Chapter 15 Stuffed Tofu, Stir-fried Noodles with Three Shredded Vegetables, Braised Abalone...
On Tuesday morning, Gu Qingqiu, unusually, indulged herself and slept until she naturally woke up.
The feeling of waking up naturally, undisturbed by external noises or alarm clocks, simply because I had had enough sleep, was so comfortable that Gu Qingqiu maintained a pleasant mood from the moment she woke up.
She lingered in bed for a while, scrolling through her phone for a bit before getting up to wash up. Afterward, she changed into a light yellow short-sleeved shirt and white shorts, tied up her long, black hair, grabbed her phone, and went out.
Since returning from the world of cultivation, she has mostly cooked for herself, but today she plans to go out for a nice meal.
By 8 a.m., Suli Street was already bustling with activity. An elderly woman was pulling a shopping cart, clearly just returning from the market, while young people hurriedly bought breakfast to catch the bus or subway. As for the children, they had long since gone to school by this time.
Gu Qingqiu went into a steamed bun shop. According to her knowledge, the buns there tasted good and were clean. Just by looking at the plump white buns on the steamer with only a little bit of black steam, she knew that they used good ingredients.
"Boss, one meat bun, two eggs, and a cup of unsweetened soy milk, please."
"Okay."
The middle-aged couple worked together skillfully. One of them tore open a plastic bag, rolled it up, and quickly picked up a meat bun from the steamer. Then they went to another steamer and grabbed two eggs. The other quickly packed a cup of soy milk into a plastic bag and put a straw in it.
"A meat bun costs 1.5 yuan, an egg costs 1 yuan, and a cup of unsweetened soy milk costs 2.5 yuan, for a total of 6 yuan."
"Okay, thank you, boss."
Gu Qingqiu scanned the QR code to pay, took her breakfast, and left.
The breakfast stall here is not big, and there is no place for customers to sit and eat breakfast. Fortunately, there are many old trees on Suli Street, and the round altar under the trees is just right for people to sit and find shade. Usually, the old ladies and gentlemen in the neighborhood love to gather here to chat.
She found a clean spot to sit down and started eating the meat bun through the plastic bag.
The steamed bun's dough is fluffy and soft, with a great texture. The meat filling inside is a large, oily chunk, oozing with a dark brown broth that turns the surrounding white dough an enticing color. Biting into the filling along with the dough, you're greeted with a savory and delicious flavor that's exceptionally tasty.
The steamed buns at this shop are indeed very well made.
After sighing, Gu Qingqiu started peeling the eggshells through the plastic bag so she wouldn't get her hands dirty.
Boiled eggs taste the same no matter who boils them, but the eggs are quite large and have a lot of egg white, so she prefers to eat the egg white and only eats the yolk reluctantly.
Gu Qingqiu was quite satisfied with the soy milk she drank after inserting a straw.
The soy milk at this shop isn't made from soy milk powder; it's freshly ground, resulting in a smooth, rich, and flavorful drink with a strong soy aroma.
Having a few bites of plant-based protein first thing in the morning makes me feel so much better.
She didn't finish the drink. She threw the plastic bag containing the meat and egg bun into a nearby trash can, then carried the cup of soy milk out of Suli Street and headed towards the neighborhood office.
She plans to go to the street-level Party and Mass Service Center to handle the flexible employment matter first.
As Gu Qingqiu walked towards the subdistrict office, she finished her soy milk and threw the cup into the trash can. It was exactly nine o'clock when she entered the subdistrict office with her phone in hand.
I found the Party and Mass Service Center, took a number as a token gesture, and was able to go directly to the window to handle my business without having to queue.
She quickly filled out the flexible employment information, and the staff also issued her an employment and entrepreneurship certificate.
After leaving the subdistrict office, Gu Qingqiu went to the nearby tax bureau to take a number, queue up, and register to pay the flexible employment medical and social security premiums and bank card information.
The staff member explained: "You need to deposit at least 1,500 yuan into this card before the 15th of each month. It will be automatically deducted on the first working day after the 15th. Oh, by the way, social security fees will increase a bit starting in July, so remember to deposit more money then to avoid the deduction failing."
"OK, thanks."
Gu Qingqiu got up happily and went to inquire about paying business income tax before leaving the tax bureau.
She walked to a nearby bus stop to wait for the bus, intending to go to the Huicui Market, which she had marked in the previous post about rice noodles, purely for the sake of those rice noodles.
The Hui Cui vegetable market is in the next district, and it was rush hour again, so it was often congested. By the time I arrived at my destination station, half an hour had passed.
After getting out of the car, Gu Qingqiu turned on the navigation and followed the directions.
