1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 201 This is the taste! (6k words combined)

Horse hoof knife technique is not unusual; it's a basic skill for any of the fourth-generation disciples of the Kong school present who have been learning to cook for more than three years.

What shocked Luo Han was the scene of Zhou Yan flipping the knife back and pounding the chicken breast with both knives. Accompanied by the clattering of horses' hooves, the chicken breast was gradually mashed into a paste.

His thoughts drifted for a moment, as if he could see that smiling little old man again, standing in front of the stove in the back kitchen of Leming Restaurant, holding two knives, teaching him how to pound chicken breast with a horseshoe-shaped knife. The sound of the knife back hitting the cutting board gradually overlapped, and he could hear the little old man's voice again:
"Hold the knife firmly, raise and lower it straight down, use your wrist to generate power, not your arm strength. Use skillful force and control the force well, so as not to splatter meat paste everywhere."

"Ugh! You're so wooden! It makes me want to slap you!"

"What are you crying for! Don't go back and tell your mother, okay? Last time I slept in the living room for a week. If you dare to tell on me, I'll sleep in the living room while you sleep in the doghouse!"

“My son, you must learn well. Our Luo family’s craft has been passed down for four generations. We can’t let it die out in our hands.”

Mastering the skills of making Snowflake Chicken Broth and Braised Pork in a Jar will make these dishes signature dishes at any high-end restaurant, earning you the respect of every chef. Family recipes should never be passed down to outsiders; you must preserve them generation after generation.

……

"Old man? Old man! What happened to you! You can't die! What will I do if you die? What will happen to Mom and my sister? I haven't learned yet, I don't know how to cook..."

……

Two lines of clear tears slid down Lao Luo's cheeks.

"Master, what's wrong?" Xiao Luo, who was standing next to him, asked in surprise, puzzled as to why his master suddenly burst into tears.

"You watch the fire, I'll go check on Zhou Yan's cooking." Old Luo put down the cleaver, hastily wiped away his tears, and walked towards Zhou Yan.

"Hey? Master, aren't you cooking? This isn't the time to watch the show!" Xiao Luo looked at the sliced ​​pork belly on the cutting board. The pot was already boiling, and they were about to make stir-fried pork with salt and pepper, but his master was off to watch the show?
Not only the Arhats, but also many chefs and guests gathered around to watch the spectacle.

The reason is quite simple: Zhou Yan is handsome, wields two knives, and even uses the back of the knives to chop meat, making a crisp, clattering sound like horseshoes. Among all the chefs, he is definitely the most eye-catching.

The guests may not understand the intricacies of professional cooking, but Zhou Yanlu's knife skills were something they certainly couldn't do.

It's very entertaining; you can even find your feet tapping along to the beat.

After watching the face-changing performance with Zhou Momo in her arms, Aunt Zhao came over to join in the fun. The little one had a bulging candy in her mouth, and her two little pockets were full of candy.

Except for a few cattle and horses that were taken away to cut braised meat, all the other chefs of the apprentice generation gathered around Zhou Yan to watch.

My uncles and aunts are good at cooking, but they're just making the same three dishes. They were all taught by the same master, so it's nothing special. Anyway, their own master can do it all, it's just a matter of how well or poorly they make it.

The menu at Leming Restaurant basically includes everything from braised yellow catfish, Dongpo pork, stir-fried duck liver, camphor tea-smoked fatty duck, and stir-fried salt-fried pork.

Master Xu's braised rock carp is quite unique; the braising process is a test of skill, and most chefs can't do it well.

But what truly piques people's curiosity is what Zhou Yan, also a fourth-generation disciple, did.

Take tender chicken breast meat and pound it vigorously with the back of a knife. Does the Kong school of Peking Opera have this dish?
Kong Qingfeng couldn't sit still in the hall, and he and Qian Siyuan went to the stove to look at it, their faces full of anticipation.

Lao Luo passed away at the end of 1958. Since then, the two signature dishes, Snowflake Chicken Soup and Jarred Pork, have been removed from the menu of Leming Restaurant and have not been added back to it since.

Snowflake Chicken Soup is a famous Sichuan dish with an elegant name, while Jarred Pork is hailed as the "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" of Sichuan cuisine, attracting many gourmets to Leming Restaurant to try it back then.

Today, Zhou Yan is going to recreate the Snowflake Chicken Noodles, and he is naturally quite excited.

