1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 189 What Makes Perfect Yu Xiang Rou Si (6.4k words combined)

Zhou Yan served three servings of bright red shredded pork with garlic sauce to everyone.

It immediately attracted everyone's attention.

This was the last dish, the grand finale, and unexpectedly, Zhou Yan chose shredded pork with garlic sauce.

Fish-fragrant shredded pork is a common home-style dish, comparable in quality to twice-cooked pork. It's a dish that almost every family in Sichuan and Chongqing knows how to make, but the taste varies from person to person, with each family having its own unique flavor.

So-called home-style dishes don't have a fixed recipe.

Every housewife has some creative ideas during the cooking process. Today she adds an ingredient, tomorrow she'll be missing a seasoning. As long as the dish is on the table, tastes good, and goes well with rice, then the dish wasn't cooked in vain.

But today, Zhou Yan's shredded pork with garlic sauce is a little different. The green bamboo shoots are paired with black wood ear mushrooms and shredded pork wrapped in red oil. The bright red color creates a beautiful color combination on the white plate, giving people a bright feeling.

"We said we wanted you to teach us how to stir-fry twice-cooked pork later. I also think this shredded pork with garlic sauce is pretty good. Could you give us some pointers so we can learn a bit and make our home cooking taste better?" Wu Haiyan said with a smile.

The other aunties and sisters-in-law also smiled and echoed.

"Of course! Ask away after dinner." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

Zhou Weiguo moved aside a little and said, "Zhou Yan, sit here."

“Okay, Uncle.” Zhou Yan replied with a smile, put the tray aside, picked up a bowl and chopsticks, and sat down next to Zhou Weiguo.

"We were in a rush today, so the dishes are a bit simple, nothing fancy. I hope everyone is okay with the food?" Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"That's easy! More than ten dishes, all packed with meat and fatty meat!"

"Exactly, there's no room left on the table."

"The taste is amazing! Every dish is cooked perfectly."

"Uncle, your cooking is a hundred times better than my mom's!"

"Fanwa! Watch your mouth! Your mother has her pride too..."

"Hahaha~~"

Everyone praised it repeatedly, even the children at the table were praising it.

It's clear that everyone was very satisfied with the meal; the smiles on their faces don't lie.

The atmosphere at the Zhou family gathering was wonderful; everyone chatted happily, there was no competitive spirit, and no unpleasant topics were brought up.

Even the usual practice of pressuring others to get married is forbidden at the Zhou family's dinner table.

This is a rule set by the old lady.

At the dinner table, only talk about happy things. If you have nothing to say, shut up and don't force conversation.

If there's anything we need to discuss, we'll have to wait until after we finish eating.

Zhou Yan sat down; there were still quite a few dishes on the table.

Ji Hongtao looked at Zhou Yan and said with a smile, "Comrade Zhou, your cooking skills are amazing, no less than the master chefs of Rongcheng Grand Hotel! This Mapo Tofu is even better than Chen Mapo Tofu in Rongcheng. I ate two bowls of rice with it."

"Dean Ji, you flatter me. I still have much to learn," Zhou Yan said modestly.

"You young man, you're too modest." Ji Hongtao shook his head and looked at the freshly served shredded pork with garlic sauce. "Look at this shredded pork with garlic sauce. There's a Rongcheng Restaurant right behind my house. Shredded pork with garlic sauce and twice-cooked pork are their signature dishes. Every time I go back, I take my wife and two kids there to eat."

"Look at your shredded pork with garlic sauce, it's so fluffy and glossy."

The term "scattered seeds" refers to the shredded meat and vegetables being separated and not sticking together. Some chefs stir-fry meat shreds that are all stuck together in clumps, indicating they've used too much cornstarch, resulting in a mushy, sticky texture.

The standard for glossy oil is a single line of oil; the width of the oil surrounding the shredded pork with fish-fragrant sauce should not exceed one line, making it moist but not greasy.

The side dishes are simple: wood ear mushrooms and bamboo shoots.

