Republic of China, 1928: Starting from a Wonton Shop

"System, claim the new dish reward," Li Chunsheng silently ordered in his mind.

[Congratulations, host! You have unlocked Hunan cuisine: Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Chili! Includes the secret method for marinating chopped chili.]

[Dish Description: Fiery red peppers and succulent fish head meld together under high heat, embodying the passion of Hunan cuisine in this single, spicy bite.]

[Congratulations, host! You have unlocked Sichuan cuisine: Mapo Tofu! Bonus technique: The Eight-Character Formula for Tofu (numbing, spicy, hot, bound, crispy, tender, fresh, lively)]

[Dish Description: Seemingly ordinary tofu, yet it holds the deepest skill of Sichuan cuisine—a flavor powerful enough to awaken the soul.]

The true essence of steamed fish head with chopped chili lies not in the fish, but in the perfectly marinated chopped chili. Traditionally, the marinating process takes several months, but now you can only buy it ready-made from the market.

"Great! With these two dishes, entertaining Mr. Mei and his family tomorrow night is a sure thing!" Li Chunsheng rubbed his hands together, his eyes full of excitement.

After a busy morning, seeing off wave after wave of guests, Li Chunsheng looked up at the clock and saw it was already three o'clock in the afternoon.

"Sister-in-law, let's go! Let's pick up Shen Nian from school!" Li Chunsheng clapped his hands, in high spirits.

"Oh! I've been thinking about this all along. I wonder how her first day of school went, how strict the teacher was, and how well she got along with her classmates." Yunniang said as she hurriedly took off her apron, her brows furrowed with the anxiety and anticipation of a mother sending her daughter to school for the first time.

"Don't worry," Li Chunsheng said with a smile. "Mr. Wu, Da Hu, we're going to pick up Ya Ya. You two watch the shop for a bit."

"Alright, boss, you can go ahead. We're here, don't worry." Da Hu patted his chest.

A large crowd had already gathered at the gate of Jingwen Girls' School. Most of them were well-dressed old women or servants in long gowns, while there were also many wealthy families driving cars.

"bell!"

The crisp sound of the school bell rang.

A moment later, a group of female students poured out of the school gate in small groups. Shen Xiuyun stared wide-eyed, desperately searching for Shen Nian's shadow.

"There it is!" Li Chunsheng pointed to the right side of the school gate.

Shen Nian was walking and talking with two female students of similar age, gesturing with his hands. He seemed to be adapting very well.

"Ya Ya!" Shen Xiuyun couldn't help but call out.

Hearing the sound, Shen Nian looked up and saw the two of them. Her eyes instantly curved into crescents. She said goodbye to her classmates and ran over with light steps.

"Mom! Brother Chunsheng!" The little girl buried her face in Li Chunsheng's arms.

"Slow down, you're all sweaty." Shen Xiuyun took out a handkerchief to wipe her sweat. "How are you? Did you understand what the teacher was saying? Did you eat well at lunch? Did you have the braised pork rice bowl?"

"The teacher's explanations were excellent, even more detailed than Chunsheng's!" Shen Nian chattered excitedly, tilting her head back. "At lunchtime, as soon as I opened my lunchbox, all the classmates gathered around, saying our food smelled amazing. I even shared a piece of braised pork with my deskmate, and she said she wanted me to bring her some tomorrow too!"

Li Chunsheng laughed heartily, took Shen Nian's schoolbag and slung it over his shoulder. "No problem! You can bring as many as you like!"

"Let's go to the West Market first. We're hosting important guests tomorrow night, so we need to pick out the freshest ingredients."

At this time, it was the peak time for grocery shopping in the West Market in the afternoon. Li Chun and his two companions entered a live fish shop called Lao Shui Fang.

"Hey, Manager Li, what a rare guest!" The stall owner was a bald, burly man reeking of fish, nicknamed "Water Ghost Zhang." "I don't remember your restaurant selling fish. What brings you here today?"

"Do you have any fresh bighead carp? Just the head, the kind that weighs five or six pounds. You can keep the body and sell it yourself." Li Chunsheng searched in the basin.

"Yes! Ready-made! Big grass carp and bighead carp just transported from Tianjin, look at their skin! So shiny!" Water Ghost Zhang scooped up a lively, fat bighead carp from the large vat behind him. "Look at this head, so broad and plump, it's perfect for a casserole or steaming."

Li Chunsheng reached out and examined the fish's gills, then smelled them. He nodded in satisfaction: "Alright, kill one for me. Remember, don't break the brain."

After buying the fish, I went to the spice shop next door. I couldn't find any chopped chili peppers; very few people in the entire city of Beiping made or ate them. Luckily, this shop had them.

Then, he stopped at a tofu stall in the market. He said that the tofu had to be the gypsum tofu, not too firm, otherwise it wouldn't absorb the flavor; and not too soft, otherwise it would turn into mush when stir-fried over high heat.

When they returned to Li's Restaurant, Lao Wu had already tidied up the front of the restaurant.

"Mr. Wu, Da Hu, if you don't have anything to do tonight, why don't you stay and go back later?"

"What's wrong, boss?"

"Usually it's Yunniang and Yaya who do the tasting, but tonight you two shouldn't leave yet, try my new dish too!"

The restaurant closes at 9 p.m.

In the kitchen, Li Chunsheng had to prepare the fish head first.

The first step in removing the fishy smell is to skillfully peel off the black membrane inside the fish's head, rub it repeatedly with a scalpel, ginger slices, and a little coarse salt, then rinse it with clean water. Next, he neatly arranges the fish head on a large porcelain plate lined with a thick layer of ginger slices and scallion segments.

Then, spread a thick layer of chopped chili peppers on the fish head, followed by a ring of minced garlic and a little bit of fermented black beans to enhance the flavor.

"Turn up the heat and steam it!"

While the fish was steaming, he began preparing Mapo Tofu.

Mapo tofu tastes best when made with minced beef. He chopped a small piece of freshly bought beef into fine pieces, then slowly stir-fried it in a pan over low heat until each piece of minced beef became golden brown and crispy, releasing that tempting aroma of beef tallow.

Stir-fry fermented soybean paste, fermented black beans, minced ginger and garlic until the oil turns red, then add the tofu cubes that have been blanched in salt water.

"Thicken the sauce once to infuse it with flavor; thicken it a second time to lock in the sauce; thicken it a third time to give it a glossy sheen."

Li Chunsheng's movements were fluid and graceful. The last spoonful of bright red tofu was taken out of the pot, sprinkled with a layer of finely ground Sichuan peppercorn powder, and the aroma of numbing spiciness and tenderness hit his nose.

"The fish head is ready!"

Just as the Mapo Tofu was finished, the Steamed Fish Head with Chopped Chili was almost done steaming. Li Chunsheng used a towel to support his hand as he took the porcelain plate out of the steamer.

The savory juices from the fish head mixed with the red oil from the chopped chili peppers, creating an enticing color. He heated a spoonful of clear oil and, with a "sizzle," poured it over the minced garlic on the fish head.

Instantly, white smoke rose up, filling the air with a fragrant aroma!

"Ya Ya, go call Mr. Wu and Brother Da Hu for dinner!" Li Chunsheng shouted to the backyard while wiping his hands.

The restaurant's lobby was already decorated with red lanterns announcing that it was closing time.

Two dishes were served, and Da Hu couldn't help but swallow hard. "Boss, this smells amazing! It's even better than boiled pork slices!"

"Then don't just look, try it!"