Lao Luo also came over and stood aside watching.

"Zhou Yan, what dish are you making? Why are you pounding the chicken breast into a paste?" Kong Liwei couldn't contain his curiosity and asked.

The others looked at Zhou Yan.

Shen Shaohua, a reporter from the Jiaozhou Daily, also came over with his notebook, quickly scribbled a few notes, and waited for Zhou Yan's reply.

He had heard of Zhou Yan's name before he came.

A chef from Jiaozhou was featured in an interview with Sichuan Cuisine magazine, and his dishes even made it onto the cover. This is just minor news.

But this chef is only twenty years old this year. He beat out a group of master chefs and first-class chefs to appear on the cover of a magazine and replicated the traditional dish of Jiaozhou Suji - Qiaojiao Beef, continuing the inheritance. This news immediately became interesting.

In order to develop Suji Qiaojiao Beef and boost the local economy, Suji Town hopes to publish an interview report.

They were discussing this matter in a meeting yesterday, and they hadn't even drafted an interview outline yet. But today, I ran into Zhou Yan here.

Isn’t this a coincidence!

Unexpectedly, Zhou Yan is actually a fourth-generation disciple of the Confucian school.

Zhou Yan kept working with her hands and replied with a smile, "Today I'm making a famous Sichuan dish—Snowflake Chicken Soup."

"Snowflake Chicken Noodles?" The young disciples looked puzzled. Many of them had never even heard of this dish, let alone made it.

Old Luo, who was standing to the side, opened his mouth but couldn't say anything.

Kong Liwei asked in confusion, "Is this a dish from the Kong school? I've heard of the name, but I've never seen my master or uncles make it."

"Why did Master Zhou choose to make Snowflake Chicken Soup? Is there a reason?" Shen Shaohua stepped forward and asked.

"This isn't a representative dish of the Kong school, but rather a representative dish of the Luo family cuisine back in the day, and it was also a signature dish of the Leming Restaurant. Uncle Luo Han's father was especially skilled at making this Snowflake Chicken Soup and Jarred Pork." Zhou Yan looked at Old Luo, who stood to the side with red eyes, and said:

"In 1958, Uncle Luo's father suddenly passed away, but the inheritance of the skills was not yet completed. Many classic Luo family dishes were lost, which had a great impact on our grandmaster Kong Huaifeng."

Therefore, he made up his mind to compile all his life's learning and the Kong School recipes into teaching materials, abandoning his family tradition and opening classes to teach, which led to the thriving and diverse Kong School of cooking today.

For decades afterward, my master tried to recreate the Snowflake Chicken Noodles, but all his attempts ended in failure, which became a great regret for him. Before he passed away, he urged my master to try again.

I stumbled upon a recipe for Snowflake Chicken Noodles and have been trying to recreate it for the past six months. Recently, I've made some breakthroughs.

Just as Mr. Qian, the grandmaster's nephew, successfully found his relatives after traveling thousands of miles, he held this thank-you banquet. All the disciples of the Kong School gathered together, and Grandmaster Luohan and Grandmaster Kong Erye were also present. So I plan to make a Snowflake Chicken Noodle Soup for everyone to taste and see how well the replica is made.

If the replica can be successfully replicated, then the ideal of the master chef who gave up his family's tradition to open classes and wholeheartedly pass on the art of Sichuan cuisine will have been fulfilled.

I believe that as long as generations of Sichuan cuisine chefs uphold their original aspirations and diligently hone their skills, the tradition of Sichuan cuisine will never be severed.

The scene fell silent immediately, and everyone looked at Zhou Yan with a different gaze.

Luohan's eyes immediately reddened again, and his hands, hanging by his sides, trembled slightly.

"Zhou Yan's speaking skills are getting better and better; he really speaks well," Zhao Tieying whispered to Zhou Miao.

Kong Qingfeng's eyes also reddened, and he clapped his hands and exclaimed, "Well said! Senior brother must be very happy to have a grand-disciple like you! Just do your job, and we'll judge whether it's good or bad. Even if it doesn't work this time, with this kind of spirit, you'll succeed next time and the time after that."

Everyone joined in the applause.

"Zhou Yan is amazing at cooking, and he's got such a sharp tongue! How come I can't say anything so insightful and profound?" Kong Liwei whispered to his senior brother beside him.

