In the morning, Jiang Feng drove the food truck minibus toward Hongshan Park.
Today, even more people were waiting for him.
"Alright, make some room."
As Jiang Feng drove the food truck minibus to its usual spot, he slowed down upon approaching the crowd.
"Boss, you're finally here! We've been waiting for you!"
"Me too!"
"Boss, come earlier next time, I'm starving!"
"Give me a Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce rice combo set first!"
The people were very enthusiastic. Jiang Feng set up his stall with the help of the customers, arranging tables and chairs, ready to open for business. The diners looked at the menu for the day.
Select meat dishes: Kung Pao Chicken, Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce, Sweet and Sour Pork Fillet
Select vegetarian dishes: Scrambled Eggs with Tomato, Sautéed Mushrooms with Greens
The pancake vendor, first in line, saw the new item on the menu and said,
"There's Kung Pao Chicken today!"
"Then give me a Kung Pao Chicken rice combo set!"
After observing for two days, he had figured it out. Jiang Feng was undoubtedly a master chef; none of his dishes were anything short of delicious. If there was a new item, you just ordered it.
"Alright, one Kung Pao Chicken rice combo set. Take a seat over there and wait; it'll be ready shortly," Jiang Feng called out.
For Kung Pao Chicken, one must use chicken thigh meat, deboned and diced. Then, the diced chicken is seasoned with light soy sauce, cooking wine, and starch.
A good recipe always involves special preparation of the meat before it's stir-fried, pan-fried, or deep-fried. For instance, Sweet and Sour Pork Fillet needs to be marinated ahead of time. Similarly, Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce requires a coating of egg wash and starch.
Jiang Feng had already prepared plenty of diced chicken. The sauce was made with sugar, vinegar, starch, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and salt, mixed in a 4:4:2:2:1:1 ratio respectively. Additionally, scallions, ginger, and garlic were chopped, and dried chili peppers were sectioned. Some roasted peanuts were also prepared. With that, the components for the Kung Pao Chicken were ready.
The actual stir-frying didn't require much effort. He heated the wok, then added the oil.
Jiang Feng poured peanut oil mixed with a bit of lard into the wok. Then, he scooped up some dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns with his spatula and stir-fried them.
As soon as the chili peppers hit the hot oil, they immediately let out a SIZZLING sound.
When the chili peppers turned brownish-red, Jiang Feng added the diced chicken and began to stir-fry it. The marinated chicken released a delicious aroma the moment it hit the wok.
The diners didn't just sit; they stood by watching Jiang Feng cook, as if afraid of missing something.
Seeing that the chicken was cooked to the right degree, Jiang Feng immediately added the scallions, ginger, and garlic, further infusing the meat with aroma.
What was initially just the ordinary scent of meat now mingled with the fragrance of the seasonings, an aroma so tantalizing it wafted into nostrils and inevitably made mouths water.
Jiang Feng continued to stir-fry, pouring in the prepared sauce. He cooked it until the sauce thickened and coated the diced chicken, its flavors clinging to every piece. Finally, he tossed in the peanuts, mixed them well, and then plated the dish.
Authentic Kung Pao Chicken preparation is very particular.
First is the selection of ingredients: skin-on chicken thighs must be used to ensure a smooth and tender texture. If chicken breast is used instead, it becomes tough and fibrous, with a grainy mouthfeel, resulting in a far inferior taste.
Second is controlling the heat during stir-frying. This is judged by the chili peppers, which should achieve a deep red, slightly charred appearance for authentic Kung Pao Chicken.
If the Kung Pao Chicken is served with bright red chili peppers, it's considered a subpar dish. Lastly, the consistency of the sauce is crucial—it can't be too thin or too thick.
Too thick, and it becomes cloying; too thin, and it's watery and bland. The sauce reduction must be perfect, coating the ingredients cleanly. If there's excess watery sauce left in the wok, the dish is neither visually appealing nor delicious.
Jiang Feng treated Kung Pao Chicken, Sweet and Sour Pork Fillet, and Shredded Pork in Garlic Sauce all with the same care, ensuring every drop of sauce evenly coated the meat.
Insiders understand the intricacies; laymen just enjoy the show. The diners didn't grasp these complexities; they only knew that Jiang Feng's dishes looked appetizing and tasted incredible. And that was enough for them.
