1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 207 Xiao Zhou, you've reported it! (6.4k words, combined into one)

"Master Zheng's taro and chicken stew is truly exceptional! It looks amazing, and the aroma is mouthwatering—it's a feast for the eyes, nose, and palate!" Zhou Yan exclaimed.

The rating of "very good" is already quite high.

It met his standards as a level three chef; there was nothing wrong with it.

"So-so. I feel like I didn't perform well today. I'm not familiar enough with this stove. My master's skill level is even higher." Zheng Qiang waved his hand, speaking modestly, but he couldn't suppress the smile on his face.

On the other side, Xiao Lei's spicy chicken giblets had just come out of the pot. The glistening, reddish-brown giblets, along with half a plate of pickled peppers, scallions, and chili peppers, were steaming hot and had an enticing aroma that made it look incredibly appetizing.

Spicy chicken giblets are nothing new; as a chicken giblets enthusiast from Qianjiang, Zhou Yan has eaten them quite often.

In comparison, I've never actually tried spicy chicken blood. Duck blood is more commonly found in hot pot, and it's usually boiled in broth.

Not only Zhou Yan found it strange, but Zheng Qiang also came over, his face also full of curiosity.

With the Lunar New Year just around the corner, every household will be slaughtering chickens and ducks. Chicken blood can be prepared in a new way, so I definitely have to learn how to make it.

"In Guiyang, 'spicy chicken blood' is also called 'chopped chicken blood.' It's a very common dish in restaurants and late-night snack shops, and the preparation method is very similar to ours," Xiao Lei said, pointing to the chicken blood beside him. "This chicken blood has just been blanched to about 70-80% done. The method is very simple: after the water boils, add some rice water as a thickener, and when the water is almost boiling, add the chicken blood, turn off the heat, and let the residual heat solidify the chicken blood."

"Don't boil the water, otherwise the chicken blood will develop honeycomb-like holes, and the texture will immediately deteriorate."

“Okay.” Zhou Yan and Zheng Qiang nodded.

"This dish is all about intense numbing and spiciness. Heat the wok, add rapeseed oil and a little lard. Once the oil is hot, first add Sichuan peppercorns, dried chili pepper segments, minced ginger and garlic and stir-fry. Then add pickled peppers and pickled ginger and stir-fry until fragrant. Add chicken blood and stir-fry over high heat, pushing it in one direction..." Xiao Lei tossed the wok with his left hand and gently pushed it with a spoon in his right hand. The chicken blood tumbled in the wok, leaped out in a beautiful arc, and then gently fell back into the wok.

"The seasoning step is also very simple: add salt, chicken essence, some soy sauce and Sichuan peppercorn oil. The key is this spoonful of chopped chili peppers. I used the ready-made ones made by Zhou Yan. Add a handful of chopped scallions, stir-fry a couple of times, and it's ready to serve!"

On the white plate, tender green scallions, bright red chili peppers, and brown chicken blood collide to create an enticing color and aroma, with a spicy and refreshing flavor.

[A pretty good, fiery chicken blood drink]

Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow. As expected of his master, he could easily cook this dish to this standard, even though he had secretly learned it after eating it and rarely had the chance to make it.
"It looks really good," Zhou Yan exclaimed.

"Uncle Xiao is amazing!" Zheng Qiang exclaimed in admiration.

Xiao Lei rinsed the hot iron pot while it was still hot and said with a smile, "Actually, it's not much different from the way you make spicy chicken giblets and pork liver. It's just that I don't add fermented bean paste and I add a spoonful of chopped chili peppers. It looks spicier and has a Guizhou flavor."

"Master Zhou, what do you think of this one?" Old Luo, who had just finished making the last dish of snowflake chicken soup, stood with his hands hanging down in front of him, looking expectant.

Zhou Yan walked over and looked closely. On the white porcelain plate, chicken gizzards were piled up like snowflakes, forming a small mountain. A few bits of ham were sprinkled on top of the snow-covered top, making it look quite appetizing.

A decent bowl of snowflake chicken soup

The test results were already displayed in his eyes. Zhou Yan smiled and nodded: "Hmm, they look much better than the previous six. Uncle Luo has made great progress."