After thinking about it carefully, the senior brother said, "It shows that our perspective is still a bit lacking. We only saw the dish in front of us and did not reflect on the profound meaning behind it."

Kong Liwei nodded thoughtfully: "Then my master can't do it either. The reporter just asked him why he makes Dongpo pork, and he said that Dongpo pork tastes good, has a great reputation, and was invented by Su Dongpo. You can't appreciate it without comparison. Compared with Zhou Yan's statement, it's simply a mess."

"Kong Liwei! No one will think you're mute if you don't speak!" Kong Guodong appeared behind him at some point, gritting his teeth and whispering, "I really have run into a monster like you!"

"Master, I was just joking..." Kong Liwei said with an awkward laugh.

The senior student next to him was already busy adjusting the buttons on his clothes. The buttons that were originally fastened correctly were suddenly fastened incorrectly.

"Where did you find this apprentice? Not only can he cook, but he also speaks so eloquently!" Xu Yunliang couldn't help but look at Xiao Lei with envy. "Look at my apprentice, he's so dull, you can't even get a fart out of him after three beatings."

“Senior brother, these things depend on individual talent. I think Zheng Qiang is quite good; he's very down-to-earth in his character and work. Young people shouldn't be constantly suppressed; they should be praised more. That's how you maximize their initiative,” Xiao Lei said leisurely, not forgetting to say to Zheng Qiang, who was arranging braised meat on a plate, “Don't you think so, Master Zheng?”

“Yes! Master, you should learn more from your martial uncle!” Zheng Qiang nodded in deep agreement, looking at Xu Yunliang and saying, “Look how much your martial uncle respects young people.”

Xu Yunliang said with a forced smile, "Is that so, Master Zheng? Then remember to give me an interview in Sichuan Cuisine magazine next year, and even put me on the cover. I'll call you master if you want. If you don't get it, I'll see if your wings have really hardened."

"Master, I was just joking. How could I compare to Zhou Yan? He's a genius!" Zheng Qiang quickly said. Uncle Xiao was too wicked! He'd made him forget his place.

On the other side, Zhou Yan had already pounded the chicken breast into a paste, put away a knife, and then carefully cut all the fibers in the minced chicken.

This step is crucial and determines the texture of the snowflake chicken soup; otherwise, if you taste it closely, your mouth will be full of chicken fibers, which would be terrible.

Luohan took two more steps forward and came directly to the cutting board, looking at it carefully.

Zhou Yan's movements were so practiced, as if he had done them a thousand times. He was calm, unhurried, and graceful, which reminded him of his old man from back then.

"Uncle Luo, please give me your guidance." Zhou Yan said with a smile, looking at Luo Han standing to the side.

Luo Han shook his head: "I dare not offer guidance. I failed to learn it back then, and I have never succeeded in doing it in all these years. If you succeed in replicating it today, I will have to swallow my pride and call you master, and ask you to teach me."

"That would mess up the seniority system," Zhou Yan said with a smile, shaking his head.

Preparing the chicken mince is only the first step; add the prepared cold broth to break up the mince.

After mixing, the chicken paste turned into a bowl of slightly thin white paste. Eight eggs were beaten, and only the egg whites were used. The egg whites were poured into the chicken paste and stirred well. Then, water chestnut flour and a little salt were added for seasoning, and the mixture was stirred well again.

The chicken paste immediately became thick.

"Did you use four ounces of chicken marrow, eight eggs, and one ounce of bean flour?" Luohan asked.

“Yes, that’s the ratio.” Zhou Yan nodded.

Luo Han nodded thoughtfully, wondering if the proportions he had been trying over the years were the same.

The master said that the recipes left by Lao Luo were very rough, and did not specify the amount and proportion of various ingredients. That part was passed down orally.

Unfortunately, because these dishes are quite high-end, Xiao Luo, who had just finished learning knife skills, passed away before he could inherit the craft. I always felt there was still plenty of time, so I let my son learn slowly and gradually to avoid him becoming impatient.

The unexpected happened before tomorrow.

That's how the tradition was broken.

The chicken broth was ready, and Zhou Yan started heating the pot.

Snowflake chicken is poached until tender and then stir-fried.

Use a small pot. Heat the iron pot and add lard. There is a technique to heating the pot. A hot pot with cold oil will prevent sticking. A common method among chefs is to first add a layer of oil to heat the pot, then scoop out the excess oil before adding a second layer of oil.

