1984: Starting from a bankrupt Sichuan restaurant

Chapter 86 This braised pig's trotter is absolutely amazing! (4k)

Zhoucun.

The wedding procession has already set off.

The women sat together washing dishes, chatting as they went.

Zhao Tieying was dressed very simply today, wearing a thin sweater under a navy blue long overcoat, and waterproof arm sleeves on her hands—standard work attire.

But the new leather shoes on his feet were really eye-catching; as the sun rose, the light fell on the metal buckles, making them sparkle.

“I heard them saying that Zhou Yan bought these for you? They were over twenty yuan a pair. He’s still willing to spend money on his old lady.”

"This morning I saw that my fourth brother was also wearing a pair of leather shoes. He looked so dashing, he even walked with a swagger!"

“Zhou Yan is really filial. He paid off all the debts yesterday and even bought leather shoes for his parents. We don’t have to worry about him at all.”

"Tie Ying, I have a cousin's youngest daughter who is eighteen years old this year. She has a thick waist and a big bottom. She can work and give birth. I think she is a good match for Zhou Yan. Let them meet and see each other sometime."

"I also have a niece who just turned eighteen..."

The aunties' tone was tinged with envy, and some had already started looking for a wife for Zhou Yan.

A month ago, Zhou Yan was a spendthrift son whom everyone in Zhou Village shook their heads at; now he has become the most filial son in Zhou Village.

In just one day, the situation completely reversed.

The aunties started vying to introduce him to potential wives, saying that if this girl married into the Zhou family, she would be truly blessed.

Aunt Zhao was secretly delighted. Zhou Yan really knew how to pick his timing. If the money had been returned even a day later, it wouldn't have had the same effect.

“Zhou Yan is still young, so there’s no rush to talk about finding a wife until the end of the year. He says he wants to focus on his career first,” Aunt Zhao replied with a smile.

She still thinks about Xia Yao, who is beautiful, has a good personality, and is poised and generous in her speech and actions. She just doesn't know if the college students in the city would be interested in Zhou Yan, this country boy.

She didn't make any absolute statements. If there was still no definite answer by the end of the year, Zhou Yan would still have to go on blind dates.

She wasn't in a hurry, after all, Zhou Momo was only three and a half years old, and she wasn't in a rush to become a grandmother.

Raising a child is not easy; it's full of hardships and tears.

Zhou Yan has become more composed, and his restaurant business is getting better and better. Finding a wife won't be difficult, so he just needs to choose someone carefully.

A good wife can bring prosperity to the family, unite the couple, and make their lives better and better.

If you marry a jinxed woman who causes endless trouble, then life will be unbearable.

……

Zheng Qiang was woken up early by Xiao Lei to work. He had gone to bed early yesterday, but today he was full of energy and was currently chopping salted vegetables by Master Xiao.

Yesterday, I assisted Xiao Lei, which gave him a deeper understanding of what it means to be a village cook.

Before returning from Chengdu, he thought it was just a simple feast in the countryside. The country folk had never eaten anything fancy before. He figured he could just cook a few dishes and amaze them.

But when eight temporary stoves were lined up in a row, thirty tables were set up, and more than three hundred dishes had to be served within half an hour, he was a little stunned.

It's not quite what I imagined!

Chef Xiao, who was also organizing a large-scale banquet for the first time, appeared to be handling it with ease.

He was like a greenhorn in front of him.

Moreover, Master Xiao was so selfless, answering every question with such enthusiasm that it made Master Xiao feel a little embarrassed.

After all, cooking is a skill that is passed down through apprenticeships.

It's said that competitors are enemies, and it's considered impolite for outsiders to ask even one more question.

Yesterday, when making the "Three Steamed Dishes and Nine Braised Dishes," Chef Xiao explained everything to him while he was cooking, without holding anything back.

He had learned many things from his master, but applying them to a large banquet was a different matter; one had to be flexible and adaptable.