The sour and spicy aroma smells very authentic, definitely the flavor of fish.

My father and Uncle Zhang, who works in their kitchen, are good friends. He's the one who told me about this standard.

There are probably no more than five chefs in Chengdu restaurant kitchens who can stir-fry shredded pork with garlic sauce to this standard. What are you being modest about?

Ji Hongtao's words left everyone stunned.

The tangy and spicy aroma wafted up with the steam, making everything seem even more fragrant.

"You really know this dish," Zhou Yan said with a smile, Ji Hongtao's comment was quite insightful.

Fish-flavored shredded pork is a common home-style dish, but when it appears on a restaurant menu, it becomes a bit more elaborate.

The meat should be cut with a 3:7 ratio of fat to lean, like pork tenderloin. Most restaurants use lean pork tenderloin, but pork tenderloin is more tender and moist when stir-fried.

Cut the meat into thick strips and marinate it with salt and cornstarch in advance.

The classic ingredients for this dish are bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms. In winter, when bamboo shoots are unavailable, winter bamboo shoots are sometimes added, making some substitutions according to the season.

There are many differences between the north and south, and even between Sichuan and Chongqing.

In Chongqing, most dishes served with shredded pork with garlic sauce only include scallions, without any other vegetables, emphasizing a pure and simple flavor.

Today he used bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms. This was the last batch of bamboo shoots, they were too old. Zhou Yan bought two catties of bamboo shoots, peeled and shredded them, and only scraped out enough for three plates of side dishes.

As the weather gets colder, he also needs to consider using winter bamboo shoots to make this dish.

A crucial point in selecting ingredients for Yu Xiang Rou Si (shredded pork with garlic sauce) is to avoid overpowering the fishy flavor, so only ingredients with a mild, natural taste are chosen.

The difficulty of this dish lies in the seasoning. The fish-fragrant starch sauce is made by mixing white sugar, soy sauce, vinegar, chopped green onions, cornstarch and water. The proportions are quite particular, and if you are not careful, it will be too sweet or too sour.

When Zhou Yan makes restaurant review videos, he often makes mistakes with dishes that are fish-flavored, either too sweet or sour that they hurt his teeth. There aren't many chefs who can really get the flavor right.

"Let me try it and see how it tastes." Ji Hongtao picked up his chopsticks, took a bite of shredded pork with fish-fragrant sauce, and savored it. His eyes lit up quickly, and after swallowing, he immediately exclaimed, "Slightly sweet, slightly sour, and slightly spicy, the aroma of ginger, scallions, and garlic is very prominent. The pickled Erjingtiao peppers are just right, it's the authentic fish-fragrant sauce. The shredded pork is moist and refreshing, with a delicate and smooth texture!"

"The shredded bamboo shoots are crisp and refreshing with a hint of fragrance, while the wood ear mushrooms are soft yet crunchy. They go so well with the shredded pork with garlic sauce! The taste is absolutely fantastic!"

"This shredded pork with garlic sauce is irresistible! I'll have another bowl of rice!"

Ji Hongtao shoveled the last mouthful of rice from his bowl, then got up to serve himself more rice as a sign of respect.

Upon hearing this, everyone picked up their chopsticks.

"Salty, savory, sour, spicy, and with a hint of sweetness, this fish-fragrant sauce is absolutely delicious. If you made fish-fragrant eggplant, it would definitely taste great too." Zhang Zhengping took a bite and nodded repeatedly. He looked at Zhou Yan and smiled, "Your baby bok choy is so delicious. Once your aunt's leg is healed, I must bring her to Suji to stay for a month. We'll eat at your restaurant three times a day and spend all her retirement money here."

"You and your aunt are welcome to come and eat, there's no need to spend any money," Zhou Yan said with a smile and a shake of his head.

“Then you’re being unreasonable. If you don’t take money, how can your aunt and I have the nerve to come? I’ll just eat one meal and leave.” Zhang Zhengping shook his head. “When doing business, you have to treat me like a guest, make sure the food tastes good and the portions are generous. Then you can be considered filial.”