The market was bustling with people. It was obviously much larger than the market on Suli Street. The shops were right next to the street, selling beef offal, roast duck, roast goose, roast chicken and various breakfast snacks. Further inside were various stalls selling fresh meat and vegetables as well as dried goods and noodles.
And to be honest, the quality of the ingredients sold here is much better. Many stalls have relatively less black smoke in their meat and vegetables, and of course, the prices are also higher.
Gu Qingqiu reopened the saved notebook, saw the stall number written on it, casually asked a stall owner for directions, and then walked straight there.
The rice noodle stall was quite large, displaying fresh rice noodles, noodles, and rice vermicelli. Many customers were queuing up to buy them.
The middle-aged female boss deftly tore open plastic bags, packed the corresponding noodles according to the customer's request, weighed them, and collected the money.
Behind her, in a small shop, there was a machine for making noodles, and on the table were flour, rice paste, and other ingredients that looked like they were half-made, clearly all freshly prepared.
While queuing, Gu Qingqiu overheard the older women talking quite a bit.
"This business is really good."
"Their noodles and rice noodles are all freshly made and very delicious. They're famous throughout the entire market."
"Yes, my child only likes noodles from this brand. He won't eat noodles from other brands even if I cook them."
Gu Qingqiu also heard that this restaurant's noodles, rice noodles, and rice vermicelli were of high quality, and many noodle shops got their supplies from them. They even supplied a restaurant.
When it was Gu Qingqiu's turn, she could smell the aroma of noodles and rice as she approached. The fresh noodles were intertwined in strands, and the rice noodles were pearly white, about a centimeter wide, and as smooth as silk without any pores. The aroma of rice was faint but very pleasant, the original scent of the ingredients.
The quality is exactly the same as what I saw in the notes.
Having made up her mind, she smiled and said, "Boss, I want half a pound of noodles, half a pound of rice noodles, and five pounds of rice vermicelli."
The owner wasn't surprised. He replied "okay" and started packing rice noodles, rice vermicelli, and rice strips into plastic bags as usual.
Gu Qingqiu asked, "Boss, I own a restaurant. How many kilograms of rice noodles do you deliver to my door?"
The boss's smile deepened this time: "We can deliver anything over ten kilograms a day. If you want, leave your phone number and we'll deliver it anytime. We usually start delivering around seven in the morning."
She and her husband have been running their business for many years and have become quite well-known. They are popular in the market and supply many noodle shops. She is responsible for guarding the shop, while her husband is responsible for delivering the goods. The couple gets up at four o'clock in the morning to make noodles, rice noodles, and rice vermicelli.
In the past two years, they have also been operating accounts on platforms such as Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) and have a considerable amount of online business.
Ten pounds is a bit much, but if this dish is popular, it can be consumed in a day. Gu Qingqiu said, "Okay, then boss, give me your phone number first, and I'll contact you if I need it."
The owner smiled and gave Gu Qingqiu her number, telling her to write it down and that if she ever forgot it, she could contact her on Xiaohongshu (Little Red Book) for Zhao's Noodles.
Rice noodles and regular noodles were both five yuan per jin (500g), while rice vermicelli was more expensive at eight yuan per jin, totaling thirty-one yuan and fifty cents. Gu Qingqiu wrote down the number and scanned the code to pay. She didn't linger at the market and left with six jin of noodles.
There happened to be a shopping plaza nearby, and since everyone was out having fun, she decided to go shopping.
Gu Qingqiu hadn't been out shopping for many years. In the cultivation world, shopping meant buying magic robes, magic tools, spiritual vegetables, and spiritual rice. Modern shopping malls were so diverse.
After arriving at the shopping plaza, she first visited several clothing stores, buying a light green dress and two sets of everyday summer clothes. Then she went to a boutique and picked out a pair of green and white hair clips with smiley faces on them and a string of four light yellow telephone rings.
It was already past eleven o'clock, so Gu Qingqiu decided to find a restaurant to eat first.
She took out her phone and searched for the name of her plaza on Dianping (a Chinese review platform). Clicking on the food section instantly showed her all the restaurants. After browsing through them, she decided to go for Hakka cuisine.
The Hakka restaurant was on the fourth floor. She took the elevator up and found a restaurant with a traditional Chinese style. The waiter standing at the door immediately greeted her, helped her find a seat, served her tea and hot water utensils, cleared away the extra bowls and chopsticks from the table, and smiled, saying that she could scan the QR code to order after looking at the menu.
Gu Qingqiu smiled and agreed. There was a QR code on the lower right corner of the table. She took out her phone, scanned it, and clicked on it to see the menu.
With the advancement of technology, most restaurants now offer QR code ordering services, which is convenient for both customers and staff, reducing the need to serve customers and take orders.