Melt the lard and wait for the oil temperature to rise. Pour half of the prepared chicken paste into the pot, stirring quickly while constantly shaking the pot to ensure that the prepared chicken paste does not solidify into clumps during heating.

There are many techniques involved.

The common problem with making snowflake chicken soup usually goes wrong at this step.

The process requires extremely high skill in controlling the heat, stir-frying techniques, and preparing the batter in the previous step.

First, stir-fry over low heat. As the chicken paste solidifies, it is stirred and gradually develops a beautiful snowflake-like color and texture in the pan.

Then quickly remove from the pan and plate.

The snowflake chicken soup is served on a plate, as white as snow, layered on top of each other, just like a pile of snowflakes, forming a pointed snow mound. The plate trembles slightly when it is gently shaken, and the aroma of chicken is very delicate and pleasant.

Finally, sprinkle some pre-prepared ham bits on top; this step is called adding a "ménzi".

This was specially brought to him by Huang Ying yesterday by Zhou Yan.

Ham was hard to find back then, but Fei Yan Restaurant definitely had it.

As expected, Huang Ying did not disappoint him. She brought him a small piece of meat, about two ounces, pure lean meat, of extremely high quality.

Zhou Yan only asked for one or two taels of silver, but Huang Ying was quite generous. She waived the cost of a meal for the brother and sister, thus returning the favor.

The ham used in the snowflake chicken soup is just for garnish; the amount is very small, chopped into small pieces, and sprinkled on top.

The red ham and the snow-white chicken meat create a beautiful contrast, with the red hue adding a lovely touch.

Shaped like clouds, light and fluffy, piled up like snow, pure white and flawless.

A perfect bowl of snowflake chicken soup

The results of the forensic examination have already been displayed in Zhou Yan's eyes.

Color matching is also an important part of the aesthetics of Sichuan cuisine.

Just like a plate full of bright red chili pepper slices, it often gives people a strong visual impact.

But only those who have tasted it know that this dry pot dish, made with more chili peppers than meat, might not even be as spicy as Quzhou duck head, which doesn't contain any chili peppers at all.

"This dish looks so beautiful!"

"This chef is young, but his culinary skills are quite impressive!"

The onlookers praised it repeatedly. They didn't know if it tasted good because they hadn't tried it, but the presentation was excellent.

Shen Shaohua observed attentively from the side, his pen scribbling on the paper. He had already thought of the theme for today's news: Overseas Chinese's Journey to Find Relatives and Discover Flavors: The Fourth Generation Successor of the Kong School Recreates Classic Sichuan Dishes Again, and the Echoes of Snowflake Chicken Soup are Deafening.

Zhou Yan played a key role in both incidents.

Some people are truly born to be the protagonists.

"It's truly like snowflakes! Absolutely breathtakingly beautiful!" Qian Siyuan couldn't help but exclaim, then called out to the photographer holding a camera, "Photographer Hu, please take a picture of this dish."

He invited a photographer from a photo studio in Chiayi City today to take a group photo as a memento, so he can take it back to the United States to share with his other brothers and sisters.

His mother came from a family with a long tradition of Confucianism, and now that the Confucian tradition is thriving, he feels proud of it and is naturally very happy to record this moment.

In other words, foreigners like him aren't allowed to bring cameras into the country, and he has so many beautiful moments he wants to capture and record.

"This is truly snowflake chicken soup!" Kong Qingfeng exclaimed in admiration. "It's exactly the same as the one Lao Luo made back then! It doesn't collapse or become watery; piled up together and sprinkled with ham bits, it looks just like a snow mountain. The color is so beautiful!"

He hadn't seen how Lao Luo made snowflake chicken soup back then, but he had seen the finished product and even tasted it himself, so the taste left a deep impression on him.

Now, Zhou Yan has recreated this famous dish, and his work is quite impressive.

The most excited of all was Luohan, who stood next to Zhou Yan.

Looking at the snowflake chicken soup on the plate, his eyes widened, and shock, joy, and nostalgia flowed across his face, eventually turning into excitement.

Twenty-six years!
He saw once again a perfectly made snowflake chicken soup.

The young Ronaldo of yesteryear has become what others call "Old Ronaldo," just like his father and grandfather, having spent half his life at the Leming Hotel.

