199: Pork Ribs Clay Pot

The young boss is trying new tricks again this week; he's not setting up a stall, he's opening a shop instead!

Everyone looked at the Midnight Diner sign, finding it quite novel.

As it concerned his live streaming career, Baba Le, despite thinking it impossible, still cautiously asked a question.

"Young boss, are you going to have a fixed shop location from now on?"

Lu Chuan had just put away the paper and pen for ordering. Hearing this, he turned around and saw that it was Baba Le asking. He immediately knew what he was thinking and couldn't help but smile, saying:

"No, this shop is only temporary. I'll be changing locations next week."

Hearing this, Baba Le let out a huge sigh of relief.

But when he saw the other diners casting dissatisfied glances his way, he immediately knew he had incurred public wrath.

Many people had hoped the young boss would have a fixed location. Just as there was a glimmer of hope this week, their joy was short-lived, as he had poured cold water on it.

"No, I'm not happy, I'm sighing, sighing, you know?"

Baba Le felt like he had daggers in his back, his face instantly turned green, and he frantically gestured and explained non-stop.

Lu Chuan found it amusing, but when he noticed a diner's gaze shift to him, he immediately thought, 'This is bad,' and quickly walked towards the kitchen.

Seeing Lu Chuan run so fast, the diners' words of persuasion were on the tip of their tongues but never made it out. They could only vent their unfulfilled desires onto Baba Le.

"You little rascal, you're quite something, aren't you?"

"Come on, tell your big brothers a tongue twister, otherwise, the dish you ordered will be kindly shared by everyone."

Lu Chuan entered the kitchen, casually closing the door, blocking the noise from the front hall.

"Phew, these people are really noisy."

He smiled and shook his head, then proceeded to purchase the corresponding ingredients and seasonings from the system based on the customers' orders.

Just then, Lu Chuan suddenly remembered something.

He frowned and asked the system.

"System, I calculated the profit for the past two days, and it feels a bit off. Did you sell me the ingredients at a higher price?"

As soon as he said this, the system immediately popped out and vehemently denied it.

[Host, don't make baseless accusations. What belongs to the system belongs to the host. How could the system do something so unethical?]

Lu Chuan expressed disbelief, looking at the system suspiciously.

"You're not even human, what do you know about ethics! Since you said so, show me the purchase order."

[...They were all purchased at retail price from the highest quality supermarkets. I forgot to ask for the receipt.]

Lu Chuan looked at the stammering system, speechless.

"..."

Well, well, well, there's a thief in the house!

I'll deal with you sooner or later!

Lu Chuan thought indignantly.

He began to cook.

After the "Saint-like Buddha" state was activated, a row of stoves ignited one after another.

In a short while, the kitchen was filled with the symphony of cooking utensils and ingredients.

The rich aroma of the dishes began to waft through the kitchen.

Dish after dish came out of the pot. After plating, He Jingrui carried them out of the kitchen and delivered them one by one to the eagerly awaiting diners' tables.

Li Jingang, as one of the first diners to enter the shop, was already famished.

"When will my Braised Pork Ribs with Claypot be ready? I can't wait, I'm so hungry!"

He watched as the diners closest to the kitchen had already received their delicious meals, making him even more anxious.

Fortunately, He Jingrui didn't make him wait long.

"Everyone make way, watch out, it's hot!"

Even from a distance, He Jingrui had already called out a warning.

Everyone looked over at the sound, only to see He Jingrui moving swiftly, steadily carrying a dark, fiercely burning claypot. Even two or three steps away, the sound had already taken precedence—

"Jie jie jie jie..."

It sounded like a group of scorching hot pebbles wildly bouncing in a pot, the sound urgent and dense, carrying an agonizing sense of burning sensation (restlessness).

"Watch out, it's hot!"

He Jingrui steadily placed the claypot on the table, reminded him again, and then removed the lid.

"Thank..."

Li Jingang was about to say thank you.

A supremely dominant aroma, wrapped in steaming heat, "boomed" and exploded in front of him.

This aroma wasn't the gentle scent of stewed meat, but a scorching, wok-hei infused, intensely complex aroma of caramelized fat, boiling sauces, and the instant release of pungent raw scallions and garlic by the heat. Like an invisible hook, it directly pierced his nasal cavity, making his mouth water.

In an instant, Li Jingang forgot what he was going to say. He just stared blankly at the steaming, bubbling Braised Pork Ribs with Claypot in front of him, and his stomach rumbled like thunder at the opportune moment.