She had considered introducing QR code ordering, but her restaurant's menu changed every day, meaning it had to be updated daily. Without making the dish in advance, she couldn't take attractive pictures for customers to choose from, so she simply gave up on the idea and stuck with the most basic manual ordering system.
She looked through the restaurant's menu and finally decided to order the classic Hakka stuffed tofu, skipping the pan-fried stuffed three treasures for now, and also order a garlic bok choy and a bowl of local pork soup, but no rice.
Shortly after placing and paying for her order, a staff member brought her the printed receipt. Gu Qingqiu sipped her Tieguanyin tea, scrolling through her phone while waiting for her food.
Soon the stuffed tofu was served. Gu Qingqiu put down her phone, picked up her chopsticks, and ate a piece.
The stuffed tofu is about the size of a small cube, topped with a layer of dark brown, caramelized meat filling. Take a bite, and you'll find the smooth, tender, and flavorful tofu mixed with the savory meat filling; even the red onions taste delicious.
The shop's signboard claimed that the stuffed tofu was made from Hakka soybeans, freshly ground daily, and Gu Qingqiu carefully examined it.
This tofu is not only tender and smooth, but also has a rich bean aroma. It is not only mellow and fragrant, but also blends perfectly with the savory flavor of the meat filling. Even the tofu itself has a touch of saltiness and savory flavor. It tastes great and is truly worthy of being a signature dish.
The small casserole originally contained six pieces of stuffed tofu, garnished with shallots. Now, one piece of stuffed tofu is missing, revealing the soft and glutinous soybeans underneath. The soybeans are a slightly darker yellow than the fried golden-brown stuffed tofu, representing the most natural yellow color.
Gu Qingqiu picked up a soybean and ate it. Sure enough, it tasted pretty much as she had imagined. It was soft and glutinous with a hint of soybean flavor and the salty aroma of the sauce.
She picked up another piece of stuffed tofu and ate it, thinking that restaurants could serve a dish like this in the future.
Garlic-flavored bok choy was soon served, with garlic topping and dark soy sauce poured over the bright green bok choy. Gu Qingqiu picked up a piece of bok choy and ate it.
The texture was slightly crisper than the homemade version, probably because the bok choy was only blanched briefly before being taken out. The garlic sauce was a little salty, but it couldn't mask the sweetness of the bok choy. Overall, the taste was quite good.
While enjoying stuffed tofu and garlic-flavored bok choy, the staff brought over a final bowl of local pork soup.
The staff member used nail polish to cross out the last dish on the menu and said with a smile, "All the dishes are served, please enjoy your meal."
Gu Qingqiu nodded in agreement, looking at the bowl of pork soup and thinking it looked pretty good.
As the name suggests, local pork soup is made by stewing local pork. The soup is very clear, and when you poke a piece of local pork with a spoon, it immediately falls apart, indicating that it must have been stewed until very tender.
She scooped up a spoonful of soup and tasted it. Her first impression was that it was very sweet and savory. The savory flavor came from the aroma of the local pork and a little salt. The sweetness was probably from stewing it with mineral water. In addition to salt, no other seasonings were added. It was purely enhanced by the aroma of the local pork.
Just now, I saw some oil floating in this soup, but it didn't taste greasy at all. It only had the salty and fragrant pork flavor and the sweetness of the spring water. The two blended together and tasted excellent. It can be said that all the nutritional essence of the pork has been put into the soup.
Gu Qingqiu would eat some stewed meat while drinking the soup. It wasn't too dry, but perhaps because the flavor and aroma had all infused into the soup, it was a little bland and loose to chew, but it was still acceptable.
She couldn't finish all six pieces of stuffed tofu, so she simply spent a dollar to get a takeaway box to pack the remaining two pieces of stuffed tofu before getting up and leaving.
Thinking there wasn't much to see in the mall, Gu Qingqiu decided to go home and sleep. She walked out of the mall to a nearby bus stop to wait for a bus. When bus number 230 came, she quickly got on and found a seat.
Half an hour later, she returned to the vicinity of Suli Street. After getting off the car, she opened an umbrella and walked home. Gu Qingqiu put the rice noodles, rice vermicelli, and stuffed tofu she had bought into the refrigerator. After going upstairs, she immediately turned on the air conditioner, changed her clothes, and lay down.
On a leisurely afternoon, sleeping is the most comfortable thing to do.
Around 4 p.m., Gu Qingqiu, thinking about the noodles she had just bought, decided to go to the market.
Since I was only buying some side dishes for dinner, unlike my usual shopping spree, I didn't bring a shopping cart and just grabbed my phone and headed out.
