Food: Senior year internship, you take over the university cafeteria

Chapter 41 Delicious and Fragrant

She deliberately didn't eat much breakfast today, just waiting for her important job as a "taste tester".

"Try them all."

Wang Sheng had a plan: "First, try the three most basic mainstream flavors: salty, sweet, and spicy."

He deftly separated a portion of the rice cake and simultaneously turned on the three burners.

The first flavor.

Salty stir-fried rice cakes.

Heat oil in a wok, add shredded ginger and minced garlic and sauté until fragrant. Add shredded lean pork and stir-fry until it changes color. Then add a few slices of dried bamboo shoots from Lin'an to enhance the flavor and some crunchy bean sprouts.

Pour in a bowl of sauce made with soy sauce, oyster sauce, and a little sugar. Stir-fry until fragrant, then add the rice cake slices and stir-fry quickly so that each slice is evenly coated with the sauce and oil.

Just before taking it off the heat, sprinkle in a handful of bright green shredded vegetables, stir-fry a couple more times, and drizzle with a few drops of sesame oil.

The rice cakes are pure white, the shredded pork is dark brown, the dried bamboo shoots are pale yellow, the bean sprouts are silvery white, the green vegetables are emerald green, and everything is glossy and shiny.

The rich aroma of soy sauce, meat, and the unique mellow fragrance of dried bamboo shoots intertwine with the aroma of rice cakes brought out by the heat.

The second ingredient is sweet pan-fried rice cake.

Brush a thin layer of oil on a frying pan, place the rice cake slices in the pan, and fry over low heat.

Once one side is slightly browned and small bubbles appear, flip it over. After both sides are browned, sprinkle with fine white sugar and continue to fry over low heat until the sugar melts and forms a glossy, slightly caramelized sugar crust on the surface of the rice cake.

After cooking, you can sprinkle some roasted sesame seeds or osmanthus flowers on top to enhance the aroma.

The rice cake has a golden-brown, slightly caramelized surface, with a glistening sugar coating, and is garnished with sesame seeds or osmanthus flowers, making it quite beautiful.

The sweet aroma of caramel mingles with the fragrance of roasted rice, creating a warm and inviting flavor.

The third ingredient is spicy stir-fried rice cakes (simple Korean style).

In a separate pot, add a small amount of water, Korean chili paste, a little ketchup, light soy sauce, and sugar to make a thick sauce, then bring it to a boil.

Add the rice cake slices and stir-fry over medium heat until the rice cakes fully absorb the sauce and turn a bright red color. Once the sauce has thickened, sprinkle with chopped green onions and white sesame seeds.

The rice cakes are coated with bright red chili sauce, their vibrant color making them incredibly appetizing.

The rich, savory sauce, a blend of sweet and spicy, is bold and direct.

Three different flavors and cooking methods of rice cakes were cooked almost simultaneously and placed on the table in front of Su Weiwei.

The aromas blended together, and surprisingly, there was no conflict; instead, they made one's mouth water.

"Wow—" Su Weiwei looked at the three plates of delicious-looking rice cakes in front of her, and she didn't know which plate to look at.

"Try the salty one first," Wang Sheng said, handing over chopsticks.

Su Weiwei picked up a slice of savory stir-fried rice cake. The rice cake slice was soft and chewy with a great deal of elasticity, and you could even feel a slight "bounce" when you bit into it.

The sauce is savory and delicious, perfectly coating the rice cakes. The unique umami flavor of the dried bamboo shoots and the refreshing taste of the bean sprouts balance the greasiness well, while the shredded pork provides a rich meaty aroma.

One bite offers a rich texture and distinct flavors, with a savory and appetizing taste that becomes more fragrant with each chew.

"Delicious!" Su Weiwei nodded repeatedly. "The rice cakes are so chewy and springy! The sauce is just right, and the dried bamboo shoots are the soul of the dish!"

Next up is the sweet pan-fried rice cake. The thin, crisp sugar coating on the surface makes a soft "crunch" sound between your teeth, delivering the first sweet sensation.

The rice cake inside remains soft, chewy, and warm, with a pure rice aroma. The simple blend of sugar and oil brings a rustic yet satisfying sweetness, as if taking you back to childhood.

