Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country-Chapter 306 - 307: Char Siu Rice Pro Max Edition

"Boss, I’m telling you, why do you push yourself so hard? At worst, I’ll earn money to take care of you in the future. Look at how exhausted you’ve made yourself."

Zhuo Qianqian grumbled while earnestly massaging Wang Fan to help him relax.

What chef cooks 1,000 servings of "Dry-Fried Beef River" in one night?!

Even cooking 1,000 servings of fried rice could be exhausting, let alone constantly stir-frying "Dry-Fried Beef River."

Wang Fan lay there, speaking in a muffled voice, "I always feel I can’t refuse the requests from the future flowers of the motherland."

Zhuo Qianqian, annoyed, said, "If you keep this up, I really might end up a widow."

Wang Fan, smiling despite himself, said, "Wish me well, alright? It’s just this time, I definitely won’t do it next time, okay?"

"Do you promise?"

"I promise."

"Pinky swear."

Zhuo Qianqian extended her little finger to Wang Fan’s side, and Wang Fan smiled as he wrapped his pinky around hers.

"You better keep your word!"

Wang Fan lay down again.

He didn’t know what he was thinking, suddenly increasing his workload by more than half, making his whole body ache even with his physical fitness.

Money wasn’t an issue; even selling at the lowest price, he could easily earn five to six thousand a day, and with the rental income from two shops, he could certainly work more comfortably and take it easy.

Maybe he just felt a bit sympathetic with these fellow compatriots striving to study in a foreign land?

But Wang Fan suddenly realized that his absolute control seemed to have hit a snag.

He felt like he was losing more and more control over his own girlfriend.

Like right now.

"Come over here, you."

With a slight pull, amidst Zhuo Qianqian’s surprised yelp, he gathered her into his arms.

With his arms around her slender waist, inhaling her orchid-like scent, Wang Fan felt that spending a lifetime like this would undoubtedly be the happiest thing ever.

Nowadays, many people prefer finding a girlfriend who’s older because they are more mature and independent, tending to one’s needs knowingly and consoling them wisely.

Wang Fan didn’t feel he needed that; even though he never enjoyed such things from a young age, he didn’t feel that he must have them.

Getting along with Zhuo Qianqian, this little foodie, was just fine.

And even though she’s younger than him, her foodie nature is very independent, not requiring him to serve her as if she’s an ancestor. Letting go of a girlfriend like that would probably even get heaven upset.

Zhuo Qianqian, with her bright eyes, looked at Wang Fan, feeling a bit nervous and shy, but as a Uighur girl, she wouldn’t hide her feelings.

She likes what she likes, and doesn’t what she doesn’t — no beat around the bush.

Thinking of Wang Fan’s miserable state today, she couldn’t help but bite Wang Fan’s arm resentfully.

She waved her little fist in a somewhat challenging manner: "Have you seen a fist as big as a casserole? Dare to act like today again, and I’ll let you taste my fist!"

"Isn’t it supposed to be a fist as big as a sandbag? Casserole... that’s like an elephant’s fist."

"Then go catch an elephant from Wild Elephant Valley to hit you."

"A bit too harsh, isn’t it?"

"Oh, then a baby elephant."

With his sweet and beautiful girlfriend in his arms, after a little hugging and kissing, Wang Fan, already tired from a day’s work, quickly fell into a deep sleep.

That night he slept exceptionally sweetly.

...

Energized, refreshed... ahem ahem.

After a night of deep sleep, Wang Fan was revived fully, completed the breakfast service on time, and prepared non-stop for the last lunch of the week.

Midday naturally calls for something hearty.

A bowl of Char Siu Rice could solve cravings; if not, then the Char Siu Rice Pro Max version – Comforting Silky Egg Char Siu Rice would!

There’s a saying in Guangfu: "Better to birth a piece of char siu than you!" which shows the esteemed status of Char Siu Rice.

Stephen Chow’s Comforting Silky Egg Rice made people cry because it had onions, but Wang Fan’s doesn’t have onions; however, it would still make people cry, though the tears would slide down from the corners of their mouths.

The two part-time kitchen helpers, Chen Qing and Zhao Liang, were ready.

Wang Fan gave the two their first task—mince garlic.

The two of them sat on small stools and quickly peeled hundreds of plump single cloves of garlic.

Then the sound of "bang, bang, bang" kept echoing continuously from the kitchen.

After preparing the minced garlic, the pair received their second task—cut the pork belly.

Meanwhile, Wang Fan began preparing the marinade for the char siu.

A little minced garlic, some chu hou paste, sesame paste, peanut butter, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, five-spice powder, rice wine...

Wang Fan poured the ingredients into an extra-large basin; anything smaller wouldn’t suit him.

After his marinade was ready, the pair had already cut many long strips of three-layered pork belly, three parts fat and two parts lean.

The Peppa Pig family loves to jump in muddy puddles. I wonder if they would love jumping in a marinade basin?

Unless they object, they probably would.

Once the fresh pork belly strips were submerged in the marinade, Wang Fan gently massaged them with gloved hands, ensuring every piece was evenly coated, leaving nowhere unmarinated since he wouldn’t allow any gaps in the char siu he made.

There are generally two ways to make Char Siu: roast them in an oven after marination, or fry them in a pan. Wang Fan chose the latter.

Roasting requires too lengthy marination, unsuitable for his situation.

Once the meat was marinated, he directly heated a pot with oil; once the oil barely reached the right temperature, he turned to low heat and placed the strips of pork belly into the pot to fry slowly.

At that time, the kitchen was no longer limited to one pot; five large pots were in operation simultaneously to meet these students’ demands.

"Sizzle..."

As the oil temperature rose gradually, the crisp sound of frying began, but Wang Fan didn’t tend to the pots. Instead, he poured a bucket of purified water directly into the marinade pot where the pork belly was cooked.

Chen Qing and Zhao Liang continually stirred the sauce with large spoons, while Wang Fan started turning the pork belly in the pot.

The first side was cooked for 6 minutes, and its surface was already slightly caramelized; a rich aroma began wafting through the kitchen.

Once all the pork belly was turned, Wang Fan poured rice wine into each pot.

"Whoosh..."

As soon as the rice wine hit the pot, the splattering grease ignited instantly, and the pots erupted in fierce flames. Wang Fan remained unfazed, watching the flames swirl in the pots without any intention to extinguish them.

He not only didn’t extinguish them but also tossed the pots to intensify the burning.

As the flames gradually diminished, the sauce was mixed evenly by Zhao Liang and Chen Qing. Wang Fan ladled spoonfuls of the sauce into each pot, covering each with its lid afterward for slow simmering for 6 minutes, allowing the sauce to thoroughly permeate the meat, transforming the pork belly into Wang Fan’s envisioned result.