The market was already quite lively around 4 PM, no less so than in the morning. It became even more bustling around 5 or 6 PM when more people came to buy groceries after get off work. It didn't quiet down until almost 7:30 or 8 PM.
Gu Qingqiu quickly and accurately bought a carrot, a few bean sprouts, a piece of ham, a small piece of pork, and a bunch of scallions, and headed home.
She planned to make stir-fried noodles with shredded vegetables tonight. Since it was just for herself, she could make whatever she wanted. So when she took the noodles out of the refrigerator, she also took out two eggs.
The fresh noodles not only look tender and smooth, but you can also smell a fresh aroma of noodles as soon as you open the plastic bag. I leave them open and set them aside for later use.
Gu Qingqiu began washing the carrots, bean sprouts, and scallions. Then, she took a cleaver and cut the peeled carrots into long strips on the cutting board, cut the pork into shreds, cut the ham into shreds, cut the scallions into sections, and cut the onions into shreds as well.
Heat oil in a wok, pour in the beaten eggs, and once they have set, gently move them with a spatula to prevent burning, without altering their shape.
Once the eggs have been fried into a large pancake, use a spatula to remove them from the pan and place them on a cutting board. Let them cool slightly before folding and cutting them into thin strips. The golden color is especially appealing.
Gu Qingqiu first prepared a sauce, pouring light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, salt, sugar, and MSG into a bowl according to her taste, and stirring with chopsticks until dissolved.
Once the wok is hot, add oil to coat it. First, add the shredded pork and stir-fry until it changes color. Then, remove the pork along with the oil, leaving only a little oil in the wok. Add the prepared side dishes and stir-fry over high heat, which will immediately release their aroma.
Once the side dishes were cooked through and softened, Gu Qingqiu served them.
Next, Gu Qingqiu stir-fried noodles. She estimated her appetite and put about three ounces of noodles into the pot, gently stirring them with a spatula without breaking them.
Once the noodles are dry and fragrant, add the shredded meat, shredded eggs, and various side dishes, stir-fry over high heat, and the aroma of the noodles and various side dishes will gradually blend together, creating an even more fragrant and assertive aroma.
Feeling that the heat was about right, she poured the prepared sauce onto the noodles in the pot and quickly stirred them with a spatula. The noodles instantly turned a beautiful sauce color, and the original red, green, white, and golden colors also gained a layer of sauce.
After stir-frying until evenly colored, Gu Qingqiu turned off the heat, scooped the three-shredded fried noodles out of the pan and plated them, thus completing dinner.
Since she was eating alone, she didn't bother getting another bowl. She just took her chopsticks, carried the plate of stir-fried noodles with shredded vegetables, found a table in the dining area, sat down, and got a bottle of winter melon tea from the freezer before starting her meal.
The stir-fried noodles with shredded vegetables were still hot, and the aroma was at its strongest. Gu Qingqiu picked up a piece with her chopsticks and put it in her mouth.
The noodles, stir-fried until dry and fragrant, are exceptionally smooth, with not only the aroma of noodles but also the aroma of meat.
One chopstick picks up not only noodles, but also various side dishes: tender and fragrant shredded meat, crispy and fragrant eggs, savory and fragrant shredded ham, and juicy bean sprouts. Even the scallions and onions are fragrant.
The sauce colors the noodles and various side dishes beautifully, and the saltiness is just right, making it dry, salty, and fragrant.
Gu Qingqiu doesn't eat properly. She eats stir-fried noodles with shredded vegetables while scrolling through her phone. Occasionally, when she feels dry, she'll have a sip of iced winter melon tea, which is especially refreshing.
By the time she came to her senses, she had already finished a plate of stir-fried noodles with shredded vegetables and drunk almost all of the winter melon tea. She felt that she was about 80% full.
She grabbed a tissue from the table to wipe her mouth, then realized she didn't have many tissues left at home. Since the restaurant required each table to be provided with tissues, she opened her shopping app, selected the restaurant's commonly used mid-to-high-end tissues, claimed a coupon, and placed an order.
In her parents' words, a slightly better pack of tissues doesn't cost much more, but it can leave customers with a slightly better first impression, so it's totally worth it.
The meat and vegetables at home aren't cheap, but providing a pack of mid-to-high-end brand tissues is still affordable, just like what my family usually uses.
Gu Qingqiu took the plates and chopsticks into the kitchen, threw the winter melon tea box into the trash can, and began washing the dishes and pots.
She finished her work before seven o'clock, but she didn't have the habit of going for a walk. Today, she only had a little carrot peel in her kitchen waste. Adhering to the principle of disposing of kitchen waste on the same day, she took a garbage bag out to throw it away and then went home immediately.
