Chapter 108: Stir-fried Beef with Pickled Bamboo Shoots.
Jiang City has a remote suburb that is famous for its lychees. It is also a city where people love to eat lychees. From June to July, there are various varieties of lychees on the market. Almost every household eats lychees. Some restaurants even make lychee-related dishes, which are very popular.
But by the end of July, there were hardly any lychees left on the market. If there were any, the quality was generally poor, and even if the price was low, few people would buy them. Let alone now that it's early September, how could there still be lychees?
The first reaction of the people at the table was: Did the restaurant buy these lychees in advance and freeze them?
Zhao Yuanzheng couldn't help but think the same way.
But they quickly dismissed this unspoken guess: Impossible!
Frozen lychee flesh is milky white, unlike the translucent white lychee flesh in this dish, which, even when stained with orange-red sauce, cannot hide its fresh and bright luster.
Ma Yongjun spoke frankly: "It's really strange! It's already September and we can still taste dishes made with lychees. I don't know where the restaurant got the lychees from."
Lin Gangjie was rather simple-minded: "I don't understand, but these lychees look quite fresh. If we can eat them, why worry about their origin? It's not like we're investigating a case where we have to find out the whole story!"
He stared intently at the plate of chilled sweet and sour pork with lychees, a rare sight of him showing a strong craving for the delicious dish.
Zhou Hongyuan was also baffled as to how there could be such fresh lychees at this time; it didn't make sense! Could it be...?
Rong Chuan had seen the news before and remembered, explaining, "We definitely don't have fresh lychees for sale here this season, and neither do we have frozen ones; they simply can't be preserved for that long. I did read a report that said Yunnan Province has a higher altitude and a cooler climate, so they grow some lychees that ripen later, but the yield is relatively low, and they're rarely transported here. I guess the lychees in this dish are probably late-ripening lychees from Yunnan. It's really rare for a restaurant to be able to source such fresh lychees!"
The rarer something is, the more valuable it becomes. Just like early-ripening lychees can fetch a good price in the market, but when they ripen in large quantities, they become so plentiful that they are readily available and very affordable. Late-ripening lychees are also quite popular and not cheap.
Perhaps because most people in Jiangshi are tired of eating lychees in June and July, they are worried that late-ripening lychees will not sell well. In addition, the lychee production in Yunshi is low, and the fruit is easily damaged during transportation. Therefore, most of them are sold in nearby developed cities, with the first choice being provinces and cities in the north.
When I first saw this report, I found it quite novel, so it left a deep impression on me.
Rong Chuan really didn't expect that there would be such late-ripening lychees for sale in Jiang City this year. He knew that the quantity was very small, and he didn't know that the restaurants had bought them up, which made them lucky enough to be able to taste some fresh ones!
Ma Yongjun clicked his tongue in amazement: "These lychees have such a remarkable history!"
Zhou Hongyuan shook his head and sighed, "This is the first time I've ever eaten late-ripening lychees from Yunshi. I really owe it all to Lao Zhao today!"
Zhao Yuanzheng chuckled and said, "I should say I'm only here because of you guys. Otherwise, I really wouldn't have come to this restaurant today. Ever since I started eating here, I've looked at the menus of many restaurants I've tried before. There was one dish called Sweet and Sour Pork with Pineapple that was very popular and highly praised by customers. Gu's Private Kitchen updates its menu every day and rarely repeats dishes. The fact that they have this Chilled Sweet and Sour Pork with Lychee today, even though the ingredients are different, still shows some similarities. It must be really delicious for the owner to order this dish. We definitely have to try it!"
Lin Gangjie nodded, his voice filled with anticipation: "We've stumbled upon such rare late-ripening lychees, we have to really enjoy them. Just looking at this chilled sweet and sour pork with lychees, with its rising steam, makes me feel so refreshed and cool, haha!"
The others couldn't help but laugh, saying they felt the same way. Although they knew eating iced food in the summer wasn't good, who could resist eating something cold to cool down when they were feeling unwell?
Moreover, sweet and sour pork is supposed to be sweet, sour, salty and fragrant, and the aroma becomes even more intense when eaten hot. This makes one curious about what chilled sweet and sour pork would taste like. Anyway, everyone has tried chilled lychee pork.
Everyone immediately picked up their chopsticks to taste the delicious food!
Faced with meat, Zhao Yuanzheng wasn't very interested in lychees; he figured he could eat them later, at a slower pace.
