Chapter 70: Pickled peppers became famous
The fire on the stove was burning brightly, and six small clay pots were neatly arranged on the stove.
Yu Zhile and Zhang Wenxin moved in unison, scooping a spoonful of base ingredients into the pot, stir-frying until fragrant, and then adding bone soup, noodles, and side dishes all at once.
The unique sour and spicy flavor spread instantly throughout the market, attracting a lot of attention.
After the first batch of noodles was ready, Ge Tai loaded it into a wooden box fixed on the back seat of the car and rode to the address left by the customer.
"Nier, what are you selling at this stall? It smells so good." The surrounding workers came over following the scent.
Yu Zhile and Zhang Wenxin were making the second batch of noodles, while Chen Zhao was answering questions on the side.
"Fellow villagers, we are the sideline group of Haiyu Village. We sell seafood rice noodles in the morning and pickled pepper powder at noon." He unconsciously brought out the lines from the opera while speaking, "This pickled pepper is a Sichuan specialty. It is sour and spicy, but not dry. It is very appetizing."
"For three cents, does it come with vegetables and meat like the seafood rice noodle?" asked a customer who had visited this morning.
Chen Zhao replied: "Yes, but a little less. Our pickled pepper base is fried in a lot of oil."
As he spoke, he scooped a spoonful with a spoon to show everyone. The bright red oil exuded an enticing aroma, making the onlookers swallow their saliva.
Meanwhile, the second batch of flour was cooked.
Zhang Haimei was already waiting with a wooden delivery box on wooden wheels. She packed the noodles according to the delivery route and left the stall.
"What does this little girl do?" someone asked.
Chen Zhao loudly introduced the stall's delivery service to everyone and also recommended some lemonade to everyone.
Customers who had visited in the morning had already placed their orders and were sitting around the table waiting for their food.
Huo Tianhe was the first person to eat pickled pepper powder, and he also ordered a family meal.
The bright red noodles were served on the table, and the fresh and spicy smell kept rushing into his nose.
With just one bite, he felt his sensory system completely overwhelmed.
The freshness of the bone soup, the sourness and spiciness of the pickled peppers, and the numbness of the Sichuan peppercorns blend perfectly and soak into the ingredients, while the rice noodles are chewy and smooth, making him eat one mouthful after another and unable to stop at all.
Huo Tianhe couldn't eat spicy food very well, so he was forced to stop eating and drink lemon water.
The refreshing lemon acid is like a breeze, and when the lemonade passes through your throat, you can feel a hint of sweetness.
"Hey, bro, what does this lemonade taste like?" the guy at the same table asked.
Everyone was really curious. He took a sip of lemonade and was stunned for a few seconds.
"Good. Delicious." Huo Tianhe instantly realized his lack of words.
He didn't bother to think of adjectives and continued to slurp noodles and eat side dishes.
The crispy and tender bean sprouts, with the addition of pickled pepper base, rank first in his heart.
The seafood tastes even more delicious in such a strong soup.
The home-cooked dishes in Hai County are relatively light, and many people cannot eat spicy food.
Not long after the noodles were served, hissing sounds were heard one after another. Many people decided to spend five cents to buy a glass of lemonade to relieve the spiciness.
"It tastes weird, but it helps relieve the spiciness and I want to drink it again." Someone smacked his lips and gave his evaluation.
The person next to him said, "It tastes sour and sweet, very delicious."
Several tables were filled with people, and everyone was eating enthusiastically.
There was a group of people gathered in front of the stove, taking orders and talking about their requests.
"Le Le, what vegetables did the comrade who added the squid add?" Zhang Wenxin was dizzy from the heat and forgot the customer's request for a moment, "And the one who added two servings of shrimp."
Zhang Haizhu answered without hesitation: "Add bean sprouts, and replace the original kelp shreds with bean curd skin. Customers who order shrimp don't eat bean sprouts, so add all the kelp shreds."
"Haizhu, you have a great memory!" Zhang Wenxin quickly added vegetables to the boiling small clay pot.
Zhang Haizhu smiled shyly and turned to clean the table.
The pickled pepper powder is spicy and hot, and the table turnover rate is slow, so some customers have no place to sit with the powder in their hands.
Brother Tao spread a straw mat on the ground, turned a large clay pot upside down on the ground, and asked everyone to sit over there.
No one minded and just put the powder at the bottom of the jar and started to feast on it.
On the other side, as one group of people who placed orders left, another group took their place.
At that time, Ge Tai handed the noodles to Hu Shuangshou and told him to return the small clay pot in half an hour.
"Okay, let's meet here later." Hu Shuang carried the noodles on a wooden board and walked carefully towards the cafeteria.
Her friend sat next to her holding two bamboo tubes, and the sour and spicy taste made them both salivate.
At noon today, the textile factory had boiled cabbage and fried tofu with green onions, which tasted rather bland.
As soon as Hu Shuang stepped into the cafeteria, hundreds of eyes looked at her, scaring her so much that she stopped in her tracks.
"Xiao Shuang, what are you eating? Has your father developed a new dish?" The older sister from the same workshop came forward to inquire enthusiastically.
"Pickled pepper powder, this is from a stall at the market." Hu Shuang shook his head and unconsciously recited the promotional slogan, "30 cents a portion, with meat, vegetables, and seafood. Add 5 cents and you can have it delivered to any place in Haidong Town."
As soon as they heard the word "seafood", everyone stopped thinking about it.
