The crucian carp with perilla leaves was served, and Zhao Tieying's braised eel was also ready.
Zhou Yan stir-fried some vegetables and served a dish of pickled radish, completing the dinner menu.
They had originally planned to use the leftover toppings for dinner, but they sold out completely, leaving nothing.
Zhao Tieying took an enamel basin, filled it with rice, and placed it on the table, serving everyone a bowl.
"This crucian carp with perilla leaves is so delicious! It has a beautiful color and smells wonderful. It looks even better than the ones in state-owned restaurants." Zhou Fei exclaimed, looking at the plate of crucian carp with perilla leaves.
"It looks good." Zhou Miao nodded, adding, "This braised eel looks even better, bright in color, and smells amazing. It's really well-made."
"Stop talking, eat yours." Zhao Tieying said, placing a bowl of rice in front of him, her lips curving into a wide smile.
"Okay." Zhou Miao replied with a smile, first clearing some broth to the side, then picking up a piece of fish from the belly of a crucian carp and giving it to Zhou Momo, saying gently, "Sip it slowly, and spit out any bones."
"Mmm-hmm." Zhou Momo nodded, already eagerly picking up her chopsticks and taking a bite.
Tender! Smooth! Delicious!
She pouted, picked out a tiny bone, spat it out, and immediately shoveled a mouthful of rice into her mouth, chewing it with great relish.
Zhou Momo has been eating fish since she was three years old, showing a remarkable talent for it.
Of course, Zhao Tieying didn't dare let her eat too much, only giving her a small piece of meat with fewer bones from the belly area each time, just to taste it.
"Crucian carp has many small bones, Fanwa, you're not good with your mouth, so eat the eel your fourth aunt cooked." Zhao Hong placed a piece of eel on Fanwa's plate.
"I'm not that bad..." Fanwa said, a little aggrieved, but he still enjoyed the eel very much. He had choked on fish before and was afraid to eat it.
Zhao Tieying first picked up a piece of fish with her chopsticks. The thick broth coated the fish, and upon tasting it, the spicy and savory flavor melted in her mouth, with a very prominent aroma of perilla leaves.
The fish had been pan-fried beforehand, but not overcooked; the slightly charred skin enhanced the aroma, while the flesh remained perfectly tender.
It also has a slightly spicy pickled pepper flavor!
Delicious!
It tastes so much better than the crucian carp with perilla leaves she used to make; it's like a completely different dish.
And it goes so well with rice!
Zhao Tieying shoveled down three mouthfuls of rice, feeling incredibly satisfied.
"This flavor is just right! It's so much better than the braised carp you made last time." Zhao Tieying said, looking at Zhou Yan.
Zhou Yan thought for a moment, then immediately remembered the braised carp that Comrade Little Zhou had made last time. It was terrible; the muddy taste wasn't masked at all, and it was only finished because of the scarcity of resources and the fear of wasting food.
Upon hearing this, Zhou Miao also eagerly picked up a piece of fish and put it in his mouth.
One bite, and he was stunned.
This is so delicious!
The fish is smooth and tender, soaked in the broth, with the aroma of perilla leaves taking center stage. The sour, spicy, and savory flavors dance on the tongue—it's incredibly fragrant.
He quickly shoveled down two mouthfuls of rice.
He looked up at Zhou Yan and said, "Take two fish to your grandma tomorrow. She loves fish, and she'll definitely love this perilla leaves flavored crucian carp you made."
"Okay." Zhou Yan nodded; that was a good idea.
Zhou Yan tasted the perilla leaves flavored crucian carp himself, his eyes lighting up as well.
This dish isn't uncommon in Sichuan restaurants, but he'd never encountered one where the fish's texture and the sauce's flavor were controlled to this extent.
Amazing, everyone!
His favorite phrase almost slipped out.
So delicious, perfect with rice!
The crucian carp, weighing about a pound each, have more bones than small ones, making them even more enjoyable to eat.
Zhou Fei and Zhao Hong also tried the crucian carp with perilla leaves, and were both amazed, praising it repeatedly.
You can't talk too much while eating fish, or you might get a bone stuck in your throat.
They sucked the fish head clean, and even the broth was used by Zhou Momo to mix with rice and finish it all.
Zhou Miao's plan to pack the broth to take home for noodles fell through, much to his disappointment.
"You go fishing for crucian carp again next time, it's delicious." Zhao Tieying assigned Old Zhou the task.
