Rebirth: Starting from the Cafeteria

Chapter 33: Words in the Wine
Tonight Du Shaojie plans to make [Kung Pao Chicken], [Boiled Pork Slices], [Braised Hairtail Fish], [Mapo Tofu], [Ants Climbing a Tree], [Vinegar and Stir-fried Cabbage], [Sweet Potatoes], and finally a pot of chicken soup.

The chicken soup had already been stewing in the pot, and his soup pot finally found a use.

"Xiaomei, go and do your thing. I'll take care of the rest myself."

The rest were technical work, so Du Shaojie asked his sister to go back to the house to learn, and then he started cutting vegetables.

Today's main dish is [Boiled Pork Slices]. The meat slices should be cut thinner and the marinating and starching process should also be very particular. Although it was his first time making this dish, he was very familiar with the cooking method and process.

This dish was on the cookbook Liao Yongxin gave him, and he wanted to try it.

As the saying goes, if you master one skill, you master all skills. Cooking skills are all the same. He is very confident in himself. Whether he can make it into the mainstream or not is not the first question. At least the taste will not be bad. You will know by looking at the expressions of your friends.

It didn't take long before all the preparations for the job were ready.

"Shaojie, we are here."

Su Dapeng rushed over after get off work and met Liang Meiqin in front of Du Shaojie's house, so the two of them walked in together.

"Meiqin, Dapeng, go in and sit down first. I'll start cooking."

Du Shaojie poked his head out of the kitchen and responded, then started to make braised hairtail.

The easiest way to braise hairtail is to fry it first. He just pours a proper amount of oil into the pan and fry it. When both sides of the hairtail are fried until golden brown, add onion, ginger, garlic and chili peppers and stir-fry until fragrant, then add hot water to simmer and season.

Add soy sauce for color, a little pepper to remove the fishy smell, and then add appropriate amounts of salt and sugar.

Later, simmer the soup over high heat until it thickens, then serve.

If conditions permit, you can sprinkle some chopped green onions or minced garlic sprouts on it. If not, you can just give up.

Next, he made Mapo Tofu. He had made this dish many times in his previous life, but this was the first time he made it in this life.

A very homely dish. The classic way to cook it calls for minced beef, but of course it can also be cooked without meat.

The key points of this dish are to make the knife-edge peppers, which is to fry the Sichuan peppercorns and dried peppers in a hot pan over low heat until dry and fragrant, and then chop them with a kitchen knife.

Second, the sauce should be thickened three times before serving, and the sauce should be gradually thickened, so that the quality of the finished dish will be the best.

Boiled pork slices not only tests your knife skills, but also your control of the heat.

Du Shaojie completed the preparation of this dish very well relying on his memory. He took out two slices of meat from a small bowl and tasted them. They were tender and smooth, with a spicy taste that stimulated the taste buds.

In addition, the bean sprouts at the bottom are also delicious.

As for what kind of vegetables to use as the base, it can be adjusted according to local conditions and personal preference.

Then he started to stir-fry the Kung Pao Chicken. There is no need to explain this dish in detail, as Du Shaojie was already very familiar with it. The whole stir-frying process was done in one go and he felt great about it.

"Xiaomei, take it."

Du Xiaomei went back to her room to do some homework. After her brother started cooking, she packed her schoolbag and came over to serve the dishes.

Qi Yan and Liang Meiqin wanted to help, but Wang Yuxiu refused, so they did not insist.

"Mmm, smells good."

Xiaomei's mouth was watering as she smelled the food.

She quickly took the [Kung Pao Chicken] away, and Du Shaojie then fried [Vinegar and Cabbage], and then started to fry [Ants Climbing Trees].

Ants Climbing a Tree is actually vermicelli and minced meat, which is not difficult to make. The only thing you need to pay attention to is to prevent the vermicelli from sticking together during the frying process, which will affect the appearance and taste of the dish.

This was not a problem for Du Shaojie. The dish came out quickly and looked delicious.