"Master Xiao, please stop teaching me. I'm too embarrassed to learn." Zheng Qiang looked at Xiao Lei, who was about to teach him how to make the core broth for the Three Steamed and Nine Braised Dishes, and felt a little embarrassed.

When he arrived yesterday, he thought that Master Xiao wanted to learn the skills of a chef from a big hotel.

In retrospect, that idea seems ridiculous.

“Go ahead and learn. I’m not afraid to teach, so why are you afraid to learn?” Xiao Lei laughed heartily. “If you want to make a large-scale banquet, you can’t do it well if you don’t master the three-steaming and nine-braised techniques. I think Master Zheng’s learning is still a little lacking.”

"Okay..." Zheng Qiang nodded, his face flushed, feeling like he had been singled out for criticism by his master. Indeed, even his demeanor and tone were about 80% similar.

"What are you standing there for? Come and chop the vegetables!"

"it is good!"

……

The braised meat is soaking in the braising pot.

Zhou Yan boiled another pot of water to cook the chicken.

Put ginger, scallions, and Sichuan peppercorns in a pot, add cooking wine and a little salt to enhance the flavor, and bring to a boil over high heat.

The old lady, with her hands behind her back, said from the side, "Cold dishes are seasoned while they are being prepared. Boiling is mainly about removing the fishy smell and controlling the heat. The same applies to cold pig ears and cold walnut meat. The flavor profiles of cold dishes are also quite similar. Once the water boils, you can start cooking the chicken."

Zhou Yan carried the prepared rooster claws, scalded them in hot water, and then quickly lifted them out and put them into a bucket of cold water prepared on the side.

The well water I drew in the morning was icy to the touch.

Repeat the process three times, alternating between hot and cold, to make the chicken skin more elastic and less likely to break during cooking.

"What do you eat with cold chicken? You eat the skin. The skin has to be crispy after it's cooked. If the skin is crispy, the cold chicken is more than halfway done. This step is essential," the old lady said.

“Okay,” Zhou Yan nodded in agreement.

All four chickens were processed in the same way, then placed whole in a pot and simmered over low heat.

"Next, we'll make the chili oil. The soul of spicy chicken is the chili oil. Once you master this chili oil, you can use it for any cold dish in the future," the old lady continued.

"Grandma, I will definitely study hard!" Zhou Yan said with a smile.

Chili oil is widely used in Sichuan cuisine. In fact, Zhou Yan had already mastered how to make chili oil before, and the chili oil used in mixed noodles is chili oil.

Zhou Yan was still curious about what made the chili oil in cold dishes different.

If the old lady is willing to teach, he'll definitely be happy to learn.

The old lady opened the bag she had brought that morning and rummaged through it, pulling out several oil paper bags filled with sesame seeds, pepper, and other seasonings. She said, "This is the chili oil I use for my cold chicken salad; I make it with three kinds of chili peppers..."

As instructed by the old lady, first cut half of the three types of chili peppers—bullet pepper, Erjingtiao pepper, and Shizhu red pepper—into sections, stir-fry them in a pan over low heat until crispy, then chop them finely with a cleaver to ensure a certain texture. Next, grind the other half into fine chili powder.

Heat a pot, pour in a bowl of rapeseed oil, add spices, scallions, and ginger, and simmer over medium-low heat until the scallions and ginger turn golden brown. Remove and discard them. This pot of oil is already very fragrant.

When the oil reaches 60% of its maximum temperature, remove it from the heat and pour two spoonfuls of hot oil over the sesame seeds.

呲!
Sesame seeds sizzle in hot oil, releasing their aroma, and sesame oil is ready.

Once the oil in the pan has cooled down a bit, scoop a spoonful of oil into the coarsely chopped chili powder. While it's sizzling, quickly stir it with chopsticks and pour the hot oil in several batches. This is to fully bring out the aroma of the chili while preventing the chili powder from burning due to excessive heat.

This was a technical job, and Zhou Yan was cautious yet decisive, moving very quickly to ensure that he didn't miss the perfect oil temperature.

