Chapter 232 - 149: Mapo Tofu
[A Batch of Rather Excellent Dried Tofu]
The system delivered its Identification.
Zhou Yan turned to look at Lai Fu, who was standing at the entrance of the thatched hut. He took out a pen and paper and wrote a line: "May I try a piece?"
Lai Fu smiled and nodded.
Zhou Yan took a piece of dried tofu from the sieve. It was still a bit hot to the touch. He tossed it back and forth between his hands a few times to keep from dropping it as he ducked out of the thatched hut.
The dried tofu was about a centimeter thick, cut into perfect squares. Its surface was already baked slightly dry, and it had a vibrant, reddish-brown color.
Zhou Yan sniffed it and caught a faint braised aroma. He broke off a corner. The outer shell was baked to a slight crisp, but the inside was still white with a yellowish tinge. The tofu still looked delicate.
He took a bite. It had a slightly springy, chewy texture. The braised flavor was rich, the soy aroma was prominent, and a subtly sweet aftertaste lingered after he swallowed.
This dried tofu really was excellent.
It was just the braising liquid...
Compared to his grandmother’s pot of aged master brine, it was still lacking something.
But in terms of the dried tofu’s texture alone, it was made to a very high standard.
The "Rather Excellent" Identification was a level below the tofu skin’s, which must have been due to the shortcomings of the braising liquid.
However, he didn’t necessarily need the finished product. Zhou Yan glanced at the six empty bamboo sieves in the hut and considered his options. Holding a piece of tofu skin in one hand and munching on the dried tofu, he turned and went into the main hall.
The two cousins were reminiscing about bitter pasts and sweet presents, and they seemed to be having a very happy chat.
Zhou Yan didn’t know where his grandmother had conjured a bottle of liquor from, but she was already drinking with Mrs. Sun. A bite of pig’s head meat, a sip of liquor—they were the picture of hearty enjoyment.
She looked nothing like the old woman from before, who had stood at the door with a hunched back and a long face.
Once the two had finished the two liang of liquor in their cups, Zhou Yan stepped forward with the tofu skin and dried tofu. He looked at Mrs. Sun and said, "Great-aunt, how much do you sell this tofu skin and dried tofu for? I’m planning to make some braised vegetarian dishes, and I saw your tofu skin is excellent. I’d like to place an order with you."
"I usually sell the tofu skin for eighty cents a jin," Mrs. Sun said with a smile, looking at the tofu skin in Zhou Yan’s hands. "If you want it, I can give it to you for sixty cents a jin."
"Eighty cents it is. I won’t take it for a penny less," Zhou Yan said, shaking his head, his attitude firm.
The yield for tofu skin is too low, and the process is incredibly troublesome. Zhou Yan couldn’t take advantage of such a discount.
"It takes two jin of soybeans to make just one jin of tofu skin. It’s a real hassle to make. You have to watch the pot all day, you can’t produce much, and it leaves you with an aching back. Eighty cents isn’t expensive," his grandmother chimed in with a smile. "Your great-aunt makes excellent tofu skin and dried tofu. I used to source my stock from her back in the day."
Zhou Yan was starting to guess why his grandmother had taken this detour from the restaurant. Besides visiting her cousin, she had also brought him here to source ingredients. He smiled and nodded. "For the dried tofu, I’d like a semi-finished product. Just cut the tofu like this and bake it until the surface is yellowish and slightly dry. I’ll take it back to braise and color it myself."
"Alright. That’s what Fen used to ask for, too," Mrs. Sun nodded.
And just like that, Zhou Yan bought out all the tofu skin Mrs. Sun had. It wasn’t a large amount, just five jin, but it filled a large bag.
He placed a standing order for three jin of semi-finished dried tofu per day, starting the morning after next. Lai Fu would carry it to the tofu stall, and Zhou Yan would pick it up himself. The price she gave him was forty cents a jin.
The tofu shrinks by more than half after being baked, so the price wasn’t expensive.
However, Zhou Yan had a condition: for the products delivered to his restaurant, Mrs. Sun had to personally oversee them to guarantee the quality.
"Take care now. Come back again soon," Mrs. Sun said, standing at the door of the main hall and waving to them. She clutched the money in her hand, tears welling in her eyes, which looked a little brighter than when they had arrived.
"We will. You take care of yourself. I’ll come see you again in a few days." His grandmother reached out and patted her head, then turned to leave with Zhou Yan.
Lai Fu walked them to the main gate and followed their bicycle all the way to the small intersection before stopping.
"Great-aunt’s tofu skin and dried tofu are truly amazing. I’ve been going to the wet market every day lately and have never seen tofu skin this good," Zhou Yan said with a smile. "Grandma, I’m thinking of starting to sell braised vegetarian dishes tomorrow."
His grandmother beamed. "Go ahead and sell them! Tofu skin, dried tofu, and then add some kelp, lotus root, and potatoes. Plenty of people love that stuff. Back in the day, my braised vegetarian dishes sold even faster than the braised meat. Kids and women especially loved them."
"You, child, you have a heart of gold, just like your mother." As they neared the restaurant, his grandmother sighed with emotion.
Zhou Yan smiled faintly. "Tofu this good deserves to be passed down! It has to be passed down, forever and ever!"