1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 149 Homemade Tofu and Crucian Carp Tofu Soup (6.5K Two-in-One)

The term "homemade tofu" implies that there is no fixed method for making it.

Zhou Yan has eaten at countless Sichuan restaurants, and perhaps because of the word "home-style," the chefs can do whatever they want.

Some have minced meat added, some have pork belly added, some have pork shoulder added, and I've even had beef added.

The side dishes are even more varied, including green and red peppers, wood ear mushrooms, garlic sprouts... The main idea is to add whatever is available in the kitchen today.

The flavors are also very diverse, including savory, spicy, and sweet and sour.

You know what, they each have their own unique flavor, and they're delicious and inexpensive.

What's in Zhou Yan's kitchen?
Cut a piece of the pork belly that was just cooked this morning, and it becomes the main ingredient and side dish for this home-style tofu dish.

Zhou Yan plans to make home-style tofu today, which is closer to twice-cooked tofu with pork.

He added tofu to the recipe for twice-cooked pork. He had eaten this dish in a hole-in-the-wall restaurant in his previous life. It used genuine second-cut pork, and the texture and taste left a very deep impression on him.

Of course, the main reason was that he went into the kitchen to film the detailed process, and he watched the editing process repeatedly, so he had memorized it.

Zhou Yan also really likes the way to make home-style tofu with fish-fragrant sauce. She'll try it next time and see if she can make it taste the same.

Aunt Zhao took the initiative to take on the task of cleaning the fish.

Zhou Yan sliced ​​the half-fat and half-lean pork into thin slices, using the same cutting method as when making stir-fried garlic sprouts. He cut the garlic sprout heads into small pieces, cut the garlic sprout leaves into sections, and smashed the ginger and garlic before slicing them.

The tofu in the bowl was transferred to the cutting board, trembling slightly; it was a piece of tender tofu.

Many people prefer to use firm tofu when frying tofu, as it is easier to shape, less likely to break, and absorbs flavor better.

But Zhou Yan likes to eat soft tofu, enjoying its crispy exterior and tender interior.

Tofu is cut into thin, even square slices. Many restaurants cut it into triangles, which looks more appealing.

However, in Jiaozhou, people are not allowed to cut tofu into this shape when making it at home. There are some reasons behind this, so Zhou Yan does not plan to challenge Aunt Zhao's bamboo whip stir-fried meat.

Marinate the fish that Aunt Zhao has cleaned with scallions, ginger, and cooking wine. Heat a spoonful of rapeseed oil in a pan, add a little salt, then add the tofu and fry over low heat.

With a sizzle, oil splatters everywhere. Don't rush to flip the tofu after it's in the pan. Fry until both sides are golden brown, then remove it from the pan and set aside.

To be honest, this tofu looks tender, but it's actually quite chewy when it's being fried.

When Zhou Yan first tried to fry tofu, not a single piece broke.

Pan-fry until golden brown on both sides, and the aroma of tofu fills the air.

Zhou Momo had already moved a small stool over and was sitting down. Somehow, she was standing on the stool, staring longingly at the plate of golden-brown fried tofu, and said in her childish voice, "Brother, the tofu looks so pretty! Is it delicious?"

"Let me get you a piece to try." Zhou Yan took a small plate, picked up a piece of tofu from the plate, sprinkled it with a little salt and pepper while the surface was still sizzling with oil bubbles, and handed it to Zhou Momo: "It's hot, wait for it to cool down before you eat it."

what is this?
Simplified homemade version of sizzling tofu.

Back then, there was an uncle selling grilled tofu on a tricycle near the back gate of their university. His business was booming, with long queues forming every day.

His tofu is fried until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, seasoned with a spicy and slightly numbing flavor. It's fried to a golden brown, with a slightly dry and fragrant surface, while the inside is as tender as steamed egg custard.

It is said that with this skill, he worked his way up the back gates of various universities over the past ten years and bought three houses in Chengdu.

Countless imitators have tried, but none have been able to replace it.