Finally, add the finely ground chili powder and stir. Stir the sesame oil thoroughly, then ladle the remaining oil from the pan into the bowl one spoonful at a time. The chili powder bubbles in the oil, and the aroma of spiciness and sesame blends together to create a fragrant and enticing smell.

A high-quality chili oil

The assessment quickly yielded a sharp critique.

"Yes, you know how to make chili oil." The old lady's eyes were full of satisfaction. Zhou Yan smiled and said, "I learned the basic way to make chili oil from my master, but it's really not as fragrant as the one you taught me, Grandma."

Frying spices, scallions, and ginger in rapeseed oil is a bit more complicated than the original method, but the resulting chili oil is indeed more fragrant.

The increased cost is limited, but the enhanced fragrance can provide customers with a better experience.

Zhou Yan has already started thinking about trying to use this chili oil to mix with noodles to see if the flavor will be better.

Once the chili oil is ready and the chicken is almost cooked, turn off the heat, cover the pot, and simmer for another ten minutes. This will prevent the chicken skin from breaking and help the chicken meat retain its texture.

The old lady explained the recipe for the cold chicken seasoning to Zhou Yan.

Zhou Yan took notes in his notebook. He would have another chance to watch the old lady mix the ingredients herself later. With the recipe in hand, he could learn at least 70-80% of it.

This is a highly sought-after dish for the Zhou family's New Year's Eve dinner—a large free-range chicken, and it's so popular that it'll be gone if you don't grab it first.

With thirty tables of banquet food, the workload of preparing cold dishes was considerable, and it took all morning to finish.

At nine o'clock, the meat in the braising pot had been taken out one after another and laid out to dry in two bamboo baskets. The pig ears, pig snouts, and pig head meat were all dyed a bright red color, looking extremely tempting.

Three braised pig trotters stood out, packaged separately in a small basket.

Why three?

Because Zhou Yan and the old lady were sharing one of the eggs and were eating it.

The braised pig's trotters were taken out of the braising pot while still warm. They were split in half and eaten directly with your hands.

The pork skin falls off the bone with a gentle touch, and the tendons between the meat and bone are soft, chewy, and bouncy, offering an excellent texture. After soaking for an hour, the braising liquid has completely permeated the meat. One bite is simply irresistible, and you can't stop eating it.

After finishing half a pig's trotter, I still felt unsatisfied, as if my mouth was sticky.

This is what the older generation often refers to as "slapping one's lips."

Delicious! I love it! I want more!
It's a pity that such delicious braised pig's trotters are not enjoyed by our guests.

There was no other way; a pig only has four trotters, so when each family slaughtered a pig, they would send it to the old lady.

The old lady loves to eat pig's trotters and is also good at braising them. If anyone gets half a pig's trotter as a reward, they will be happy for half a month.

Zhou Yan was rewarded by the old lady today because he was the one who made the move, and he got to eat half a bird.

For the past two years, only Zhou Momo has been able to afford to eat.

The old lady's doting on her granddaughter is evident.

After finishing this half pig's trotter, my body and mind, which had been busy all morning, felt extremely satisfied.

So delicious!
He'll buy some pig trotters himself tomorrow and braise them.

He insisted on eating a whole pig's trotter, not sharing a single bite with anyone else!
Even if Zhou Momo comes, it won't work!

The old lady slowly finished gnawing on the pig's trotters, leaving only a few bare bones on the plate, not even a trace of tendon or membrane. She then nodded and said, "Not bad, it's almost the same as the ones I braised."

"That's still far from enough. To reach your level of skill, I'd need another ten years of practice," Zhou Yan replied with a smile.

Having gained the old lady's approval, his braised food business can be considered to have achieved some success.

After washing his hands, Zhou Yan began packing things into his basket. He had eaten pig's trotters to fill his stomach, and he needed to move the braised dishes and cold dishes over. He started cutting the meat and plating it to prepare for the midday feast.

The four roosters shrank noticeably after cooking, and their pale yellow skin looked very firm.

Fortunately, the chicken was fat enough, with more than four pounds of cooked meat. After being chopped and mixed, a plate can have half a pound of meat, which is not a small amount.

