The three of them went to the backyard together. The kitchen of Chunfenglou was also quite spectacular, with more than a dozen stoves and at least twenty or thirty people coming and going. Everyone was busy doing their own job, keeping the kitchen clean and tidy.
Manager Zhao led Meng Zhao to a relatively quiet corner. "Mr. Meng, is there anything you need? I'll have someone prepare it for you."
"Mr. Zhao, please prepare one pound of pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, two eggs, scallions, ginger, a small amount of flour and Sichuan peppercorns, and salt."
The items she mentioned were all staples in the kitchen, and as soon as Boss Zhao gave the order, someone delivered them immediately.
Meng Zhao looked at the pork belly in his hand. Although it wasn't the high-quality pork belly with three layers of fat and lean meat, it was still a good mix of fat and lean meat.
It's not that Chunfenglou used inferior products, but rather that the pigs nowadays, due to imperfect breeding techniques, simply cannot grow to produce very good meat. The piece in my hand is already of excellent quality.
First, remove the pork skin, cut the pork belly into long strips, and put them in a bowl for later use.
Take another bowl, put in scallions and ginger, add a little water, and squeeze vigorously to infuse the aroma of the scallions and ginger into the water. Then pour the mixed scallion and ginger water into the chopped pork belly, add a little salt and some ground Sichuan peppercorns that were roasted in the pan earlier.
After mixing well, it needs to be marinated for fifteen minutes. During this time, Meng Zhao started making the batter.
First, crack two eggs into a bowl and whisk them. Then add a small amount of flour and the starch you brought with you.
The two people next to them finally saw the specific use of the starch and looked at it more carefully.
Stir the batter until it can be stretched into strands, then add salt and the remaining crushed peppercorns and stir well.
Next, pour the marinated pork belly into the batter, ensuring that each strip of pork is coated with batter.
He poured oil into the pot. Since the stoves used nowadays are old-fashioned and have different heat levels, it was impossible to calculate the oil temperature based on time. Meng Zhao placed his hand about 20 centimeters above the oil pot to feel the temperature.
She really showed off her skills. After all, those who can control the temperature and heat are all veteran chefs with decades of experience. Meng Zhao looks only sixteen or seventeen years old, yet she has such rich experience.
The young man standing behind narrowed his eyes. He had originally thought that coming to Qingshi County would be a boring experience, but he hadn't expected such an unexpected surprise.
Once the oil is at the right temperature, reduce the heat to low and add the meat strips one by one. After the crispy meat has slightly set, stir it slightly with a slotted spoon.
After frying the meat strips until the surface is slightly yellow, remove them from the oil. Turn up the heat to raise the oil temperature and fry the fried meat again until it turns golden brown. Remove it from the oil and plate it.
Meng Zhao turned around and looked behind him. "Want to try it?"
Manager Zhao, already tempted by the aroma, couldn't wait any longer and quickly stepped forward to pick up a piece.
The crispy pork was just taken out of the pan and was at its crispyest. One bite and your mouth was filled with a satisfying crunch and aroma. The perfect balance of numbing and spicy flavors was incredibly stimulating to the taste buds, making you want to have another piece.
The young man picked up a small piece of crispy pork but didn't put it in his mouth immediately; instead, he observed it first.
He had eaten fried foods coated in flour before, and they were usually softer. But this batter with added starch was surprisingly crispy.
One bite reveals a crispy exterior and tender interior. The fatty parts of the pork belly have almost melted away, so it's not greasy at all; instead, it becomes more and more fragrant with each bite.
Seeing how much the two were enjoying their food, Meng Zhao didn't disturb them. He waited until they had eaten several pieces before speaking.
"Manager Zhao, how is it? My starch is pretty good, isn't it?"
It wasn't just good, it was fantastic! The three of them returned to the private room they had just been in.
Manager Zhao asked hesitantly, "Boss Meng, how do you plan to sell this starch?"
Since Meng Zhao had repeatedly rejected his offers, she was genuinely afraid that Meng Zhao would quote him an exorbitant price.
Meng Zhao didn't mince words and quoted a price directly: "Twenty-five coins per catty."
It was Manager Zhao's turn to be surprised. Twenty-five coins? That was too cheap. At that time, a pound of flour cost anywhere from a few coins to more than ten coins. This starch was a rare commodity that he had never seen before, yet it was only twice the price of flour, far below his expectations.
Meng Zhao quoted such a low price for the sake of long-term cooperation. If he rashly quoted a high price, he might be able to make a fortune by taking advantage of this exclusive opportunity, but if others felt that there was no profit to be made, they might develop the technology on their own.
The starch recipe isn't complicated, and Meng Zhao can't guarantee when someone else will develop the process or when it will be leaked from him, so it's better to set a price that everyone can accept from the beginning.
Many large supermarket chains buy the vast majority of their products from suppliers. It's not that they can't manufacture them; it's that they don't care about the meager profits.
Opening a restaurant is already profitable enough. Even if Chunfenglou has its eye on the starch business, there's no need for them to ignore the fact that starch costs 25 coins per pound and risk losing everything by developing their own.
“My offer is very sincere. Starch has many uses, not just for frying.”
Manager Zhao's eyes lit up. "Mr. Meng, please tell me in detail."
Meng Zhao smiled and said, "Then you'll have to figure it out on your own. I can leave the rest of the starch to you, and you can contact me again when you've thought it through."
Business deals aren't something that can be finalized in one go. Meng Zhao believed that starch had a strong appeal to them, and she wasn't worried that they wouldn't come looking for her.
Manager Zhao sighed inwardly. As soon as he received the boxed lunches made by Meng Zhao, he instructed his cooks to imitate them.
There were a few dishes that even the most skilled chefs could only achieve a 70-80% similarity to. He had always suspected that Meng Zhao had some unique recipe.
If you can't get the recipe, it's uncertain whether the starch will be able to achieve its maximum effect.
Meng Zhao went downstairs and returned to her seat. The three of them had almost finished eating, and when they saw her coming over, they told her to hurry up and have a taste.
The waiter selected several dishes: yellow croaker in soup, steamed goose with bamboo shoots, five kinds of fresh vegetables, water bamboo shoots in tomato sauce, and tofu soup.
Meng Zhao tasted them one by one, and his favorite was the yellow croaker with soup filling. The skin was crispy and the inside was tender and juicy. In particular, the seasoning was very restrained, which brought out the freshness of the fish.
To achieve this flavor, besides the chef's skill, the freshness of the ingredients is also essential.
The other dishes were rather mediocre. The Five Treasures Vegetables dish didn't blend the flavors of the different ingredients very well. However, if the dish had been thickened with cornstarch at the end, it might have tasted even better.
After finishing their meal, Meng Zhao got up to pay the bill, but the waiter told him that Manager Zhao had instructed him to treat them to the meal. Meng Zhao didn't stand on ceremony and asked the waiter to pass on a message to thank Manager Zhao for his hospitality before heading back together.
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