He first picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork covered in orange-red sauce and glistening with oil, put it in his mouth and took a bite. He immediately felt a cool sensation and the sweet and sour taste under the crispy outer shell. He heard a crisp crunch in his mouth, which was incredibly satisfying.
The sweet and sour pork has a crispy outer shell, but the inside is tender and juicy. It may have been marinated in advance, so it also has a salty and savory flavor and doesn't taste bland.
The aroma of meat mixed with sweet and sour flavors is particularly appetizing. As Zhao Yuanzheng chews, he can also taste the sweet and sour aroma of lychee, probably because the lychee flavor has permeated the sweet and sour pork during the stir-frying process.
He had eaten sweet and sour pork with pineapple at other restaurants before. His son loved this dish the most, and he would definitely order it whenever he saw it on the menu when eating out.
Zhao Yuanzheng and his wife even regretted not being able to taste the sweet and sour pork with pineapple from Gu's private kitchen; they could only imagine how delicious it must have been.
While eating this chilled lychee sweet and sour pork, I was surprised to find that it tasted just as good as the classic pineapple sweet and sour pork. In fact, the novelty of it made me want to give it an even higher score.
Moreover, this chilled sweet and sour pork has a different flavor from the traditional hot sweet and sour pork. They are almost equally delicious, but the chilled sweet and sour pork that you just ate is definitely better right now.
Zhao Yuanzheng savored the sweet and sour meat flavor in his mouth, thinking that if his son were here, he would definitely love this dish. His little body could easily devour half a plate of sweet and sour pork.
He was thinking of telling the waiter something when he came to serve the food again, so he reached out with his chopsticks and picked up another piece of sweet and sour pork and continued eating.
He was eating with great relish and had no interest in talking. The others were not to be outdone, and the table fell silent for a while, with only the occasional sound of chewing. After everyone had briefly satisfied their cravings, the table became lively again.
Ma Yongjun, being a straightforward person, immediately gave a thumbs up: "This chilled sweet and sour pork with lychee is absolutely amazing! The pork is sweet and sour with a slightly sticky texture, and when you bite into it, it's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, very flavorful, and it's also icy cold, so refreshing!"
Lin Gangjie couldn't help but praise, "It's really delicious. I personally think it's even better than the traditional sweet and sour pork with pineapple. This sweet and sour pork is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a sweet, sour, salty and savory flavor, and it also incorporates the sweet aroma of lychee. It's quite a rare treat."
Zhou Hongyuan picked up another piece of sweet and sour pork, chewed it, swallowed it, and smiled, saying, "I don't usually like sweet and sour food, especially fried food which is considered 'heaty' (causing internal heat), but I really couldn't resist this time. Once I had one piece, I was hooked and couldn't stop. And I didn't expect that chilled meat dishes would taste so good. The combination of the icy coolness and the sweet and sour flavor is just right. It's perfect for eating this on such a hot day!"
These people were all planning to eat sweet and sour pork first and then lychee pork, but who knew that after eating one piece of sweet and sour pork, they couldn't stop, and now they were praising it repeatedly.
Rong Chuan, who just shared the late-ripening lychee, is probably the person among those present who is most curious about the taste of this late-ripening lychee.
Even though he wanted to eat sweet and sour pork, his first bite was of the plump and glossy lychee flesh. He picked one up and put it in his mouth to taste.
The first thing you taste is the sweet and sour aroma of the orange-red sauce, followed by the familiar texture of chilled lychee. Biting into it is like eating ice cream, but softer and more tender. The flesh is fragrant, sweet, and juicy, with a hint of meaty flavor. It tastes pretty good.
These late-ripening lychees taste just as good as seasonal lychees, and have a great texture. Although they are made into chilled sweet and sour pork with lychees to enhance the flavor of the pork, they are delicious on their own, not to mention that they also absorb some of the pork's aroma.
The restaurant handled the lychee meticulously, even removing the pit from the lychee flesh. Now, Rong Chuan was eating the lychee in his mouth, and all he had to do was enjoy its fresh, sweet, juicy, tender, and delicious taste. It was especially pleasant to chew one bite and then swallow the flesh in one gulp!
For a moment, Rong Chuan was so engrossed in the lychee meat that he picked up another one and ate it. After finishing one, he ate another, and after eating three in a row, he finally managed to stop and instead picked up a piece of sweet and sour pork.
The sweet and sour sauce coating the pork is somewhat similar to the lychee pork I just ate, but the rest is a completely different kind of deliciousness. It is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, savory and flavorful, and has a particularly chewy texture. You can also taste a hint of the sweet fragrance of lychee.