She went upstairs to the second-floor sofa and played on her phone for a while, then took a shower and washed up. After coming out, she stayed in the air-conditioned room and remembered that she had a video platform membership, so she opened her tablet and found a period drama to watch.
I became so engrossed in watching it that time slipped away unnoticed.
The atmosphere at Lao Wang's Home-Style Restaurant on Suli Street isn't quite as relaxed.
The restaurant was doing good business, with several tables occupied by customers. In a corner of the kitchen, Wang Zhiguo scolded his good-for-nothing son: "Aren't you the best at eating, drinking, and having fun? You can't even handle this simple task!"
Wang Chong was speechless: "What can I do? If the owner doesn't open the shop, am I supposed to barge in, grab a knife, hold it to her neck, and force her to cook for me?"
He borrowed 300 yuan from his stingy father yesterday, thinking he could treat himself to a nice meal today. So last night, he happily called a bunch of his buddies to play games online. Unexpectedly, their performance was pretty good, so they played a little late.
However, he used to sleep at three or four in the morning, but last night he played until five o'clock before going to sleep.
Lunch was definitely not going to be hot, and Wang Chong had also invited his brothers to dinner that evening.
Around 5 p.m., he called his brothers to go to Gu's Private Kitchen, but it was closed.
He asked the owner of the noodle shop across the street and found out that Gu's Private Kitchen was not open at all today, probably because it was closed for the day.
Having arrived full of enthusiasm but leaving disappointed, Wang Chong couldn't help but swear. To save face, he took his brothers to Shenghui Plaza for a nice meal, spending three hundred yuan of their money.
Sure enough, I got scolded by my father as soon as I got back.
Wang Zhiguo was startled by his son's words, his eyes widening: "What nonsense are you talking about? We can't do anything illegal or criminal. Tomorrow, the store should be open by tomorrow, so you go there again."
Wang Chong said nonchalantly, "Sure, give me another three hundred."
Wang Zhiguo frowned: "Didn't I give you the money yesterday?"
Wang Chong said shamelessly, "We ate everything last night. If you want me to go and gather military intelligence for you, don't be stingy."
"You!" Wang Zhiguo was furious, heartbroken at the loss of the 300 yuan, and also really wanted to know the situation of Gu's Private Kitchen. He was really panicked as he watched the restaurant's revenue decline.
With a heavy heart, he pulled out another three hundred and gave it to the brat, ordering him, "You'd better get up tomorrow morning, whether you crawl or not, and go to her house for lunch. If you're late, don't even think about getting any money from me again!"
Knowing that the old man was truly angry this time, Wang Chong said lazily, "I know, you can rest assured that I'll handle things."
With the money in hand, he stood up and went upstairs, planning to play games early and go to bed early tonight so he could make it to Gu's Private Kitchen for lunch tomorrow.
The next morning, the dewdrops on the leaves were glistening and transparent, and before they were evaporated by the rising sun, Gu Qingqiu had already taken her shopping cart to the market to buy groceries.
When she arrived at the pork stall, she smiled and said, "Boss, I want to buy ten pounds of pork belly, give me a few of these nice ones."
Gu Qingqiu pointed to the few pieces of pork belly on the stall with the least amount of black silk and mist. These were also the most beautiful pieces, with distinct layers of fat and lean meat.
"Okay." Mr. Zhu, the pork stall owner, greeted his big customer with a smile.
These days, this young woman has been buying pork from his stall quite often, and the amount she wants is increasing every day. He knows she runs a restaurant.
While weighing the pork belly, Boss Zhu asked with a smile, "Young lady, you come here to buy every day, and it must be hard for you to carry so much meat and vegetables back. If you buy a lot, we can deliver it to your door, which is convenient for you too, right? Just send a message or make a phone call in advance every morning if you want to buy something, and I promise to have it delivered first thing in the morning."
Boss Zhu understood perfectly well that even though this girl was buying pork from his stall now, she might go to another pork stall one day. It was safer to arrange for home delivery.
Although business at my stall is good and the pork will eventually sell out, no one can have too many big customers like this. If they buy even more in the future, I can stock up on more pork every day and earn more money.
Gu Qingqiu hadn't considered this before because she wasn't sure if the quality of the meat and vegetables at these stalls remained the same every day. If the meat and vegetables delivered to her were mostly black and had a lot of moisture, and still looked fresh, she had no reason to refuse them, so she simply came to buy them herself.
However, after observing for a week, the pork at this pork stall was indeed fresh. The local pigs, raised on grain, were very fat, and the quality was about the same every day.
So she smiled and nodded, "Sure, boss, can you give me your phone number? If I need to buy pork, I'll just call you and have you deliver it. My restaurant is on Suli Street, the one under the peach tree in the middle is Gu's Private Kitchen."
