Chapter Ninety-Nine: Steamed Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce
Yu Miaoyin picked up the chicken feet to look at them. The chicken feet delivered by the chicken stall owner were very good, fresh, and the feet were thick, large and plump, making them especially suitable for making steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce.
Today she's making steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce. It's a bit of a hassle, but it's delicious, so the trouble is worth it. Recently, she's added some new kitchen utensils, like a steamer. Since He Li's little noodle shop can now use it, her hoarding tendencies are kicking in; she's buying whatever she sees, knowing she'll need it someday.
After thawing the chicken feet in cold water, Yu Miaoyin and Aunt Zheng prepared the ingredients together. The prepared chicken feet were blanched in water with maltose and white vinegar to remove the blood. After skimming off the foam, they were boiled for a few more minutes to remove the fishy smell and blood. Then they were taken out and put into ice water to cool down quickly.
To make steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce, you first need to fry them, then steam them. When tiny bubbles appear in the oil, she adds the dried chicken feet in batches. The previously calm oil suddenly sizzles as the chicken feet turn golden brown with a slightly hardened skin. She then takes the first batch of fried chicken feet out and soaks them in cold water.
Peanuts also needed to be soaked in water, so Yu Miaoyin found a new plate to soak them. The chicken feet, which had become firm after frying, developed a tiger-skin pattern after being soaked in ice water. While waiting, she started preparing the sauce. She soaked black soybeans in water, crushed them to extract their aroma, and then added soy sauce, oyster sauce, and other seasonings to make a sauce, which she then poured into the chicken feet to marinate.
Yu Miaoyin also stained the wrinkles and crevices of the chicken feet, which had developed a tiger-skin-like appearance, with a dark brown color. They need to be marinated to be flavorful, just like the roast goose she made last time; it can't be rushed.
Grandpa Xu didn't know Yu Miaoyin was going to make steamed chicken feet, so he didn't start eagerly anticipating it in the morning like last time; otherwise, it would have been too agonizing. This kind of anticipation was like the day before a holiday, where time seemed to be deliberately slowed down.
So in the afternoon, when Grandpa Xu learned that Xiaoyin had made steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce, he was so excited that he immediately called Zhou Gui and Xu Changxing, and both of them said they would rush over after get off work.
But this time, Grandpa Xu wasn't the first one to arrive. The first one to arrive was Liang Hekang. Back when Yu Miaoyin came to him to buy a steamer, Liang Hekang had asked Boss Yu if she was developing a new product, and even asked if she could let him know as soon as she could if she could. Liang Hekang offered her a big discount, so Yu Miaoyin agreed.
As usual, she notified him on WeChat, and Liang Hekang rushed over without stopping, even earlier than Grandpa Xu.
Although we waited for a while, it was worth it to be the first to eat steamed chicken feet with soy sauce. Grandma Liang and Feng Yuan also rushed over.
"It looks just as good as the ones sold in teahouses. Boss Yu is really amazing. Last time I watched 'The City of Clouds and Fireworks,' I was so envious when I saw Boss Yu making fried rice with eggs," Feng Yuan said, staring at the steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce.
Liang Hekang and Grandma Liang shook their heads in unison. Liang Hekang said, "You're wrong. How can you compare what Boss Yu makes to what's sold in teahouses? They're worlds apart, there's no comparison at all!"
“You’re right, I agree!” Grandpa Xu, who was eating chicken feet, suddenly spoke up.
Grandma Liang agreed with her grandson, saying, "These chicken feet are so beautifully prepared; they must taste delicious."
The white porcelain plate held a rich, dark brown chicken foot, creating a striking contrast. The thick sauce dripped down the tiger-skin-like folds of the chicken foot, pooling in a shallow puddle at the bottom of the plate. The chicken foot meat was thick and plump, wrinkled yet glossy, making one's mouth water.
Grandma Liang ate quickly, afraid that the dish would lose its flavor if it got cold. As she ate, she exclaimed, "Delicious!"