Zhou Yan is thick-skinned. Once, while waiting in line for food, I chatted with him for a few words. He said that his sizzling tofu was better than other places because he made his own tofu. His hometown is Xiba Town, Jiaozhou.

Xiba tofu is quite famous, and tofu banquets are a unique specialty of Jiaozhou.

Moreover, the powder he sprinkles on the tofu is a recipe he has been working on and improving over the years, and some barbecue restaurants even get their powder from him.

Unfortunately, despite trying his best, Zhou Yan couldn't get the recipe and almost got beaten up by the uncle and blacklisted.

Zhou Momo sat on a small stool, holding a small plate in her two little hands, blowing on it gently, her eyes fixed on the tofu on the plate with adoration, swallowing her saliva countless times.

Aunt Zhao handed her a small spoon and said with a smile, "Eat it by scooping it out."

"Hmm!" The little one took the spoon, carefully scooped out a corner, and then fed it into his mouth. He lifted his eyelids, and his delicate eyebrows rose with it.

Mmm—it's so delicious!
Crispy and crunchy yet soft and tender.

The little leg swayed back and forth, then scooped out another piece and fed it into its mouth, its eyes crinkling with delight as it ate happily.

Zhou Yan was frying fish when he glanced back at her and couldn't help but smile.

What a little foodie! She's not picky about food at all. She can eat a piece of fried tofu with such joy. If you didn't know better, you'd think she was eating some kind of dessert.

Zhou Yan felt that his skill in frying tofu was honed by frying crucian carp.

Compared to flat tofu, frying crucian carp requires more skill in controlling the heat.

Zhou Yan used lard to fry the crucian carp. After frying the two crucian carp until both sides were golden brown, he took the thermos and poured in half a thermos of hot water.

Whether the fish soup is white or not depends on this step.

When the hot water is applied, the soup turns visibly white.

"Won't it taste fishy if you just add water without adding anything else?" Aunt Zhao couldn't help but ask as she watched from the side.

"It was marinated beforehand and then fried in lard, so it won't be fishy," Zhou Yan said with a smile, putting the prepared ginger slices and scallions into the pot, and then drizzling in a little cooking wine.

"Your crucian carp soup is so white! It's milky white. Why isn't the color of my crucian carp soup as pretty?" Aunt Zhao couldn't help but exclaim.

"You need to use lard to fry it, and then prepare a pot of boiling water in advance. After frying the fish, pour in the boiling water, and the soup will naturally turn white."

Zhou Yan explained with a smile, took the "perfect tofu", cut it into two-centimeter square pieces, put it into the milky white fish soup, put a piece of oak wood in the stove, and cooked the fish soup over medium-high heat, which is a little different from cooking fish over low heat as usual.

The fish soup was simmering in one pot, while tofu was being cooked in another.

Add a spoonful of rapeseed oil to the pot, then stir-fry the chopped pork belly until some oil and water are rendered out. Once the meat curls up and the surface is slightly browned, add the finely chopped fermented bean paste and stir-fry until the oil turns red. Add ginger, garlic, and pickled peppers and stir-fry until fragrant. Then, add a spoonful of water to the pot and bring it to a boil. Finally, add the previously pan-fried tofu cubes.

The broth was bubbling away, and the aroma of meat was irresistible.

Cook for two or three minutes until the broth is almost gone. Add salt and soy sauce, then add the garlic shoots first and stir-fry for a few seconds. Add the garlic shoot leaves, thicken with a little cornstarch slurry, and stir-fry briefly. The thick broth coats the tofu and meat pieces, and a plate of reddish-brown, soft, and flavorful home-style tofu is ready to be served.

A delicious homemade tofu dish

Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow. Not bad, not bad. To get a good review on the first try is in line with his expectations.

On the other side, the fish soup was simmering until it turned milky white, with tofu cubes floating and sinking in the soup, and the delicious aroma of the soup wafting through the air.

"Hey, what are you cooking? It smells so good!" After finishing her pan-fried tofu, Zhou Momo tiptoed and peered over the stove, trying to see what was cooking in the pot.

Unfortunately, she was too short; only two little braids peeked out, and nothing else could be seen, which worried her greatly.