The cafeteria has cooked seafood several times, and each time it was fishy and smelly and unpalatable.
Hu Shuang and Lan Yuanyuan found a seat in the corner.
When they lifted the lid of the pot, the spicy and delicious smell rushed towards them, making the eyes of the two spicy food lovers light up.
The soup was still boiling hot, and its aroma soon spread throughout the cafeteria.
Everyone's minds were active again, and a few older sisters who were good at moving grabbed seats next to the two of them.
"Xiao Shuang, which sideline group owns this stall?" the older sister asked, "How do I order the delivery service?"
Hu Shuang held a shrimp in his mouth, chewed it a few times and swallowed it, then replied, "I'm from Haiyu Village. When the stall owner comes to collect the clay pots, you can pay directly and ask him to send them over next time there's a big market."
Lan Yuanyuan, who was sitting opposite, had her face flushed red from the spiciness. She uncorked the bamboo cup and took a big gulp.
"Shuangshuang, lemonade is delicious." She said with surprise.
Hearing this, Hu Shuang immediately took a sip and nodded vigorously.
The eldest sister asked about the lemonade again, and she told her the ordering mode and variety of the stall in one breath.
"Sister, their seafood rice noodles are also a must-try. They are so delicious that they will make your eyebrows drop." Hu Shuang recommended them with all her heart, "The seafood is still fresh. The shrimps are still jumping before they are put into the pot."
The elder sister was so moved by what he said that she took out a dollar and said generously, "I want a portion of the brunch at the next market and have him deliver it to the factory."
"Okay, I'll tell him later." Hu Shuang took the money and continued to slurp his noodles.
When others heard this, they thought Hu Shuang was familiar with the people at the stall and asked her for help in ordering takeout.
She was being pestered, so Lan Yuanyuan finished her noodles first and simply found a pen and paper to write down everyone's requests one by one.
The same situation happened in different factories.
At this moment in the state-owned restaurant, Hu Lan finished her last mouthful of soup in the kitchen and exclaimed: "Xiao Yu's cooking skills are really amazing."
"Of course, he is my master after all." Hu Laosan waved the spatula vigorously.
He hadn't stopped working since mealtime. This was the last stir-fry he had to make, while his portion of noodles was warming on the stove.
The aroma of pickled pepper powder wafted to the front, and a familiar customer called out to him at the window where he was picking up his food.
"Third brother, what new dish are you researching? It smells sour and spicy, really appetizing." The man lifted the curtain, "When will it be served? I'm waiting to try it!"
"Oh, he has such skill. This is the pickled pepper powder from the market." Hu Lan responded.
The man was surprised and asked, "What is this pickled pepper powder? How come I have never heard of it?"
"It's made by the sideline business group of Haiyu Village. Today is the first day." Hu Lan simply brought the noodles to him. "This lemonade is only five cents. It's sour and sweet and tastes good."
The color, aroma and taste of the noodles made the man's appetite increase.
"Your food is ready. I'm going to have lunch." Hu Laosan put his fried peppers with bacon on the window and took the noodles away.
The man curled his lips: "Stingy guy."
Hu Lan found it funny and said, "Ni'er from Haiyu Village will come to teach Lao San how to cook on Wednesday. You can come and help taste it."
"Okay." The man agreed repeatedly.
At this moment in the big gathering, Yu Zhile added the last portion of flour into the small clay pot.
"Sorry, we're out of noodles." Zhang Wenxin responded with a smile to the customer who placed the order.
The customer was unwilling to give up and asked, "Are they really gone? Can you give me some?"
He stared at the six servings of noodles that were being cooked, secretly hating himself for not queuing up and instead wandering around other food stalls.
The stall was more popular than he had imagined and it was sold out in a blink of an eye.
"Sorry, it's really gone." Zhang Wenxin responded.
The lunch for the six people in the sideline group was being cooked on the stove. They had been busy for a long time and were now starving.
The customer regretfully went to another stall selling noodles.
"Brother Tao, thank you." Yu Zhile brought a bowl of noodles to Brother Tao.
Brother Tao declined: "It's a small matter. Anyway, I have space here, and thanks to your stall, I have sold a lot of things."
The stall in Haiyu Village attracted many people. While waiting, customers strolled around his stall and bought one or two pieces of pottery.
Zhang Wenxin put the noodles directly in front of him: "Brother Tao, my grandfather said that this is called give and take, otherwise we will be embarrassed to ask you for help next time."
Brother Tao didn't know whether to laugh or cry, but he finally accepted it.
At this time, Ge Tai and Zhang Haimei returned to the stall at the same time with serious expressions.
"What's wrong?" Zhang Wenxin asked anxiously.
They each took out a few pieces of paper and said in unison, "This is the delivery reservation for the next big market."
Zhang Wenxin breathed a sigh of relief, took it and looked at it, the more he looked, the more shocked he became.
She roughly estimated that there were more than sixty bowls of noodles here, which was slightly less than the total amount sold at the stall this time.
"Lelelelelele." She ran to Yu Zhile excitedly.
Yu Zhile was in a very good mood and asked everyone to eat quickly and then go home to rest.
The sideline group set out for the village along with the village’s bullock carts.
Seeing how popular the stall is, the villagers are all smiles and ask about the people in the sideline business group's well-being from afar.
The old bald man and his companions were very angry and had long faces.
At the same time, at the entrance of the shipyard.
The girl dressed up elegantly in the market got into the car and said arrogantly, "Go to the provincial military region, drive faster."
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