BXBX NOVEL Chapter 51
With the tendons fully removed, Lu Qin began pounding the meat. Only the back of the knife could be used, not the blade. For the chicken to cook into tofu-like sheets, the meat must be pulverized into a paste, not just chopped.
Once the chicken paste was adequately pounded, the stock in the pot had already turned fragrant, drawing everyone in. Lu Qin cracked open eggs, carefully pouring only the egg whites into a bowl, leaving out the yolks. Though the yolks wouldn’t be used for the Chicken Tofu Blossom, they wouldn’t go to waste either; he planned to make caramel crème brûlée for his daughter, one of her favorites.
With egg whites from twenty free-range eggs in a large bowl, Lu Qin whisked them vigorously until they foamed. Then, he mixed the frothy egg whites with the pounded chicken paste, adding a handful of sweet potato starch and stirring until fully combined.
This helped the chicken paste bond and achieve maximum elasticity. When steamed, it would quickly solidify into a mesmerizing tofu-like crystal structure, offering the uncanny appeal of a dish that’s vegetarian in appearance but made from meat.
Lu Qin then ladled out the chicken broth, straining out the meat, bones, Sichuan peppercorns, and other solids to keep only the clearest, freshest stock. He put the broth back on the stove to simmer.
Now, it was time to cook the chicken paste. With the heat turned up to a vigorous boil, the rich chicken broth quickly came to a rolling boil, and the paste transformed into tofu-like curds, filling the entire pot. Switching to a low flame, Lu Qin gently pressed down any restless curds with a ladle, occasionally ladling broth over them to soothe them.
Such finesse with heat control relies on intuition. Someone inexperienced could easily mess it up. After no more than 20 minutes, a bowl of fresh Chicken Tofu Blossom was ready. He placed fresh pea shoots at the bottom of a large bowl, then ladled in the mixture, creating a picturesque green and white landscape, with a beautiful, understated elegance.
When they took a bite, it felt like tofu—but chew it, and their mouth filled with the rich flavor of chicken. Take a sip of the broth, and they were struck by a delightful confusion—Was this fake chicken or real tofu?
Lu Qin took a taste and was pleased with the unique, addictive texture. This was a flavor beyond ordinary food, one that could easily become a craving.
He nodded with satisfaction, packaged the Chicken Tofu Blossom in disposable containers, and sealed them in a freshness-maintaining warmer, preserving their just-cooked temperature and texture for 24 hours.
With 28 pounds of chicken breast, he’d made nearly 150 portions of Chicken Tofu Blossom. He also prepared a large tray of sliced pork leg, about 200 servings, which he stored in the container as well. The freshness-locking warmer had ample space, and this was only half its capacity.
Meanwhile, the mung bean paste in the stainless steel pot on the other side of the stove had finished simmering, and the dough for ice-crystal cakes was rising. Lu Qin quickly set to work making the cakes.
With his full array of expert techniques, he was keenly aware of the ideal times for simmering, proofing, and every other detail. With efficient planning, he finished preparing all the ingredients for his afternoon stall in just two and a half hours. He loaded everything onto his three-wheeler food cart and checked the time—it wasn’t yet 3 p.m.
Lu Qin opened his food-stall map app to find the best location. At the top of the list was— Tianhong Plaza, 4.7 km away, foot traffic of 3,000 people.
(A small music festival is currently being held here with celebrity appearances, making it the peak location in Jiangcheng. The best stall spot is 146 meters east of Tianyuan West Road.)
Lu Qin tapped ‘Navigate here’, posted the location in his group chat, and set off on his three-wheeler.
As soon as he posted the announcement, the group chat exploded.
[Lu Boss’ Leg Pendant: Holy cow! I’m so hyped! I’m at Tianhong Plaza right now with my girlfriend for the music festival! Lu Boss, you get me!] [Ten Cups of Mung Bean Soup a Day: Dang it! I’m in the north of the city! Whatever, I’m calling in sick and heading over for some stir-fried noodles!] [I Love Twice-Cooked Pork: I’ve packed a pound of white rice and a bottle of baijiu. I’m on my way!] [Peng Yuyan from Jiangcheng: Lu Boss really knows how to pick a spot. Eating delicious food while listening to music—absolute bliss!]…
In an apartment, Fang Ya just woke up, took a shower, and her stomach started growling. She thought of Lu Qin’s stir-fried noodles and ice-crystal cakes. She quickly opened the QQ group.
…
Chen Dahai, sitting in his Mercedes, saw the group announcement and immediately asked his driver to turn around and head to the music festival at Tianhong Plaza.
…
Ma Dejun, seeing the message, got into his electric tricycle and drove toward Tianhong Plaza.
…
At Xingguang Kindergarten, the security guard saw the blinking notification in the QQ group and immediately pulled out his phone and dialed a number…
“Honey, hurry over to Tianhong Plaza! Yes, the three-wheeler food cart guy I told you about is setting up there at 3:30 this afternoon. Remember, buy as much as you can when it’s your turn, don’t be stingy—it’s incredibly delicious, you won’t regret it!”
…
In the top-floor CEO office of the Ourei International Hotel, Shen Muyan, while reviewing documents, reached over to pick up a piece of ice-crystal cake from a plastic container and took a bite.
She had skipped lunch after a hearty breakfast, but now, feeling hungry, the cake lifted her mood immensely. Across her desk, a hand slowly inched towards the container of ice-crystal cakes.
Slap!
Song Xuanxuan’s hand was smacked by Shen Muyan, who looked at her reproachfully.
How stingy!
Song Xuanxuan thought with a pout. She’d been the one who went to buy these ice-crystal cakes!
Without looking up, Shen Muyan glanced at Song Xuanxuan, then continued reviewing her documents. Her lips moved slightly as she said, “Didn’t you say that was the last piece? Or do you still want more?”
Song Xuanxuan felt a twinge of frustration. After all, it was her boss being stingy. She’d bought two boxes of cakes but was only allowed three pieces—not nearly enough to satisfy her craving.
Shen Muyan thought she’d been generous since these two boxes of ice-crystal cakes counted as her lunch. And now, Song Xuanxuan wanted her boss’s lunch? Was she trying to start a rebellion?
Song Xuanxuan pouted, waiting for Shen Muyan to finish reviewing the documents before she could take them to the department. Secretly, she opened her phone and checked the QQ group.
Tianhong Plaza? A music festival?
Song Xuanxuan’s eyes lit up.
“Boss, after delivering the files, if there’s nothing else, I’d like to request leave.”
“Reason.”
“Boss, there’s a music festival at Tianhong Plaza. I’d like to go.”
Shen Muyan slowly looked up, narrowing her beautiful almond-shaped eyes.
“Requesting leave during work hours to play around? Song Xuanxuan, are you trying to quit?”
“Boss, let me explain! Lu Boss is setting up his food stall there this afternoon, and today he’s got twice-cooked pork and his new dish, Chicken Tofu Blossom!”
Shen Muyan’s expression softened slightly as she opened her phone and checked the QQ group herself. Sure enough, Tianhong Plaza, 3:30 p.m.
She tossed her Maserati keys over to Song Xuanxuan and said coolly, “Take my car. Get one of everything to eat and drink for me. If you don’t get it, it counts as absenteeism, and I’ll dock three days’ pay.”
“If you do get it, no leave will be counted, and expenses will be reimbursed.”
…