Siheyuan: Started in 1950, third-level cook

"Chen is a great chef. He has very high standards for himself. He wants the dishes to not only taste good, but also look good. Just like the ribs in front of you, the color is attractive and very appetizing at first glance."

"And this, my god, what is the name of this dish? Can anyone tell me what this dish is called?"

Yuri suddenly asked excitedly about the dish in front of him.

The translator glanced over here and said quickly, "Mr. Yuri, the dish in front of you is called Mapo Tofu, the one on the left is Steamed Pork with Rice Flour, and the one on the right is Braised Pig's Trotters with Soybeans."

"Mapo tofu?" Yuri was amazed by the mapo tofu in front of him.

It’s tofu!!

Can tofu be made into a bright red color?

Before, Yuri had a low tolerance for chili peppers, but after spending a few days in the steel mill, he has become a fan of spicy food.

This plate of Mapo Tofu in front of you seems to be very suitable to be eaten with rice?

Of course, big steamed buns are also okay. The big steamed buns at the steel mill are more delicious than rice.

Katerina, who was standing by, was attracted by the pot of braised pig's trotters with soybeans.

The meat looks chewy and seems to be delicious.

"Yuri, your chef friend is really amazing. Every dish is like a work of art, much more exquisite than the food we have over there." Katerina said with emotion.

Yuri nodded in approval. "That's right. I used to think the food here is about the same as ours, one is about half a catty, and the other is about eight ounces. But Chen said that their land is vast and the food has been passed down for thousands of years. Even if every dish is made once, I won't be able to eat all of them by the time I leave the steel mill."

At this point, Yuri suddenly said with some regret: "It's a pity that I can't try all the delicacies."

Katerina seemed to sense her boyfriend's sadness, so she quickly changed the subject: "Yuri, the name of this Mapo Tofu is very strange. Was it a chef named Mapo who invented this dish?"

It was also the first time that Yuri saw Mapo Tofu, and he knew no more than Katerina, so he could only look to the translator for help.

The translator was also confused.

I'm just a translator. How could I know how to cook?

Mapo Tofu has always been this name, and few people have ever thought about the relationship between this dish and Mapo.

"Perhaps, possibly, this dish was invented by a person named Mapo?" the translator said uncertainly.

But Katerina was very happy, thinking that her guess was correct, so she pointed to another dish and asked, "What is this square piece of meat called?"

Yuri looked at the translator again after hearing this.

At the steel rolling mill, he was the type who only ate without remembering the food, and never cared about the names of the dishes, because every dish was so delicious and so amazing, it was impossible for him to remember the name of every dish.

"Oh, I know this dish. Its scientific name is Dongpo Pork. It is a very common dish. The main ingredient is half fat and half lean pork. It is agate in color, fat but not greasy, and soft but not mushy when eaten." The translator answered patiently.

Dongpo pork is quite common, so the translator will understand it more or less.

"Was this dish invented by a man named Dongpo?" Katerina, a female engineer, seemed very interested in the inventor of each dish.

The translator thought about it and nodded directly: "This dish was researched by Su Shi, a famous writer in the Northern Song Dynasty. Su Shi was also known as Dongpo Jushi, so this dish is called Dongpo Pork."

Northern Song Dynasty?

As soon as these words came out, all the engineers present couldn't help but gasp.

This dish has a long history!

"Katerina, see, the great Chen is so awesome!" Yuri couldn't help but show off again.

It was as if Chen Jun was as awesome as he was.

"Every dish here seems to have history and culture?" Katerina was very shocked. She felt that today's meal seemed to have opened the door to a new world for her.

Since she came to this land, she likes to experience the local customs and practices here after work, and also likes to explore and learn about the local culture.

But I am usually very busy, doing exchanges in some factories, so I don’t have much free time.

Today is an eye-opener.

As they were chatting, the door of the private room was pushed open and Liu Lan walked in carrying two plates of food.

A plate of hot peppers and eggs, and a plate of cold-mixed cabbage hearts.

The cold-boiled cabbage hearts immediately attracted Katerina's attention.

A layer of red oil is poured on the shredded cabbage, which looks very delicious.

"Katerina, I know these two dishes. Let me introduce them to you." Yuri wanted to show off his knowledge, but Katerina no longer had the patience to listen to his explanation.

Katerina picked up the chopsticks skillfully and gestured to Yuri: "Honey, I'm hungry. Let's eat quickly."

As he said this, he picked up a handful of cold cabbage hearts and put them into his mouth.

Spicy and crispy, with a little bit of sweetness.

The rich flavor immediately conquered Katerina. She never expected that a simple cold dish could be so delicious. It was simply unreasonable!

"Hiss... It's so spicy, but this chili tastes really good!"

Yuri couldn't help but grin when he saw this: "You should try to accept the chili here, because it can bring you unimaginable pleasure. Come on, try this dish again."

Katerina took a breath and shook her head. Although she thought the dish of cold cabbage was extremely spicy, it was really delicious.

After eating several bites, Katerina finally turned her attention to other dishes.

At this time, Yuri also started to eat. The private room suddenly became much quieter, with only the sound of people eating.

Katerina glanced at the dishes on the table and wanted to try the Mapo Tofu, but was worried that it would be too spicy, so she took a bite of the Shredded Pork with Fish Flavor.

Ah!

This dish is okay, not only is it not spicy, but it also has a little sweetness.

The shredded pork has a special fragrance when it enters the mouth. It is sweet and sour, and salty in the right amount. With the help of some side dishes, this dish seems to be cast with magic and starts dancing on the tongue.

The taste was so amazing that Katerina's eyes widened.

Yuri was not lying, this deputy director of the cafeteria was truly a great chef.

He can definitely do magic!

Yuri, who was standing by, also noticed his girlfriend's reaction, looked in that direction, and then smiled happily.

He knew this dish, Shredded Pork with Fish Flavor, which was a dish he was very satisfied with and liked very much.

When he first tasted it, his reaction was almost exactly the same as Katerina's.

What’s even more amazing is that the name of this dish is Fish-flavored Shredded Pork, but there is no fish in it.

The explanation given by the translator is that you can't taste the wife in the wife cake, and you can't taste the fish in the shredded pork with fish flavor, which is normal.

Is this normal?

Yuri was puzzled by this for a long time.