I've been possessed by a culinary genius, and I've turned Shaxian snacks into a rip-off!

Without saying a word, Li Zhibai went to the kitchen, tied on the newly bought white apron, rolled up his sleeves, and prepared to get to work.

This is his first day's income since opening, so he has to take good care of the customers.

The deluxe version of chicken leg rice costs 698, and the deluxe version of stew pot costs 888. After rounding down, the total is 1680, with a gross profit of about 1000.

"The system is right. The rent in this area is so high, so the price should be set like this."

"When poor, I'll keep my integrity; when rich, I, this assassin from Sha County, will teach him a lesson he won't forget!"

"hey-hey......."

Li Zhibai first carefully washed and disinfected his hands, then turned around and took out a whole Qingyuan chicken leg that had been prepared in advance from the constant temperature cabinet.

This chicken leg has been slow-cooked at low temperature for two whole hours in a secret sauce made from more than a dozen precious medicinal herbs such as matsutake mushrooms, angelica, and notoginseng. When it is taken out, the surface has already turned a very tempting caramel color, which makes people drool.

The biggest difference between the deluxe version of chicken leg rice and the regular version is actually in the "rice" rather than the "leg," because the chicken leg itself is prepared in the same way, but the rice is completely different.

Li Zhibai didn't use a rice cooker; rice cooked with that kind of thing has no soul.

He bent down and took a small black earthenware pot from the cabinet.

After taking the casserole out, first use a brush to thinly brush a layer of beef tallow made from Kobe beef shavings onto the bottom of the casserole. Once the oil is sizzling and producing tiny bubbles at the bottom of the pot, the aroma will immediately rise up.

Then he evenly spread the pre-soaked premium silk rice into the pot. The characteristic of this rice is that the grains are long and thin, and crystal clear.

The most crucial step is here: adding water.

No, he didn't add water; he added a rich broth that he had prepared in advance all afternoon using ingredients such as matsutake mushrooms and abalone.

The rice grains tumbled in the amber-colored broth. The clay pot lid was then placed on top, and the heat was turned up high for a fierce attack.

Five minutes later, the casserole began to bubble. Li Zhibai immediately turned the heat down to the lowest setting, allowing the rice to slowly absorb the essence of the broth while simmering over low heat. During this process, a layer of golden-brown crust would form at the bottom of the pot, which was the essence of the whole pot of rice.

While the rice was cooking, he began to prepare the stew pot.

The difference between the luxury version and the regular version is that it has extra ingredients; it uses fish maw and conch to stew with chicken broth.

First, I took out a piece of deep-sea yellow croaker maw that had been soaked in advance from the freezer. This piece of maw was of very good quality. After soaking, it was as big as an adult's palm. The maw was thick and translucent. When I looked at it under the light, I could see strands of natural texture inside, which were full of collagen.

Then, with a swift and decisive motion, he cut the fish maw into strips about the width of a thumb and set them aside for later use.

There was also a small bowl next to it, containing pre-processed snail heads.

The snails used are fresh, live deep-sea snails. Each snail meat is the size of a table tennis ball. The shell and internal organs are removed, and cross-shaped cuts are made on the surface. They are then rubbed with a little ginger juice and rice wine to remove the fishy smell, leaving only the fresh and sweet taste of the snail meat.

Finally, there's the broth, which is the true soul of this stew.

The broth is made by simmering old hen, dried scallops, Jinhua ham and other ingredients. A very thin layer of golden oil floats on the surface. It looks light, but smells incredibly fresh.

Li Zhibai first used a long-handled spoon to scoop up a little bit and tasted it to see if it was salty enough, then nodded in satisfaction.

The broth has been simmering for six hours, allowing the umami flavor to permeate every drop, resulting in a rich yet not greasy taste.

He then gently placed the sliced ​​fish maw and conch into the soup, along with a small piece of matsutake mushroom and a pinch of goji berries.

When matsutake mushrooms are added to the soup, they slowly release a unique woody aroma, which blends with the salty and savory flavor of scallops and the taste of ham, elevating the soup to another level.

Finally, he took out a small gauze bag containing two pieces of angelica root and notoginseng that had been washed beforehand. He tied the bag tightly, put it into a stewing pot, covered it with the lid, carefully sealed the mouth of the pot with a layer of jade paper, and then put it into the steamer to stew vigorously.

The aroma of angelica and notoginseng will gradually seep into the soup during the slow simmering process, but they will not overpower the flavor; they will only leave a very faint bittersweet aftertaste on the tip of the tongue.

This kind of bitterness isn't like the bitterness of traditional Chinese medicine. When you drink it, your body will feel slightly warm, and your palms and soles will feel warm. It can also calm your nerves, making it especially suitable for office workers like that guy outside who stay up late every day to work overtime.

After finishing everything, Li Zhibai glanced at the timer in the kitchen.

The time is just right.