Zhou Yan nodded: "Okay, Uncle has the final say."

"That's just how principled the teacher is; he hasn't changed at all over the years." Ji Hongtao put down his bowl and smiled as he added another half bowl of rice to Zhang Zhengping's bowl.

He thoroughly enjoyed the meal. Although it was a family dinner, everyone in the Zhou family was very friendly and well-mannered.

There was no deliberate attempt to curry favor, nor any obvious utilitarian motive.

He came empty-handed, but after enjoying such a delicious meal and drinking half a jin of good wine, he felt a little embarrassed.

Besides, the Zhou family has produced two first-class merit recipients. Zhou Weiguo is only thirty-three years old and already a deputy section chief. Who knows who is currying favor with whom?

"Minister Zhou, I'd like to toast you," Ji Hongtao said with a smile, raising his glass.

"Dean Ji, you're too kind." Zhou Weiguo raised his wine glass and lightly clinked it against his.

Zhou Yan doesn't drink alcohol, so he toasted all the elders at the table with tea instead, then put down his cup and began to eat in peace.

He first tasted the shredded pork with garlic sauce, which was salty, fragrant, sour, spicy, and sweet, with all five flavors in one. The sour and fragrant flavor came from the vinegar and the pickled Erjingtiao peppers, which were the finishing touch to the fish-fragrant taste.

The sweetness is not prominent, but there is a slight aftertaste after swallowing, which enhances the flavor.

The texture of the second cut of pork is indeed more oily and refreshing, which is something that pure tenderloin cannot match.

The taste even exceeded his expectations!
What makes perfect Yu Xiang Rou Si (shredded pork with garlic sauce)?

That's right!

That's it!
Zhou Yan's advertising passion has begun to burn.

However, if this dish becomes a hot seller, the consumption of pork belly will increase significantly.

Fortunately, Zhang Laosan has already helped him establish a pork supply chain in Jiaozhou, so increasing the supply shouldn't be a problem.

Judging from the feedback of everyone who ate Yu Xiang Rou Si (shredded pork with garlic sauce), this dish is likely to be popular with guests.

"Auntie, here's the last piece of braised pork rib for you."

"Auntie, try this shredded pork. It's sour, spicy, and a little sweet, but not very spicy."

“Little Aunt…”

Why were the children at the next table taking turns serving food to Zhou Momo, their respect mixed with a hint of doting?

Zhou Yan turned around and looked at the little guy sitting upright in the main seat, waiting for his nephews to feed him, and couldn't help but smile.

It's good; I'm being taken good care of.

With such a group of nephews, you won't be bullied by naughty kids no matter where you go in Suji.

After finishing his third bowl of rice and his second cup of wine, Ji Hongtao chatted with his mentor for a long time. Only after everyone had eaten their fill did he get up and say goodbye, slightly tipsy.

Zhou Yan saw the person out.

"I was on duty today, and I rushed to eat empty-handed after work. I didn't bring anything with me, I'm really sorry." Ji Hongtao grabbed Zhou Yan's hand and said with a slight buzz, "Xiao Zhou, you are my master's grandson, so you are also my junior. If you need any help in the future, just come to the hospital and find me. If I can help, I will definitely do so without hesitation."

"That's exactly what I was waiting for," Zhou Yan said with a smile. "Sure, do you need me to take Uncle Ji home? You seem a little tipsy."

“It doesn’t matter. The family compound isn’t far away. Six ounces of liquor is still manageable. I’ll get some fresh air and be more sober before I go back. Otherwise, I’ll have to sleep in the study.” Ji Hongtao patted Zhou Yan’s arm with a smile. “Go back. I’ll bring my wife and two kids over for dinner next time.”

"Okay, take care then." Zhou Yan nodded, watched Ji Hongtao leave, and only after confirming that he took a relatively straight route and walked close to the wall did he turn around and go into the store.

That's true, the vice president couldn't possibly only be able to drink six ounces of liquor.

