Chapter 345 - 187: The Flavor, Simply Unbeatable

Chapter 345: Chapter 187: The Flavor, Simply Unbeatable

The little one had slept all afternoon and woke up just in time for dinner.

"You bet!" the crowd replied with a laugh.

Zhou Yan returned to the kitchen and got busy. He started stir-frying Twice-Cooked Pork in a wok on the left and pan-frying crucian carp on the right, working on both at once.

"The ribs are so yummy!"

"It smells so good!"

"Little Uncle is amazing!"

The kids’ table had already started eating. Their childish cries of amazement rang out one after another, making all the adults laugh.

Zhou Yan had prepared two plates of braised pork ribs for them, both with extra-large portions, to prevent them from fighting over the last piece.

Meanwhile, Zhou Miao had already poured everyone a drink. The small cups, each holding about three liang, were filled nearly to the brim, including the old matriarch’s.

The old matriarch picked up her chopsticks and said, "Don’t be in a rush to drink. Have some food to line your stomachs first."

Everyone nodded with a smile.

"Try Zhou Yan’s cooking. Don’t let his age fool you; his skills are on par with the old masters at Rongcheng Restaurant," Zhang Zhengping said to Ji Hongtao with a smile.

"This braised beef looks fantastic," Ji Hongtao said, picking up a slice with his chopsticks. The beef was cut to the thickness of a copper coin, its color a glossy red. The sinew marbled throughout it looked like flecks of amber. It was a beautiful presentation.

He popped it into his mouth and chewed. The texture of the braised beef was firm, yet not dry or tough. As he chewed, a rich, fragrant brine flavor unfolded, growing more intense with every bite. The taste of the beef itself was remarkably prominent!

After finishing the slice, Ji Hongtao’s eyes lit up.

’This is delicious!’

’The flavor of this braised beef is incredible! It’s completely different from any braised beef I’ve had before. The brine is so aromatic! And the texture is absolutely perfect!’

"Delicious! This braised beef is fantastic, the flavor is out of this world," Ji Hongtao said with a nod, then picked up a piece of braised pork head and put it in his mouth.

Compared to the firm braised beef, the braised pork head was softer and more tender. A perfect mix of fat and lean, it was rich but not greasy. The brine had soaked deep into the meat, and chewing filled his mouth with a savory, meaty aroma and the fragrance of the marinade. It made his mouth water, and the aftertaste lingered pleasantly.

Ji Hongtao couldn’t resist picking up his cup. "This braised beef and pork head are the perfect accompaniment to a drink," he said with a smile. "Come, let me first toast my master, the old matriarch, Minister Zhou, and all my brothers here. Thank you for inviting me to such a special family banquet."

Everyone smiled and raised their cups, clinking them together lightly before taking a sip of liquor.

"Zhou Yan has truly mastered our mother’s braising recipe. The flavor is so perfect, I can’t even tell the difference anymore," Zhou Qing praised.

"The ribs are fantastic, too. They fall right off the bone, and the flavor is amazing," Zhou Ze said with a smile as he placed a rib in the old matriarch’s bowl.

This was his first time eating at Zhou Yan’s shop. He had only ever tried Zhou Yan’s braised dishes before. He’d heard from Zhou Jie that Zhou Yan’s Twice-Cooked Pork was delicious, but he’d been either too busy or too shy to come and try it.

Now that he had tasted these braised pork ribs, he immediately understood what Zhou Jie had been talking about.

’Zhou Yan’s cooking really is on another level!’

’I’ve never had ribs this good anywhere else!’

Hearing this, Ji Hongtao couldn’t help but grab a rib and pop it into his mouth.

The meat was so tender it yielded to the slightest touch of his teeth. The sauce and meaty flavor exploded in his mouth, the texture impossibly soft and luscious.

After he swallowed, a faintly sweet aftertaste remained, the fragrance lingering on and on.

’These ribs! They’re absolutely divine!’

In comparison, the braised ribs made by the chef in their cafeteria were often tough and didn’t fall off the bone. They were usually too salty and spicy. They were completely outclassed.

