"Brother Shi Yun, I need a small brush for the chili sauce and a small spatula to make it easier to flip the tofu."

"Okay, we'll go to the blacksmith shop to make a shovel, and we may have to go to town to buy a brush." ​​Zhao Shiyun thought about it and realized that there was indeed no brush at home, and he didn't know how to make one, so it would be better to buy one quickly.

Lin Yan nodded and said, "Let's go some other time. I'll go see my mom tomorrow and make some fragrant tofu for her. I'll ask her for some advice."

*

The next day, Lin Yan brought a bowl of tofu back to her parents' home. Zhou Chunlan was turning over the chili seeds at home, preparing to soak them.

Lin Yan excitedly pushed open the door and shouted, "Mom, I'm here. I'm going to make you some new food today."

Zhou Chunlan knew he had succeeded as soon as she heard it, and smiled knowingly. Lin Yan went to the kitchen and made a fried tofu according to the steps from yesterday. The difference was that he had a brush at home. After Lin Yan took out the tofu, he used the brush to brush both sides with chili sauce and sprinkled some chopped green onions.

Zhou Chunlan's appetite was piqued as she looked at the finished tofu. She picked up a piece, blew on it, and took a gentle bite. The tofu was soft and tender, and the chili sauce was fragrant and spicy. It was indeed delicious. As she ate, Zhou Chunlan thought, feeling like something was missing. She glanced around the kitchen and saw half a bowl of sauerkraut leftover from her morning meal on the stove. She took a little and mixed it with the tofu, then took another bite. The sour and spicy flavor was even better.

Seeing this, Lin Yan also picked up a piece and started eating, "Oh, this tastes even better with the pickled cabbage."

Zhou Chunlan nodded, feeling that the pickled cabbage leaves were not very tasty, and that the pickled cabbage fritters were more delicious and crunchy. So she suggested, "Save the pickled cabbage leaves for your family. When the time comes, cut some pickled cabbage fritters and sprinkle them on top like chopped green onions to enhance the flavor."

Lin Yan gave a thumbs-up: "Mo, this idea is the best." He seemed to remember something and said, "Mo, are you going to sell this hot sauce?"

Zhou Chunlan thought for a while and said, "The method of making this hot sauce is not complicated, and it is easy for others to copy it. You are using it to make food, and it would be bad if others buy it and make the same food. I will not sell this hot sauce for now, and see how it sells as food." Lin Yan nodded hurriedly.

After discussing it, the two decided to take a few slabs of tofu to the town to sell first, and then try making fragrant tofu next door. If it sells well, they will increase the production.

After Lin Yan returned home, he got busy. It wasn't even time to plant peppers yet, but Li Yuemei went to the village to ask which households still had fresh peppers. Some were still unpicked, while others had been picked but not yet dried. She had collected around a hundred pounds.

After preparing the ingredients, Lin Yan carefully made the chili sauce according to Zhou Chunlan's method. The result was almost the same as A-mo's. Lin Yan clenched his fists. He did have some talent.

As for the tools for frying tofu, Lin Yan prepared a medium-sized clay oven with a small opening on the side for lighting the fire and adding firewood. On top of it sat a custom-made flat-bottomed iron pot. This was the one Zhao Shiyun had taken him to the blacksmith shop to buy. He told the ironsmith that he was in the business of frying tofu and that a flatter bottom would be better. The ironsmith said he would try to make one, and to his surprise, he actually succeeded.

Lin Yan took it home to try it out and found that it was indeed more convenient for frying tofu than the usual cooking pan.

The sauerkraut stalks are also cut into small pieces and put into the jar. The sauerkraut itself is easy to store. When the time comes, scoop a spoonful and put it in the frying pan to heat it up. Add it after the tofu is fried. It will keep you warm even in cold weather.

Lin Yan planned to use lotus leaves as a container for the tofu, but they were unavailable this winter. However, some vendors would pick plenty of lotus leaves in the summer, dry them, and save them for the winter. These leaves can be used to package cooked food, braised dishes, or pastries; they are fragrant and waterproof.

Although the lotus leaves lose moisture and become brittle after drying, they can still maintain a certain toughness and strength as long as they are properly stored and used.

Then when packing, choose dry lotus leaves that are well preserved and relatively intact, and fold and wrap them skillfully according to the size and shape of the food so that they can better hold the food.

However, Lin Yan only uses it to hold tofu and does not intend to use it for takeaway. If there are customers who really want to take away, they will have to find other ways. Using a bowl or a bamboo tube are also good options.

Zhou Chunlan asked around on West Street, and found a few vendors with extra dried lotus leaves. She bought fifty and kept the extra ones. If there were any left, she would buy more. The lotus leaves could be cut into four pieces to hold the tofu, so she didn't have to worry about running out.

The family had already agreed on how much to sell the fragrant tofu for. Making it themselves didn't cost much, so they usually sold it for one penny a piece. Each block of tofu could be cut into twelve small squares, topped with chili sauce, pickled mustard greens, chopped green onions, and lard. A small portion would yield eight small pieces for three pennies, while a large portion would yield fourteen small pieces for five pennies.

Meat buns in town cost two cents each, and there wasn't much meat in them. But this fragrant tofu, with its oil, chili sauce, and pickled vegetables, was three cents a serving, not too expensive.

Everything is ready, only east wind is lacking. Lin Yan planned to set up a stall in town the day before the Lantern Festival. If sales were good, he would bring a few more plates of tofu with him for the Lantern Festival. There would be a lantern festival during the festival, so there would be many people at night and no curfew. He could sell until the festival was over and then come back without any problem.