Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country

Chapter 746: Chapter 640: Wang Fan’s New Year’s Eve Dinner Menu (Part 2)

After opening the oven and preheating it, carefully clean off the vegetable bits clinging to the lamb, place tin foil on the baking tray, and after placing the lamb on the tin foil, add three blocks of animal butter on top.

Put it into the oven at 250 degrees for 30 minutes, and then proceed to handle the abalone and pork belly.

Cut the pork belly into chunks and make grid cuts on the abalone — tedious steps, but for Wang Fan, they are sheer enjoyment.

Zhuo Qianqian’s little head popped up at the kitchen door just then, and she asked with a grin, "Boss, your fans are going crazy, wanting to know what you’ll make for New Year’s Eve dinner. Do you want to start a live stream? If you do, I’ll set it up. If not, I’ll just tell them."

Live streaming is okay, anyway, his fans understand his style well; they won’t complain even if he doesn’t talk: "Go ahead then."

"Alrighty."

Zhuo Qianqian rushed back to the room and grabbed the live-streaming camera, placing it to capture Wang Fan’s side view: "Boss, I’m all set, I won’t disturb you."

Wang Fan, focused on making the cuts, nodded lightly in response. Zhuo Qianqian stuck out her tongue, unfazed, as she wouldn’t feel belittled—after all, who could resist the charm of a man seriously cooking!

As soon as the livestream started, it flooded with viewers instantly—Wang Fan, after all, rarely streamed, making his appearances all the more precious.

His side profile can still be captivating; Northeast people’s features, like high nose bridges and pronounced contours, appear even more photogenic on screen.

Yet none of the focus was on his face; for his foodie fans, Wang Fan’s dish presentation far outshines his own looks.

The abalone had already been taken out of the shell—the five-head abalone size isn’t grand but common. Yet with Wang Fan’s grid cuts, the crisscross patterns bring a sense of neat aesthetic.

The pork belly skin was scalded in a hot pot before cutting; the chunks are large, nearly a palm-size, and as it blanches in cold water, he starts slicing scallions.

Though Wang Fan never uttered a word, and Zhuo Qianqian used a basic camera, with no special effects in the stream, the audience indulged deeply.

"Hey, see that? This is called professionalism. Look at these steps being done methodically; one can tell the final dish will undoubtedly be delicious!"

"Isn’t this the prep for braised pork with abalone? My mom’s making this dish too, what a coincidence!"

"The person above, hurry and show the phone to Big Sister! If Big Sister learns a trick or two from Boss Wang, you’ll have a feast tonight."

"You’re right! Why didn’t I think of that? I’m bringing the phone to my mom now."

"Folks, cherish this moment. Now we can peacefully watch him cook, but when the dishes are served, we’ll be weeping as the drool just won’t stop."

"Lucky me for dining at a restaurant today; even a five-star hotel’s New Year’s dinner shouldn’t be far off from Boss Wang’s, right?"

Wang Fan stayed silent while his fans chatted away merrily—it’s New Year’s Eve, so everyone’s more at ease and in good spirits.

Once scallions were chopped, he took out a small bowl with soaked red yeast rice, simmered it, and used a sieve to dispose of impurities, leaving a bowl of bright red yeast rice water.

Meanwhile, the pork had finished blanching; once drained, he cleaned the floating foam and impurities off using warm water, then tied lemongrass around the neat pork blocks topped with a butterfly knot—it looked like a little present.

"Elegance, sheer elegance—is this the standard for a master-level chef?"

"Can anyone relate? I find a newly-blanched pork piece to appear refined, which defies reason!"

"Doesn’t matter about being scientific; I know my drooling is already getting tough to control—Boss Wang shows off real culinary skills."

Wang Fan hadn’t anticipated that merely tying a butterfly knot could trigger a flurry of fan reactions. Double knotting only resists opening, yet easily unknots.

Oil in the pan was barely smoking; chopped onions and scallions tossed in, frying till golden brown, with the kitchen filling up with rich onion aroma.

Just a touch of star anise and bay leaves are shallow-fried, the oil strained into a bowl, nothing wasted as all the contents get tucked into a clean herb bundle.

After adding red yeast rice residue into the bundle, he tightly bound it to prevent leakage. With that, the preparation was essentially complete.

After cleaning the pan, he reheated it with oil to caramelize rock sugar—a richer, brighter red caramel than white sugar.

As the rock sugar turned caramel, he poured in a bowl of Fujian Old Wine into the pan.

"Eh? Isn’t this waterless? Amber-hued liquid here."

"Judging by the nearby bottle, it seems like rice wine, Fujian Old Wine?"

"Boss Wang mentioned before that braising pork uses pure grain semi-sweet rice wine, likely this!"

"This dish has not a drop of water, haha!"

With dark soy and light soy added, the soup turned a semblance of dark red.

He fetched a clay pot, placed the bundle inside, added pork belly, then poured the entire pan’s broth into the pot, just slightly covering the meat.

Covered, he didn’t rush to prepare the next dish; instead, during this break, he took a towel to clean up the stove.

A clean, tidy kitchen is not only hygienic but elevates one’s mood while cooking—it’s an ingrained habit for him.

"Look at Boss Wang! My husband’s post-dinner kitchen looks like the aftermath of an Eight-Nation Alliance raid; though the taste’s decent, tidying up takes me over an hour."

"Same goes for me, although I’m the Alliance myself, as the sink ends up cluttered with kitchenware, no idea how I use so much myself."

"If Boss Wang streams till the Spring Festival Gala starts, I might even forgo watching the Gala this year."

"My sentiments exactly. Once just watched for giggles; now it’s dull. Better watch Boss Wang cook and feel the hunger creeping in, ready to gobble more dumplings tonight."

"Eating glutinous rice balls fits best; reunion symbolizes New Year’s Eve’s wonderful wishes."

At this point, Wang Fan had heated up a pot of water and picked up the chicken nearby.

The chicken was one to sprint and fly freely across woodlands and fields, famously nicknamed the "Flying Dragon!"

Yes, the very creature scientifically named the hazel grouse.

Flying Dragon braised with Chestnut Mushroom—a dish occupying a pinnacle rank in Northeast culinary circles.

Yet Wang Fan used farm-raised rather than wild ones. Though wild ones do wonders, they impose challenges.

Besides, the wild ones don’t always surpass farm-raised in taste, living with irregular meals and lacking fat.

Removing the chicken’s nail from its claws and tips from its wings, Wang Fan immersed the whole chicken tip-to-toe into the water.

The water hadn’t boiled yet, but the rising temperature tinged the chicken skin with a golden hue; Wang Fan grasped each claw with his hands, moving the chicken to perform a cycling feat.

"Pfft... What’s Boss Wang up to? Just sprayed my sip of ’82 Cola."

"Haha laughing till my stomach aches—this is hilarious!"

"Boss Wang may be tongue-tied, but he sure knows how to entertain—this program effect is brilliant."

Wang Fan didn’t pay attention to the livestream chat, unaware of what fans were discussing; the maneuver wasn’t for show but to ensure all the hidden corners of the skin were heated evenly.

Holding the chicken above the pot, he gently shook it, allowing water to trickle down slowly once drained, with the chicken skin cooling slightly upon shaking, and he reimmersed it, repeating till it was done three times.

Even at this stage, nobody doubted that the dish wouldn’t be scrumptious; they only imagined the level of deliciousness achieved with the final product!