"Come on, it'll be ready in a minute. Let's wait at the table." Aunt Zhao picked up the homemade tofu, took Zhou Momo's little hand, and walked out.

The seasoning for crucian carp and tofu soup is very simple; just add a little salt before serving, and the key is in its fresh flavor.

This is also a common home-style dish, and it is generally not found on the menus of most Sichuan restaurants.

However, restaurants in Hangzhou often serve a fish head tofu soup, which uses the head of a silver carp. The method is roughly the same: first, fry the silver carp head in lard, then add boiling water to make the soup milky white, add tofu and simmer for a few more minutes. When it's served, it's considered a main dish.

The soup is delicious and the tofu is tender. He can drink several bowls of the soup alone, and the rice porridge is also exceptional.

Once cooked, transfer the fish to a bowl, sprinkle with chopped green onions, and your milky white crucian carp and tofu soup is ready.

Grandma! You're here!

"Mom? How did you get here? Did you walk here?"

As Zhou Yan carried the fish out of the kitchen, he saw the old lady carrying a small basket coming in.

“It’s just a short walk, nothing to make a fuss about. We used to walk here every day when we went to the market. It’s just in time for lunch, perfect timing.” The old lady said with a smile, glancing at the basin Zhou Yan was carrying. “After lunch, I’m going to see Lihua later. I ran into Sun Sanmei this morning, and she said her eyes were a bit red, so I decided to come here on a whim.”

"Isn't that auntie who sells tofu? It feels like I haven't seen her in ages," Zhao Tieying said, somewhat surprised.

"Where does she live, Grandma? After you've eaten, I'll take you there," Zhou Yan asked the old lady as he placed the soup on the table.

“It’s in Shangshui Village, which is a bit far. Why don’t you take your grandma there this afternoon so she doesn’t have to walk so far?” Zhao Tieying said.

"Okay." The old lady nodded, putting the small basket in her hand aside. It was full of eggs, with a huge goose egg at the bottom.

Zhou Yan turned around and went into the kitchen, where he made another serving of braised beef with dried bamboo shoots.

The old lady drank a glass of water and was already sitting at the table. Seeing Zhou Yan sit down, she smiled and said, "Your crucian carp and tofu soup is really good. It's milky white and smells so fresh."

"Try it and see how it tastes." Zhou Yan smiled and took her bowl, first serving her half a bowl of fish soup and a few pieces of tofu.

"Brother~ I want one too." Zhou Momo pushed her bowl toward him.

"Okay." Zhou Yan smiled and served her half a bowl as well.

The old lady scooped up a spoonful of soup. The soup was milky white and looked so comforting. She first blew on it to cool it down before taking a sip.

fresh!
This fish soup is so delicious!

The umami flavor of the crucian carp has been fully infused into the soup, resulting in a very simple taste with just a hint of saltiness and aroma, highlighting the deliciousness of the fish soup.

The fishy smell was removed very well. The worst thing about clear soup is that it can't suppress the fishy smell, otherwise the whole pot of soup will be ruined.

The soup has a mild yet rich flavor and a very good taste.

After drinking several sips of soup, my body felt warm and comfortable, from the inside out.

Another piece of tofu, freshly cooked in the hot soup, still a little hot when you eat it.

The tofu has an extremely delicate texture, a rich bean flavor, and has absorbed the rich fish soup, making it incredibly flavorful.

Putting down her spoon, the old lady looked at Zhou Yan and praised, "Your crucian carp and tofu soup is so delicious! It's not fishy at all, the soup is fresh and flavorful, the tofu is tender, and it's so delicious it makes my eyebrows fall off."

"The soup is absolutely delicious! The same crucian carp really did live a worthwhile life in your hands." Aunt Zhao also drank the soup and looked at Zhou Yan with a hint of admiration.

Zhou Momo loves fish soup, and she used to cook it for her quite often.

Compared to this bowl of fish soup today, what were the ones she used to cook?
The fish died with their eyes wide open in the pot.

