So early to come to Huang Ji, he plans to make breakfast first.
This time, for the staff meal, he’s not making the usual dishes served at Yunzhong Restaurant, but a dish he seldom practices yet never forgets.
Qin Huai kneads the dough carefully.
It’s indeed quite intricate; kneading dough, like controlling the fire in cooking, requires skill. Different snacks need different doughs, and only the chef truly knows how to control and differentiate between them.
Qin Huai glanced at his phone, Qian Zhongheng had accepted his WeChat friend request.
They chatted for a few moments.
Having heard that Qin Huai was the new pastry chef at Huang Ji since yesterday, Qian Zhongheng was extremely enthusiastic, so much so that his words seemed ready to leap from the phone to give Qin Huai a kiss.
Qin Huai told Qian Zhongheng he had prepared a gift for him and asked when he’d have time to pick it up.
Qian Zhongheng said he was free anytime and intended to have lunch at Huang Ji.
Qin Huai thought that was quite convenient, setting a rough time to steam the dumplings then.
Uncle Wang mentioned that Qian Zhongheng liked fancy things, and Qin Huai’s first thought was dumplings.
The authentic kind, not the ones stuffed with meat.
Making authentic dumplings is indeed time-consuming and labor-intensive, but they can be made leisurely as long as the quantity isn’t large.
Qin Huai had no issues with the shape and outer skin of the apple dough balls, but he still wasn’t adept at mixing the filling, as he hadn’t done much of the standard mixing.
However, that’s not a big problem; he just needs Zheng Siyuan to help adjust it a little.
After replying to the messages, Qin Huai started kneading the dough again.
Longevity Noodles consist of one long strand per bowl, not too thin, with a robust chewiness. Technologically, they may be inferior to pulled noodles, but they still demand skill.
Remembering Huang Ji’s approximate headcount, Qin Huai planned the amount accordingly, preparing a few extra bowls just in case—after all, someone would surely eat them.
When Zheng Siyuan arrived, Qin Huai was diligently kneading the noodles.
"Why did you decide to make noodles this morning?" Zheng Siyuan asked, somewhat surprised.
He always thought that as a breakfast chef, Qin Huai excelled in buns, steamed buns, and dumplings, not expecting him to have other tricks up his sleeve, including noodle-making.
Truly a versatile breakfast chef.
"The Old Mr. Luo who gave me the recipe for dumplings actually also gave me a recipe for egg noodles. I haven’t had time to practice before; I was too busy at Yunzhong Restaurant in the mornings and had to practice other things in the afternoons, you know."
"Since I’m now in a new place, I thought I’d practice this new recipe."
Qin Huai found Luo Jun very helpful; all the recipes that couldn’t be explained by the Snack Encyclopedia could be explained by Luo Jun.
Bi fang really was comprehensive.
Having formed the habit of waking up early from drinking Dried Tangerine Peel Tea, Luo Jun, who was now grumpily watching TV without his tea, sneezed.
Luo Jun: Who’s dissing me?
Zheng Siyuan in Huang’s Kitchen, unaware that the universally capable Mr. Luo in distant Yunzhong District was rubbing his nose, didn’t think much of it, saying: "I see, you can practice new snacks by making staff meals; how come I never thought of that."
"What are you making this morning?" Qin Huai asked.
"Paopao Dumpling and Zhou Sha Wonton," replied Zheng Siyuan, washing his hands to get to work, "I’m used to it; if I don’t make dumplings early in the morning, I feel uncomfortable all over."
The creator, Qin Huai, continued kneading the dough.
"Oh, by the way." Qin Huai placed the kneaded noodles into a bowl, "Around 10:30, would you have time to help me make some filling for the apple dough balls?"
"Apple dough balls?" Zheng Siyuan looked incredulously at Qin Huai, his expression saying, "You didn’t get enough of a lesson yesterday, and today you dare to mess around again?" "My dad doesn’t even dare to sell apple dough balls at Huang Ji."
"Uncle set the rule that once a dish is on Huang Ji’s menu, there’s no limit to how much you can buy; it’s only sold out, not limited in quantity."
"Uncle believes that guests coming to eat is honoring Huang Ji; what they want to eat and how much they order is their right and freedom, as long as it’s eaten, it’s not wasteful. After all, the prices at Huang Ji don’t encourage people to order a bunch to take away without eating."
"It’s not going on the menu; it’s for a friend coming to eat at Huang Ji today. I owe him a favor, so I’m making some apple dough balls to thank him."
Zheng Siyuan understood, giving special treatment.
Something Qin Huai used to do every day at Yunzhong Restaurant.
"How many dough balls?"
Uncle Wang told Qin Huai that Qian Zhongheng’s family had five members, and Qin Huai thought the number 5 wasn’t auspicious, so 6 was better, and it wouldn’t be too much for Qian Zhongheng as the introducer to eat two.
"Sure." Zheng Siyuan readily agreed, "It’s no trouble at all."