"Okay, next time I'll catch an even bigger one." Old Zhou's savings swelled, his back straightened, and he was full of confidence.
"Little uncle, you're amazing! The fish you made is the best I've ever eaten." Zhou Lihui looked at Zhou Yan with eyes full of admiration. "I want to learn to cook from you."
"Huh?"
The hall fell silent.
Zhao Hong, who was clearing the dishes, paused, looking at Zhou Lihui in surprise: "What did you say? Aren't you going to study?"
"Yes, you're only in your final year of junior high." Zhou Fei also stared at him.
Zhou Lihui scratched his head and whispered, "Anyway, I can't study much. I'm always third from the bottom in exams. I don't want to learn how to butcher cattle. I like cooking. I want to be a chef with little Uncle and cook for everyone."
Zhou Yan looked at the boy, not daring to respond.
In this era, studying was undoubtedly the best path to success.
But Zhou Lihui consistently ranked third from the bottom; he clearly wasn't cut out for academics.
The restaurant business was booming, and with the addition of stir-fries and braised dishes, the kitchen work was overwhelming; he couldn't handle it all by himself.
Taking Huihui as an apprentice was something worth considering.
The boy inherited his father's temperament—hardworking, diligent, and observant.
Moreover, he was physically strong, having inherited the Zhou family's sturdiness; he was born to butcher cattle and become a chef.
But this was a huge matter, concerning a child's future, and he dared not interfere.
Zhao Hong and Zhou Fei exchanged a glance and fell silent.
They knew best what Zhou Lihui's academic level was.
This kid wasn't a brat; he was good at everything from catching fish and eels to climbing trees and stealing bird eggs, but he just couldn't study. He always ranked third from the bottom, the two students behind him being the real brats.
He never caused trouble at school; the teachers hadn't bothered them in all these years, and he'd even received awards several times for helping classmates.
He definitely wouldn't get into high school. Their plan was for him to learn a trade after graduating from junior high, working with his father to butcher cattle.
He was physically strong, quick to learn, and would be able to earn a living in a few years.
"Fourth Uncle, what do you think about this?" Zhou Fei looked at Zhou Miao, seeking the elder's opinion.
When Zhou Yan didn't learn to slaughter cattle but instead became a chef's apprentice in the factory canteen, his uncles didn't quite understand.
Zhou Miao looked at Zhou Yan, "Zhou Yan, you're the chef, you explain."
Everyone looked at Zhou Yan.
"Huihui, is this just a spur of the moment decision, or have you really thought it through and decided to learn to cook and become a chef?" Zhou Yan looked into Zhou Lihui's eyes, his expression serious.
Zhou Lihui unconsciously straightened up, his face earnest, and said, "I only thought about becoming a chef today, but I've thought it through. I don't want to slaughter cattle, I want to be a chef. Slaughtering cattle is the same everyday, but as a chef, seeing customers eat the food I cook feels very fulfilling."
"Zhou Yan, do you think he can do it..." Zhou Fei hesitated.
Zhou Yan's restaurant was thriving; Zhao Hong had told him this, and it earned him more than he did from slaughtering cattle.
If Zhou Lihui could learn to cook from Zhou Yan, it would be a valuable skill, and he'd have a brighter future.
No chef has ever starved to death.
But Da Wa suddenly brought this up today, catching them completely off guard. They were afraid Zhou Yan would misunderstand, thinking they were jealous of his success and had encouraged Huihui to learn cooking from him.
"It's alright. My initial thought was the same as his; I didn't want to slaughter cattle, I just wanted to be a chef." Zhou Yan said with a smile, waving his hand—this was exactly the attitude he was waiting for.
He looked at Zhou Lihui and said, "Well then, starting next week, every morning you'll come to the restaurant with your mother and learn to cook with me for two hours. Then you'll go to school at 7:30. Try it out for a while and see if it matches your expectations. If you can stick with it, you can become my full-time cook after you graduate from junior high."
"Okay! Thank you, little Uncle." Zhou Lihui's eyes lit up, and he grinned.
"But I have one requirement for you. I don't care about other subjects, but for the next six months or so, you need to learn to recognize all the characters and master the most basic addition, subtraction, multiplication, and division." Zhou Yan's smile faded, and his expression became serious.
"My kitchen doesn't allow illiterate people."
"If you can't even understand the names of the seasonings, and can't even calculate the bill when buying groceries, don't even think about becoming my apprentice."