She used to think that crucian carp soup, since it doesn't contain chili peppers, can't be too salty, and doesn't include pickled vegetables, is supposed to have a slightly fishy smell, which is normal.

If the soup isn't white, it's definitely a problem with the fish—it's not big enough or there aren't enough of them, which is why the soup isn't white.

But today she was watching Zhou Yan cook fish soup. The same two crucian carp, in his hands, turned into this pot of rich, white and delicious fish soup.

To be honest, Aunt Zhao was a bit taken aback.

If her skills weren't up to par, her family would praise her soup for being good without any comparison. But today, Zhou Yan brought out this crucian carp soup.

"Hey? Brother, why is the fish soup you made different from Mom's?" Zhou Momo asked Zhou Yan, holding a spoon.

"What's different?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile.

Aunt Zhao lowered her head and ate the tofu, her face slightly flushed. Zhou Momo was the one who ate the most of her fish soup, so she was the most qualified to say whether it was good or not.

Zhou Momo thought for a moment and said, "The fish soup you made is super delicious. The fish soup Mom made is also quite delicious." "If it's delicious, then drink more," Zhou Yan said with a smile. The little guy already understands social etiquette at such a young age.

Upon hearing this, Aunt Zhao's lips curled up slightly. "Well, well, my youngest daughter does know how to get up. It wasn't a waste of her time raising her."

Zhou Yan ladled half a bowl of fish soup for himself.

A pretty good crucian carp and tofu soup

Ouch!
This assessment surprised Zhou Yan somewhat.

He was quite surprised to receive such high praise for his first attempt.

I took a sip of the soup, and it was indeed delicious, with a sweet aftertaste.

I tried another piece of tofu. This tofu was so delicate that it melted in my mouth.

However, it showed surprising resilience during the cooking process; it didn't fall apart even after simmering in the fish soup for eight minutes.

The tofu soaked up the fish soup, becoming tender, smooth, and delicious, with a subtle bean flavor.

It’s really delicious!

Zhou Yan felt that it was no worse than the fish head tofu soup he had eaten at several high-end restaurants in Hangzhou in his previous life.

Even when it comes to tofu, it is superior.

Looking at it this way, it's not surprising that it received a "quite good" rating.

The techniques for preparing crucian carp and frying it come from crucian carp with agastache, which preserves the quality of the fish soup, resulting in a delicious broth without any fishy smell.

The perfect tofu is the finishing touch, adding a touch of bean flavor to the fish soup, and its texture and taste are truly delightful.

In this dish, tofu is not just a side dish to the fish; it is undoubtedly the main ingredient!
After being pan-fried, the crucian carp meat doesn't fall apart easily. Although the texture of the fish meat isn't as tender as that of crucian carp with mint, it's still quite delicious after absorbing the flavorful broth.

This crucian carp weighs eight ounces, and has relatively few bones.

Zhou Momo drank the soup, and Aunt Zhao picked up a large piece of fish belly meat for her to eat slowly. The little one loved it.

Zhou Yan then tried a piece of home-style tofu. The tofu, pan-fried until golden brown on both sides, was coated in a thick sauce. With one bite, it was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a spicy and savory flavor that took center stage on the tongue. The taste was truly excellent, thanks to its wonderful texture.

If you add a piece of twice-cooked pork and a slice of garlic sprout, the three of them together make a delicious and addictive dish.

"Hmm, this home-style tofu is also very good, and the twice-cooked pork with garlic sprouts brings out the meaty flavor." The old lady nodded, then looked at Zhou Yan and asked, "But, were these two pieces of tofu bought from two different places?"

"You can taste the difference?" Zhou Yan looked surprised. The tofu had been pan-fried and cooked with such strong flavors that its original taste wasn't as prominent.

Because they were made in completely different ways, Zhou Yan couldn't actually taste the difference between the two pieces of tofu.

The old lady actually tasted it!
This really surprised him.

The old lady said with a smile, "Next time I'll buy crucian carp soup from this place. The tofu here is much better; it's tender yet chewy, and the bean flavor is rich. It tastes a bit like Xiba tofu. The craftsmanship is comparable to your great-aunt's."