"Zhou Yan, you can start speaking later, let us wash the dishes first."

"The shredded pork with fish-fragrant sauce is delicious! How did you make the fish-fragrant flavor so perfectly? You should tell us."

The aunties and sisters-in-law were clearing the table when they saw Zhou Yan come in, and they all smiled and said something.

“Okay, I’ll write down the proportions for the sauce for you.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile, took out paper and pen from behind the counter, and wrote down seven or eight simple family-style menus in one go.

I've simplified the process a bit, making it even easier, but as long as you follow the steps strictly, the home-style flavor will definitely be excellent, and it'll be presentable for everyday gatherings.

With so many people helping out, the dishes and chopsticks for the three tables were washed in no time.

The men weren't idle either; they swept the floor, wiped the tables, and tidied the hall spotless.

Even the children helped move stools and take out the trash. Zhou Yan finished writing the recipe and went into the kitchen.

Mr. Zhou's Home-Style Cooking Class is now open for business.

"A very important point about twice-cooked pork is choosing the right meat. Don't use pork belly; use pork shoulder instead. This will give the twice-cooked pork the best texture..."

"The shredded pork with fish-fragrant sauce also uses pork belly, preferably leaner cuts, with a 3:7 fat-to-lean ratio. Cut the pork into thick shreds, like this size. The key to the fish-fragrant flavor is the pickled Erjingtiao peppers. The pickled peppers must have the right flavor; the sourness, aroma, and spiciness all come from here. The ratio of cornstarch to the sauce determines the flavor profile. I've already written the recipe and simple instructions above..."

The women listened very attentively.

The men stood at the kitchen doorway, craning their necks and straining their ears to listen intently.

Many men from Sichuan and Chongqing are good cooks, especially when it comes to twice-cooked pork and shredded pork with garlic sauce; their competitive spirit immediately comes through.

Zhou Yan explained things in great detail and very practically, such as how many minutes to cook the meat, what state it should be in, how thick to cut it, and how to control the heat when stir-frying.

Anyone with basic cooking skills can get the gist of it.

As for whether he can replicate it after returning home, and how similar it is, that depends on his individual abilities.

After listening, Zhou Jie said confidently, "I've learned it. Tomorrow I'll go buy a pound of pork belly, half of which I'll stir-fry into twice-cooked pork, and the other half into shredded pork with garlic sauce!"

"If you can make it taste even half as good as Zhou Yan's, I'll pay for the meat," Zhou Ze said.

"Old man, you said it! Give me the money first," Zhou Jie said with a smile.

Zhou Ze shook his head: "There's no reason to pay first. You cook first, and I'll pay if it tastes right. If it doesn't, you pay yourself."

Everyone laughed upon hearing this.

It was still early, and there wasn't much entertainment at home, so everyone stayed in the shop drinking tea and chatting, which helped them sober up.

"This building is more comfortable than the mud houses in the countryside. It's airtight and you don't have to worry about it being washed away by rain."

"The lime plaster really does look cleaner than the mud walls, and the space is much larger. It's such a big living room. We can build a big sofa and then get a TV for the New Year. That would be perfect, and everyone can watch the New Year's Gala together."

"TVs are very expensive! I heard that a 14-inch black and white TV costs more than 400 yuan, and you can't even buy one."

"Black and white TVs are considered cheap. Last time I went to the department store, I saw imported Japanese TVs, 18 inches of which cost 1200 yuan each!"

Everyone had already visited the second floor at noon, and they all spoke highly of their new home.

Originally, everyone was quite worried about their family's house collapsing and forcing them to move to town temporarily. But after visiting today, they were actually a little envious.

After playing all day, the children started to get sleepy, and everyone reluctantly got up to say goodbye.

"Zhou Yan, I'll come to your shop for a bowl of noodles tomorrow morning before I take the bus. I want to see how your noodles taste," Zhang Zhengping said to Zhou Yan as he sat on the back of his bicycle.