The old lady had calculated in advance how much seasoning he needed for four chickens. The dry seasonings were mixed in one packet, the chili oil was stored separately in a jar, and the other ingredients, such as scallions and ginger, were prepared by Aunt Zhao in the morning.

Place a piece of gauze on top of the oil paper, then put the meat into the basket, and finally cover it with another piece of gauze and then another piece of oil paper. This way, the transportation is clean and hygienic.

After locking the car, Zhou Yan carried the old lady and rode slowly towards Zhoucun.

With an elderly lady overseeing things, the timing was perfect.

We arrived in Zhoucun at exactly ten o'clock.

Zhou Yan stopped the car, and Aunt Zhao quickly came over, first helping the old lady out of the car, and asked in a low voice, "Are you alright?"

“Yes, it’s fine.” Zhou Yan nodded with a smile.

Aunt Zhao lifted the gauze and saw the bright red pig ears and pig head meat. Her heart immediately settled down. It looked exactly the same as the one the old lady had made herself.

The aroma of braised food wafted through the air, and Aunt Zhao, who had been busy all morning, swallowed hard.

"Did you make this?" Aunt Zhao couldn't help but ask.

"Yes, the old lady gave me instructions, and I did the work." Zhou Yan nodded: "I've learned it now, and we'll start selling tomorrow."

"Huh? So fast? You...aren't you going to practice a few more times?" Aunt Zhao was a little surprised; this decision was too hasty.

Zhou Yan thought for a moment and said, "Then let's see the guests' feedback later. If everyone thinks it's good, we'll sell it."

"That seems reliable." Aunt Zhao nodded, her heart filled with anticipation.

The old lady's braised dishes were once the best in Suzhou, and people still talk about them after all these years.

If Zhou Yan can learn this skill, he could probably increase his income significantly by selling braised food every day.

"Wow! These braised pig ears and braised pig head meat look really good! Did Zhou Yan braise them?"

"This color looks so tempting, it looks delicious!"

The women who were helping out gathered around, admiring the braised food that Zhao Tieying was taking out of the basket.

“Yes, it’s my son Zhou Yanlu’s. He learned the craft from his mother,” Aunt Zhao replied with a smile.

"Did you learn that from the old lady?" Everyone looked at the old lady.

"Yes, I learned it from him. Today, it's Zhou Yan who made it." The old lady readily admitted, directly supporting Zhou Yan.

"We're in luck today! We used to only get to eat Aunt Zhang's braised dishes during Chinese New Year."

The women said with smiles, their eyes shining as they looked at the braised food.

Who in Zhoucun doesn't crave Grandma Zhang's braised dishes?

I wonder how much Zhou Yan has learned, and whether he will sell it later.

The vegetable cutting area was cleared out, so Zhou Yan carried the braised meat and chicken over there, ready to start cooking.

There was hot oil heating in the pot next to him. Zheng Qiang stood in front of the pot and carefully put the marinated carp into the oil one by one. The oil sizzled and splashed.

Zheng Qiang looked serious but didn't care about anything else. This was the only dish he was in charge of making today, and he had to give it his all to let the guests present experience the true level of Rongcheng Restaurant.

Zhou Yan glanced at it twice, wanting to see how the chef at Rongcheng Restaurant prepared braised fish.

"Want to learn?" Xiao Lei wandered over at some point and looked at Zheng Qiang, saying, "He learned some real skills from his master when it comes to cooking fish."

"His master?" Zhou Yan looked at Xiao Lei in confusion. "Master, do you know Master Zheng's master?"

"My senior brother, do you think you know him?" Xiao Lei smiled. "He wrote to me last month, asking me to work at Rongcheng Restaurant."

Zhou Yan: ?
Then why do you keep calling him "Master Zheng"?
If Master Zheng finds out, where in the ground can he hide?

Poor Master Zheng...

　A massive 4k-page chapter!

　　There will be another update tonight!
　　Asking for a monthly ticket~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)