Republic of China, 1928: Starting from a Wonton Shop

While rubbing her nose, which was slightly red from the spiciness, Yunniang couldn't help but look at it. "Chunsheng, how many dried chilies did you put in? Look at the color, it looks terrifying."

"Sister-in-law, this is called 'prosperity and good fortune' for the new year." Li Chunsheng smiled as he placed the pot of boiled pork slices on the table.

"Brother Chunsheng, I want to eat! I want to eat!" Ya Ya is not usually afraid of spicy food.

"Slow down, it's hot." Li Chunsheng first gave Ya Ya a small bowl, and deliberately scooped out a few more slices of pork tenderloin, then pressed them into the bright red broth so that the meat slices were fully coated with the soup.

Ya Ya couldn't wait to pick up a slice, and without even blowing on it to cool it down, she stuffed it directly into her mouth.

"Hiss! Ha!"

The little girl's face instantly turned bright red, and she kept gasping for breath, but her teeth were busy refusing the meat slices.

"Mmm! So tender!" Ya Ya exclaimed indistinctly, unwilling to put down her chopsticks. "Brother Chunsheng, how come this meat is so tender and smooth? It doesn't get stuck in my teeth at all, but it feels tingly and numb in my mouth, like little bugs are jumping around!"

Li Chunsheng smiled and looked at Yunniang, "Sister-in-law, you should try it too. You can't find this flavor in Beiping City."

Li Chunsheng did not produce cattle, and boiled sliced ​​pork only became popular in the Sichuan and Chongqing areas in the latter half of the 30s. In present-day Beiping, this is absolutely unique!

Yunniang picked up a piece of meat, along with a piece of cabbage from the bottom of the bowl. The cabbage absorbed the broth, its original sweetness enveloped by the spiciness. With one bite, she first felt a spiciness that went straight to her throat, followed by the slight numbing sensation from the Sichuan peppercorns. Finally, the tenderness of the pork tenderloin burst in her mouth, a truly delightful experience.

"This is so delicious!" Yunniang ate two slices, and a fine layer of sweat appeared on her forehead. "Chunsheng, if this were served with a big bowl of white rice, I think I could eat three bowls!"

"This is exactly what I wanted!" Li Chunsheng clapped his hands in satisfaction.

To achieve this silky texture, the sliced ​​pork in this boiled dish must be thoroughly marinated and soaked in water. The final spoonful of hot oil is the soul of the dish, bringing out the smoky aroma of dried chili peppers and the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns. This complex flavor is what truly whets the appetite.

"Alright! Our first new dish of the year is decided!"

-----------------

Good luck on the third day of the Lunar New Year.

Although it wasn't yet the end of the first lunar month, many shops chose to open on this day in order to make a living.

Before dawn, wisps of smoke rose from the chimney of Li's Restaurant. Li Chunsheng got up early and started stewing two large pots of braised pork and stewed meat. The rich aroma of the meat quickly dispelled the chill of the morning and drifted out along the alley.

"Boss! Happy New Year!" Before the door was even open, Da Hu's loud voice came from outside.

Li Chunsheng opened the door and saw Xiao Wu and Lao Wu standing there. Both of them were wearing clean cotton-padded jackets and looked very energetic. Lao Wu was also carrying two bags of snacks.

"Happy New Year! Come in and warm up!" Li Chunsheng quickly stepped aside to let the two of them in.

As soon as Xiao Wu entered, he sniffed the air and exclaimed, "Wow! Boss, it smells so good this early in the morning! It's making my mouth water! I've been dreaming about your braised pork these past few days!"

Old Wu smiled and placed the pastries on the counter: "Boss, these are for you, your sister-in-law, and Ya Ya. It's just a small token of our appreciation. Anyway, we didn't have much to do, so Da Hu and I decided that instead of staying idle at home, we should come to the shop to help out."

"Mr. Wu, you're too kind. Now that you're here, let's get ready to open for business! Da Hu, go and sweep the snow from the doorway; Mr. Wu, could you please count out the change we'll need today?"

"Okay!"

Li Chunsheng picked up a pen and walked to the wooden board at the door, where a piece of red paper was pasted.

He quickly wrote down several lines of large characters:

[May your grand opening in the New Year bring you great fortune and prosperity!]

[Today's Special Offer:]

Signature Mao-style Braised Pork Belly: Rich but not greasy, melts in your mouth!

Braised pork intestines in old broth: The large intestines are tender and have a rich, mellow flavor!

Stir-fried liver tips: Savory and delicious, tender and fragrant!

New product launch: Sichuan-style boiled sliced ​​pork! Spicy, savory, tender, and delicious!

There are also various stir-fries available!

After finishing writing, Li Chunsheng put down his brush with satisfaction; his calligraphy was getting better and better.

Around 11 a.m., the number of people on Qianmen Street gradually increased.

Not long after Li Ji Restaurant opened, the first wave of customers arrived.

The customers were all regulars, mostly rickshaw pullers and laborers from the neighborhood. These days, Li's Restaurant was closed, and they were really craving it!

Other restaurants are either too expensive to afford, or the food is bland and lacks any flavor. Li Ji's is much more affordable and satisfying!

"Manager Li! Happy New Year! You're finally open!" Shunzi pulled his cart to the door and was the first to rush in. As soon as he entered, he shouted at the top of his lungs, "Quick, quick! Give me a big bowl of braised pork with rice! I haven't had this for days, and I don't even have the energy to pull the cart!"

"Brother Shunzi, Happy New Year!" Li Chunsheng greeted him with a smile. "So early today?"

"Hey, don't even mention it. Business was slow these past few days during the Lunar New Year; the big families didn't go out. It's only today, the third day of the New Year, that things are starting to get a little better." Shunzi found his usual spot and sat down. "Manager Li, I just saw a sign at the door that says something about boiled pork slices. What's that? Pork slices boiled? Doesn't that taste bland?"

In the minds of old Beijingers, sliced ​​pork belly is meant to be eaten dipped in soy sauce and minced garlic. If it were boiled directly in water, it would be too fishy.

"Brother Shunzi, you're not familiar with this." Li Chunsheng chuckled. "This boiled pork slices, although it's called boiled, isn't boiled in plain water. It's boiled in a spicy red oil broth! It's the perfect dish to eat with rice! How about it? Want to try it today? I'll give you a discount?" Shunzi hesitated a bit. He had been craving the taste of braised pork for a long time, and he came today specifically to try a bite of braised pork.

But seeing Li Chunsheng's confident eyes, and hearing his words about how delicious it was, he was tempted. "Alright! I'll trust Manager Li this once! I'll have a serving of this boiled pork slices! If it's not good, I won't pay!"

"No problem! Da Hu, place the order for Brother Shunzi! One serving of boiled sliced ​​pork and two large bowls of rice!"

"Okay!" Xiao Wu responded loudly.

Li Chunsheng returned to the kitchen and heated the oil in the wok.

The marinated meat slices are cooked in a wok until done, then placed on a bed of cabbage, sprinkled with chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and minced garlic, and served at Shunzi's table!

Li Chunsheng came out specifically to pour hot oil on the pot!

"Sizzle!!!"

Instantly, the aroma filled the entire lobby! The diners who had been chatting in the restaurant all twitched their noses.

"My goodness! What is this smell?!"

"Cough cough! It's pungent! But it smells so good!"

Shunzi looked at the boiled pork slices in front of him. The red oil was bubbling and steaming, and it was covered with a thick layer of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. The pork slices were faintly visible in the red oil. Just looking at them made his mouth water.

"Brother Shunzi, your boiled pork slices! Be careful, they're hot!"