The red and white checkered tablecloth looked ordinary, but when spread on the tender green grass and laid out with a variety of food, fruit, and drinks, the color combination became beautiful. The female students posed for photos, capturing this spring memory and their youthful, beautiful smiles.
Everyone chatted and ate, and some went to fly kites first. They ran and laughed freely in the spring sunshine. The scene looked very beautiful.
But once the Bobo Chicken came out, everything changed! Everyone stopped playing and gathered around. Nearby tourists, thinking something was going on, joined in the fun. Seeing the students preparing the food, they dispersed. But some people came back to ask, "Are you selling your skewers?"
"If we don't sell it, it won't be enough for us!" Student A shouted.
"It's so delicious!" Student B drooled for a long time and finally started eating it.
"This base sauce is so fragrant, absolutely delicious!" Student C had a bunch of lettuce in his mouth and a bunch of chicken feet in his hand.
"Don't steal mine, you've already eaten several!" Student Ding tightly protected the skewers in his hand, fearing that another student would snatch them away.
…
"Everyone is so enthusiastic. This is the first time for our dormitory to make Bobo Chicken, and we didn't make enough. I guess the third canteen will also start providing Bobo Chicken in a few days. Everyone should remember to eat it then!" Ye Tian said to everyone with a smile, and took the opportunity to promote the third canteen on the spot.
"Great!" everyone cheered.
A boy, the one who just said he hadn't eaten enough, was still staring at the soup base left after the skewers were eaten: "Can you give me this soup base? I'll go home and make some pickles tonight!"
"Kao, you are so scheming!"
"Then I want half too!"
"We want it in our dorm too!"
Ye Tian was extremely frustrated and quickly said, "I made this yesterday and it's been in the refrigerator overnight. I'm afraid it'll go bad by tonight, and it'll be bad for everyone if they get diarrhea."
Only then did the students stop fighting over it.
There were also fruits, cakes, etc. on site, so some people started eating other food, some got together to play cards, some went to fly kites, and some lay on the grass in a daze, quietly enjoying the afternoon sun.
Ye Tian also picked up a kite from the ground and asked Lu Xinyi to help hold it. She ran while pulling the string, and when Lu Xinyi let go following her shout, the kite flew up.
She looked at the various kites in the sky and thought of the man who had used her. He had once made a crab kite, which was quite interesting. She smiled faintly, without any hatred in her heart, and finally let it go.
…
"How about we make grilled chicken wings? Or Brother Meng make desserts?" Xiao Li actively made suggestions and prepared for the third canteen to participate in the university food festival.
Master Sun thought for a moment and said, "We already have Qingtuan and Bobo Chicken. One is a staple food, and the other is a vegetable. We should stop making staple foods. After all, there are so many cake shops out there these days, and we don't have an advantage in making desserts. Let's think about it and see if there are any good ideas."
Ye Tian had some ideas, but she didn't say them. After all, Bobo Chicken and Qingtuan were already her ideas.
"Then let's try something more challenging, how about... Buddha Jumps Over the Wall! It will surely shock the whole audience." Xiao Li said half jokingly and half seriously.
"Yes, there's nothing wrong with that. Just reduce the cost." Master Sun said affirmatively.
Ye Tian then said, "We can indeed make it. We can use a pot with better insulation, bring it to the scene, and put some charcoal underneath to keep it warm. As for the cost, shark fin can be replaced with vermicelli. Smaller fish maw and sea cucumber are not expensive. We can also replace the dried abalone with fresh small abalone. We can make a simplified version of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall."
Master Sun made the decision and said, "Okay! Then we'll make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall."
"Then Xiao Meng and Xiao Du will be responsible for the skin and sweet filling of the qingtuan (green rice dumpling), Xiao Ye and Xiao Li will be responsible for the soup base of Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and Bobo Chicken. They all require broth. The others will help with the side dishes and skewers. Oh, and Xiao Ye will help prepare the pickled mustard greens, spring bamboo shoots and meat filling." Master Sun arranged the work and turned to look at Ye Tian. "Your task this time is a bit heavy. Thank you for your hard work!"
"Don't do too much during the school selection next week. Once we officially participate in the food festival, everyone will have to work hard! Okay, let's work hard together!" Master Sun is now very good at boosting morale.
The next day, Master Sun bought all the ingredients for the Buddha Jumps Over the Wall recipe that Ye Tian had written about. Ye Tian prepared all the ingredients in advance and prepared to make a pot first so that they could taste it themselves.
Buddha Jumps Over the Wall, a Fujian delicacy, has many stories about its origins, some claiming it was invented by a beggar, others by a master of Fujian cuisine. Regardless of its origin, we cannot deny its deliciousness. The unique aroma that can make "Buddha jump over the wall" is absolutely very attractive.
Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is a soup dish that uses a rich variety of ingredients, including a variety of local delicacies and seafood. It's also a labor-intensive and time-consuming dish, requiring at least six to eight hours to prepare. Xiyuan Restaurant also offers this soup in a bowl, but because the ingredients are top-notch, a small bowl costs 688 yuan.
Ye Tian had seen a lot of it during the winter vacation, and she had also made similar dishes in her previous life, so making Buddha Jumps Over the Wall was easy for her, and she could even add or subtract ingredients at will.
The ingredients needed to make Buddha Jumps Over the Wall include over 30 ingredients, including hen, duck, spare ribs, beef tendon, quail eggs, fish maw, sea cucumber, abalone, Jinhua ham, dried scallops, winter bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and rice wine. You can add fish lips, pig's trotters, shark bones, etc., or adjust the amount according to your taste. To reduce costs, Ye Tian mainly replaces some expensive ingredients with more affordable ones.
