After finishing the noodles and the soup, Ren Jie looked at the remaining lotus root and pork head at on the table and said, "It’d be a sha to waste these dishes. I should pack them up in case I get hungry later tonight."
The pork head at was delicious, and the sour-sweet taste of the lotus root was also quite appetizing. If it weren’t for the fact that he was already full, he really would have liked to finish it all in one go.
Upon hearing Ren Jie praise the food, Chen Yan imdiately gestured to Xiao Dong, "Get an empty al container to pack these up. Also, pack a few servings of marinated at and one serving of Lotus Root. Check upstairs if there are any freshly baked Sesa Pancakes. If so, pack twenty."
After saying that, she explained to Ren Jie, "If you take them back and your colleagues want to try, you can’t let them eat leftovers, can you? Those pancakes are small; twenty of them aren’t much."
Ren Jie had originally intended to decline. But upon hearing this, he realized he hadn’t considered it thoroughly. If it were his own police squad, it wouldn’t matter since everyone was familiar; no one would mind eating leftovers. But at the Yingchun Street Police Station, where they weren’t as familiar, it really wouldn’t be proper to offer leftovers.
He hadn’t expected the assistant chef to handle the situation with such experience. How many years has she been working in the catering industry?
He laughed and said, "Then I have to thank you, Chef Chen."
"What’s there to thank? It’s just a little food. My sis— Er, when I wasn’t a head chef, my purse was snatched once. A few police officers chased the thief for several streets to get it back for . Consider this a way of showing my gratitude to you all."
Heavens, I almost said ’brother-in-law.’ Luckily, I’m quick-witted and promptly switched to Tiantian’s version of the Northeast dialect; otherwise, I might have easily given myself away.
Before long, Xiao Dong ca over with the packed als and Sesa Pancakes. Without waiting for Chen Yan to instruct further, she took out a few small al containers, poured the lotus root, pork head at, and salt-baked quail eggs into them, and placed them all into the takeout bag.
Ren Jie took out the restaurant’s mbership card from his wallet and passed it to Xiao Dong to settle the bill. Chen Yan had intended to waive the fee, but Ren Jie refused, "If you waive it, how can I co back again? I’ve already topped up the card; I should use it... Oh, by the way, take down my phone number. Rember to call if there’s anything you can’t resolve."
Soon, Xiao Dong returned with the mbership card and the receipt. She had only charged for the noodles and the two side dishes; all the items Chen Yan ordered were not billed.
After Ren Jie left, Chen Yan gave Xiao Dong a thumbs up. "Well done, Xiao Dong. Co here and add on WeChat. Let send you a red packet to treat you to milk tea."
"There’s no need, Chef Chen. I was just doing my job."
"What do you an ’no need’? Hurry up! If you don’t accept it, I’ll curse you to drop two cup sizes! My curses are famously effective; do you want to try?"
Xiao Dong was speechless. Goodness, if I dropped two cup sizes, wouldn’t I be flatter than my back? Chef Chen’s curse is truly vicious.
She hurriedly scanned the QR code, added Chef Chen on WeChat, and accepted the 199-yuan red packet.
After sending the red packet, Chen Yan looked at Shu Yun, who was smiling behind the service counter, and asked, "Have you had your fill of lon seeds?"
"Not yet. I’ll need at least two more plates of salt-baked quail eggs to be satisfied."
"Are you going to eat the salt used for baking the quail eggs too?"
Chen Yan went to the service counter and said to Shu Yun, "This young policeman is from the nearby station. We need to establish a good relationship so that if there’s ever an issue with the restaurant, we’ll have soone familiar to turn to. Deduct the cost of the packed dishes from my account; don’t let it ss up the books."
As she said that, Chen Yan lunged towards Dundun, intending to give the little cutie another squeeze. However, Dundun was already on guard, twisting his chubby body into his small room. After entering, he even blocked the entrance with a cushion. Thus eliminating any possibility of being bullied by his aunt.
Shu Yun waved her hand helplessly. "Go on, go on... Why are you bullying my godson again? Go play with your little policeman if you have nothing better to do."
Unable to bully Dundun, Chen Yan could only return upstairs grudgingly, ready to continue learning how to cook.
As soon as she entered the kitchen, Shen Baobao adopted a soothsayer-like posture and divined, "Last night, as I observed the celestial phenona, I divined that a certain older, single woman’s face was blooming, a springti crush stirring in her heart... Ouch! Stop pinching, stop pinching! Yan Bao, are you addicted to role-playing now?"
"Not at all. I *am* the executive head chef, you know... What are you guys doing?"
"Salt-baking chicken gizzards... They’ll be ready soon."
Once they mastered the salt-baking technique, not only did Chen Yan feel her culinary skills had greatly improved, but even Shen Baobao acted as if she were a super chef whose talent had rely been overshadowed by her good looks.
They would stir-fry coarse sea salt until it began to CRACKLE AND POP, then add the ingredients and bury them completely. With the stove on its lowest heat, they’d wait for the ti Lin Xu specified, then uncover it and take out the food. That was all there was to it. It was so simple it hardly seed like cooking. The only crucial detail was to be clear on the timing, to prevent the ingredients from burning in the salt.
As the sisters were chatting, Lin Xu lifted the lid from the pot braising the chicken gizzards. The distinctive savory scent of sea salt wafted from the pot.
Shen Baobao didn’t bother teasing Chen Yan anymore and obediently approached with a small basin, acting on the principle that the more perceptive an apprentice, the more a master will teach.
I’m so perceptive; does that an I can learn many more dishes?
The sea salt in the pot had once again ford chunks. Lin Xu carefully lifted them with a spatula, then gently tapped the chunks to break them, extracting the enclosed chicken gizzards one by one.
Chicken gizzards are one of the parts of a chicken with the best texture. The famous Shandong dish, Oil-fried Double Crispy, uses chicken gizzards and the top section of a Pork Stomach, creating an irresistibly crisp and tender mouthfeel. The crispness of chicken gizzards is showcased in many dishes. However, salt-baking them yields a soft, tender texture, offering a different kind of culinary pleasure.
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