The soul ingredient of red oil is finished, leaving the rest of the task quite simple.
Prepare a large vat of minced garlic, rinse it several times to remove the bitterness, and drizzle some rapeseed oil to prevent oxidation and enhance the garlic aroma.
Then prepare some fresh chili peppers, fried peanuts, and bring along the leftover noodle sauce from yesterday.
He didn't touch the ingredients, planning to handle them on site to ensure everything appears as fresh as possible.
Foreigners have high standards for the freshness of vegetables, as they come from a culture where eating greens is popular. A slight discoloration might lead to complaints.
Before heading out the door, Lin Chen didn't forget to use a food truck upgrade voucher to install a screen near the window, which would later be used to play promotional videos.
By the time he arrived at the spot, it was already past ten.
From a distance, he could see Lucas, Jade, Amber, and Jiang Shuqi waiting by the roadside, eagerly looking around as if waiting for him to open up.
"Here he comes!"
Lucas, being tall, was the first to spot the silhouette of the food truck, and a captivating smile instantly spread across his face.
Upon hearing that Lin Chen arrived, everyone who was crouching, leaning, or sitting stood up, looking in that direction with anticipation.
"Good evening, everyone~"
Lin Chen felt a bit moved in his heart. Setting aside everything else, having diners waiting for him even before he started was indeed an indescribable feeling.
It was a sense of pride from having his efforts recognized.
"Quick, what are we selling today?"
Lucas couldn't wait any longer and rushed over to help direct parking.
Although the big meal was delicious, his stomach was still more suited to home-cooked food.
As Lin Chen brought the full, still-warm jar of red oil to the countertop and lifted the lid, an extremely intense fragrance spread instantly.
Lucas, Jiang Shuqi, and her two girlfriends who were nearby breathed in deeply.
"Wow, it smells so good! This scent seems familiar, right?"
"Chili oil?!"
"Handmade authentic Sichuan and Chongqing chili oil! Absolutely no mistake!"
One of the girlfriends excitedly rushed to the window, her eyes glowing as she stared at the jar of red oil, swallowing hard.
"Oh wow? Spicy girl?"
Lin Chen nodded at her with a smile, then began taking out various ingredients from the fridge to prepare.
He used a shredder to handle cucumbers, carrots, and celtuce, all turned into strips, and sliced potatoes into thin slices for blanching. Black fungus, beancurd sticks, and thousand-sheet tofu were also blanched.
For a more appealing presentation, he deliberately purchased many plastic square trays, neatly arranged at the window for customers to choose from.
In addition to these ingredients, he also bought some Longkou vermicelli soaking in cold water, along with fresh udon and alkaline noodles as main staples.
"There are not many people right now. Keep an eye on the business; I'm going to take a look around."
The Brasil Food Truck boss was smoking by the roadside. From a distance, he saw Lin Chen handling ingredients within the truck while already being surrounded by a crowd, and became interested. After a few words to his staff, he got up and headed over.
"Is this... a cold dish?"
"Why are there noodles? Could it also be selling small noodles?"
While Lucas and the three girls were excited, Jade, Amber, and Lina looked at each other, seeing the confusion in each other's eyes.
Another unknown food!
But why does it seem like a self-served salad?
Yet, the incredibly tempting aroma in the air told them this definitely wasn't a salad, as salad's vinaigrette wouldn't have this kind of fragrance.
"Sorry to disturb you, lovely ladies."
A deep male voice came from beside them. Jade and Lina turned their heads, surprisingly facing the Brasil Food Truck boss.
"I want to ask, what kind of food is sold here? This aroma is indeed pleasant."
They all shook their heads.
"No idea."
The smile froze on Boss Brazil's face.
No idea?
If you don't know, why were you lining up in advance?!
Jade, being an early childhood educator, quickly realized they hadn't expressed themselves clearly, "Oh, it's like this. This place serves Great Xia cuisine, but the dishes change every day. We honestly haven't seen this before."
Lina added, "But it's really delicious! Worth buying!"
"Thank you."
Boss Brazil politely thanked them, queued up behind them, while silently observing Lin Chen's actions inside the truck.
With the preparations nearly done, Lin Chen took a stack of takeout boxes from the side, pulled out a few, and handed them over.
"Pick what you like. Vegetables and main staples are 5 euros per pound, pig's ear is 3 euros per 100 grams."
Lucas, ever the gentleman, handed the box to Jiang Shuqi, then casually took down the hanging cardboard to erase the word "biangbiang noodles" and wrote down "self-served cold dishes" along with the corresponding prices.
"My friend, I've updated your menu. How about a discount?"
Lin Chen: "Didn't we agree you'd get a free meal? What is this talk about discounts? Oh, you want to pay? Great!"
Lucas's expression changed drastically: "Huh? No, I was kidding. We have such a good relationship, discussing money is hurtful!"
"Pfft... Look at you being so stingy!"
Jiang Shuqi couldn't help but burst into laughter, waving her hand, "Miss Jiang will cover today! Let your four friends come and pick dishes too, or we won't have a chance once things get busy."
"Woohoo!!"
"Shuqi!! Shuqi!!"
The two girlfriends cheered in unison, and Lucas blinked his eyes: "Wow, a rich lady! Does your family need a servant or a driver? I'm a great driver!"
Behind them, the Brasil boss, having waited for a long time, hadn't seen the line move. Instead, everyone was talking happily, while customers were lining up for his food truck. He suddenly got anxious and shouted.
"Sorry, everyone. If you're not in a hurry, could you let me buy first? My staff over there might not manage if it gets busier!"
Hearing his plea, Lucas finally noticed his presence.
He turned around.
"If we let you cut the line, will you give a discount on tacos at your place?"
Boss Brazil: ?
Jiang Shuqi: ?
Lin Chen: ?
Jade and friends: ?
Finally understanding one sentence, and the first thing was to ask for a discount?
Just a few-euro snack, didn't seem like this guy was so tight before?
Being successful in business like this, Boss Brazil wasn't stingy either. He nodded immediately, "Sure, how about buy one get one free if you buy from us? Let's make friends~"
Without a second thought, Lucas stepped back, gestured with his hand, "After you, big bro!"
He even conveniently handed over a takeout box and enthusiastically recommended how to choose and eat the cold dish.
Jade and Amber, having gained a free advantage, felt it wasn't right to block his way, and stepped aside to let him move forward.
"Cold dish? Is it Great Xia's salad?"
As he approached the window, the intense spicy aroma became more pronounced.
Boss Brazil took a few deep sniffs, a face full of delight, and his mind was already envisioning seven or eight types of ingredients and grilled meat to pair with it.
If he could mimic this seasoning's flavor...
Following Lucas's recommendations and the thought of being there already, he filled a bit of every dish, ordered half portions of all the staples, and didn't even skip the pig's ear.
Brasil people are adventurous eaters, not as picky as Westerners, especially those in the restaurant business who are willing to try everything. Who knows, they might discover a new world!