Two completely different ingredients, Gu's Private Kitchen uses its superb culinary skills to cook them into such a delicious dish. The aroma of meat and the fragrance of lychee blend together, making it a novel and particularly satisfying meal.
Hearing several friends praising the sweet and sour pork, Rong Chuan couldn't help but defend the lychee: "This sweet and sour pork is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and very flavorful. It's really good. You guys should try this lychee; it's very sweet too. Although it's a late-ripening lychee, it tastes almost the same as the seasonal ones. I don't know if it's because there's plenty of sunshine there, but it seems even sweeter, with a very refreshing sweetness. The restaurant removed the pits, making it very enjoyable to eat. Plus, the sauce adds a sweet and sour flavor, and it also absorbs some of the meaty aroma. It's very delicious!"
Ma Yongjun had just had his fill of sweet and sour pork and was thinking about trying lychee when he heard this and said, "You've praised it so highly, I have to try it right away!"
He immediately picked up a plump lychee with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth. The familiar sweet and sour taste was accompanied by the cool and slightly bouncy texture of the lychee. The fragrance of the lychee quickly spread in his mouth. Every bite was sweet and juicy, with a hint of meaty flavor that left a lasting impression.
The others didn't bother to say anything and picked up their chopsticks to eat the lychee flesh.
In an instant, nearly half of the lychee flesh in the white porcelain plate disappeared, leaving only a handful.
The portion of this dish is quite generous. Putting aside the ice at the bottom, the group had just eaten several pieces of sweet and sour pork, and there was still about half left on the plate. The sweet and sour pork was the main dish, and there were more than a dozen lychee pieces to add flavor and aroma, enough for them to enjoy.
No one present could bear to say anything bad about the lychee flesh after tasting it. They even felt that it would be unfair to describe it as "average," so they all frankly praised it.
Zhao Yuanzheng: "These lychees are very fresh. They taste cool and refreshing, unlike the hard lychees we take out of the freezer at home. The flesh is soft, tender, sweet and juicy."
Lin Gangjie nodded: "These late-ripening lychees are indeed delicious, fresh and juicy. The sauce adds a nice sweet and sour flavor, not to mention the meaty aroma!"
Zhou Hongyuan also praised, "The aroma of this lychee is no less than that of sweet and sour pork. I used to only know how to eat lychee directly, but I never thought it would be so fragrant when stir-fried with meat!"
Rong Chuan smiled and said, "It is indeed rare. My family has made lychee chicken soup before, and it tastes particularly sweet. This is the first time I've ever eaten lychees cooked with meat like this."
Speaking of this, Zhao Yuanzheng remembered again: "This lychee, the Gu family's private kitchen used to have a lychee chicken soup, which should be similar to the one your family makes, Lao Rong. Many people online have praised this soup as very delicious. There is also a dish called Guiwei Lychee Stewed Ribs. I heard that the ribs are sweet and sour, tender and fresh, with the fragrance of lychee, and the lychee flesh is also particularly delicious. I think it is somewhat similar to the dish we are eating today, and it is also very popular."
He also knew about Gu's Private Kitchen, but only in his spare time to look at the notes on Xiaohongshu. You should know that he didn't use this app before, and now he only uses it to see the menu that the restaurant publishes every day.
His wife, Zeng Musi, however, has been looking through the restaurant's old notes a lot since she fell in love with Gu's Private Kitchen, especially the food photos in the comments section. She would also say a few words to him about any delicious or thoughtful dishes she saw.
For some reason, Zhao Yuanzheng wasn't listening very carefully at the time, but he still wrote it down.
Ma Yongjun's mouth was practically watering as he listened: "If this chilled sweet and sour pork with lychee is this delicious, I can only imagine how good the lychee chicken soup must be and how delicious the braised pork ribs with osmanthus lychee must be!"
Lin Gangjie was also very interested: "Will the restaurant continue to serve this dish in the future?"
Zhao Yuanzheng shook his head: "It's hard to say, but it's impossible in the short term. Lychees are only available in June and July, and these seasonal dishes are only available for a short period of time each year. Besides, Gu's Private Kitchen updates its menu every day. It's been five months since April, and I heard that the dishes have only been repeated once so far, I think it was called handmade fish ball soup."
Upon hearing this, Lin Gangjie, Ma Yongjun, Zhou Hongyun, and Rong Chuan were all a little disappointed, it seemed they wouldn't be able to taste this delicacy for a while.
