Eight Treasures Tofu is a staple at nearly every restaurant in Tianjin.
But what’s magical about it is that there’s no standardized recipe.
Ten restaurants will offer ten different tastes, and even having ten use different side dishes is perfectly normal.
Zhu Yuxiao loves Golden Pavilion Tianjin Cuisine over on Binjiang Avenue the most. The portions are large and flavorful; one plate can provide three bowls of rice and still have leftovers to take ho.
However, lately, he’s been busy reviewing for final exams and hasn’t had it in a month.
The dish before him, along with the aroma, was at a level unmatched by any place he had tried.
When your favorite dish is right in front of you, and you’re only allowed to look but not taste, isn’t that just torture?
Wang Fan helplessly said, "It’s not that I don’t want to cook for you; I’m just busy making potstickers and pan-fried buns. Taking ti to cook for my girlfriend is already my limit, so please spare , you two."
Zhu Yuxiao slapped the table, "Then I’ll be your girlfriend, and you can cook for . Wouldn’t that be perfect?"
Shen Cong and Wang Fan stared at him in shock; did he really just say that shalessly?
Zhu Yuxiao realized he misspoke and quickly corrected, "I can also be your boyfriend!"
Wang Fan now had a new understanding of Zhu Yuxiao’s mouth—it was truly "unfiltered"!
"Maybe in the future when there’s an opportunity."
Zhuo Qianqian and the others were in a nearby classroom today. The four of them were used to exercising, so they arrived quickly, just in ti to reach the second floor.
Shen Cong couldn’t help but feel a bit envious; having a boyfriend who can cook well is sothing, isn’t it? And getting special als every day!
You’re isolating yourself from the masses; we disdain you!
Zhuo Qianqian and her friends greeted Wang Fan and eagerly carried their trays to the private room.
On the tray was a plate of Eight Treasures Tofu and a large bowl of rice. This was a limited quantity strongly requested by Zhuo Qianqian, as she thought if they kept eating like they did at lunch, her roommates’ weights would skyrocket.
As Jiang Chenchen entered the room, she smiled slyly like a fox that had just stolen a chicken, "Those two classmates just now practically had strings in their eyes looking at us, hahahaha, it’s like they wish they could trade places with us."
Li Jing indulgently inhaled the fragrant aroma from the dish, "Don’t laugh at others. If soone passed by with a dish like this, I’d also feel envy and resentnt. This dish slls amazing!"
Zhang Ya had already picked up a large shrimp and asked, "How can 15 yuan get us so much seafood?"
Zhuo Qianqian confidently said, "It’s not too bad; before, we paid 38 yuan for a plate outside, right? They have to at least sell it for double the cost of the ingredients to make a profit, otherwise, how would the restaurant earn?"
Zhang Ya thought about it and agreed, then focused on the big shrimp, popping it into her mouth.
"Delicious!"
The mont the shrimp entered her mouth, Zhang Ya’s mind was flooded with a big exclamation point and the word "delicious."
Eight Treasures Tofu is a dish that emphasizes taste over appearance, aiming to fully bring out the sweetness of the seafood. With Tianjin people having a heavy palate, the dish involves a thick gravy, coating all the cooked juices and seasonings onto the ingredients.
When it cos to bringing out the natural flavors of ingredients, Wang Fan is an expert. Once he enhances the flavors, and covers the ingredients with all that essence, you can imagine the dish’s deliciousness.
Zhuo Qianqian, being clever, knew that the focus on Eight Treasures Tofu had to be the tofu, so she set her sights on that.
Picking up a piece coated in the thick gravy, fried to a golden hue, even before it reached her mouth, she could already sll the unique savory aroma of seafood, mingled with the undeniable scent of bean curd.
Just slling it opened her appetite, with her mouth already beginning to water.
The mont the tofu hit her mouth and she gently bit down, there was a crispy crackle, and the crunchy shell gave way to the impossibly tender tofu inside, worthy of lting in the mouth.
Typically, tofu isn’t good at absorbing flavors, but with the rich gravy, it no longer matters as long as you start chewing. The thick gravy subdues the tofu perfectly.
The crispy shell, combined with the rich seafood flavor and the soft tender texture inside, layered the flavors so much that Zhuo Qianqian couldn’t help but squint in delight.
In the small private room, everyone was silent, savoring this local Tianjin delicacy with their full sense of taste.
In the end, Zhuo Qianqian poured the rice into the plate, spread it evenly to let the rice absorb all the juices, and scooped a mouthful. The satisfaction was so intense that it drove one wild with love.
"Burp."
Zhang Ya burped contentedly and exclaid, "If I keep eating like this for a month, I’ll round up like a ball."
Li Jing, with a toothpick in her mouth, said, "If you don’t want to get fat, exercise more; if you don’t want to work out, just get fat. As long as you’re comfortable, why worry about others’ opinions?"Jiang Chenchen shrugged, "We’re all single anyway; no one to care even if we get fat. Our parents would just be glad to see us gain so weight."
Zhang Ya sighed, "Comparing with others is like asking for self-pity. Look at this foodie, eating more than anyone and still not gaining weight."
Jiang Chenchen glanced at Zhuo Qianqian and sighed enviously, "Is she not getting fat? Her body knows where the at should go, unlike the uncooperative bits on our bodies."
After saying that, the three of them glanced at Zhuo Qianqian and sighed enviously.
Zhuo Qianqian, confused, looked at herself, wondering if she had sauce splashed on her clothes.
"Why are you all staring at ?"
Li Jing said, "Just eat, none of your business."
Zhuo Qianqian wrinkled her nose playfully at Li Jing and continued to eat her seafood soup rice, savoring each mouthful in silence.
"Let’s go, let’s move a bit after resting; let’s not be the third wheel here. Thank the chef for us later."
...
"Have they left?"
Finished with his tasks, Wang Fan carried his own al into the private room, seeing Zhuo Qianqian alone with a book.
Zhuo Qianqian put down her book and nodded, "Seeing how busy you were, they asked to thank you for the hospitality."
Wang Fan put down his plate and smiled, "What are you reading? I rember you said you finished all your freshman year courses?"
Zhuo Qianqian nodded, "Yes, this is for sophomore year. I got it from the teacher yesterday."
Wang Fan looked at Zhuo Qianqian, both speechless and envious, "Besides studying, do you have any other talents?"
They say when God closes a door, He opens a window. Other than cooking, it seems I’m just average. Can Zhuo Qianqian’s big appetite be considered a talent?
Zhuo Qianqian arched her eyebrows and cheekily said, "I have long legs!"
Saying so, she stretched her leg beside her, and Wang Fan’s gaze naturally followed.
Zhuo Qianqian’s legs were unlike the current vogue of pencil-thin limbs; they weren’t excessively slender, nor the so-called stick-thin legs.
Her fair and long calves even sported muscle lines, giving them a more natural, healthy look, exuding strength.
Wang Fan thought these legs were better looking than those so-called manga legs of celebrities, and it definitely wasn’t his ’girlfriend filter’ talking.
After all, humans are still animals, and a healthy body is the most beautiful.
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