"Okay, I, Old Zhu, guarantee that I'll deliver the best pork to you every day." Boss Zhu said happily, having received the answer he wanted, and gave Gu Qingqiu a phone number to write down.
The pork belly weighed a total of 10.2 jin (approximately 6.6 kg), but he only took 2 liang (approximately 100 grams) and charged only 150 yuan.
Gu Qingqiu thought for a moment and then ordered four more pounds of pork ribs and five pounds of pork leg meat. After scanning the code to pay, she put the pork into the shopping cart, which instantly took up half the space.
She then went to buy other meat and vegetables.
Eight chickens barely fit into the shopping cart, and buying six pounds of shrimp meant I had to carry them by hand.
She also bought three pounds of beef, four pounds of abalone, some green peppers, four pumpkins, five loofahs, and ten pounds of lettuce, along with some side dishes. She also specifically went to a shop to buy some lotus leaves.
As Gu Qingqiu walked out of the market and passed a fruit shop, she went in and bought ten fresh coconuts before heading home.
Once at the restaurant, Gu Qingqiu arranged the purchased ingredients, putting those in the kitchen and those in the freezer as appropriate. She felt that preparing the dishes today had taken a lot of effort, so she needed to be quick.
She went outside, opened the wooden door, and opened the restaurant windows to ventilate the space. She glanced at the dining area and sighed, "I wish this new employee would come and help me quickly."
She had to rely on herself now, so she started cleaning the restaurant, then got a mop to mop the floor, turned on the fan to speed up the drying, and then wiped the tables.
After finishing her work, Gu Qingqiu sat down to rest for a while and then took a pen to write today's menu on the wall.
Braised pork belly with abalone: 58 yuan;
Stuffed shrimp with green peppers, 58 yuan;
Steamed Four Treasures in Lotus Leaves: 58 yuan;
Stir-fried beef noodles, 38 yuan;
Lettuce with oyster sauce, 28 yuan;
Coconut chicken soup: 88 yuan.
This is the first time the restaurant has ever served a dish priced at 88 yuan; they hope it will be popular today. Gu Qingqiu put down her pen and went into the kitchen to get busy.
It was still early, and the braised abalone and pork belly would only take a little over two hours to cook, so Gu Qingqiu decided to start by preparing the shrimp.
The shrimp weren't very big this time, but they were very fresh and lively. She skillfully used scissors to cut off the shrimp heads and tails at an angle, then pulled out the shrimp's internal organs and vein, and cut off the shrimp legs.
After completing these steps, she set the shrimp aside and waited until all the shrimp were processed before peeling them.
Since the shrimp heads, tails, and even legs were gone, peeling them was very easy. After processing all the shrimp down to just the meat, Gu Qingqiu washed her hands, picked up a cleaver, and began chopping the shrimp meat.
Actually, shrimp paste is sold in the market, but those shrimp pastes have starch and other additives, so they don't taste very good. Gu Qingqiu doesn't like those shrimp pastes.
The restaurant also has a meat grinder that can grind shrimp meat into a fine and sticky paste, but Gu Qingqiu still prefers to chop it by hand. The shrimp paste made this way tastes better, and she can also control the degree of chopping. Shrimp paste with a bit of a grainy texture is the best.
Perhaps it was because of the tiny bit of spiritual energy in her body, Gu Qingqiu was in great spirits every day, and the strength in her hands and feet had also increased. She didn't feel tired even after holding a spatula all day, and she was now chopping shrimp paste with great strength.
Gu Qingqiu chopped the shrimp paste until it had a slightly grainy texture but was mostly sticky like minced meat. She put it into a bowl, then washed and peeled a carrot. On the cutting board, she first cut it into strips and then into small pieces, and then chopped it even finer.
Remove the shrimp paste from the water and place it in a bowl containing the shrimp paste. Add some seasonings and stir well with chopsticks. The shrimp paste stuffed with green peppers is now ready.
Seeing that it was still early, she began to process the hind leg meat. She divided the five-pound hind leg meat in half, reserving one half for later use in the evening, and washing the other half first. Then, she cut it into thin strips on the cutting board and began to mince it.
After mincing the meat, some starch needs to be added so that the meatballs can take shape. Gu Qingqiu also added some seasonings to make it more flavorful. After stirring it evenly with chopsticks, she set it aside for later use.
After chopping meat for so long, Gu Qingqiu rested for a while before starting to prepare braised pork with abalone.
Time quickly came to noon.
Today, Xu Yue and her roommates didn't have classes in the morning or the first period in the afternoon, so at 10:30, the whole dorm set off to eat in Suli Street.
