a spoon along the edge of the pot to slowly release the excess pork fat using the residual heat.

Xiao Lei reached out and picked up a piece of pork crackling, popped it into his mouth, and chewed it with a crunchy sound. He nodded and said, "That's about right. Don't squeeze it too dry, or the crackling will be overcooked and too tough to chew. Stir-fried cabbage needs a little oil to give it a meaty aroma."

"Uncle, is it delicious?" Zhou Momo had been sitting on a small stool for an hour, watching Xiao Lei eat the fried pork cracklings, and couldn't help but swallow her saliva.

The aroma of rendering lard was so enticing that she couldn't tear herself away once she entered the kitchen.

"Mmm, they're fragrant and crispy." Xiao Lei nodded with a smile and said to Zhou Yan, "Take a small bowl, scoop out a dozen or so, add a spoonful of white sugar, mix them up, and let her eat them as snacks."

The little guy is adorable and a chatterbox; he talked nonstop all afternoon, just staring at the pork cracklings in the pot.

"Okay, brother will make it for you." Zhou Yan turned off the fire, took a small bowl, scooped up a spoonful of pork cracklings, and it bubbled up.

Xiao Lei shook his head: "That's too much. This stuff is too hot. Babies shouldn't eat too much. Just a little bit to taste is enough. You've never taken care of a baby before."

"Sure enough, she ate happily, but she'll be the one who suffers from discomfort at night." Zhao Tieying came in with a smile and took a small bowl to divide the pork cracklings.

Zhou Yan smiled awkwardly. He hadn't thought of that at all; he was only thinking about making Zhou Momo happy.

Zhou Momo's portion had a spoonful of white sugar sprinkled on it.

The other bowl was sprinkled with chili powder for eating braised beef brisket. The bowl was tossed a couple of times to coat each piece of pork crackling with chili powder.

"Thank you, bro!" Zhou Momo took the bowl, grabbed a piece of food, and popped it into her mouth. Her cheeks puffed out as she happily chewed, crunching away like a little hamster—she was incredibly cute.

"Old man, sister-in-law, come and have some pork cracklings. They're freshly rendered, and they taste the best," Zhou Yan said with a smile, taking a piece for himself as well.

The fried pork cracklings coated in chili powder are fragrant, spicy, and crispy, with a meaty aroma that goes straight to the top of your head. They are definitely a great dish to have with drinks.

The best time to enjoy pork cracklings is now.

Xiao Lei ate another piece and nodded, saying, "Your chili powder is a good match, fragrant, spicy and slightly numbing, which enhances the flavor of this pork crackling."

"It's really fragrant and crispy, but it won't taste the same if it's reheated," Zhao Tieying remarked as she ate.

Zhou Miao and Zhao Hong nodded repeatedly after eating.

In this era, rendering lard was a top priority for every household.

Who doesn't crave the savory aroma of pork cracklings? Store them carefully in a jar, and toss a few into your stir-fries to add a touch of meaty flavor.

Everyone shared a bowl of pork cracklings, and they all finished it with smiles on their faces.

Zhou Yan took the remaining inkstones, scooped them out with a winnowing basket, let them cool, and then put them back in the basket to prevent them from getting damp.

Two large pots of lard were rendered over an entire afternoon.

Zhou Yan glanced at the time and said with a smile, "Master, it's dinner time again. You have a lotus root and I'll have a spicy pork liver. Let's just have dinner at the restaurant."

“Okay.” Xiao Lei rolled up his sleeves, and Zhou Yan handed him the lotus root.

Cabbage has many names; in some places it's called cabbage, and in others it's called baobaocai. In the Sichuan and Chongqing areas, it's generally called lotus cabbage.

Vegetables that can be grown in the fields are cheap now; bok choy is three cents a pound, and cabbage is the same price.

Lotus white tea only needs the leaves, removing the stems and pistils. It shouldn't be made with a knife; it must be torn by hand to be authentic.

Xiao Lei didn't answer, and glanced at Zhou Yan: "Now you still want me to be your stepmother?"

"Oh, Master, you're just kidding." Zhou Yan withdrew his hand and began to tear the lotus flower into pieces.

Don't throw away the stems and the heart-shaped part. Dry them and put them in a pickling jar to pickle. They can be used as pickles or for cooking.

Crush a few cloves of garlic, chop three small red chilies and a few dried chilies, and add a small handful of Sichuan peppercorns from Hanyuan.

The pot, which had just been used to render oil, still had a small pool of oil at the bottom. Xiao Lei reheated the pot, scooped up some pork cracklings with a spoon and put them into the pot, then added the prepared aromatics to sauté until fragrant, followed by the shredded cabbage. He then turned the heat up high and stirred the oil constantly.

Once the cabbage is visibly cooked through, add salt, MSG, and a small spoonful of soy sauce, stir-fry a few times, and then remove from the pan and plate.

The whole process took less than three minutes, and Xiao Lei didn't say a word.

A rather nice dish of lotus root with pork cracklings

An assessment was already evident in Zhou Yan's eyes.

"Have you learned it?" Xiao Lei asked, looking at him.
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(End of this chapter)