"Try it." Old Luo handed over a spoon.

Zhou Yan scooped up a spoonful and fed it to his mouth, savoring it carefully, his brows slightly furrowed.

A hint of nervousness appeared on Lao Luo's face.

"The texture is good, very delicate, which means that the preparation of the velvet and the mixing of the paste were done well. This time the stir-frying was also much better than before. But there is still room for improvement. The whole batch wasn't of this standard. You could pick out some solidified particles, which means that it wasn't stir-fried properly. This is a matter of skill level." Zhou Yan put down the spoon and said with a smile, "Go back and practice more. If you don't understand anything, just come to me anytime."

"Great! Thank you, Master Zhou!" Old Luo rubbed his hands excitedly, but his eyes were a little red.

Twenty-six years!
He finally made a somewhat decent snowflake chicken soup.

The taste and texture are very similar to the snowflake chicken soup his father makes, which means we're on the right track.

As Zhou Yan said, the rest depends on practice.

Cooking is a skill; getting started is the hardest part, and mastering it is the hardest.

But once you get the hang of it, as long as you practice diligently, your skill level will gradually improve, that much is certain.

He is now full of confidence in recreating the Snowflake Chicken Noodles and continuing his father's craft.

"Old Luo, you're pretty good! You made a plate of snowflake chicken soup on your first visit, and it looks quite professional. I think you'll master it soon." Xiao Lei patted his shoulder with a smile, his smile genuine, showing his true happiness for him.

"It's mainly because Master Zhou teaches so well, so meticulously, and has such a sharp eye. She pinpointed my problems time and time again, so my improvement with each lesson has been quite noticeable," Old Luo said with deep emotion, looking at Zhou Yan with admiration. "Master Zhou is truly skilled!"

Before coming here, he thought Zhou Yan was a genius who could replicate dishes perfectly just by using recipes.

Today, as he learned how to make snowflake chicken soup from Zhou Yan, he gained a deeper appreciation for Zhou Yan's skill.

Not only is he a good cook, but he also has a keen eye for observation.

Moreover, the guidance is incisive and to the point, without any unnecessary words.

Many chefs teach apprentices, and the more they teach, the more popular they become.

Sometimes it's not just because the apprentice is too stupid; the master's communication skills are also lacking, so the apprentice may not be able to understand. This situation is also quite common.

"The food is all ready, let's go eat!" Xiao Lei said with a smile, picking up the spicy chicken blood and spicy chicken giblets and walking out.

"Eat rice! Eat rice!" Zheng Qiang picked up the pot of taro and braised chicken, which was full of food.

Lao Luo then served the snowflake chicken soup he had made as well.

Zhou Yan served a plate of braised pork ribs. Today's dishes were mainly spicy, and Zhou Momo probably couldn't eat much of them.

The little guy was already sitting upright on the stool, looking at the bright red dishes on the table, his chubby little face full of struggle.

"It smells so good! But it's so spicy~~" The little guy stared at the taro and chicken stew with a bit of a worry, but couldn't help swallowing his saliva.

"Oh dear, I didn't consider that my younger sister can't handle spicy food. I should have picked out a few pieces for her before we started spitting out the chili peppers. It's all my fault," Zheng Qiang said, feeling somewhat guilty.

"It's alright, I'll just scoop a bowl of rice porridge for her to rinse it off." Aunt Zhao walked over with a smile, already scooping a bowl of rice porridge and placing it in front of Zhou Momo.

The little one nodded and smiled, saying, "Yes, it's okay. It tastes good after being dipped in the hot pot too!"

Everyone couldn't help but laugh when they saw this; the little guy was just too adorable.

"If it's spicy, eat more ribs." Zhou Yan placed the ribs in front of her and sat down next to her with a smile.

"Okay~~ You're so good to me, bro!" Zhou Momo looked up at him with a smile and said in her childish voice, "But, I'd like to eat a taro first, is that okay?"

