Starting from a Bankrupt Sichuan Cuisine Restaurant

"You have to pan-fry it in lard. Then, have a pot of boiling water ready. Once the fish is fried, pour in the boiling water, and the soup will naturally turn white."

Zhou Yan explained with a smile, taking the [Perfect Tofu] and cutting it into two-centimeter cubes. He added them to the milky-white fish soup, stuffed a piece of Chestnut Wood into the stove, and cooked the soup over medium-high heat. This was a bit different from the usual method of simmering fish on low heat.

While the fish soup simmered in one pot, he started on the tofu in another.

He heated a spoonful of rapeseed oil in the wok. First, he stir-fried the sliced pork belly until it rendered some fat, curled up, and its surface was slightly seared. Next, he added the finely minced broad bean paste, stir-frying until the red oil was released. He then tossed in ginger, garlic, and pickled peppers. Once their fragrance filled the air, he ladled in a spoonful of water, brought it to a boil, and added the previously fried tofu cubes.

The sauce went BUBBLE BUBBLE, and the aroma of the meat filled the air.

After cooking for two or three minutes, the sauce started to reduce. He added salt and soy sauce, followed by the garlic sprout stems. After a few tosses, he added the leaves. He finished by stirring in a bit of starch slurry. A few more quick tosses, and the thick sauce clung beautifully to the tofu and pork. A plate of soft, flavorful, and beautifully crimson homestyle tofu was ready to be served.

[A Decent Plate of Homestyle Tofu]

Zhou Yan raised an eyebrow. ’Not bad, not bad at all. Getting a "decent" rating on the first try is right about what I expected.’

Meanwhile, the fish soup had grown even milkier. The tofu cubes bobbed up and down in the broth, its fresh, savory aroma wafting through the kitchen.

"Brother, what are you cooking? It smells so good~~" Having finished her pan-fried tofu, Zhou Momo stood on her tiptoes, peering over the edge of the stove, trying to see what was in the pot.

Unfortunately, she was too short. Only her two little braids were visible over the edge. She couldn’t see a thing, which made her terribly anxious.

"Come on, it’s almost ready. Go wait at the table." Mrs. Zhao picked up the plate of homestyle tofu and led Zhou Momo out by the hand.

The seasoning for the crucian carp and tofu soup was simple. All it needed was a little salt before serving. The whole point was to enjoy its natural, fresh flavor.

It was another homestyle dish, one you wouldn’t typically find on the menu at most Sichuan Cuisine restaurants.

Restaurants in Hang City, on the other hand, often served a fish head and tofu soup. They used bighead carp heads, and the method was largely the same: pan-fry the fish head in lard, add boiling water to create a milky-white broth, add tofu, and simmer for a few more minutes. When brought to the table, it was considered a major course.

The soup was savory and the tofu was tender. He could drink several bowls of the soup alone, and it was absolutely fantastic poured over rice.

He poured it from the pot into a large bowl, sprinkled some chopped scallions on top, and the milky-white crucian carp and tofu soup was complete.

"Grandma! You’re here!"

"Mom? How did you get here? Did you walk?"

Zhou Yan was coming out of the kitchen with the fish soup when he saw his grandmother walking in with a small basket.

"Of course I walked. It’s not that far, no need to make a fuss. I used to walk to the market every day. And I made it just in time for lunch, perfect timing," the old lady said with a smile. She glanced at the bowl in Zhou Yan’s hands. "After lunch, I’m going to go see Li Hua. I ran into Sun Sanmei this morning, and she said Li Hua’s eyes are bothering her, so I decided to come on the spur of the moment."

"Isn’t that the auntie who sells tofu? I feel like I haven’t seen her in ages," Zhao Tieying said, a bit surprised.

"Where does she live? Grandma, I can take you there after lunch," Zhou Yan said, placing the soup on the table and looking at his grandmother.

"She’s in Shangshui Village. It’s a bit far. You should take your grandmother this afternoon so she doesn’t have to walk all that way," Zhao Tieying said.

"Alright." The old lady nodded and set her small basket aside. It was filled with chicken eggs, with a huge goose egg at the bottom.

Zhou Yan turned back to the kitchen and brought out a dish of braised beef with dried bamboo shoots.

The old lady had a drink of water and was already seated at the table. Seeing Zhou Yan sit down, she said with a smile, "This crucian carp and tofu soup you made is quite good! It’s so milky-white and smells incredibly fresh."

"Why don’t you try some?" Zhou Yan smiled, took her bowl, and ladled half of it full of soup and a few pieces of tofu.

"Brother~ I want some too," Zhou Momo said, pushing her bowl toward him.

"Alright." Zhou Yan smiled and ladled half a bowl for her as well.

The old lady spooned up some of the soup. The milky-white color was very pleasant to look at. She blew on it gently to cool it down before taking a sip.

Savory!

This fish soup was so savory.

The fresh flavor of the crucian carp had been completely infused into the broth. The taste was very simple, with just a hint of saltiness, which only served to highlight the exquisite freshness of the soup.

The fishy taste had been perfectly eliminated. The biggest fear with a clear broth is failing to suppress that fishiness; it can ruin the whole pot.

The flavor of the soup was mellow yet rich, with an excellent mouthfeel.

After a few more sips, a warmth spread through her body, a comforting feeling from the inside out.

Next, she tried a piece of tofu. Fresh from the hot soup, it was still a bit scalding.

The tofu was incredibly tender and had a rich soy fragrance. It had also soaked up the flavorful fish broth, making it absolutely delicious.

Putting down her spoon, the old lady looked at Zhou Yan and praised him, "This crucian carp and tofu soup you made is just perfect! It’s not fishy at all, the broth is savory and delicious, and the tofu is so tender. It’s savory enough to knock your socks off!"

"The soup is just unbelievably good. The same crucian carp, but in your hands, it really lived up to its potential," Mrs. Zhao said after tasting the soup, looking at Zhou Yan with a hint of admiration.

Zhou Momo loved fish soup, and she had cooked it for her many times before.

’But compared to this bowl of soup today, what did my previous attempts even count as?’

’The fish would be rolling in their graves.’

’I used to think that for crucian carp soup—since you don’t add chili peppers, can’t make it too salty, and don’t add pickles—a little bit of fishiness was normal.’

’If it didn’t turn white, it must have been the fish’s fault. They weren’t big enough or there weren’t enough of them, that’s why the soup wasn’t white.’

But today, she had watched Zhou Yan cook the fish soup. With the exact same kind of crucian carp, he had managed to produce this pot of rich, white, and exquisitely savory broth.