Chapter 190: Chapter 190: Bring on a Bowl of Spicy Tofu Pudding!
The stall wasn’t busy.
Though many customers were placing orders, Jiang Feng, with just one frying pot, fried the youtiao at a leisurely pace. He couldn’t speed up even if he wanted to. With Sun Zhuangfei handling the odd jobs, Jiang Feng didn’t need to bother with miscellaneous matters. Jiang Feng was quite relaxed.
When customers coming up the mountain saw what was happening, none could resist stopping by to eat. The soy milk and youtiao were inexpensive, and the taste was excellent. Who could resist?
A customer who couldn’t find a seat stood not far from the stall, holding a bowl of steaming hot soy milk. He brought the bowl to his lips, gently blew on it, and then took a sip. The rich flavor immediately spread through his mouth. The soy milk was mellow and smooth, with a light, unassertive fragrance that made it exceptionally pleasant to drink.
This is soy milk? He was taken aback. He had never had soy milk before. His breakfast usually consisted of noodles or steamed buns. At most, he would have some spicy tofu brains. He had imagined soy milk would have a strong flavor. But after drinking a bowl of this soy milk, he felt an unprecedented sense of comfort. It was aromatic. The texture was like milk, yet it tasted distinctly different. It was even smoother than milk.
This is really good! He sighed with pleasure and then took another big gulp.
Arriving at the mountaintop in the morning, his body was cold. The wind was strong at the summit. This shed was in a wind-sheltered spot. A flight of steps led up to the actual summit, so it was relatively warmer here. After taking in the view from the summit and coming back down, a bowl of hot soy milk felt truly wonderful. Paired with a couple of youtiao to sate his hunger, it felt even better.
No wonder so many people like to drink soy milk for breakfast; it’s really tasty! the customer thought to himself. However, he didn’t realize that the delicious soy milk he was experiencing was a unique treat. Any soy milk he had after this would fall short in comparison, to varying degrees.
"Boss Jiang, what a coincidence!"
"I’ve been to your place for crawfish before!" A middle-aged man greeted him with a smile.
Jiang Feng also found it surprising. The chances of running into someone multiple times in a big city were slim. However, since Jiang Feng’s food was exceptionally tasty and attracted food enthusiasts, the probability of encountering them again was much higher.
"What a coincidence," Jiang Feng responded politely.
"Get me a bowl of soy milk and four youtiao!" the customer said.
"Just a moment." Jiang Feng continued to fry.
After a busy period, by around 8:30 in the morning, the youtiao dough was all used up. Half an hour later, the soy milk was also completely sold out. Not a drop was left.
Jiang Feng and Sun Zhuangfei had eaten youtiao and drunk soy milk earlier. Now, after being busy until this moment, they were both surprisingly hungry again.
"Let’s pack up."
"Clean this place up, and let’s get ready to go down the mountain!" Jiang Feng said contentedly.
Sun Zhuangfei busily began to tidy up. All the trash was placed in a giant garbage bag. The soy milk bucket was washed clean with water. The basin used for mixing dough was also given a quick rinse. The oil from the frying pot was poured back into the oil barrel. This barrel of oil could last three or four days. Jiang Feng was a conscientious businessman who changed the oil every few days. Some businesses would use the same barrel of oil for months without ever changing it.
After finishing up, Sun Zhuangfei asked for a moment to go see the summit. Jiang Feng also stood at the mountaintop, gazing into the distance. The mountain scenery here was beautiful, with layers of lush, verdant peaks. It felt nice to see the mountains after a long time. However, if one lived in the mountains every day, they would probably yearn to leave as soon as possible.
After admiring the mountain scenery, the two of them walked down the mountain, carrying the garbage bag, the insulated bucket, and the empty basin. They carried a stretcher-like frame designed to hold items, perfectly suited for two people to manage. The path down the mountain also offered a splendid view.
Luckily, because they paid the stall fee to the scenic area, their cable car ride was free. Moreover, when they reached the cable car area, they didn’t need to queue and went straight through. They left the frame inside a building and disposed of the trash at the garbage station. Then, holding the insulated bucket and basin, the two of them took the cable car down the mountain.
The commute for the stall was more troublesome than running the stall itself. But ultimately, running the stall for a week could earn him a Golden Pagoda, so it was highly profitable. Now that he had bought the restaurant, Jiang Feng didn’t have much cash left and needed to earn more.
"Tomorrow, come over at the same time. As soon as we’re ready, we’ll head up the mountain," Jiang Feng told Sun Zhuangfei. "We’ll follow this routine all week."
"Okay, Boss, no problem," Sun Zhuangfei immediately agreed. This week, Jiang Feng had raised his wages again to 500 yuan a day. After all, climbing a section of the mountain every day definitely warranted higher wages.
After Jiang Feng returned home, he collected his system reward:
[Today’s task has been completed. You have received an extra reward:]
[Tofu Pudding Recipe x1]
The system rewarded him with another breakfast recipe. It seemed pretty good; he could try it out tomorrow.