Before long, a Kung Pao Chicken rice combo set was served to the pancake vendor.
Breathing in the aroma of the meat, the pancake vendor was content.
Before eating, he couldn't help but say, "Jiang Feng, with your skills, this place will surely become popular!"
Hearing the vendor's words, Jiang Feng replied, "I'm setting up my stall here this week, but who knows where I'll be next week."
Hearing this, the pancake vendor's heart skipped a beat.
What? Leaving next week?
Jiang Feng wasn't sure what tasks the system would assign. He would definitely have to adjust his location based on the tasks.
"You must be joking," the pancake vendor said half-jokingly. "If you leave, I'm afraid the customers might have to put out a missing person notice to find you."
Jiang Feng didn't respond, simply returning to the food truck to work on the next customer's order.
The pancake vendor stirred his Kung Pao Chicken, then scooped up a spoonful with rice and put it in his mouth.
The stir-fried chicken was tender and succulent, evenly coated with the glossy sauce, each bite bursting with the rich flavor of the meticulously prepared dish. He took a bite. The chicken yielded easily, its savory juices blooming in his mouth, an instantly intoxicating flavor.
Delicious!
The pancake vendor's eyes seemed to light up!
Just then, two customers approached his pancake stall. Seeing no one there, they called out, "Pancake vendor, are you there?"
Hearing the customers, the vendor shouted back while still eating his rice combo set, "Hold on! I'll be right there after I finish this!"
The two customers looked back, somewhat baffled.
What's going on? The pancake vendor isn't making pancakes but is next door eating a rice combo set?
The two looked at the line forming and exchanged glances.
"Should we try the rice combo set too? There's quite a crowd," the first person hesitated.
Most people suffer from indecisiveness, often saying, "I'm fine with anything," simply lacking a strong opinion.
"Let's eat!" the other declared, much more decisively.
Sometimes, you just need a friend like that.
"Alright!"
So, they too joined the end of the line.
In Hongshan Park at noon, ladies were square dancing gracefully to the song "Wumeng Mountains Connect to Mountains Beyond." Some older men leaned against a large tree, banging their backs against it—THUD! THUD! An elderly couple in white exercise clothes slowly practiced Tai Chi. Young people hurried along the roadside.
In one corner of the park, several vendors had set up their stalls. Among them was a food truck with a line of more than twenty people snaking out in front.
A young man in a chef's uniform stood in the food truck, skillfully wielding a spatula as he cooked. Such is life, full of diverse scenes.
Little Black, the dog, was leashed next to the food truck, sitting patiently. He wasn't afraid of the customers, even wagging his small tail as if to greet them. People often smiled knowingly when they saw him.
Now that he had an owner, Little Black was no longer overly cautious; his eyes had become much clearer and braver. After all, having a home gave him confidence.
Just then, a city management officer's vehicle drove slowly along the road. Inside, two city management officers were discussing something.
"Didn't Qian Bing say it wasn't around here? I don't see it, do you?" one of the city management officers grumbled.
These two city management officers were on patrol today. The officers on duty yesterday had returned full of praise for a small rice combo set vendor, strongly recommending the place. Hearing their vivid and enthusiastic descriptions, these two officers had decided to try it out for themselves today.
"Let's ask someone," the other city management officer said.
Just then, they noticed an elderly man by the roadside selling socks, nail clippers, and other small items. The two officers drove their vehicle over to him.
"Excuse me, old sir, is there a vendor selling rice combo sets around Hongshan Park?" one of them asked.
The elderly man had been dozing on a small stool, his eyes bleary. Hearing someone call out, he assumed it was a customer. He opened his eyes, looked up, and—good grief!—saw two city management officers!
The elderly man was startled into full alertness, instantly wide awake. Without listening to a word the officers were saying, he quickly gathered the four corners of his ground tarp, snatched up his folded stall and small stool, and turned to flee.
"Sir, don't run! We're not here to bust you! We just want to ask if there's a rice combo set vendor nearby!" one of the city management officers shouted at the fleeing man's back.
Hearing this, the elderly man's lips curled into a sneer.
Don't run? Only an idiot wouldn't run! Hah! Trying to trick me? Entrapment, is it? You're still wet behind the ears!
With surprisingly agile movements, the elderly man darted into a narrow alley and vanished in the blink of an eye.
On the street, two baffled city management officers were left staring at each other.