However, the disappointment was short-lived. Everyone quickly recovered and, without further ado, picked up their chopsticks and began to eat the chilled sweet and sour pork with lychee.
Dishes are always best enjoyed fresh and hot, and chilled dishes need to be eaten even faster, otherwise the ice at the bottom will melt and soften the crispy skin of the sweet and sour pork.
Moreover, there were only a few lychees left, and each person would only get one chopstickful before they were gone, so we had to hurry and grab them to eat.
The dining table fell silent again, with only the sounds of chewing and the occasional sigh of satisfaction.
The brightly colored and very tempting chilled sweet and sour pork with lychee quickly dwindled in size, until it was almost empty.
At this moment, the waiter came over to serve the food. Everyone knew that this was definitely not because the restaurant was slow to serve the food; it was simply because they ate the meat too fast.
The newly served stir-fried beef with pickled bamboo shoots looks very appealing. The rectangular slices of pickled bamboo shoots are mixed with slices of light-colored, slightly curled beef, coated in a thick sauce and glistening with oil. Some cilantro and red chili peppers are added as garnishes to enhance the color and aroma.
The waiter nodded and smiled, saying, "This is stir-fried beef with pickled bamboo shoots. Please enjoy!"
Everyone nodded in thanks, and Zhao Yuanzheng called out to the clerk who was about to leave: "Wait, I'd like to order another serving of chilled sweet and sour pork with lychee to take away later."
Sister Zhou nodded: "Okay, then I'll tell the kitchen staff to place the order right away."
Seeing Lao Zhao eating and taking away, Rong Chuan and the others were somewhat tempted. After all, the chilled sweet and sour pork with lychee was indeed delicious, and they hadn't had enough yet. It would be nice to pack some to take home and have it with their wives and children that night.
But this is only the second dish. Who can say the later dishes won't be even more delicious? The stir-fried beef with pickled bamboo shoots that's just been served looks pretty appetizing.
So no one said anything, and the clerk left and went back to the cashier to bring over a new menu.
Rong Chuan asked with a smile, "You like this chilled sweet and sour pork with lychee that much? You just finished eating and you're already rushing to pack another serving."
Lin Gangjie joked, "I think he's thinking of packing it up to take back for his sister-in-law and Xuanxuan to eat."
Zhou Hongyuan and Ma Yongjun let out a coordinated "Eek!" and dragged out the sound to cheer them on. Since everyone was middle-aged, their antics were a bit cringe-worthy, but they were all friends from their youth, and this was how they'd always acted, so it wasn't surprising.
Zhao Yuanzheng explained with a smile, "Xuanxuan loves sweet and sour pork with pineapple. Every time we go out to eat, he always orders it if it's on the menu. This chilled sweet and sour pork with lychee tastes very good. I guessed he would like it, so I thought I'd pack a portion to take home for him."
Lin Gangjie chuckled and teased, "What a good dad, not mentioning your sister-in-law at all, huh?"
Old Zhao and his wife were known for their loving relationship. To be honest, back when Old Zhao was pursuing his sister-in-law, they had given him a lot of advice and suggestions.
Meeting the amused looks from the others, Zhao Yuanzheng touched his nose, a rare moment of embarrassment: "Then we'll definitely take it home and eat it together. Mu Si really likes the dishes at Gu's Private Kitchen, so she'll be happy to eat it."
Summer vacation has just ended and school has just started. These past two days, not only has Xuanxuan been listless and depressed, but my wife is also suffering from post-holiday syndrome. She was in a bad mood last night and was clearly not used to it. I hope that this takeout chilled sweet and sour pork with lychee will make them happy tonight.
Zhou Hongyuan: "Amazing!"
Ma Yongjun: "As expected of you, so considerate!"
Rong Chuan said, "Alright, enough chit-chat, let's quickly try this stir-fried beef with pickled bamboo shoots. If it's really good, Lao Zhao, you should order some more to take home. One chilled sweet and sour pork with pineapple isn't enough, is it?"
His words reflected both his own inability to resist the delicious food and a playful jab at Lao Zhao.
Ma Yongjun nodded with a smile: "Yeah, maybe Lao Zhao will have to pack up a dish for every meal we eat. We might as well just pack up everything on today's menu and take it home!"
Zhao Yuanzheng smiled and said, "You're right. Let's try the stir-fried beef with pickled bamboo shoots first!" He then picked up his chopsticks and reached for the new dish on the table.
