Rebirth 07: Starting with Saving a Bankrupt Restaurant

In the morning, Shi Ying arrived at the store early as usual, humming a little tune and looking to be in a good mood.

The addition of Shan Wei has alleviated the workload of Zhou Wen and his colleague to some extent.

"Is there anything I can help you with, boss?" Shi Ying asked, tilting her head as she stood to the side.

It has to be said that this time we really need Shi Ying's help.

"Can you knead dough?" Zhou Wen asked.

"Make noodles?"

Shi Ying shook her head. If it were about making dumplings or buns, she probably would, since she always helped her family make dumplings when she went home for the New Year.

As for kneading dough, I've never actually done it before.

"Will it be difficult for the boss to learn?" Shi Ying asked.

"It's not difficult, it's quite simple."

As he spoke, Zhou Wen began to demonstrate to Shi Ying.

First, pour the self-rising flour into the bowl, then add warm water, and keep stirring the flour in the bowl into the water.

The advantage of self-rising flour is that it does not require additional yeast or a long proofing time.

Of course, self-rising flour is much more expensive than usual, costing nearly two yuan per kilogram.

While doing it, he explained to Shi Ying, "Keep scooping the water in like this, until it forms a snowflake-like shape. If there's too much water, add flour; if there's too much flour, add water."

Shi Ying nodded and silently learned.

"Then just keep kneading it, the more you knead, the more moisturized it becomes. When it's almost done, you can put the lid on and wait for it to rise for about ten or twenty minutes."

Girls like Shi Ying, who are serious and meticulous in their work, do learn very quickly.

They did it so well that Zhou Wen didn't need to give them any further instruction.

Even before Shi Ying arrived, Zhou Wen had already prepared a bowl of dough, which he could use as a demonstration.

"Take a small piece of the kneaded dough, then roll it into a long strip and slowly roll it up from one end to the other."

"After rolling it up, press it down firmly, and finally flatten it with a rolling pin."

There are generally two types of buns for roujiamo: one is Baiji bun, and the other is Tongguan bun.

The former is more substantial; the latter is crispy and crunchy.

Zhou Wen chose Baiji bun because it absorbs the broth from the roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) better.

It's hard to say whether Tongguan steamed buns will be used in the future.

Place the rolled-out dough back into the pan and cook each side for one or two minutes.

"You can try the taste of this steamed bun first."

Shi Ying nodded, then picked up the steamed bun and took a bite.

The outer skin is crispy and chewy, while the inside is soft and elastic.

Overall, the taste is dry and sweet with a very full flavor.

Shi Ying took another bite, but her eyes dimmed. It really didn't taste like much and was a bit dry.

She chewed the second bite for a long time before swallowing it, and for the third bite, Shi Ying only took a small, symbolic bite.

Seeing this, Zhou Wen smiled and said, "Just take a bite or two to taste it; there's no need to finish the whole pancake."

"We're going to add something to this pancake later."

Upon hearing this, Shi Ying swallowed the biscuit in her mouth and stopped eating. She found a clean place and put the biscuit, which had been bitten a few times, away.

In 07, roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) had already appeared in some places, but in Fujian Province, local delicacies such as beef soup, wontons, and Fuding meat slices were more common.

Zhou Wen also tore off a piece of dough and chewed on it, tasting the flavor.

The pancakes were alright, but the taste was just so-so. How good can a pancake really be? And there weren't any side dishes either.

Next, we'll make braised pork.

Cut the purchased pork belly (with alternating layers of fat and lean meat) into evenly sized pieces, then blanch them in boiling water, making sure to skim off any foam that rises to the surface.

Melt the sugar slowly over low heat until it turns a dark reddish-brown color and foams on the surface. Then add an appropriate amount of water.

You can then put the blanched meat pieces into the pot, then add the prepared seasoning packet, along with soy sauce, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, and other seasonings.

All you need to do now is wait quietly.

After nearly two hours of braising, the meat was already very tender; a gentle press with a cleaver and the pieces would immediately fall apart.

Add green peppers to the meat pieces, then chop them together with a cleaver. Once they're almost chopped, Zhou Wen from the kitchen calls out:

"Shi Ying".

Shi Ying, who was playing with the rice ball, quickly came to the kitchen when she heard Zhou Wen's call, and then poked her head out.

"Boss, what's up?"

"Where's the steamed bun you ate earlier?"

"I'll get it for you." With that, Shi Ying went into the kitchen, found the half-eaten steamed bun, and handed it to Zhou Wen.

Zhou Wen took the steamed bun from Shi Ying, then used a knife to cut a slit in it, stuffed the meat inside, and finally poured a spoonful of broth over it.

"Try it. The bread might not taste as good if it gets cold."

After waiting for a while, Shi Ying was also a little hungry. She took the steamed bun and took a big bite.

"Mmm, delicious!" Shi Ying mumbled a sentence before focusing on eating the roujiamo (Chinese hamburger).

Zhou Wen also ordered himself a roujiamo (Chinese hamburger).

The pork belly was stewed until it was very tender, almost melting in your mouth.

The fatty meat is rich but not greasy, while the lean meat is lean but not dry, and the green peppers help to cut through the richness and add to the flavor.

The flavor is predominantly savory and salty, with a rich aroma of spices. It leaves a lingering fragrance in your mouth without being greasy, and the savory and mellow meat juices fill your mouth.

"Do you still need it?"

Shi Ying's mouth was bulging, making her look just like a hamster. After shaking her head and finishing the food in her mouth, she said, "Boss, this roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) is so filling!"

That's the truth. As an adult male, Zhou Wen was quite full after eating just one steamed bun.

"Shi Ying, when customers come to the shop today, you can tell them that this roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) tastes even better with hot and sour noodles."

Shi Ying nodded and said, "Okay."

Shi Ying kept Zhou Wen's words in mind and had already decided what to eat for lunch: hot and sour noodles with roujiamo (Chinese hamburger). She hadn't had hot and sour noodles for a while.

Half an hour later, Shan Wei also arrived at the store.

"Have you had breakfast?" Zhou Wen asked.

Dan Wei, still sleepy-eyed, shook his head, clearly having just gotten up.

It was indeed normal for a young person to be late, since he wasn't actually late, so Zhou Wen didn't say anything more.

"There's food in the shop right now, let's fill our stomachs first."

And just like that, before Shan Wei was fully awake, a roujiamo (Chinese hamburger) appeared in his hand. The aroma of the roujiamo suddenly made Shan Wei, who was still a little sleepy, more alert.

With a bite of the roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), Shan Wei, who had been a little sleepy, was completely wide awake and began to eat heartily.

After finishing the roujiamo (Chinese hamburger), I was still a little unsatisfied, but I still let out a satisfied burp.

……

"Hello, would you like our new roujiamo (Chinese hamburger)?"

Customers at Zhouji Restaurant have developed a habit of trying all kinds of new dishes, since the food at Zhouji Restaurant has never disappointed.