"Okay." Zhou Yan nodded, then asked with some surprise, "Is your aunt's tofu-making skill really that good?"

This tofu has been certified as "perfect".

The old lady said with a smile, "My uncle's family is from Xiba. My maternal grandfather's family has a long tradition of making tofu. Your great-aunt has been helping to make tofu since she was a child, and her skills are even better than her brothers'."

"Later, she married into Shangshui Village. There happened to be a well in her house, so she started making and selling tofu, and the business was very good."

"The soybeans she uses to make tofu are all bought from Xiba Town. They are small soybeans grown in the hilly soil, with a rich aroma and a slightly sweet taste. They are quite different from the ones made by other families, and are similar to the ones you bought today."

"Then I must pay her a proper visit. If I ever sell tofu and vegetables in the future, I can just order directly from her," Zhou Yan said with a smile, adding that this would expand his food supply chain.

Zhou Yan estimated that if he used "perfect" tofu to make home-style tofu, the rating of this home-style tofu would be raised by one level.

If the rating reaches "Fairly Good".

Then Zhou Yan would consider adding this dish to the menu.

Tofu is inexpensive, only two cents per pound. Add a little meat, just enough to give it a meaty flavor and aroma. The finished dish will cost six or seven cents, resulting in a fairly good profit margin.

Of course, it would be even better if you could learn how to make Mapo Tofu.

Homemade tofu is a common, home-style dish that gives people the illusion that they can make it at home, so sales may not necessarily be good.

But Mapo Tofu is different. As a famous dish in Chengdu, it has a well-known reputation and a prestigious brand.

Even his master couldn't make this Mapo Tofu well, so if Zhou Yan wanted to learn, he had to find a way himself.

After lunch, the tables were cleared away, and guests began to arrive one after another.

The old lady looked at the newly added braised beef on the menu with some surprise, but she didn't ask anything and silently walked to the door to watch Zhou Miao cut the cold dishes.

The new braised beef dish successfully attracted the attention of the customers.

Today, Zhou Erwa Restaurant is no longer the place it was in the beginning, where every new dish would be met with skepticism. It has built its reputation through the word-of-mouth of each dish, and now customers are more excited about new dishes and eager to try them.

"Aunt Zhao, would you like a serving of braised beef, a serving of stir-fried pork liver, and a serving of stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings?"

"We'd like to try some braised beef too."

The guests took their seats, and one after another, some ordered braised beef.

One serving of braised beef after another was served on the table.

At Zhou Erwa Restaurant, the price for braised dishes is the same whether they are sold by portion or by weight, which makes customers feel at ease when ordering.

After all, many restaurants charge more for dishes sold by portion.

"Mmm! This braised beef smells so good! And it's so chewy."

"Perfect for drinking with alcohol! It's a pity I can't drink at work."

"At three yuan and fifty cents a pound, the price is quite cheap. Last time I went to Jiaozhou, I saw that their braised beef was selling for six or seven yuan a pound."

“That’s normal. Before, beef sold for two yuan a pound. One pound of raw beef yielded six ounces of braised meat. Selling it for six yuan wouldn’t make much money.”

"If beef prices hadn't dropped today, I doubt Boss Zhou would have dared to serve braised beef."

The guests whispered among themselves, and most of their comments about the braised beef were positive.

The price of 3.5 yuan per kilogram is quite acceptable.

It's obvious that beef is expensive. With a reasonable cost and good taste, customer satisfaction is naturally high.

The old lady asked Zhou Miao to cut her a piece of beef, which he then fed to her. She chewed it slowly, and after swallowing, a smile appeared on her face. She whispered, "Zhou Yan really has some talent. This braised beef is much better than the last two times."

"That's because Mom taught me well. If you ask me, it's still a little inferior to what you make," Zhou Miao said with a smile.

"That's about right. Sometimes I can't even braise it to this level." The old lady shook her head with a smile, her face full of satisfaction. "He studied very hard and was able to pass on the craft. That's great."

"I feel much more at ease these days," Zhou Miao nodded.