Joking with friends is not as important as enjoying a delicious meal, and for a moment everyone forgot about chatting and started eating.
Zhou Hongyuan picked up a slice of beef and ate it. As soon as he put it in his mouth, he could feel how tender and smooth the beef was. It was probably because it was coated with a thick sauce. It was more tender than any beef he had ever eaten.
These beef slices are undoubtedly savory and fragrant, with the sourness of pickled bamboo shoots and the spiciness of millet peppers. The combination of various aromas makes this piece of beef flavorful and satisfying to eat. It has a satisfying chewiness and is surprisingly not tough at all.
Ma Yongjun originally thought this dish would be sweet and sour again, but not like the sweet and sour pork he had eaten before. He thought it would be more intense and spicy. However, he was surprised to find that the aroma of the beef fat and the spiciness of the millet peppers neutralized the sourness of the pickled bamboo shoots. The beef slices in his mouth tasted just right.
He quickly chewed and swallowed the piece of beef in his mouth, but couldn't resist picking up another piece and eating it. The tender and smooth texture was truly unforgettable, and the freshness of the beef was even more pronounced when chewed. The sour and spicy flavor was the icing on the cake, making it more and more delicious with each bite.
Lin Gangjie ate three slices of beef before stopping, savoring the lingering sour, spicy, and savory flavor in his mouth. The beef he had just eaten was indeed incredibly tender and flavorful.
He then reached out with his chopsticks and picked up a slice of pickled bamboo shoot to eat.
Usually, the main ingredient in this kind of dish is meat, and the vegetables are just used to add flavor. They taste bland and not very interesting. But I just tried the chilled sweet and sour pork with lychee, and the lychee and sweet and sour pork tasted just as good. So I naturally don't dare to underestimate this pickled bamboo shoot. I'm quite looking forward to it.
The rectangular slices of pickled bamboo shoots are about one centimeter thick. When you eat them, you can immediately feel the richer sour and fragrant aroma, along with the unique fragrance of pickled bamboo shoots and a hint of spiciness.
However, it wasn't as spicy as the beef I ate earlier. When I took a bite, I felt that the pickled bamboo shoots were quite crisp and refreshing, and it was quite enjoyable to eat.
Lin Gangjie couldn't resist picking up another piece of pickled bamboo shoot and eating it. The crisp, sour, and spicy taste was truly amazing. It probably absorbed the aroma of the beef during the stir-frying process. In addition, the sauce was well-thickened, making the overall texture much smoother. It was salty, fragrant, and flavorful, and tasted very good.
He hadn't eaten pickled bamboo shoots much before, and this was the first time he'd ever thought they smelled so good.
After tasting all the beef slices and pickled bamboo shoots, Rong Chuan couldn't help but praise, "This stir-fried beef with pickled bamboo shoots really lived up to our expectations! The beef is fresh, tender, and flavorful with a tangy and spicy taste, while the pickled bamboo shoots are crisp, refreshing, and tangy. The food at this restaurant is truly of a very high standard!"
Ma Yongjun laughed and said, "This beef is indeed stir-fried to perfection. It's fresh, tender, and chewy, with a perfect balance of sour and spicy flavors that suits the tastes of people from Jiang City. No wonder Lao Zhao insisted on inviting us to eat here!"
Zhao Yuanzheng raised his chin and said, "Of course, would I cheat you? Gu's Private Kitchen is definitely worth the half hour or even an hour's drive to eat here. You definitely won't regret it!"
He thought to himself, the deliciousness of the food is secondary. Once you feel the positive changes in your health, you'll realize just how good Gu's Private Kitchen is! At that point, you'll probably be willing to drive two or three hours to come here for a meal!
Speaking of the stir-fried beef with pickled bamboo shoots I just ate, the taste was indeed very good. Or rather, there's never a dish at Gu's Private Kitchen that tastes mediocre.
Just like my friends said, the beef is tender and chewy, the sour and spicy flavor is just right, and the pickled bamboo shoots are crisp and refreshing, making it quite enjoyable to eat.
If a few close friends had just arrived at the store and heard Lao Zhao say such things, they would have expressed their disdain and said a few words.
But they had already drunk the yellow-skinned pork rib soup, eaten chilled lychee sweet and sour pork and stir-fried beef with pickled bamboo shoots. The soup and the meat dishes were so delicious that it would be pointless to say they disliked it now.
Honestly, would they really be willing to spend half an hour or even more than an hour driving here to eat Gu's Private Kitchen?
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