Then, Jiang Feng took out paper and a pen and began to calculate his accounts. After accounting for the labor cost for the porters, stall fees, and one-seventh of yesterday’s moving expenses, his little stall was still profitable. But the profit wasn’t much.
I sold it too cheap. It’s not good to change the price now! Tomorrow, the tofu pudding must be sold for more. I need to make a better profit, Jiang Feng thought to himself. He had a good attitude, but one can’t run a business at a loss. Who would run a business that loses money?
The first day of setting up the stall on the mountaintop went rather smoothly. Although some people recognized him, they didn’t publicize it much. At most, they might post on their social media, so the news didn’t spread that quickly. So, for now, the foodie groups remained silent. That’s how online information works: it’s either calm seas or sudden storms, which was fine by him. Jiang Feng quite enjoyed this leisurely pace of frying youtiao. After all, there was no shortage of customers on the mountaintop. Which climber wouldn’t stop by for breakfast?
「In the afternoon,」 Jiang Feng walked his dog, Little Black, and researched how to make tofu pudding. In some places, tofu pudding is considered the same as tofu brains, but there is actually a difference. Tofu brains are more tender, while tofu pudding is smoother.
The method for making tofu pudding involves boiling soaked soybeans into soy milk, filtering it, and then, while simmering the soy milk, gradually adding brine. After repeating this process several times, large curds of protein will coagulate in the soy milk. Eventually, large protein curds will settle at the bottom of the pot, with a layer of liquid on top. Scoop out the excess liquid, and what remains is the tofu pudding. The tofu pudding solidifies. It’s then cut into small pieces with a knife, scooped into a bowl, and seasoning is added to make a complete dish.
Naturally, the seasoning would be spicy. Sweet tofu brains isn’t popular in the Sichuan Province and Chongqing City region; people there prefer spicy flavors.
Soybeans need to soak overnight to make soy milk, so Jiang Feng couldn’t make tofu pudding today. However, he could prepare the seasoning in advance. Jing tiao chilies, bullet head chilies, and facing heaven chilies were put into a pot and boiled vigorously for over ten minutes. Then, all the chilies were scooped out and finely chopped. Finally, rapeseed oil was added to the pot, along with the chopped chilies, red oil chili bean paste, and five-spice powder. The pot was filled with a vibrant mix of red and yellow. For those who love spicy food, just looking at this pot of chili sauce would make their mouths water. Lastly, salt, minced garlic, MSG, chicken bouillon powder, light soy sauce, sesame oil, and chopped scallions were to be added. With these seasonings sprinkled on the tofu pudding, it was hard to imagine it not being delicious. Truly fragrant and spicy tofu pudding.
Jiang Feng tasted the chili sauce. It was fragrant and spicy, perfect even as a hot pot dipping sauce.
This bowl of tofu pudding should sell for at least 10 yuan, Jiang Feng thought to himself.
The dipping sauce for tofu pudding needs to be heavy on oil, strong in flavor, and intensely spicy to complement the blandness of the tofu itself. That way, customers can enjoy both the fresh, tender, and smooth texture of the tofu and the stimulation on their taste buds. That’s what makes it a delight to eat.
Jiang Feng had his own unique insights into gourmet food. Different regions have different tastes, requiring different seasonings. In the Sichuan Province and Chongqing City area, people love their spice. Dishes like tofu pudding, pig’s trotter jelly, brain flower, and skewered street foods all need to be spicy to be delicious.
「The next morning,」 with everything prepared, Jiang Feng and Sun Zhuangfei met at the greasy spoon and busily started making soy milk. Today’s batch of soy milk was even larger. Jiang Feng had also prepared the youtiao dough well in advance.
"Boss, there’s even more soy milk today! The insulated barrel is brimming full," Sun Zhuangfei remarked.
"That’s right. When we get up the mountain, we have to make a pot of tofu pudding first. Here’s a bucket of the chili sauce I prepared. Make absolutely sure not to spill it," Jiang Feng said, pointing to a small, sealed bucket.
"No problem!" Sun Zhuangfei assured him.
The two of them packed everything up. Jiang Feng then drove his car, taking Sun Zhuangfei and Little Black with him, heading towards Mount Qingcheng. Pets were allowed in the mountains, but most people chose not to bring them, as dogs generally didn’t have the stamina for climbing. Little Black was very energetic. He hadn’t gotten enough exercise the day before and had been particularly restless at home. So, Jiang Feng thought he might as well bring him to the mountains. He could give him a good long walk there.
Jiang Feng also called the two porters from yesterday. With them, it would be more convenient to carry the soy milk.
They set out to climb the mountain just as the sun was rising. Tourists were admiring the spectacular sunrise from various spots. Jiang Feng and his companions climbed the final flight of stairs at a steady pace. The sunlight shone on them, warm and comforting. It had been chilly before, but the sunlight made them feel instantly comfortable.