“Okay, Uncle, I’ll save you a portion of noodles. You can come earlier or later, it’s fine.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

The old lady looked at him with great satisfaction and said, "Today's arrangements were very good. You still know how to do it."

"It'll just be a simple meal. I'll make a more elaborate reunion dinner for everyone during the Lunar New Year," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

The old lady nodded: "Okay, then you can arrange the reunion dinner this year."

“No problem!” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile. As the only professional chef in the family, he naturally wouldn’t back down.

"Grandma, Uncle, Uncle, Aunt, Uncle, Brother, Sister-in-law, Nephew, Goodbye!" Zhou Momo stood at the door and waved to everyone.

At such a young age, he is very thoughtful and managed to get everyone together.

"Bye-bye, Momo," the group said with smiles, then rode off on their bikes.

A series of flashlights illuminated the road.

"Brother, what is television? And what is the New Year's Gala?" Zhou Momo looked up at Zhou Yan and asked, her eyes full of curiosity.

"A TV is just a box this big. It has a screen, and when you turn it on, little people who can sing, dance, and act will appear inside." Zhou Yan explained to her with a smile, "The New Year's Eve Gala is a group of people on TV who perform singing, dancing, and skits for everyone on New Year's Eve."

The little guy's eyes lit up, his mouth opened wide, and he looked at him expectantly: "Brother, when can we buy a TV? I want to keep little people in the TV box too."

"Why buy a TV? It's too expensive, over four hundred yuan," Aunt Zhao said, shaking her head.

Comrade Zhou's mouth moved, but he couldn't help it.

The little guy pouted, lowered his eyes, and said, "Okay."

"I'll buy it! I'll buy you one during the New Year," Zhou Yan said with a smile.

"Really?!" The little guy's eyes lit up and he jumped up with joy.

"I'd be a dog if I lied to you." Zhou Yan nodded.

"You're so great, darling! I'll love you forever!" The little guy rushed over and hugged her.

Zhou Yan smiled and patted her head.

The little guy hasn't seen a TV yet. If we had a TV during the Chinese New Year, the house would definitely be more lively.

Everyone felt different while eating their New Year's Eve dinner and watching the gala.

Four hundred yuan a unit is not cheap, but it's not too expensive for him either. Nowadays, the restaurant can make a net profit of about three hundred yuan a day, which is enough to cover a day and a half's wages.

There are still two months until the Chinese New Year. If we save enough money to buy a house and pay for it, we'll still have some savings left over by the end of the year. It'll be no problem to buy Zhou Momo a TV to watch the Spring Festival Gala.

Money is something you earn to spend.

The feeling of taking out a loan to buy a car you like at twenty is completely different from buying it outright at thirty-five.

If you want to buy sweet-scented osmanthus with wine, it doesn't seem like you are a teenager.

Some things, once you've bought them after a certain period, you won't feel the same way anymore.

Just like in my past life, I got my driver's license and had enough money in my account to buy an Audi, but I was always thinking about buying a house and retiring. Before I hit the jackpot, I had never even driven a used Alto.

The person is dead, but not completely dead.

I don't need to spend the money I earned myself.

It was so painful.

"Are you really going to buy it?" Aunt Zhao asked, looking at him with a hint of anticipation in her eyes.

“Buy it!” Zhou Yan nodded. “After buying it, we can watch the news every night and learn about national policies and news.”

"You run a small restaurant, yet you still care about national policies. You're meddling in other people's business," Aunt Zhao said with a laugh.

Zhou Yan said in a serious tone: "It's not my place to control you, but when you go out and chat, other people can only talk about which person in the village climbed over the widow's wall or who bought a bicycle. But when you open your mouth, you can talk about the key points of Deng Xiaoping's speech and the new trends in Shenzhen's development. People will look at you differently."

Old Zhou's eyes lit up: "We can still buy this TV. I'll pay half of it."

"Then let's buy it! Let's work hard and buy a TV for the New Year!" Aunt Zhao nodded with a smile.

After closing the restaurant door, Comrade Zhou took out the hot water from the pot and soaked his feet in it.