They had actually planned to come yesterday afternoon, but they just couldn't resist the urge to eat at Gu's Private Kitchen. That's the thing about college students; if they're craving something, they have to eat it, and if they can't, they're incredibly anxious.
Just before setting off, I saw a comment with many replies under the account's viral notes. It turned out that a netizen named "Gua Zi Ku Han Zhong Lai" said that he had come all the way to Suli Street to eat, but the owner was closed for the day.
Some netizens replied to this comment, some saying they also came to Suli Street only to find the store was closed, some were glad they didn't go today, and some were bragging that they had already eaten there on Sunday and that the food was really delicious.
Of course, the latter drew a lot of envy from netizens, but also a lot of sarcastic remarks.
Xu Yue and her group of six walked into Suli Street. As they walked, they saw the shop under the peach tree open in the distance and breathed a sigh of relief.
Wen Qingqing breathed a sigh of relief: "Thank goodness, I came all this way and there's still a shop open."
It's not so bad to arrive empty-handed, but the real disappointment is not being able to eat the Gu Family Private Kitchen dishes I've been craving for days.
Lu Xiangyin nodded: "Yes, it's a good thing there's a shop open, otherwise we would have made a wasted trip."
She usually stays in her dorm and sleeps in when she doesn't have classes. If she weren't really interested in Gu's Private Kitchen and her roommates weren't so excited, she wouldn't have come along.
Huang Yuezhu laughed and said, "Let's go, let's hurry over. It looks like we'll be the first customers at Gu's Private Kitchen today."
Xu Yue, Zheng Jiajia, and Zhou Huilin, the three who had eaten at Gu's Private Kitchen, were the most excited. They quickened their pace and shouted, "Hurry, hurry, let's go to the restaurant and sit down!"
The six of them felt instantly refreshed as soon as they entered the store; the air conditioning was so cool. Since there were six of them, they immediately found a large table and sat down.
Gu Qingqiu greeted them with a smile: "Hello, you can take a look at the menu on the wall and just call me when you need to order. What kind of tea would you like? We have Tieguanyin, Pu'er, chrysanthemum tea, monk fruit water, and lemon water."
After discussing it, Xu Yue and the others decided to get lemonade, since it was the only chilled drink that would be refreshing.
Gu Qingqiu smiled and agreed. She first went to the refrigerator to pour a pitcher of lemon water for them, then counted out bowls, chopsticks, and washing utensils according to the number of people, and then went to the kitchen to get busy.
These girls will call her when they want to order food.
Xu Yue and the others were having some trouble deciding what dishes to order. They had already decided to order three meat dishes, one vegetable dish, and one soup, just like last time, since six people could definitely finish it.
There were six dishes today, and they all looked delicious.
Xu Yue: "They actually have stir-fried beef noodles today! If we order this dish, we don't need to order rice anymore."
Kelly Zhou stared intently at the braised abalone and pork dish, saying, "But braised abalone and pork is a classic dish that goes perfectly with rice. It would be a shame if there wasn't any white rice."
Wen Qingqing suggested, "Then we can order more white rice if anyone wants it. This stir-fried beef noodles should taste pretty good. I wonder what lotus leaf steamed four treasures is?"
Zheng Jiajia was also curious: "We can just ask the boss when we order later."
Looking at the soup, Huang Yuezhu couldn't help but say, "Last time you said the fish head tofu soup was 58 yuan, but today's coconut chicken soup is 88 yuan. I wonder if there are many ingredients in the soup."
"Do you guys remember when we went to eat coconut chicken hot pot before? The kind with lots of coconut juice and chicken is the real deal. Some coconut chicken soups are just for show, with no coconut juice at all and no chicken in sight."
Lu Xiangyin hesitated: "They've already charged us 88 yuan for a bowl of soup, so there must be a lot of soup ingredients, right? If we're sure the abalone and braised pork are a must-order, what about the other dishes?"
Smelling the faint aroma wafting from the kitchen, Xu Yue and her two friends, who had eaten at Gu's Private Kitchen before, unhesitatingly agreed to order everything. Wen Qingqing and her two friends thought that since they had come all this way, they might as well order everything and take any leftovers back to their dorm to eat.
Xu Yue looked towards the kitchen and, seizing the opportunity when the owner glanced over, waved to indicate that she wanted to order.
Gu Qingqiu, wearing a chef's hat and a white apron, still looked gentle and refined, and her smile was bright and cheerful: "What would you like to order?"
Xu Yue, acting as the representative, said, "Boss, we want one of everything on the menu."
The others couldn't help but chuckle as they listened, wondering why he seemed to have a domineering CEO vibe. They'd eaten out together so many times, and this was the first time he'd said something so assertive.
Gu Qingqiu smiled and agreed.
