Lan Yamei took the wine glass and dripped a few drops into the bowl containing the fish head, fish bones, and fish meat slices, then held the bowl with one hand and stirred it with the other.
A faint aroma of wine instantly filled the air, and the fish no longer tasted bloody.
By this time, the water in the pot had boiled. Lan Yamei added more firewood before putting all the vegetables into the pot one by one and quickly swishing them with a slotted spoon. The vegetables were cooked through, quickly removed from the pot, and scooped into the largest porcelain bowl for later use.
Then I poured the potato slices into the water. Because they were sliced so thinly that they were translucent, I only stirred them three or five times with a slotted spoon before scooping them into a porcelain bowl and setting them aside with the other vegetables.
By this time, the water in the pot had decreased a bit, so Lan Yamei quickly added half a ladle of water, waited for the water to boil, and then added the fish head.
Boil the fish head for three minutes, then add the fish ribs and boil for two minutes, and finally add the fish cavity bones and boil for one minute. Carefully transfer everything to a large porcelain bowl.
Finally, while the water is boiling, pour the fish slices into a bowl, quickly separate them with a slotted spoon, and then stop stirring.
Once the water boils again, the fish fillets curl up and become no longer translucent, indicating they are cooked. Lan Yamei quickly scoops up the bottom with a slotted spoon, gently transferring the fish fillets along the edge to a large porcelain bowl.
Everyone was completely silent, craning their necks and concentrating intently, not wanting to miss a single detail.
Without saying much, Lan Yamei emptied the water from the pot and set it aside. She heated oil in a wok until it smoked, then added chopped scallions, ginger, and garlic and stir-fried until fragrant. Next, she added the shredded pickled cabbage and stir-fried until the aroma filled the house. Then she poured in the reserved cooking water, brought it to a boil, added seasonings, and tasted it to find the flavor just right. She then ladled the water over the fish fillets, ensuring the water level was just even.
Discard the excess sauerkraut broth in the pot and heat oil in the empty pot. While waiting, take out ginger and garlic, chop them into fine pieces, spread them in the center of the porcelain bowl, and add half an ounce of chili powder.
The oil in the pan is hot, and spoonfuls are poured over the seasonings, accompanied by the sizzling sound of the hot oil, and a fragrant aroma wafts into the nose.
That wasn't all; he then finely chopped some scallions and sprinkled them on top.
Lan Yamei then stopped, cleared her throat, and said to Manager Wang, "Try it."
Manager Wang mechanically followed orders, picked up a pair of chopsticks, looked at everyone, then gently picked up a piece, caught it with his hand, and carefully put it into his mouth.
The moment their tongues touched the fish, their eyes lit up. After chewing a few more times, their faces lit up with a broad smile. Before they even swallowed the fish, they stomped their feet and jumped up and down, shouting, "My Drunken Fragrance Pavilion is saved!"
Lan Yamei just smiled and didn't say anything. She washed her hands, put down her sleeves, and stood aside.
Seeing this, the cooks said in hushed tones, "Manager, we'd like to try some too." As they spoke, they each took a pair of chopsticks, their mouths agape with eager anticipation.
Manager Wang urged eagerly, "Try it! Try it! This tastes absolutely amazing! I guarantee that no one but us has ever eaten such delicious fish! It's incredible!"
The three cooks, their hands trembling with excitement, each gently picked up a piece, held it in their hands, and put it into their mouths.
After finishing their meal, they were just like Manager Wang! They exclaimed how amazing and incredible it was, and everyone willingly gave Lan Ya Mei a thumbs up.
The eavesdroppers at the door couldn't resist any longer. The aroma wafting from the crack in the door was too tempting, and they leaned closer and closer, wishing they could take a few more breaths.
With a thud, the kitchen door was forced open, and all the workers fell to the ground. They quickly got up, scratching their heads with a sheepish grin, and explained, "Boss, this smells so good, we want to try it too."
Seeing this, Manager Wang stepped forward and blocked the crowd, saying, "It's not time for you to eat yet! Once the chef's skills are more proficient, you'll definitely get your share. You're all just greedy monkeys, what's the rush? Besides, Manager Lan is here, it's too embarrassing for you to act like this."
The group of men bowed awkwardly in unison and then ran off in a flash.
Only then did Manager Wang put on a smiling face and thank Lan Yamei profusely.
Lan Yamei just smiled slightly, and then, making an excuse that she had a lot of things to do at the shop, she went back first.
Manager Wang saw the man out of Zuixianglou and then asked, "Manager Lan, what's the name of this dish?"
"Pickled cabbage fish".
Why is it called pickled cabbage fish?
"From birth to adulthood, and finally to becoming a dish, isn't this fish just like life?" Lan Yamei asked mysteriously.
What do you mean?
"So sour! So bland! It's all for nothing!" After saying this, Lan Yamei walked away without looking back.
But Manager Wang seemed to have unlocked the secret to wealth. He immediately turned back into the shop, beckoned his most astute employee, and whispered a few words to him. The employee, upon receiving the order, grabbed five taels of silver and dashed out the door.
Once the waiter had disappeared, they hurried back to the kitchen and plunged into the research to unlock the secret recipe with the three chefs.
That night, no one knew why the Drunken Fragrance Pavilion, which had no business, was brightly lit until dawn.
When Lan Yamei returned to the shop, Tie Tou rushed up to her, anxiously saying, "Something's happened!"
Lan Yamei felt a pang of panic, fearing more news of deaths. Especially Aunt Guan and Uncle Ouyang—they absolutely couldn't be harmed.
"What's up?"
Tie Tou frowned and said, "You asked me to go to the Ouyang residence to pick up someone. I happened to see that the gate leading from the second courtyard to the front courtyard was open, so I casually asked the waitresses what they were doing in the front courtyard. They all said they hadn't gone there. So I mustered up my courage and went in to take a look. Guess who I saw?"
"Stop keeping me in suspense, just tell me."
"I saw Grandpa Ouyang return, but he was being escorted by two masked men in black. Before I could even speak, one of the men in black struck me with a palm. If I hadn't been skilled in martial arts, I would definitely be dead today." Tie Tou still felt lingering fear as he recalled what had just happened.
"Their kung fu is inferior to yours?" Lan Yamei quickly sorted out her thoughts, and without even entering the barbecue restaurant, she rushed towards the Murong residence.
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