Zhou Momo took a nap at noon today, so she's not sleepy at all. Sitting on a small stool, her little feet are pressing on Zhou Yan's insteps, and she's muttering, "Guoguo, I'm massaging your feet~~"

"Thank you," Zhou Yan said with a smile, then turned to look at Aunt Zhao. "Mom, after the New Year, I plan to send Momo to kindergarten."

“They said we have to wait until the second half of next year, because there won’t be any degrees available,” Aunt Zhao said.

"Let's ask around and see if we can send him to the factory-run kindergarten for the junior class. That way, it'll be more convenient for him to go to and from school," Zhou Yan said with a smile. "Don't worry about that, I'll arrange it."

"Okay." Aunt Zhao nodded and didn't ask any more questions.

After washing her feet, Aunt Zhao took Zhou Momo upstairs, while Old Zhou played three games of chess with Zhou Yan before going upstairs to sleep with a smug look on his face.

The loser, Zhou Yan, put away the chess pieces under the counter, took out a wooden sign that read "Fish-flavored Shredded Pork," paused for a moment in the price column, and wrote "2 yuan per serving."

A serving of Yu Xiang Rou Si (shredded pork with garlic sauce) requires half a pound of pork belly, and the total cost, including all ingredients, is about 70 cents, resulting in a profit margin of 65%.

It's priced the same as twice-cooked pork.

They use only second-cut pork, which is half a pound of meat. The shredded pork with fish-fragrant sauce also includes winter bamboo shoots and wood ear mushrooms. If the price is lower than twice-cooked pork, then they're just making a fool of themselves.

There was nothing else Zhou Yan could do but earn more money, even with tears in her eyes.

This makes the preparation of ingredients quite flexible.

If shredded pork with garlic sauce doesn't sell so well, twice-cooked pork can still sell out the second cut of pork.

This morning he saw farmers selling winter bamboo shoots and had already inquired about the price: 50 cents a pound.

Compared to other vegetarian dishes, the price is not cheap.

However, the amount of winter bamboo shoots in a serving of Yu Xiang Rou Si (shredded pork with garlic sauce) is not large, so it is still acceptable.

The main problem is that winter bamboo shoots are much harder to dig than other types of bamboo shoots.

It was completely buried in the soil and was quite small.

Zhou Yan found the price of 50 cents per pound quite acceptable.

He actually dug for these things, and each one he dug up was silent.

After taking a shower, Zhou Yan went upstairs early and pulled out the account book from under his pillow.

The restaurant is now fully operational, with a stable turnover of around 600 yuan. After deducting labor costs, the profit is around 350 yuan, which is quite considerable.

The deposit figure has reached 6418.24, showing a similarly rapid growth rate.

At this rate, he will be able to save up 10,000 yuan in another two weeks and take over the Qiu family's old house from Duan Yuyan.

It's great; life is full of hope and goals.

Zhou Yan stuffed the ledger back under his pillow, glanced at the painting standing on the box by his bedside, smiled, pulled the rope, and fell asleep the moment his head hit the pillow.

……

Zhou's old house.

“Zhou Yan is a skilled and intelligent young man. He’s bound to develop his career in a big city in the future. Maybe he’ll even open a restaurant in Chengdu and make it a big success,” Zhang Zhengping said to the old lady sitting next to him, soaking his feet.

The old lady smiled and said, "It depends on his personal development and wishes. It's a good thing for young people to be energetic and ambitious, unlike me who has been selling braised food for half my life and has never left Suji. If he has the idea to do it, I will definitely support him."

Zhang Zhengping shook his head: "Third sister, although you have never left Suji, Zhang's braised food has a reputation that has spread throughout Jiaozhou. At its peak, even Niu Hua had people buying braised meat from you to sell. Zhou Yan is so quick-witted, he will definitely be able to sell the braised food further and make it even more famous."

"He's not even here, so stop praising him..."

"I'm just stating my thoughts, without a trace of boasting!"

……

　Asking for a monthly ticket~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)