Normally, chicken feet are eaten with tea at teahouses, but today they're perfect with hot rice. Marinated long enough, the chicken feet's juices have completely seeped into the bone crevices. After developing a tiger-skin pattern, the meat and bone seem to be "separated" yet connected, soft and smooth, swirling in your mouth before sliding right in.
The peanuts underneath are also very fragrant, each one round and plump, and they taste delicious when you bite into them. They're soft, juicy, and you can't stop eating them one after another.
Steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce are steamed in a steamer, with steaming baskets stacked up one after another. The steaming hot air rises from the bottom of the steamer, making one's heart warm just looking at it.
Almost everyone who comes orders a serving; the steamed chicken feet with black bean sauce sells out very quickly.
"It smells delicious, doesn't it? Let me tell you, it's much better than those teahouses you've been talking about. The owner uses only the best chicken feet, and the sauces are all homemade..." said one customer, who is now a loyal fan of the small restaurant.
After all, even the owner's sister enjoyed the food. If the ingredients weren't good, how could the owner dare to feed it to his own family? Every time he went to a restaurant and saw the owner bring his own food, his heart sank.
It's already hard enough to just be alive, let alone find healthy food. But thankfully, he stumbled upon Yu's Little Restaurant.
The son spat out the bone, snorted, and said, "Last time I invited you to eat here, you said there was nothing good to eat at a lousy restaurant."
You really can't blame him; who told this little shop to be located across from the high school?
Grandpa Bai, overhearing their conversation, jokingly remarked to his granddaughter, "You said you didn't like it last time, but now you love it to bits."
Grandpa Bai joked as he picked up a chicken foot. He looked at it for a couple of seconds—the chicken foot was glistening with oil, its rich, dark brown color making even the wrinkles shimmer with oil, extremely tempting. The chicken foot was quite substantial, especially the middle piece, rich in collagen—it was absolutely delicious!
Li Jiayu said modestly, "I didn't expect it to taste this good."
At first, she genuinely thought Lin Xiangwan was exaggerating, and that she was trying to create a foodie persona for herself again. After all, it was just an ordinary-looking little restaurant; how delicious could the food be? Did she really have to pretend like she'd never eaten in her past life?
After eating there once, she quietly deleted her comments. She really didn't expect it to be so delicious. She would often invite her friends to eat there. At first, her friends complained that the food wasn't pretty or delicate enough to take good photos, but after eating there, they became huge fans of the restaurant, just like her.
The "it smells so good" principle will never go out of style.
These chicken feet smell amazing! The best part is the gelatinous part – soft, chewy, and springy. You can easily bite into a big chunk of meat with just a gentle squeeze, and the sauce clinging to the meat is sucked in too. The sauce is also superb; the savory aroma of soy sauce permeates every bone. It's so delicious that she wanted to slam her hand on the table and shout, or transform into a little horse and swing on a vine in the forest, howling and moaning to express how delicious it was.
Li Jiayu's phone vibrated several times. When she opened it, she saw that it was a message from her friend.
Shen Yu: [You went to Yu's Little Restaurant???]
Li Jiayu: [Mm.]
Li Jiayu posted a message on her WeChat Moments. When she opened it, she saw that Shen Yu had left many question marks in the comments section.
Shen Yu was a friend she met online who shared similar interests. Both of them liked Xu Qingyu and neither liked Lin Xiangwan. Shen Yu was also in the group when Li Jiayu announced in the group that she wouldn't be going to Yu Ji's Little Restaurant.
Shen Yu: [Let's delete each other's contacts. You said you wouldn't go, but you secretly went and annoyed everyone?]
Li Jiayu slowly typed a question mark, and as soon as she sent it, a red exclamation mark popped up, indicating that she was not yet his/her friend...
Li Jiayu was speechless. Kids these days really act on impulse. She'd better never eat at that small restaurant again; as far as she knew, Shen Yu was also from Yuncheng.
