Chapter 52: Pork Flatbread and Konjac Noodle

Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios

Ms. Li couldn’t help but finish half a plate. Then, she put down her chopsticks in embarrassment.

Xu Tian had already finished eating and was unwillingly being forced to drink her milk by her brother’s stare.

Xu Le said, “Teacher Li, if you like it, eat more. Anyway, I am going to the store today. If I left the food in the fridge as leftovers, it won’t taste good when I come back.” After finding a reasonable way out for her, Teacher Li was overjoyed. She went forward and hugged Xu Le. “I love your culinary skills to death! When are you going to teach? I will definitely be the first to forward it!”

Xu Le was experienced this time and avoided her facial cleansing milk. He coughed lightly and said, “I have a favor to ask of Teacher Li.”

He expressed that he wanted Ms. Li to help him take care of Xu Tian. He would pay her according to the highest hourly rate, so that she could help his sister with homework and so on.

Teacher Li waved her hand generously and said, “Xu Tian is my student. Moreover, we live so close to each other, and I don’t have any children. It’s alright for me to help take care of her.”

“That’s right… Xu Le, can you come over to my house to cook again next time?”

Xu Le smiled. “Sure.”

Now that Xu Tian’s daily living and studies were taken care of, he heaved a sigh of relief. When he went to the shop in the morning, he was in a much better mood.

There was a long line at the door even before it opened.

Xu Le was too short to squeeze in, which made him not know whether to laugh or cry. He waved his hands and said, “Brothers, sisters, uncles, aunties, let me through. I’m opening the door!”

“Wow! It’s Xu Le!”

“He’s so cute, so small!”

“Can I take a picture with you?”

“How old are you? Why do you look so small?”

Many people took out their phones to take pictures of him. Xu Le was already used to these questions, so he ignored them and started his busy schedule for the day. Fortunately, there were only a few dishes on the menu, and everyone paid with their phones, so the orders would not be missed. Everything was going smoothly until noon when a rather discordant voice sounded. “Give me a serving of Konjac Noodle and Pork Flatbread!” Xu Le didn’t raise his head either. “The restaurant only sells the dishes on the menu. You can go next door and take a look.”

Xu Tian’s soft voice sounded. “No, since she wants to eat that, just make it for her.”

Xu Le subconsciously looked at his sister. “You skipped class today?”

“No.” Xu Tian grabbed the hand of the girl beside her and said coquettishly, “This is Ms. Li’s sister. I brought her here for good food.”

Xu Le handed over the dishes he had prepared and glanced at the girl. His hand trembled and he almost couldn’t hold the knife.

In his heart, he thought that he had recognized the wrong person. After confirming it again, he realized that it was indeed the school belle from his university days. Back then, when that girl in a white dress walked past them with her long hair fluttering in the wind, his roommate’s eyes were fixed on her.

However, Xu Le spent all his time playing games in his dorm and relied on his talent to graduate successfully. He had only heard about her from other people.

The only time they got close was when they were eating in the cafeteria. The school belle sat opposite him with a plate and smiled politely.

She had dimples and a cute protruding tooth. She looked cold and elegant when she was serious. When she smiled, she looked extremely cute. The contrast in her left a deep impression in Xu Le’s heart.

However, at that time, Xu Le loved to play games. He usually ate and drank and did not take relationships to heart. When they suddenly met while he was in the form of an eight-year-old child, he sighed in his heart. This world was really small!

Xu Le looked at the remaining orders and tried to squeeze out some time. When he nodded his head and asked the two of them to go out and buy ingredients, he was still confused about why he had agreed.

After thinking for a long time, Xu Le came to a conclusion—that was to commemorate his lost youth.

But very soon, Xu Le would be able to welcome his second youth in a few years’ time. As he swung the pot, he could not help but think: I loved games in my past life, and I was obsessed with cooking in this life. Am I destined to have no fate with love?

After being emotional in his heart, he raised his hand and pressed the order button.

The “number 42” customer immediately came to take away the Oil Doused Noodles. After finishing a series of orders, Xu Le finally found a stool to sit down and rest. As soon as he closed his eyes, he immediately entered the system and bought the recipe for “Konjac Noodle” and “Pork Flatbread”. This type of local specialty dishes was well-loved by the masses and had a long history. Xu Le knew that if he wanted to make something different from others, he needed a more authentic recipe.

The spices alone required for the recipe were densely packed in half a page. When Xu Le looked at the spices that included braised meat, he could not believe it.

Even though it was troublesome, he still rolled up his sleeves and started to prepare it seriously. All kinds of spices required were precise to the gram. Just the first step of chili oil alone required onions and peppers to be heated until 90% hot. Then, he would have to leave it to cool down to 70% to increase the fragrance.

The chili powder had to be mixed with several types of chili, then poured with hot oil and mixed with white sesame seeds, fragrant vinegar, and salt. Finally, some white wine had to be poured in, so that the taste of the wine would immediately evaporate, leaving only a thick mellow fragrance.

The handmade Konjac Noodle needed to be made with “washing flour”. After rubbing the dough, he would have to pour out the remaining water in a bowl. After it had been put in place, it would be steamed on an iron plate. It sounded simple, but it was not easy to make Konjac Noodle with even thickness, soft and smooth texture.

Xu Le tried more than ten times before he finally succeeded. He was immersed in the joy of cooking and did not feel that such steps were difficult. Instead, the moment he succeeded, he felt a great sense of achievement!

The Konjac Noodle was cut into evenly thin threads, which were then added to the dough, sliced cucumbers, green bean sprouts, garlic water, salt, chicken essence, and vinegar.

Finally, the soul of the dish was to pick up a bit of Konjac Noodle and dip it in the chili oil instead of pouring it into a bowl. Finally, a bowl of authentic red Konjac Noodle was made!

Next was the preparation for the Pork Flatbread. Xu Le had eaten the Pork Flatbread from the neighboring store before, and it tasted terrible. The underlying reason was from the flatbread itself.

The Pork Flatbread he made used the flatbread that was prepared by hand. It was baked in the oven, so that the flatbread, which had inner and outer layers like a mosquito coil, would be crispy and brittle.

However, many shops bought ready-made white biscuits to replace them for convenience’s sake, so the taste was greatly discounted.

He kneaded the dough, allowed it to rise, and put it in the oven to test the temperature. When it was ready, the braised meat was mixed with green peppers and placed into the crispy flatbread. Then, it was best to pour a small spoonful of braised meat soup over.

It seemed very appetising even by looking. Xu Le opened his eyes and looked at the clock. Only ten minutes had passed.

There was still some flour in the restaurant that was used to make the Oil Doused Noodles. He immediately began to knead the dough, thinking that since he had already learned how to cook it, he might as well add it to the menu. Xu Le found a marker and wrote on the edge of the menu. “15 yuan for Pork Flatbread, and 9 yuan for Konjac Noodle.”

After everything was done, Xu Tian, who had gone to buy ingredients, finally returned.