In the morning, Ye Tian completes the first step: blanching the chicken, duck, spare ribs, and pig's trotters, removing the skin to prevent the broth from being too oily. Then, she places all the ingredients in a large stainless steel pot in the kitchen, adds water, and throws in a few slices of ginger. She brings the mixture to a boil over high heat, then simmers it on low for six hours.
During this time, the kitchen staff would occasionally help out, and Ye Tian would come to stir it from time to time. When she came back in the afternoon, the soup was already cooked and turned a beautiful milky white. At this time, the oil on the top of the soup needed to be skimmed off, and then the cooked soup needed to be filtered out. The beef tendon and ribs were also picked out. The chicken and duck were almost cooked through.
Blanch the pre-soaked fish maw, sea cucumber, conch slices, and dried scallops to remove the fishy smell. Boil the quail eggs and slice the Jinhua ham and bamboo shoots.
Then, layer the prepared ingredients into the pot, starting with bamboo shoots and ginger slices at the bottom, followed by spare ribs, beef tendon, quail eggs, conch slices, Jinhua ham, mushrooms, scallops, abalone, fish maw, etc. Pour the filtered soup into the pot, add a bowl of rice wine, and cook over high heat for half an hour, then reduce to low and continue simmering for about an hour. The delicious Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is finally ready.
It was evening, and the setting sun shone through the glass windows, casting a bright orange hue on the kitchen. Li Yue had bought a brand of ink called "Sunset," which resembled the vibrant orange of the fiery clouds at sunset.
Amidst the beautiful colors, the whole kitchen was filled with fragrance. People seemed to be enveloped by the aroma, sniffing hard, trying to absorb the smell into their stomachs.
Students who came to the third cafeteria to get food could also smell the aroma in the hall, and they looked curiously towards the kitchen. The food display window was also full of delicious dishes, but there didn't seem to be any dishes with a particularly fragrant aroma.
Master Sun asked the chefs to taste it first.
"This is the first time I've had Buddha Jumps Over the Wall at my age. I've really seen the world," Aunt Liu said happily, picking up her spoon and taking a scoop as she gazed at the collagen-rich soup. "It's so delicious, so fresh and fragrant! I never thought I'd get to eat something so delicious in my lifetime. I want to buy some for my daughter to take home."
Master Sun slowly picked up the bowl with some excitement. Ye Tian did not hide the preparation process from everyone. Anyone who wanted to learn could follow and watch. Master Sun was just an ordinary chef and had never made such a big dish, but after watching it all, he felt that he had learned a lot.
"It's rich and fragrant, with a long aftertaste!" praised Master Meng.
"I can't think of a good word to describe it, but I really want to swallow my tongue. I want a bowl of rice, can I eat it with soaking it?" Xiao Li was a little shy. It was the first time for him to eat such high-end dishes.
"You little curly-haired boy, why are you shy? Of course you can! After eating, quickly replace Zuo You and let him have a try too." Master Sun patted Li Bing on the shoulder.
He turned around and saw Zuo You, who was serving food, running back to the kitchen. "Master Sun, the students are all asking why it smells so good. Do you have Buddha Jumps Over the Wall for sale?"
Master Sun looked at the tall stainless steel pot and said reluctantly, "Let's sell it! We have the old small ceramic bowls in the warehouse, so we'll use them. 28 yuan a bowl. We'll keep some, and the rest can probably be sold for 30 small bowls."
"So cheap? Those students who are getting food outside now are really lucky. Those who come later will definitely not be able to buy it!" Li Bing continued.
"That's pretty much the cost price," Chef Sun calculated silently in his mind. "As long as our canteen doesn't lose money, that's all that matters."
Xiao Li gulped down the last mouthful of his bowl, then ran outside to the students in line and said, "I have good news for you all: Today the cafeteria has our secret recipe Buddha Jumps Over the Wall. Since the quantity is limited, students who want to buy it should line up on the left, and those who don't should line up on the right. I'll serve everyone first."
"By the way, Buddha Jumps Over the Wall is 28 yuan per serving," Xiao Li added.
When people first heard about the "Buddha Jumps Over the Wall" can, they thought it must be very expensive, so not many people lined up on the left. But when they saw that the can cost 28 yuan per portion, they realized it was still affordable, so many people lined up on the left.
When Xiao Li saw this scene, he hurriedly shouted, "There are only 30 copies today. If you have seen 30 people, please stop queuing. There will be no more copies left!"
"Oh my god, I think I'm the 31st person. Never mind, maybe there's just enough space..." A boy counted the number of people silently, then said unwillingly.
At this time, they saw two male chefs carrying out a tall stainless steel pot, placing it on the serving table, and gently opening the lid, and the cafeteria hall was filled with fragrance.
The students in line couldn't help but squeeze forward, and those who had originally just wanted to get their food and leave were also attracted by the aroma. But now if they queued up again, they would definitely not be able to buy it, and they immediately regretted not spending 28 yuan.
The students queuing up were extremely happy. A small bowl at 28 yuan was really a great value for money. It was like buying the vacuum-packed Buddha Jumps Over the Wall on the market and heating it up yourself at home. The taste was very ordinary and the price was not cheap!
Xiao Li carefully served the first bowl, making sure there was a small abalone and a small sea cucumber in it, and the other ingredients were random.
The first student couldn't wait to swipe his meal card, then took the slightly hot ceramic bowl and sat down in the seat closest to him under the gaze of all the students. He picked up the small spoon...
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