"Of course." Zhou Yan picked up a taro for her, rinsed it in the rice soup first, and a layer of red oil immediately floated on the thick white rice soup before putting it in her bowl.

She blew on it gently, then took a small bite, and her big eyes immediately lit up.

Soft, fragrant, and a little spicy, it's so delicious!
The little guy wiggled his short legs excitedly, then shoveled a big mouthful of rice into his mouth.

The soft and sweet rice, with its sweet taste, immediately masks the spiciness. Then, take a bite of taro, followed by another bite of rice, and it's incredibly delicious.

"Oh my, this little girl is so well-behaved, she eats so well by herself. My second child is a year older than her, and my mother still has to chase after him with a bowl every day to feed him, it's so annoying!" Zheng Qiang looked at Zhou Momo with a doting smile.

Zhou Yan first picked up a piece of chicken, which looked like a chicken leg. The skin had shrunk after being stir-fried, the bone was sticking out, and the surface was covered with bright red oil, making it look quite tempting.

With one bite, the juices burst in your mouth, and the numbing and slightly spicy flavor unfolds on your taste buds. The chicken skin is chewy and slightly sticky, and the chicken meat is tender and flavorful, becoming more fragrant the more you chew.

Taro chicken requires young chicken; even if an old chicken is stewed until tender, the texture will still be loose, and it's not as good as a young chicken.

Then he picked up a piece of taro.

What's the essence of taro and chicken stew? It's not the chicken, but the taro, which tastes even better than chicken.

Anyway, when Zhou Yan and his friends went to eat taro chicken, the only thing left in the pot was chicken, but not a single piece of taro could escape the gourmand's mouth.

The taro has a velvety surface, coated with a thick sauce, like polished glass. It is fried in advance and then simmered over low heat until it is soft and tender. Chopsticks can easily pick it up and sink into it. When you put it in a bowl, it breaks in the middle with a gentle force. It is very soft and tender.

Pick up half and put it in your mouth. It melts on your tongue with a light touch, as smooth and soft as red bean paste. The texture is quite delicate and smooth.

The broth flavor is perfectly infused into the soup. Although it looks like a bright red pot, it is actually mainly fragrant with spiciness as a secondary flavor. The soft and tender texture brings a delicious experience completely different from that of fresh and tender chicken.

Absolutely!

Zhou Yan shoveled a mouthful of rice into his mouth and felt the intense satisfaction of carbohydrates colliding with each other.

Taro chicken is so delicious!
"This taro chicken is absolutely delicious! Especially the taro, it's so tender and soft, the taste is simply amazing!" Aunt Zhao exclaimed repeatedly, her amazement undisguised.

"It's really good." Xiao Lei took a piece of chicken bone, spat it out, and nodded with a smile. "Master Zheng is quite skilled at cooking braised chicken. If there were pork intestines, adding some would make it even better."

Old Luo nodded in agreement: "After all, Master Zheng is a top student of Senior Brother Yunliang, so his skills are beyond doubt. If this were done in the kitchen of Rongcheng Restaurant, with familiar stoves and seasonings, the taste would definitely be even better."

"Uncle-Master, don't try to brainwash me." Zheng Qiang looked helpless. Although he was praised, he also felt like he was being sarcastic.

Zhou Yan's gaze shifted to the spicy chicken giblets on the side. The bright red pickled peppers, tender white scallions, and lush green garlic sprouts made the chicken giblets look even more vibrant.

Fresh chicken giblets are different from frozen ones; they are much brighter in color, have a perfect layer of fat, and no excess broth.

[An extremely good serving of stir-fried chicken giblets]

Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow. The "Hot Series" was his master's signature product, and that was no exaggeration.

Stir-fried pork kidneys, stir-fried pork liver, stir-fried chicken giblets... the higher the cooking time and temperature of the ingredients, the more skill is required.

He picked up a piece of stir-fried chicken giblets and put it in his bowl. The chicken gizzards were thinly sliced, the chicken intestines were cut into small pieces and stir-fried until they curled up together, and the chicken livers were cut into slightly thicker slices, dyed with red oil, like agate.