He walked to the stove and reached out to lift the lid of the clay pot.

A burst of steam, a mixture of the aromas of rice, meat, and mushrooms, suddenly wafted towards us.

The rice in the casserole is distinct, each grain glistening and plump after absorbing the rich broth, each one radiating a warm glow. The golden rice crust at the bottom of the pot is faintly visible, with fine oil sizzling around the edges.

He carefully scooped the slow-cooked chicken leg out of the sauce and placed it in the center of the rice. The chicken skin trembled slightly, looking incredibly tempting.

Then he scooped up a spoonful of the secret sauce and slowly poured it down the edge of the scalding pot.

With a sizzle!

A sound that makes your mouth water erupts as the sauce touches the scalding hot clay pot, instantly caramelizing and releasing an explosive aroma.

Finally, sprinkle with a pinch of chopped green onions and a few crispy fried shallots.

A luxurious version of chicken leg rice is now ready!

..........

At this moment, Yang Chongwu, who was sitting outside, was staring blankly at the payment interface on his phone screen.

One thousand six hundred and eighty yuan.

Just for a meal at Shaxian Snacks.

He was probably ill, and quite seriously so.

But for some reason, he felt nothing at all. Perhaps it was because he was heartbroken and indifferent.

Yang Chongwu just celebrated his 35th birthday today.

Everyone says that 35 is a turning point for programmers, something he didn't believe before.

He felt that as a master's graduate from a 985 university, with excellent technical skills, the best architecture skills in the group, and an A performance rating for three consecutive years, there was no way he could be laid off.

When the young people in their early twenties in the company encounter technical problems they can't solve, they still have to come to him for help.

Just over an hour ago, the HR representative came to his workstation with a blank expression and handed him a "Negotiation Agreement for Termination of Employment Contract" while he was working overtime.

"Engineer Yang, you've been a long-time employee of the company, so you should understand the company's strategic adjustments."

"The company has made a great commitment to this business line optimization, and the compensation will be based on the N+1 standard."

"I suggest you sign as soon as possible so that it's an amicable parting. You don't need to worry about the background check at all."

"......"

Yang Chongwu's mind was buzzing at the time, and he couldn't hear what the clerk said next.

He had only one thought in his mind: It's over!

He worked at this company for a full ten years, working his way up from the lowest level of programmer to his current position as an architect. He dedicated the best years of his youth to the company, working overtime until he developed a herniated disc and his hair became thinner.

Now, the company wants to kick him out of the company just because of a business line optimization.

Yang Chongwu had considered finding another job as soon as possible, but when he opened the job posting software, he found that the job requirements either stated "under 35 years old" or "young team" and "energetic and dynamic".

Occasionally, one or two headhunters would call, but upon hearing his age, their tone would instantly become less enthusiastic, and the compensation offered would be much worse than it is now.

He could accept losing his job.

The key issue is that he still has a mortgage, which costs 20,000 to 30,000 yuan per month. His daughter is about to start elementary school, and the tuition alone will cost over 100,000 yuan a year. His wife is a full-time housewife with no income, and both sets of parents are in poor health.

It can be said that the burden of the entire family rests on his shoulders alone.

If he loses his job, what will happen to his family?

Yang Chongwu left the company in a daze. Instead of going home immediately, he wandered aimlessly around Financial Street for a long time until his stomach ailment flared up and he realized that he hadn't eaten dinner.

He looked up at the brightly lit upscale restaurants around him. He had eaten at most of these restaurants and originally thought they were all pretty good, with delicious food and a nice atmosphere.

But now, for some reason, he finds those luxuriously decorated restaurants extremely irritating.

Then he saw this newly opened Shaxian snack shop.

Shaxian County.

What a down-to-earth name!

During his poorest student days, Shaxian was the place he visited most often.

A bowl of mixed noodles and a basket of steamed dumplings cost ten yuan, which was very satisfying. At that time, he even thought that Shaxian snacks were the best food in the world.

When he suddenly saw that a Shaxian County had opened up in this place, his first reaction was astonishment.

After all, he had heard how expensive the rent was in this area. This boss was pretty brave to open a Shaxian snack shop here.

But it must be said that the appearance of the name Shaxian County did evoke many fond memories for him, reminding him of his impoverished yet spirited self back then.

Finally, he pushed open the door with a nostalgic heart, wanting to relive the feeling of those days.

The boss then told him that a meal would cost 1,680 yuan.

Yang Chongwu did feel like he had been slaughtered like a pig, but he wasn't angry; he just felt indifferent.

It doesn't matter anymore.

His life was already terrible, so what if he got ripped off?

At worst, he can stab the boss in the back after he finishes his meal!

Just as Yang Chongwu was immersed in this low mood and was almost depressed, a fragrance wafted into his nostrils.

What... what is this scent?

So rich! So fresh! So potent! I want it so badly!!!