"Cut me half a pound of fatty pig's head meat. Lihua loves my braised pig's head meat the most. She rushed over this morning without having time to buy a pig's head," the old lady said.

"Okay." Zhou Miao agreed, picked out a piece of pork head meat with seven parts fat, quickly sliced ​​it, and put it into an oil paper bag.

The old lady took out her embroidered purse, counted out one dollar and thirty cents, and threw it into the box next to her that held money.

"Mom, what are you doing? Why are you taking out money?" Zhou Miao asked anxiously.

"What are you yelling about? You're just a nobody, how can you be the boss? I bought braised meat as a gift, and it's not my idea to give it away without paying." The old lady rolled her eyes at him, took the neatly tied brown paper bag in her hand, and said with a smile, "Just cut your braised meat properly and stop yelling."

Zhou Miao looked helpless. A customer ordered braised pig ears, so he got busy again.

By the time the business closed at noon, four out of the ten pounds of beef prepared had already been sold.

The peak sales period for braised meat is around the time the factory closes for the evening.

Eighty percent of the braised meat is sold within that one hour, all by customers who take it home.

"Grandma, let's go see Auntie." Zhou Yan took apart the two bamboo baskets and pushed the bicycle out the door.

"Come on, let's go." The old lady was already waiting at the door with a basket in hand. She stepped forward and helped Zhou Yan sit down.

"Go to the supply and marketing cooperative and buy a pound of rock sugar. Don't come empty-handed." Zhao Tieying came forward and stuffed a dollar into Zhou Yan's pocket.

“Mom, I have money,” Zhou Yan said with a smile.

“Your money is yours, this is money I gave to buy candy for my aunt,” Zhao Tieying said with a smile. “Ride slowly on the road, your grandma is still holding eggs.”

“Okay.” Zhou Yan replied, and after making sure the old lady was seated, he rode his bicycle to the supply and marketing cooperative to buy a pound of rock sugar, and then rode north in the direction the old lady pointed.

"Grandma, what's wrong with Auntie's health?" Zhou Yan asked curiously as he rode his bike.

In his memory, he only heard his mother say that she bought tofu from his great-aunt once, and he had no other memories of that great-aunt who was good at making tofu.

After all, she was the old lady's cousin. Not many of her parents' generation had passed away, let alone Zhou Yan's generation.

"She was frail from a young age, and her husband passed away early. She raised her children by grinding tofu." The old lady said with a touch of heartache, "As the saying goes, there are three hardships in life: rowing a boat, blacksmithing, and grinding tofu."

"I would get up in the middle of the night to grind soybeans and make tofu, and then carry them to town to sell at dawn. Sometimes it would take all day before I could go home."

"All my illnesses are caused by overwork."

Zhou Yan fell silent upon hearing this. This fair and tender piece of tofu was hard to believe, as it was a laborious trade comparable to rowing a boat or blacksmithing. He then asked, "She's so old, shouldn't she retire?"

"Retirement? I'm afraid she'll never have that chance in her life." The old lady sighed and fell silent.

The car turned onto a country road, full of potholes, much worse than the roads in Zhoucun. Zhou Yan rode it carefully.

"It's that house in front, half of which collapsed," the old woman said.

Zhou Yan looked ahead and saw a rammed earth house by the roadside. Half of it had collapsed and was covered with tarpaulin and thatch. The remaining half also looked like it was about to collapse. It might not be able to withstand the rainy season next year.

Zhou Yan stopped his bicycle, picked up a bag of rock candy, and knocked on the door.

The old lady stood beside him, carrying eggs and braised meat.

"Laifu, go open the door." An old voice came from inside.

Then came a series of light footsteps.

The door latch was pulled open, and Zhou Yan, with a smile on his face, looked at the boy standing inside and was stunned.

It's him?

……

　Requesting monthly votes at the beginning of the month~~
　　Please please!

　　PS: The price of braised beef has been updated: the price has been changed from 3 yuan/jin to 3.5 yuan/jin. The price in the previous chapter has also been revised.

　　
　
(End of this chapter)