In the claypot, the dark brown, thick sauce was vigorously bubbling, making a faint sizzling sound. Each bursting bubble released a richer, charred aroma.

The pork ribs, coated in sauce, displayed an enticing caramel color, with even a slight curl of deep amber, crispy edges visible.

Several segments of fresh green scallions, golden-brown fried garlic cloves, and glistening ginger slices were interspersed, adding bright splashes of color amidst the rich, dark sauce, making it appear exceptionally vibrant.

"Gurgle gurgle..."

The enticing aroma and excellent presentation of the Braised Pork Ribs with Claypot wildly enticed the other diners who were still waiting for their meals, causing them to constantly swallow their saliva.

As time passed, the aroma of the Braised Pork Ribs with Claypot spread even more uninhibitedly.

The heat, at this moment, became the best catalyst.

The rich base of chu hou sauce, hoisin sauce, and soy sauce was blended. The garlic and scallion aromas were intensely unleashed by the high heat. The excellent pork fat released a rich and dominant meaty aroma. A faint, ethereal hint of hua diao wine transformed into a wonderful fragrance, along with the captivating charred aroma from the caramelized edges of the pork ribs... These various aromas fiercely collided and merged in the high-temperature claypot, forming an aggressive, steaming "carnal" scent.

Li Jingang only endured this overpowering aroma for 0.01 seconds before being completely captivated.

While it's hot!

He quickly picked up a piece of pork rib. The sauce was so thick it almost stretched, clinging to the rib, on the verge of dripping.

The surface of the pork rib, having been seared over high heat, formed a captivating, slightly crispy crust.

With a gentle tap of his teeth, a soft "crunch" sound, the crispy outer shell broke, revealing incredibly tender and juicy fresh meat inside!

The high-temperature searing locked in the meat juices, making it effortless to chew.

The sauce was the soul, thick and rich, with a hint of sweetness amidst the savory, coating the plump, fresh meat on the ribs.

Fresh, salty, sweet, savory, garlicky, charred... a burst of flavors exploded in his mouth, so rich it was unforgettable.

Especially the connective tissue near the bone and a little bit of fat, which were braised to a soft, glutinous, and oily texture, with a slightly sticky, gelatinous mouthfeel. That was the essence, so fragrant that Li Jingang abandoned his boss's composure and, under Ji Xiangxiang's astonished gaze, sucked the bones clean.

After sucking the bone until no more flavor remained, Li Jingang reluctantly put it down, then turned and picked up a fried garlic clove, popped it into his mouth, and quickly shoveled in a few mouthfuls of rice.

The fried garlic, slightly crispy on the outside and soft and glutinous on the inside, had soaked up the meat juices and savory sauce, making it an absolutely divine accompaniment to rice.

After successively savoring the pork ribs and fried garlic, Li Jingang's chopsticks reached for the other ingredients in the pot.

The scallion segments had their sweetness intensified by the heat, the ginger slices removed any gamey taste and enhanced flavor, and occasionally chewing on a fermented black bean added a perfect touch of savory flavor.

Li Jingang buried his head, gnawing on the pork ribs, the "tsk-tsk" sounds of the adjacent table savoring their dishes in his ears. He Jingrui walked through the hall carrying newly cooked dishes, and the air was filled with the mixed aroma of various wok-fried delicacies.

The steam from the claypot in front of him gradually dissipated, but the alluring caramel glaze on the pork ribs and the thick, glistening sauce at the bottom of the bowl still exuded an irresistible temptation, making him unable to resist adding another bowl of rice and scraping every last bit of sauce from the pot.

Gently putting down his chopsticks, Li Jingang was lost in thought for a moment.

Delicious food always touches the heart, especially the delicious food made by Lu Chuan.

"It's so good to have met the young boss."

Li Jingang looked at the other diners still waiting in line outside the shop, and conscientiously stood up, giving up his seat.

At this moment, Ji Xiangxiang also finished eating. She quickly followed behind Li Jingang and walked towards the outside of the shop.

"Boss, are we going back now, or are we staying in Modu for the next few days..."

Ji Xiangxiang looked at Li Jingang's broad back, hesitated for a moment, and asked.

Li Jingang didn't turn around. As he walked forward, he said:

"Of course, we'll stay in Modu for a few days. I've already had someone book the nearest hotel, it's only a few hundred meters from here."

Ji Xiangxiang smiled sheepishly, but the heavy stone in her heart had also fallen.