Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country-Chapter 365 - 366: Poached Prawns, Learn with Me

Who am I? Where am I? What am I going to do?

The beef meatballs in my mouth were all swallowed down, yet the lingering taste left Mr. Zhuo endlessly savoring.

His whole head felt a little dizzy, and he couldn’t help but ask himself three philosophical questions.

Once he finally snapped back to his senses and looked at the remaining meatball in the bowl, it seemed as if the ordinary Yang Guo had removed his mask and turned into the extremely fair Principal Gu.

This difference is just too much, isn’t it?!

If he hadn’t personally tasted them, he would never believe there could be such delicious beef meatballs in the world!

The texture and flavor were both unbeatable, as if this was the only right way to eat beef and shrimp.

Suddenly, he froze, remembering what Wang Fan initially said about giving some to the neighbors, and now tasting it, he felt this might not be so simple.

His daughter mentioned that this guy is a bit introverted and doesn’t like to deal with strangers. Suddenly, he’s setting up a stall at his own ranch to sell food and give some to the neighbors. Could he have discovered something and is helping in his unique way?

Is there a mole?

Mr. Zhuo looked suspiciously at Mrs. Zhuo and Zhuo Qianqian; since his daughter herself didn’t know about this, she obviously couldn’t be the mole, so the answer could only be one!

Did I become the mole?

His wife could not be doubted; the severe consequences of that wouldn’t be bearable for the average person.

Zhuo Qianqian chuckled, "Dad, hurry and clean up. You’re such a grown-up, how come you eat and make a mess everywhere?"

"Hmm?"

Mr. Zhuo was startled, suddenly recalling that he might have sprayed while biting the meatball, quickly bowing his head to see several marks on the floor.

With a flushed face, he hastened to grab a tissue to wipe the floor.

"Ahem..."

He coughed lightly to ease the embarrassment, stood up, and said, "Go pack those meatballs, I’ll deliver some to the uncles and aunts around, don’t pack too many, six per family is enough."

It’s not that he was stingy, mainly because he knew how much beef was in the kitchen, giving out too many would not be enough for others, and delivering fewer to each can achieve a hunger-marketing effect.

Zhuo Qianqian responded, returning to the kitchen to find that Wang Fan had already packed the meatballs into disposable small bowls, with exactly six in each.

Zhuo Qianqian exclaimed, "Wow, boss, I’m starting to doubt whether I’m actually my dad’s biological child or you are. You two seem to have a telepathic connection?"

Wang Fan looked at her, puzzled. She repeated what Mr. Zhuo had just instructed to Wang Fan.

Wang Fan chuckled, truly a testament to the genes that produced an academic prodigy, clearly understanding his implied meaning.

"Ask uncle when he’ll be back roughly, so I can time the dishes."

"20 minutes."

Mr. Zhuo appeared at the kitchen door, "A lap would be about 20 minutes."

Wang Fan nodded, "Alright, that timing works well."

Mr. Zhuo wrapped up the meatball boxes in a plastic bag. Just before heading out, he said, "Your cooking skills are really impressive, kid."

Saying so, he left without looking back.

Wang Fan raised his eyebrows and smiled; it was indeed a perfect start.

Zhuo Qianqian, looking at the things laid out in the kitchen, asked curiously, "What are you planning to make?"

Wang Fan replied, "Boiled shrimp, salt and pepper shrimp, oil-braised prawns, prawns stewed with cabbage."

"Oh wow, today’s theme is a prawn conference."

The oil-braised prawns and salt and pepper shrimp take a bit more time, so Wang Fan started with those two, then made prawns stewed with cabbage, and finished with boiled shrimp.

Boiling, as the name implies, is to scald raw food with boiling water or broth.

The higher-end the ingredients, the simpler the cooking often needed, yet simpler methods tend to reveal a bigger gap between the chefs’ dishes.

Once the water in the pot boiled, he put in the white prawns that were still quite lively, cooked them for 10 seconds, then turned off the heat, but didn’t rush to take the prawns out. After soaking for another 1.5 minutes, he added a spoonful of sugar to the pot.

After soaking for another 30 seconds, he added a spoonful of salt to the pot.

Zhuo Qianqian watched Wang Fan, who was timing and adding ingredients with admiration, "Boss, it’s just boiled shrimp, but you’re making it so ritualistic."

Wang Fan shook his head, "This isn’t ritual. Each step is the experience summarized by the master chefs. Shrimp are very delicate, especially with boiling method, if not careful, it’ll affect the taste."

He went on to educate Zhuo Qianqian further: "First, boiled shrimp must use fresh ones. Ours being freshly caught, it’s definitely fresh. Then boiled shrimp shouldn’t be cooked too long; otherwise, the protein escapes, and the shrimp’s fibers and muscles tighten, making them less fresh. Ginger shouldn’t be added to boiled shrimp, it makes the shrimp meat loose. Sugar makes the shrimp shiny and enhances the flavor, while salt can’t be added too early, as it causes the shrimp meat to lose water, making them firm. Look at the water in the pot."

Wang Fan pointed to the pot of boiled shrimp.

Zhuo Qianqian leaned over and saw the water clear and shiny, without the usual white foam appearing when boiling shrimp.

But she wasn’t knowledgeable about cooking shrimp: "But after all, it’s just boiled, isn’t the final taste decided by the dipping sauce?"

Wang Fan already took the shrimp out of the pot and neatly arranged them on a plate, lining them one by one, quickly forming a layer at the bottom, then placing a small circle for a second layer before smiling, "Who said boiled shrimp must have dipping sauce?"

He picked up an extra shrimp after arranging it and directly went for the pinch and peel.

White shrimp from South America are characterized by thin shells and thick meat. Wang Fan peeled the shell off and held the shrimp tail, offering the shrimp meat to Zhuo Qianqian’s mouth.

"Try it out. Is it different from what you’ve had before?"

Zhuo Qianqian opened her mouth and bit into the shrimp meat, feeling the wave of the sea hit her face as soon as the shrimp meat entered her mouth.

Soon, the incredibly fresh sweetness was sensed by her taste buds, and she couldn’t help but chew.

Fresh, tender, bouncy, juicy, with a hint of saltiness, filled with the taste of the ocean, making Zhuo Qianqian’s eyes widen.

Is this shrimp raised by her own family?

Impossible, right?

She had eaten boiled shrimp before, but they never tasted this fresh, including those Wang Fan had previously cooked, none could compare to this one.

"Boss, I think the only one who can beat you is yourself."

Wang Fan smiled gleefully; indeed, he had surpassed his past self.

Cooking is truly something that needs to accumulate, the same recipes, and ingredients, but the skill level can indeed affect the final taste of the dish.

Now, thinking back to his previous cooking steps, he could sharply detect his past shortcomings.

And by compensating for those shortcomings, his culinary skills would reach another minor level up.