One bite, and the crisp, bouncy texture of the chicken gizzard makes a crunching sound between your teeth; the smooth, chewy chicken intestines; the tender, powdery chicken liver; and the spicy, savory flavor hits you right in the head!
The sour and spicy flavors of pickled peppers and pickled ginger intertwine on the tongue, making the aroma and spiciness so prominent and unique.

Halfway through chewing, my hand unconsciously picked up the rice, ready to cook it dry.

I unconsciously took a big mouthful of rice as soon as I picked it up. The oil from before seeped into the rice grains, and the spicy flavor tantalized my taste buds. I could dig a hole in the bowl with just one bite of chicken giblets.

It goes perfectly with rice!
"Master, your stir-fried chicken giblets are absolutely delicious! The texture of the gizzards, intestines, and livers is just right, it's amazing! It's so good with rice!" Zhou Yan put down his bowl and exclaimed to Xiao Lei.

"When stir-frying a dish, you need to use your knife skills to control the heat. Chicken gizzards should be thin, chicken livers should be slightly thicker, chicken intestines should be cut into pieces, and chicken hearts should also be sliced. This way, you won't make mistakes when stir-frying." Xiao Lei said with a smile, "Your shop kills several chickens a day, so just cut them according to this standard. You can slowly figure out the heat control yourself, and you'll be able to master it quickly."

“Okay, I’ll try it later.” Zhou Yan nodded. He made cold chicken salad and did have chicken giblets every day, but the ones he made before were completely different from the ones his master made.

These days, frozen chicken giblets don't exist, and this dish is too unpredictable to be on the menu.

However, it's still quite good to cook it yourself.

"Zhou Yan! Try this spicy chicken blood! Uncle Xiao is so skilled! It's so tender!" Zheng Qiang exclaimed in amazement, picking up another piece of chicken blood and putting it into his bowl.

Zhou Yan, who was usually very obedient, picked up a piece of chicken blood from a pile of dried chili pepper pieces.

The chicken blood was so tender, like a piece of soft tofu. It trembled when I picked it up, as if it would break at any moment. It was coated with a layer of red oil and sauce. I blew on it a couple of times and then put it in my mouth.

Hey!
How can the word "young" possibly sum it up!

The chicken blood is coated with plenty of chili oil. Take a sip and it melts in your mouth. It's fragrant, spicy, and incredibly tender. It's also numbing and spicy, making it so satisfying!

Because it uses chopped chili peppers instead of fermented bean paste, the flavor is indeed somewhat different from that of stir-fried pork liver.

The spiciness and numbing sensation are more pronounced. Delicious!

Before I knew it, the bowl of rice was empty.

The dishes today are all so delicious with rice.

Everyone had lost interest in chatting and buried themselves in their food.

Zhou Yan filled another bowl with rice, picked up a spoon and scooped a few spoonfuls of the thick broth from the taro and chicken stew onto the rice, then added two pieces of taro and mixed it all together. It was so satisfying to eat!

After finishing three bowls of rice, Zhou Yan let out a satisfied burp.

"Wow, Guoguo ate three bowls of rice today too!" Zhou Momo clapped her hands and exclaimed, "We're so amazing!"

"Yeah, we're really good at this." Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

Even though everyone had already eaten their fill, the three dishes were just too good with rice. Half a pot of taro and chicken stew was still left, but the chicken giblets and blood were all gone.

"You chefs are all incredibly skilled. We're so lucky to have such a delicious meal today; it's just as good as a banquet," Aunt Zhao said with a smile as she cleared away the bowls, her face full of admiration.

"That's right." Comrade Zhou nodded in agreement.

Xiao Lei and Lao Luo laughed when they heard this. After exchanging a few polite words, guests began to arrive one after another.

As the factory closed for lunch, the restaurant quickly became busy.

Lin Zhiqiang entered the restaurant clutching a newspaper, headed straight for the kitchen, and stood at the kitchen doorway, saying, "Xiao Zhou! You're in the newspaper!"

The restaurant fell silent for a moment as the guests all turned to look at Lin Zhiqiang.

"Huh?" Zhou Yan turned around in the kitchen upon hearing the sound, also somewhat puzzled.