The fragrant chicken soup was ready, filling a large pot, and he personally served it.

The last one is the sugar-coated potatoes. People here usually call it "sugar-coated potatoes". In short, it's the same thing.

Du Shaojie heated up the pan and added a little oil to stir-fry the sugar color. He had seen Liao Yongxin cook this dish before, and he was already quite good at it, so after the dish was served, it looked very tempting.

Then, he carried the [Sweet Potatoes] into the main room. "Come on, eat it while it's hot. It will lose its flavor if it gets cold."

At this time, Wang Yuxiu had already invited Su Dapeng and others to sit around the table.

Du Shaojie put down the dish and sat down.

He invited everyone to start eating. Since they were all acquaintances, no one was polite.

Qi Yan, Liang Meiqin, Xiaomei and Xiaoya couldn't wait to pick up a piece of potato each. The crystal clear silk thread sparkled under the light and could be pulled out very long.

When eating this thing, you need to put a bowl of cold water in front of you, otherwise it will keep stringing and be inconvenient to eat.

"Brother, it's delicious. I like it."

Xiaoya is definitely a foodie and she is happy as long as she can eat delicious food.

"Yes, it's delicious. The potato cubes are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and coated with a layer of sugar sauce. The taste is really wonderful."

Qi Yan and Liang Meiqin also like to eat this dish. They are not like the girls in later generations who would avoid high-sugar foods as much as possible.

Wang Yuxiu also tasted a piece and nodded slightly.

Even Su Dapeng ate a few more pieces. He was particular about eating like a wolf and would eat anything as long as it was delicious.

Du Shaojie also ate a piece himself and felt quite satisfied.

Then, everyone's tastes began to diverge. Qi Yan liked to eat Kung Pao Chicken, while Liang Meiqin had a special liking for Ants Climbing Trees.

Xiaomei and Xiaoya were having a blast eating the boiled pork slices. Even though it was very spicy, they still enjoyed the meal.

Du Shaojie was a little craving for tofu, so he ate a few more bites of Mapo Tofu.

After everyone had eaten a little, he raised his glass and said, "Yanzi, Meiqin, Dapeng, I've been away from home for a long time, thanks to you. I won't say anything more, come on, have a drink!"

The wine was a bottle of Erguotou that Du Shaojie brought back. Except for Wang Yuxiu and her two sisters, the other four raised their glasses, clinked them together, and then drank them all in one gulp.

This was the first glass of wine and neither girl refused.

The key is that today’s dishes are all delicious, and it seems like something is missing if I don’t drink a little.

Du Shaojie didn't care about the two of them. If they could drink, they could drink. If they couldn't drink, they didn't drink. Everything was up to them.

"Shaojie, wait for me. I will go to your farm to play for a few days in July at the latest."

After drinking a few glasses of wine, Su Dapeng started to bring up the old things again.

Qi Yan and Liang Meiqin were also very moved when they heard it.

But they thought about it and gave up. Their family would not allow them to live outside, especially since they would be away for several days.

"Sure, as long as you don't mind the poor conditions over there, I'll welcome you with open arms."

Du Shaojie had to give this guy face in front of everyone. To be honest, he was always worried about going into the mountains to hunt.

But it's still early, some things can wait until later.

"Yanzi, have you solved your work problem?"

The two men continued drinking. Wang Yuxiu was afraid of neglecting Qi Yan and Liang Meiqin, so she took the initiative to start a conversation.

"Well, it's settled. I'll be working at the Chongqing Heavy Industry School next semester."

Qi Yan smiled slightly and gave a positive answer.

It is not uncommon for high school students to teach elementary school students or even junior high school students these days. Moreover, they are substitute teachers, which is not difficult for Qi Yan's family at all.

The full name of "Heavy Industry Bureau Children's School" is "Heavy Industry Bureau Children's School". It is located in the old Mancheng, which is a little far away.

(End of this chapter)