Zheng Jiajia asked with a smile, "Boss, what are the four treasures in this lotus leaf steamed four treasures?"
"This dish is served on a lotus leaf base, with four steamed treasures: pumpkin, pork ribs, meatballs, and loofah. It has both meat and vegetables, and we try our best to satisfy everyone's different tastes," Gu Qingqiu recommended with a smile.
Wen Qingqing and Zheng Jiajia nodded in unison: "I see, that sounds pretty good."
Xu Yue chimed in, "Boss, after hearing your introduction, we're even more hungry now. We're just waiting to feast later."
Gu Qingqiu readily agreed, "Okay, please wait a moment, I'll serve the dishes as quickly as possible."
Xu Yue and her friends sat at the table chatting and playing on their phones. During this time, two more tables of customers arrived at the restaurant, and the first dish served was braised pork with abalone.
The small casserole contained pieces of glistening, reddish-brown braised pork. The dark brown broth made the pork look even more appealing, with a clear distinction between the lean and fatty parts. Interspersed among the pork were abalone with slightly curled edges and decorative cuts. At a glance, there were at least six pieces. Garnished with scallions and red chili peppers, it looked incredibly tempting, and the aroma kept wafting into the air.
Without any need for greetings or formalities, the six of them picked up their chopsticks and began eating braised pork and abalone.
The braised pork belly has a savory sauce flavor with a subtle hint of star anise and dried tangerine peel. It's soft and tender, with plenty of oil oozing out from the lean and fatty parts, yet it's not dry or greasy at all; it's tender, flavorful, and perfectly cooked.
Perhaps because it was braised with abalone, the braised pork belly had a slightly savory flavor, making the taste even richer.
When I tasted the abalone again, I found it to be bouncy and tender. Because it was scored, it had a slightly grainy texture, with a bit of chewiness and firmness. At the same time, it was soaked in the broth from the braised pork, so it tasted both the freshness of abalone and the meaty aroma of braised pork.
If you are lucky enough to put braised pork and abalone in your mouth at the same time and eat them together, that would be the ultimate delicious experience.
This is how Wen Qingqing ate: she ate large chunks of braised pork and abalone together, filling her mouth to the brim so much that she could barely chew.
Once she took a small bite, she felt an immense sense of satisfaction. The braised pork was tender, flavorful, and savory, while the abalone was fresh, bouncy, and chewy. Together, they created a delicious combination of savory meat and fresh seafood.
Kelly Zhou loves braised pork. As soon as she tasted a piece of braised pork, she was immediately impressed and knew that the dish was of very high quality.
The braised pork is tender and flavorful, with the fat not greasy and the lean meat not dry. The use of star anise and dried tangerine peel in the cooking process only imparts a subtle fragrance of spices, without overpowering the natural meaty aroma of the braised pork.
If there were a bowl of white rice here, she would definitely eat several mouthfuls.
Xu Yue and the others found the braised pork with abalone to be very delicious, even more so than any other braised pork they had ever eaten before.
I thought the red chili peppers garnishing the braised pork in the small casserole would be very spicy, but it turned out to be only slightly spicy. They just added aroma and flavor, making the braised pork taste even better.
There's also the tender abalone with a slightly chewy texture, and the addition of a touch of spiciness gives it a unique flavor.
Just as they were enjoying their braised abalone and pork, Wang Chong arrived with one of his good friends.
He went to bed around 3 a.m. last night, set several alarms, and stubbornly woke up at 11 p.m.
Before leaving, he said to his father, "Look how much I care about the things you asked me to do. If I were studying, I wouldn't have this kind of perseverance. I would have gone to Tsinghua or Peking University to bring honor to your family."
That angered his father again.
Wang Chong hadn't planned to invite his brothers over for dinner, but he ran into Liu Feng a few steps after leaving home. Liu Feng kept calling him "brother" and asking him where he was going so early.
Wang Chong was pleased to be invited, so he brought him over to eat together.
Liu Feng entered, found a table, and sat down. He looked around the restaurant and laughed, "This place looks pretty good. You really know how to pick restaurants, Brother Chong. I didn't even know this place had opened on Suli Street."
"This shop used to be here, but it closed down before and just reopened recently," Wang Chong said, as if to say, "You're so ignorant."
Actually, he only found out about it from his father. He had long been tired of playing around Suli Street since he was a child, and he always went out to play with his brothers.
He glanced at the menu on the wall, and the next second he blurted out "Damn!"
The reason is simple: the meat and vegetables here are so much more expensive than in my own restaurant!
Seeing new customers outside, Gu Qingqiu came out from the kitchen to greet them: "Welcome! Please take a look at the menu and let me know what you'd like to order."
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