"This is so comforting!" Su Weiwei squinted her eyes happily. "Crispy on the outside and soft on the inside, sweet but not cloying, it's perfect as a snack or for afternoon tea!"

Finally, there's spicy stir-fried rice cake.

The sweet and spicy sauce clings tightly to the rice cakes. The first bite is an explosion of sweet and spicy flavor from the sauce, followed by the soft and chewy texture of the rice cakes, which balances the richness of the sauce and makes you want to take another bite.

It's incredibly satisfying and perfect for those who love a stimulating taste experience.

"It's so spicy and delicious! The rice cakes are soaked in the sauce, so flavorful! I could eat this with a TV show and finish the whole plate!"

'

Su Weiwei's tongue lolled out slightly from the spiciness, but she couldn't stop eating.

Wang Sheng also tried some of each and savored them carefully.

The rice cakes produced with five-star craftsmanship are of impeccable basic quality: soft, glutinous, chewy, smooth, and fragrant—top-notch in every aspect.

Each of the three methods has its own merits: savory stir-frying best showcases skill and styling, sweet pan-frying is the most classic and comforting, and spicy stir-frying is the most stimulating and appetizing.

"If we were to launch these as new late-night snacks, which ones do you think would be the best to start with?" Wang Sheng asked Su Weiwei for her opinion.

Su Weiwei thought about it carefully: "Savory stir-fries can be a main course, with plenty of ingredients, and they're filling. Sweet pan-fried ones are suitable as snacks or desserts. Spicy stir-fries will definitely be popular with students who like strong flavors. I think—we can have them all! We can make them into a 'Three Flavors of Rice Cake' set meal, or they can be ordered individually. However, savory stir-fries might be the most time-consuming to prepare."

Wang Sheng nodded, agreeing with his assessment. Rice cakes are incredibly versatile and could definitely be another hot item for late-night snacks.

"Then prepare everything. For the savory stir-fries, prepare a few standard combinations, such as dried bamboo shoots with shredded pork, shredded vegetables with pork, or pickled mustard greens with pork. Standardizing the sweet and spicy stir-fries will be easier." Wang Sheng quickly finalized the plan, "Tonight, we'll try offering 'spicy stir-fried rice cakes' and 'sweet pan-fried rice cakes' for supper, and see the reaction. The savory stir-fries can be served tomorrow."

Today, the basic qualities and three mainstream flavors of the five-star Yiyang rice cake have been successfully tested.

The new late-night snack product plan has been finalized after receiving high praise from Su Weiwei!

Just as the two were discussing the details, there was a knock on the back door.

Brother Liu stood somewhat embarrassed at the doorway, holding a rather large earthenware jar.

"Brother Wang, busy?"

Brother Liu chuckled憨厚ly, "Nothing fancy, just some authentic Northeastern pickled cabbage my wife made herself. We just opened the jar, so I brought it over for you to try. Thanks for the sauce recipe last time; my grilled cold noodles business is much better now!"

Wang Sheng quickly took the jar. It felt heavy in his hand, and a fresh, crisp aroma with a unique fermented sour fragrance wafted out from the cracks in the jar's mouth.

Upon opening it, you'll find neatly arranged, golden-yellow pickled cabbage that looks incredibly appetizing.

"Brother Liu, you're too kind! This is homemade pickled cabbage, it's really good stuff!"

Wang Sheng sincerely thanked him.

The quality of this pickled cabbage is visibly superior, far surpassing any commercially available industrial product.

It's at least much better than Master Kong's pickled cabbage.

No pie.

"Hey, it's nothing. You helped me a lot, this little bit of pickled cabbage is nothing."

Brother Liu rubbed his hands together, looking at the white rice cake in Wang Sheng's work area, and asked curiously, "This is... rice cake?"

"Are the Wang brothers up to something new again?"

"Yes, let's give it a try."

Wang Sheng's heart stirred. Looking at the pickled cabbage in his hand and then at the rice cakes on the cutting board, a thought flashed through his mind. "Brother Liu, your pickled cabbage came at the perfect time. Maybe—we can collaborate on a new dish in the future."

"Oh? What kind of trick is it?" Brother Liu became interested.

"Pickled cabbage—maybe we could add some meat too—" Wang Sheng said thoughtfully. "Shall we talk more after I've finished making this rice cake?"