It was no big deal. After finishing the last chicken foot, Li Jiayu started picking at the round peanuts next to it. The soft and powdery peanuts, coated with sauce and meaty aroma, were also delicious.
The chicken feet sold out incredibly fast, and many customers missed out, only able to console themselves with a plate of fried rice noodles, fried wheat noodles, and fried rice noodle rolls. These dishes are always on the menu because the preparation time is short, and Yu Miaoyin's cooking skills are excellent, making them quick, easy, and convenient.
"Have you finished eating?" Yu Miaoyin asked the child. She was still growing and, although small, ate a lot.
"You're done eating," the child said, then obediently massaged her back and brought her some water to drink.
"Sister, you didn't reply to my messages today. I miss you so much!" Xiao Tangbao said. She had just received the watch and was at an age where everything seemed new and exciting, so naturally she wanted to share it with everyone.
"I didn't see it, sister," Yu Miaoyin said. She opened her phone to see the messages Xiaotangbao had posted: a selfie taken from a unique angle, a group photo with other children, and some flowers and plants. "What an adorable child! There are two in the second photo, and the third one is also very pretty. Great job! In a few days, we'll get the photos printed out and make an album for you, okay?"
"Okay." Yu Miaoyin replied to Xiao Tangbao's message on the spot before clicking into her chat box with Yang Fang.
It was a Word document, which Yu Miaoyin read slowly, word by word. It mentioned that the food festival would indeed be held during the three days of New Year's Day, and included some precautions, etc. The document also stated that anything could be sold at the stalls, but it had to be related to Yuncheng.
Yang Fang: [We also need Mr. Yu's cooperation in filming a promotional video. I wonder if it would be convenient for Mr. Yu.]
Yu Miaoyin replied: 【It's convenient.】
Yu Miaoyin glanced at the calendar; there were still a few days until New Year's Day. She then went to her memo to write down what she needed to do in the next few days. She was shocked by what she found. She had so many things to do lately: filming promotional videos, preparing for a food festival, and celebrating her child's birthday.
The food festival is the main event, and she needs to prepare well. She knows the Culture and Tourism Bureau attaches great importance to it. If the food festival goes smoothly and successfully, it will have a significant impact on Yuncheng.
Yu Miaoyin hadn't decided what to do yet, but she came to shoot a promotional video first.
Yang Fang came over with her staff, and she brought some small gifts to give to Yu Miaoyin. "I made these cookies myself. I hope you won't mind, Boss Yu. They're definitely not as good as yours."
"It's beautifully made, thank you," Yu Miaoyin said, and after taking a small piece, she praised, "It's delicious."
Little Tangbao loved eating it. After finishing, she sweetly said, "Thank you, sister, it was delicious."
After exchanging a few pleasantries, the group began filming the promotional video. The photographer, who had shot many promotional videos, was very experienced. He instructed Yu Miaoyin, "Boss Yu, don't be too nervous. Just treat it like an ordinary day. Just focus on making your noodles."
Yu Miaoyin nodded, and after the photographer gave her an OK sign, she started cooking. This time, she was making wet-fried beef noodles.
Today, I bought freshly slaughtered beef from the market, sliced it, and marinated it. I put rice noodles that had been colored with dark soy sauce into the wok and quickly stir-fried them until they were fragrant. Yu Miaoyin held the wok handle and quickly tossed the wok to stir-fry. The rice noodles in the wok were distinct and glistening with oil.
In a separate pan, stir-fry the kale until fragrant, then add the marinated beef, along with the prepared sauce and cornstarch slurry to thicken the sauce. Stir-fry the sauce and pour it over the freshly stir-fried rice noodles.
Then, the photographer gave the stir-fried beef noodles a close-up. A few minutes later, the photographer, who was originally very serious and focused, immediately put on a greedy look and said, "Boss Yu, this looks so delicious! I almost lost focus when I was taking the picture, but luckily I had enough self-control."
Xiao Yu and Yang Fang both laughed, and Yang Fang generously said, "It's my treat today, everyone can eat whatever they want."
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