Zhou Yan grabbed a spoon from the side, handed it to Kong Qingfeng first, then to Luo Han, and then to Shen Shaohua and Qian Siyuan, who were standing nearby, as well as to the uncles and senior disciples watching from the side. He said with a smile, "Snowflake Chicken Soup must be eaten while it's hot. I've saved a portion to stir-fry later. Please try this portion first and see how it tastes."

"Xiao Luo, you try it first," Kong Qingfeng said to Luo Han. "You're the most qualified to say."

“Okay, Uncle-Master.” Luo Han nodded without delay and picked up a spoon to scoop out a spoonful of snowflake chicken soup.

The snowflake chicken soup, piled up together, wobbles and trembles when touched with a spoon, showing remarkable elasticity.

Luo Han first smelled the aroma and nodded, saying, "The chicken has a very light and pleasant aroma, with the meaty fragrance of pork fat. The taste is very authentic."

Then feed it to your mouth.

The freshly cooked snowflake chicken soup is a bit hot, but this dish has to be eaten hot. Back when Leming Restaurant used to serve it, they would run quickly to ensure that customers could enjoy the most delicious bite.

Snowflake chicken soup is tender and smooth to the taste. When you savor it carefully, it is fresh and delicate, yet has a rich and savory chicken flavor.

Correct!
This is the taste!

A look of reminiscence crossed Luo Han's face. He thought he would never have the chance to eat the same snowflake chicken soup as his old man made again in his life.

When he went to Chengdu, he ate at a restaurant there once, but the taste was not quite the same as his father's cooking.

But Zhou Yan found that feeling in the one he made.

"This snowflake chicken soup is very authentic. It's tender and smooth, fresh and delicate, with a rich and mellow flavor. It's almost indistinguishable from what my old man used to make." Luo Han put down his spoon and looked at Zhou Yan with some emotion, saying, "Zhou Yan, you're amazing! I couldn't replicate it in twenty-six years, but you made it so perfectly in just six months."

"I never imagined I'd get to eat such a delicious snowflake chicken soup in my lifetime, especially one made by a disciple of the Kong school. It's such a wonderful feeling."

Back then, Grandpa Kong asked me to come back and continue learning to cook. I was an apprentice in the first class of the Leming Hotel's culinary training program. I learned cooking from Grandpa Kong for many years before I was able to continue working as a chef.

I never imagined that twenty-six years later, my grandfather's grand-apprentice would create this snowflake chicken soup. My feelings are indescribable.

Luohan's eyes were filled with tears; his emotions were truly indescribable.

The fellow disciples were all somewhat moved by this scene.

They all knew about Lao Luo's situation; the snowflake chicken soup had become a knot in his heart, and he kept struggling with it.

"Will Zhou Yanbao teach?" Xu Yunliang asked in a low voice.

“He said he’d wrap it.” Xiao Lei nodded, a smile spreading across his face.

The reporter standing nearby was taking notes rapidly, his expression starting to show excitement.

"Let me try it." Kong Qingfeng also scooped up a spoonful and put it in his mouth. After savoring it carefully, he nodded repeatedly and said, "Mmm! The taste and texture are just right! It tastes exactly like the one Lao Luo made back then! Our training class organized many attempts to make it but failed. I didn't expect Zhou Yan to make it!"

His tone was tinged with surprise.

His eyes lit up when he looked at Zhou Yan.

What is this?

What a genius!
Using only a recipe, without even having tasted it before, how did they manage to make such a Snowflake Chicken Soup?
Truly a monster!

Kong Qingfeng urged, "Hurry up, everyone come and try it. Once this dish gets cold, the lard will solidify and become greasy."

Everyone responded and picked up their spoons to scoop it up.

Even the reporter quickly put away his notebook and handed over the spoon.

You can't have the right to speak if you haven't tasted it, right?

"Mommy, those snowflakes look so delicious~~" Zhou Momo nestled in Zhao Tieying's arms, swallowing her saliva countless times.

Zhou Yan heard this, took a spoon, scooped up a spoonful, and handed it to her.

The little guy's eyes lit up immediately. He leaned forward and stuck out his pink little tongue to lick it, his big eyes shining brightly.

"Awoo!" The little guy opened his mouth wide and ate the snowflake chicken soup in the spoon in one gulp. He shook his little head happily, his eyes squinting with laughter.

"It's so delicious! My husband is super, super amazing!!"

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(End of this chapter)