People didn’t eat ribs often because there wasn’t much meat on them.

But today, the plate of braised pork ribs was empty just moments after it was set on the table.

The usually composed family members actually felt a slight urge to go and snatch some food from the kids’ table.

"A Magic Cloak, huh? The kids only have one non-spicy dish," Wu Haiyan said, shooting a glare at Zhou Jie.

"Mom, I was just kidding. I wouldn’t actually do something like that," Zhou Jie said with an embarrassed laugh.

Fortunately, a dish of beef with dried bamboo shoots arrived just in time to fill the empty spot, drawing another round of amazed sighs.

"These dried bamboo shoots have soaked up all the beef broth. They’re even better than the meat itself!" Ji Hongtao had already gotten himself a bowl of rice. He ate a piece of bamboo shoot, shoveled a big mouthful of rice, and praised it endlessly.

He picked up a piece of beef and put it in his mouth. The half-fatty, half-lean brisket melted at the first bite, dotted with soft, tender sinew. The rich, savory sauce had a hint of spice, and the texture was succulent and satisfying. One bite was pure bliss.

He now wanted to apologize to Zhou Yan.

’I underestimated him before.’

’Cooking skill has nothing to do with age!’

’A genius chef can create astonishing dishes even at the age of twenty.’

’Exactly. Someone just like Zhou Yan.’

Twice-Cooked Pork, stir-fried pork liver, and Mapo Tofu were brought to the table one after another.

It wasn’t just Ji Hongtao who was amazed; the rest of the Zhou Family was as well.

Everyone was usually busy. Even those like Zhou Jie and Zhou Ming, who had eaten here once or twice, had only tried a limited number of dishes.

The others had never tasted any of Zhou Yan’s cooking aside from his braised dishes.

Today, Zhou Yan was serving them dishes from his menu, bringing out one specialty after another, leaving everyone speechless with admiration as they ate.

Ji Hongtao had finished two bowls of rice and was already on his second cup of liquor.

"Master, I finally understand what you meant about having fun. Enjoying good food really does lift one’s spirits," Ji Hongtao said to Zhang Zhengping with a smile. "You wouldn’t even get food this good at a banquet! Every dish has its own unique character, and the flavors are simply incredible."

The atmosphere at today’s meal was indeed even more lively than at a banquet.

The children didn’t even need to be fed; they held their own bowls and eagerly vied for the food, which was a great relief.

The aunts and sisters-in-law were both happy and a little humbled. Usually, they just cooked simple homestyle meals. Their skills were all more or less the same, and since they rarely ate out more than once or twice a year, they never thought their cooking was bad.

But after tasting Zhou Yan’s cooking today, each bite left them silent.

’Every family butchers cattle, so who doesn’t have brisket at home?’

’But who can make brisket and dried bamboo shoots taste like this?!’

Especially the Twice-Cooked Pork—that was a dish everyone considered their own specialty.

But the flavor and texture of the Twice-Cooked Pork with garlic shoots that Zhou Yan made were on a completely different level!

The skin was fragrant and tender, the fatty part melted in the mouth, and the lean meat wasn’t the least bit tough—it was chewy and springy. It was rich without being oily, fragrant without being overwhelming!

It was enough to thoroughly win over all the homemakers at the table.

"Tie Ying, you have to get Zhou Yan to teach me how to make this Twice-Cooked Pork later. Even just the basics would be fine. The flavor is just too good," Wu Haiyan said, grabbing Zhao Tieying’s hand with a sincere expression.

"Fourth Aunt, we want to learn too!" all the cousins-in-law chimed in.

"Of course. I’ll have Zhou Yan explain the key points and techniques to you all later," Zhao Tieying replied with a smiling nod.

"Learn what?" Zhou Yan asked with a smile as he came out carrying a tray. "Here comes the last dish, Yuxiang Shredded Pork."

Everyone’s eyes instantly lit up!

[A Perfect Serving of Yuxiang Shredded Pork]

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