Food Intelligence King

Chapter 194 The All-Purpose Tomato Soup Base

At noon, Chen Zhou finished cooking the small portions of dishes at the restaurant and was taking a short break.

A property manager, Xiao Gao, walked in from outside, accompanied by a man in his forties or fifties who was not very tall.

Judging from their posture during the conversation.

Chen Zhou felt that this was the "deputy manager" mentioned in the intelligence report.

After greeting Chen Zhou, Xiao Gao asked, "Mr. Chen, I heard there's a new tomato soup dumpling?"

Chen Zhou smiled. He hadn't made many tomato soup dumplings, but he had kept a whole basket for himself.

"There's a little left, how about I make a basket for you?"

"Yes, yes," the man next to Xiao Gao nodded repeatedly.

"Okay, please wait a moment. All the buns in the shop are freshly steamed."

Soon, the reserved tomato soup dumplings were steamed.

Chen Zhou opened the steamer and took out the buns inside.

The moment the steamer lid was lifted, a burst of steam, a blend of rich beef aroma and refreshing sweet and sour tomato flavor, wafted out.

Unlike the heavy, meaty buns that the shop usually makes, this aroma has a hint of appetizing fruity acidity.

Inside the steamer, the soup dumplings resembled tiny, pink, and translucent agate balls.

The tomato skin glows with a faint red hue, appearing delicate and fragile in the steam, with glimpses of the broth sloshing inside.

They do look very cute, no wonder Chen Taotao treats them as toys.

Chen Zhou pointed to table number three and told Zhang Jing.

"Good boss."

The steamed buns were then served to Manager Gao and his team by the young waitress.

Zhang Jing had known them before.

After going around in circles, she's still working in the same place.

There's a strange sense of familiarity about it.

Wu Jianlin and Xiao Gao caught up with her and then began to taste the food.

Old Wu had eaten tomato soup dumplings before, so he appeared very experienced in front of his subordinates.

I'd also like to share a mnemonic:

"You don't know, Xiao Gao, there's a proper way to eat soup dumplings. You have to open a window first before drinking the soup. Just like that, use chopsticks to break the skin first."

Xiao Gao nodded. He didn't like to talk when he was eating his favorite food.

What's more, he had heard of this recipe before and had eaten his fair share of soup dumplings.

So he simply nodded in response.

Focusing intently on the steamed bun at the tip of the chopsticks.

Of course, this first sip of soup can indeed be called the soul of the whole bun.

It is not simply tomato soup or beef soup.

The first bite is a burst of sweet and slightly sour flavor from ripe tomatoes, incredibly refreshing and instantly awakening the taste buds.

Immediately afterwards, the rich flavor of the beef enveloped me, carrying a succulent and full-bodied aroma.

The broth is delicious and not greasy, because the natural fruit acids from the tomatoes cleverly neutralize the oiliness of the meat filling.

In the aftertaste, there is a hint of wheat aroma from steamed flour and the freshness of tomatoes.

After drinking the soup, Wu Jianlin across from him let out a long sigh.

His face was filled with reminiscence:
"That's the taste, Xiao Gao!"

Of course, the freshly steamed buns were indeed piping hot. His breath was steaming hot.

Xiao Gao secretly thought to himself, "The leader remembered two lines of the mantra, but forgot to blow on it twice first. He must have gotten burned."

Not much experience.

Next, it's time to taste the filling.

Tomato soup dumplings, still filled with meat.

The beef has a unique flavor that is easy to taste. It has a firm and chewy texture, and you can feel the texture of the meat chunks when you chew it.

But it wasn't dry at all; it was surprisingly smooth.

The sweet and sour flavor of the tomatoes has completely permeated every crevice of the meat filling, no longer existing independently, but perfectly complementing the savory taste of the beef.

The flavor is reminiscent of the classic "tomato stewed beef brisket," but the presentation is much more refined.

Everything is concentrated in a small soup dumpling.

Finally, put the rest of the filling, skin and all, into your mouth.

The chewy dough with a subtle tomato aroma perfectly balances the rich tomato and beef filling in your mouth.

The dough not only serves the function of wrapping, but its slightly sour and soft texture also becomes part of the flavor, making the whole tasting experience perfect.

"Is the food at this restaurant alright, boss?"

"That's great, no wonder so many homeowners like to eat here."

Wu Jianlin even seemed a little startled when eating soup dumplings.

Xiao Gao glanced at his boss and thought:
It doesn't taste like what I've had before.

He didn't seem as composed and mature as usual.

After finishing his steamed buns, Wu Jianlin specifically sought out Chen Zhou for a chat.

Because he tasted a flavor he remembered, his tone was somewhat excited:
"Boss Chen, your tomato soup dumplings are absolutely delicious! They remind me of some I've had before. Let me think back on them."

Chen Zhou smiled and said, "It's alright, take your time thinking about it."

He then offered the other party some assistance.

He briefly recounted his research process for making tomato soup dumplings.

In terms of texture, pork filling has been added, so it's not just beef, making the overall texture smoother.

The tomatoes we eat now have relatively low acidity, and besides, it's already November, so they're all grown in greenhouses.

Therefore, Chen Zhou also added tomato sauce for seasoning.

When Chen Zhou mentioned sourness and tomato sauce, Wu Jianlin suddenly realized what was going on.

"I remember now! It's like this..."

Chen Zhou's takeaway:
[You received the tomato soup base recipe shared by the other party]

Sure enough, in addition to tomatoes and tomato sauce, hawthorn was also added. When making the broth, a mixture of chicken fat, lard, and salad oil was used.

When you eat it, you may not be able to see or taste many of the ingredients.

But these small details also play a crucial role.

This recipe is perfect for mixing into minced meat, as it can make the tomato soup dumplings taste even better.

It can be used to make noodles, spicy hot pot, and hot pot.

The feedback from diners proved that Chen Zhou's efforts were worthwhile.

Moreover, this deputy manager also chatted with Chen Zhou about property management services.

They said that if you need anything, you can directly tell them.

Right now, it's the heating season, and the equipment needs to be tested. We really need someone to help us check it out.

Chen Zhou didn't stand on ceremony and received a promise that a maintenance worker from their property management company would come and take a look.

It also solved a minor business-related issue incidentally.

After finishing his business, Chen Zhou also went to the neighbor's.

The day before yesterday, Lao Meng said he wanted to find a plumbing professional to maintain the heating pipes in the shop.

I've been haggling over prices with someone these past couple of days.

Just like how air conditioning is more expensive in the summer, the price of water heating maintenance also rises in the winter.

Chen Zhou then brought him some good news.

The property management will provide door-to-door services to nearby businesses, and it's free of charge.

Old Meng was somewhat surprised, "This is the first time this has ever happened."

The property management of the shops and residences is the same, and it seems that quite a few things have changed since Brother Chen opened his shop.

Old Meng had never enjoyed these services before.

So it felt very novel, and I even found it a little hard to believe.

Chen Zhou explained with a smile:
"I saw their property manager today. He asked me what suggestions I had, and I talked to him about it. He was quite nice."

Old Meng nodded. "That's wonderful."

(End of this chapter)