Rebirth 07: Starting with Saving a Bankrupt Restaurant

"Boss, the new dish is made with rabbit meat?" Shi Ying asked, somewhat surprised.

Zhou Wen nodded and said, "Is it a little hard to accept?"

Shi Ying shook her head and said, "I can accept it, but there are some things I didn't expect."

I've actually eaten rabbit meat before, though only a few times.

As long as it's not some particularly strange part of the body, actual profit is acceptable.

Of course, after spending so much time at the restaurant, Shi Ying gradually got used to some of the more unusual parts of her body, mainly because she trusted Zhou Wen's skills.

No matter how bizarre or unpalatable the food is, it can become delicious as long as it passes through the hands of its own boss. This is Shi Ying's truest thought.

After buying the ingredients, we returned to the restaurant.

Shi Ying also shared with her sister, "Sis, today's new dish is made with rabbit meat!"

Shi Ling also finds rabbit meat acceptable.

Shi Ling nodded, and then saw the fresh rabbit meat in the bag. However, she immediately looked away after only a few seconds.

While there was nothing wrong with eating it, I still felt a little uncomfortable seeing the rabbit meat.

Zhou Wen planned to make the cold-served rabbit after Shan Wei arrived at the store, and then spend the rest of the time braising the ingredients.

In the end, it was Shan Wei who couldn't accept it.

When it was almost time, Zhou Wen was also preparing to start making the cold-cooked rabbit.

Since the rabbits have already been processed at the market, no further processing is needed.

First, chop the rabbit meat into a long strip, and then chop the strip into small pieces.

If possible, chop them as small as possible, about one or two centimeters, so that they can absorb the flavor better when cooking.

The chopped rabbit meat can then be placed in a bowl and prepared for further marinating.

Add ginger slices, bundled scallions, cooking wine, a suitable amount of Sichuan peppercorns and salt, and then mix them well.

After marinating for about ten minutes, remove the ginger slices and scallions.

Cut the dried chilies into sections and place them in an iron basin for later use, along with a handful of Sichuan peppercorns.

Heat oil in a wok. Once the oil is hot, add the marinated rabbit meat and stir-fry until it reaches a certain consistency. Then add the prepared dried chili peppers.

After sautéing the dried chilies until fragrant, add a small bowl of chili powder to enhance the aroma and color.

After turning the heat down to low, add rock sugar, salt, and chicken bouillon, and then simmer for a while longer.

After waiting a while, Zhou Wen clapped his hands, plated the finished cold-served rabbit, and then took it to the front hall.

Shi Ying's eyes lit up when she saw the cold-served rabbit covered in chili peppers.

As for Shi Ling, although she said she didn't like spicy food, she still turned her gaze towards it after smelling the aroma.

Although Shan Wei emphasized that he did not eat rabbit meat, he still secretly swallowed his saliva when he saw the delicious-looking cold-served rabbit.

There was no way around it; he had previously stated that he didn't eat rabbit meat, so even though Shan Wei was tempted, he was a little embarrassed to try it.

However, Shi Ying had some questions. She had heard her boss say that morning that this was a Sichuan-style cold dish called cold-cooked rabbit.

But now, this dish doesn't seem to have anything to do with cold dishes at all, and Shi Ying also raised her doubts.

Zhou Wen explained, "It can be eaten cold or hot, but the taste might be slightly different if eaten cold."

Although it's called "cold-cooked rabbit," it's actually perfectly fine to eat it while it's hot.

It's just that the flavor will become more intense and the texture will become firmer after being left to cool down for a while, making it more and more fragrant the more you chew it.

Upon hearing this, Shi Ying became interested and, without asking any further questions, began to taste it.

Although both Fuqi Feipian (夫妻肺片) and other Sichuan-style cold dishes are similar, they are fundamentally different.

Husband and wife lung slices are a cold dish with chili oil, while cold rabbit is a dry-fried dish with the sauce reduced.

However, Shi Ling choked after eating only a few pieces.

Her face and neck were slightly red, as were her eyes, which were already brimming with tears.

After drinking some water to calm down, he ate a few pieces and then put down his chopsticks completely, clearly not intending to eat any more.

Finally, after finishing the cold-cooked rabbit, Shi Ling's lips were slightly red and swollen, which was quite a contrast to her usually aloof expression.

Judging from Shi Ling's reaction alone, it's clear that the cold-cooked rabbit tastes good. For Shi Ling, who doesn't really like spicy food, being able to hold back her tears and eat a few more pieces proves that there's nothing wrong with the taste.

Shi Ying, on the other hand, was thoroughly enjoying her meal.

"Shan Wei, won't you eat something?" Shi Ying asked.

Dan Wei stood alone to the side, swallowing his saliva repeatedly. To avoid arousing suspicion, he would pick up the water glass on the table and take a sip whenever he was about to swallow.

The cups in the store are not very big to begin with; they are just the kind of glass cups that you'd normally find in a restaurant, probably only about 200 milliliters in size.

Water kept arriving and arriving, and I have no idea how many cups I drank.

After hesitating for a long time, Shan Wei shook his head awkwardly and said, "No, Sister Shi Ying."

Shi Ying nodded, and without asking any more questions, she ate a few more pieces before stopping her chopsticks, intending to try eating it cold.

After the cold-cooked rabbit cooled down, Shi Ying took another bite.

When eaten cold, the rabbit meat becomes chewier and more resilient, allowing the seasonings to fully penetrate, resulting in a dry, fragrant, and slightly springy texture.

When eaten hot, the aroma of the chili peppers, chili powder, and Sichuan peppercorns is fully released, making the fragrance even more enticing.

Then, somewhat surprised, she said, "Sis, try it again. It's not as spicy as before."

Shi Ling, also out of curiosity, tried it again.

This time, I didn't enjoy it as much as before because it was hot and spicy since it had just come out of the pot.

So when the cold-cooked rabbit went into her mouth, Shi Ling would move her mouth frantically and chew it quickly.

Now you can savor it slowly in your mouth, although there is still a certain degree of spiciness towards the end.

But it is indeed much better than at the beginning.

After eating a few, Shi Ling stopped eating and went into the kitchen to help Zhou Wen prepare for the day's business.

Finally, Shan Wei said somewhat hesitantly in a low voice, "I'll try a few pieces too."

"It's delicious, you should try it," Shi Ying said while eating the rabbit meat.

Although he said he would only eat a few pieces, Shan Wei never put down his chopsticks after sitting down.

I really didn't expect this cold-cooked rabbit to taste so good. The texture and flavor of the rabbit meat are just as good as those of commonly eaten meats, and it even has its own unique characteristics.

Finally, the cold-served rabbit was completely eaten, leaving only the chili pepper pieces and green peppers.