Lin Zhiqiang smiled and unfolded the newspaper, saying, "The Jiaozhou Daily, the story of Mr. Qian searching for his relatives, takes up a whole page on the second page, and a third of the content is about you."

"It's already in the newspaper?" Zhou Yan was a little surprised. He had just been interviewed the day before yesterday, and it was already published today. This efficiency was much higher than that of the quarterly magazine "Sichuan Cuisine".

"You go ahead and do your work. I'll put it on the counter for you, and you can look at it when you have time," Lin Zhiqiang said with a smile.

"Okay, thank you, Uncle Lin!" Zhou Yan replied with a smile. It was peak time for customers, and he was indeed extremely busy.

"It's already in the newspaper? I'll go buy a couple of copies later. Magazines are hard to find, but newspapers are easy to buy," Xiao Lei said with a smile.

"I'll go buy two portions too," Lao Luo said with a smile.

"I wonder if my name will be on the list. I hope I can get some credit too," Zheng Qiang said with a smile.

After exchanging a few jokes, everyone got back to work.

Xiao Lei was mainly in charge of two dishes today: stir-fried pork liver and stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings. One was for practice, and the other was for Zhou Yan to get for free.

Master's stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings is better than his, so let the guests experience the occasionally refreshed high-level stir-fried cabbage with pork cracklings.

Zheng Qiang has already taken on the jobs of preparing the dishes and tending the fire. When he has nothing to do, he goes to Zhou Yan's side to watch him cook and learn a few dishes in the process.

Zhou Yan didn't want to take advantage of Zheng Shi's labor for free, so he focused on answering every question.

Looking at the hall that was soon filled with people and everyone in the restaurant who were working like crazy, Lao Luo felt a little dazed.

Is this a small restaurant located in town?

Why does it seem even busier than the Leming Hotel?

Of course, there weren't as many guests as at the Leming Hotel.

But this restaurant only has one chef, Zhou Yan.

His father was at most a lowly worker, responsible for selling braised meat, while his mother guarded the big pot, selling braised beef and also working as a cashier.

The waitress was his sister-in-law, who was responsible for taking orders, serving food, and clearing tables.

The family managed to revitalize the restaurant.

They were really busy; everyone was constantly on the go, and Zhou Yan's shovel was practically sparking.

His food preparation efficiency was incredibly high; he cooked one dish after another, faster than any of the chefs in the kitchen of Leming Restaurant, including Xiao Lei, who was currently stir-frying spicy pig liver next to him.

He glanced at the menu on the wall again; the prices were similar to those of a medium-sized restaurant in Jiaozhou.

Leming Hotel specializes in high-end banquets, and its pricing is similar to Feiyan Restaurant, but slightly higher.

However, Zhou Yan's restaurant's pricing is beyond what ordinary small town restaurants can match.

Of course, Zhou Yan's cooking is indeed worth the price.

A serving of stir-fried pork liver that costs 80 cents would cost 1.6 yuan at Leming Restaurant.

But in terms of taste, it was far inferior to Zhou Yan's.

Customers aren't stupid; they can tell the difference between good and bad food.

I also know this dish is worth the price.

State-owned factories all have canteens, and the prices are very cheap.

Xiao Lei worked in the textile factory's canteen for over twenty years, and he ate there a few times.

They'd rather pay extra to eat at Zhou Erwa Restaurant than eat the cheap food in the cafeteria, just for the same taste.

Everyone says that self-employed individuals make money, and the radio is constantly talking about the wave of private enterprise. Lao Luo hears it all, but he never really has a concrete idea of ​​what it means.

Most people who have jobs look down on self-employed individuals, thinking it's unstable and undignified.

But today, coming to Zhou Yan's place to learn how to make snowflake chicken soup has truly broadened his horizons.

A serving of braised beef, priced at six cents, is served to customers one after another. There's always a line of customers waiting to buy braised dishes at the door, not to mention the signature stir-fries, which are constantly being ordered.

How much money would that make?
Lao Luo dared not calculate in detail.

You must make at least two or three thousand a month, right?

Earn ten thousand yuan in just six months!

OMG!

This young man is truly remarkable.

"Resign and start your own business?"

"How about opening a restaurant?"

Once Lao Luo starts thinking, his thoughts surge like a tidal wave.

He is 44 years old this year, and his eldest son is 18. After graduating from junior high school, he followed him to learn cooking and just mastered the knife skills.

Le Ming's job is hard to come by now; he's still an apprentice and there's no guarantee he'll get a permanent position. He's already a grown man, even taller than me, and in two years he'll be looking for a wife.

My daughter is seventeen years old and in her second year of high school. She has good grades and can rank in the top ten of her grade. She is also very sensible.

The homeroom teacher said that this child is very hardworking, has been admitted to the top class, and has the opportunity to take the college entrance exam, so he should prepare in advance.

The Luo family has been cooks for generations; they've never had any scholars. Even if he had to sell everything he owned, he would definitely send her to university.

His mother is still in good health and can take care of herself, but seeing her so old, with gray hair, still having to work in the fields every day makes him feel bad.

His wife works in a small factory next to their home, earning a little over forty yuan a month.

On the surface, dual-income families seem quite glamorous, and everyone in the village envies them. But in reality, they live a life of hardship, which is something they can't tell outsiders.

Ultimately, it comes down to not earning enough money to cover expenses.

If you were to pick out just a few dishes, he definitely wouldn't be as good as Zhou Yan.

But he worked at Leming Hotel for 26 years, and was able to establish himself in the kitchen, have a place in the kitchen, and cook dishes for banquets. His level of second-class chef is genuine.

He felt that opening a small restaurant should be no problem.

He'll have his son work for him, acting as his assistant, while his wife will handle the cashier duties, take orders, and serve the food.

A family should be able to run a business successfully.

I'll go back and discuss this with my wife today, and then I'll come back to ask Zhou Yan for advice.

This young man is not old, but he is very smart.

Even opening a restaurant in a small town can be very successful. If they accumulate enough wealth and head to Jiaozhou, Leming Restaurant and Feiyan Restaurant will probably be in serious trouble.

After closing for lunch, Xiao Lei and Lao Luo went home.

Zhou Yan saw them off, then glanced at the quest panel: [Side Quest: Master's Obsession! Progress 99%]

Well, it didn't budge!
its stuck.

Lao Luo handwrote a recipe for stir-fried pork with salt and explained the techniques and points to note on the spot, almost as if he wanted to demonstrate it for him right there.

We were too full from lunch to have any more food, so we had to give up and agreed to teach him again next time.

Zhou Yan turned around and went back into the shop.

Aunt Zhao, Comrade Lao Zhou, and Zhao Hong were huddled together in front of the newspaper, reading it intently.

"What is this? I can't understand some of the words." Aunt Zhao took a half step to the side, giving the center position to Comrade Zhou.

Comrade Lao Zhou said, "He wrote about our family, saying that it was because of our strong support that he was able to find his relatives. He praised Zhou Yan and Master Xiao, saying that they turned this journey to find roots into a journey to discover flavors, and he wrote it very eloquently."

The text further describes how Zhou Yan replicated the Snowflake Chicken Noodle Soup by studying a recipe, thus carrying forward the Kong school's culinary tradition. This echoes the magnanimous act of Master Kong Huaifeng more than twenty years ago, who abandoned his family's culinary tradition to teach the art of Luohan cuisine.

"Great idea! Let's hurry! Let's go buy a few more copies of the Jiaozhou Daily! Newspapers are much cheaper than magazines." Aunt Zhao clapped her hands and said, "We've done a good deed, haven't we?"

"Let's go." Old Zhou nodded with a smile, handed the newspaper to Zhou Yan, and pushed the cart out with Aunt Zhao.

"Just spoil her then." Zhou Yan shook his head, took the newspaper and started reading it seriously, his smile growing even brighter.

Jiaozhou Daily is great!

This is the most influential newspaper in the area!
With the addition of a special event involving foreigners searching for their relatives, this is arguably the strongest local promotion in the current version!
(End of this chapter)