Cooking System: Street Food Rules

Several people sat at the table, commenting on the sizzling claypot dishes Jiang Feng had made.

"How is this squid so fresh? I wonder how he did it. I've never had squid this tender before."

"I'm a bit curious about the recipe for his sizzling sauce. It's very fragrant."

"Look how cleanly he's prepared the shrimp."

"This owner is quite impressive!"

The customers were extremely satisfied with the sizzling claypot dishes prepared by Jiang Feng. Nearly every customer felt the same way. Besides offering only a few dishes, this restaurant was practically perfect. It would be even better if it were a bit larger.

Here, "sizzling" can be understood as a cooking method that involves stir-frying in a claypot and then stewing, so there are sizzling dishes of all kinds. Jiang Feng launched three types of sizzling claypot dishes on his first day, which was quite an offering, given that he was working solo. Having too many varieties would make things complicated.

"The Sizzling Beef Claypot sells the least. It seems people prefer the Sizzling Chicken Claypot and the Sizzling Three Crispies Claypot," Jiang Feng observed.

Then I won't make the Beef Claypot tomorrow. I'll switch to a Sizzling Pork Intestines Claypot.

If I clean the pork intestines well and then sizzle them, the flavor will definitely be rich, Jiang Feng thought to himself.

The little restaurant's business was fairly good, with customers coming in one after another. Around 2:00 p.m., they had served 54 people—not a huge number, but not too few either. However, after 2:00 p.m., business generally dried up, and the restaurant quieted down.

Jiang Feng made two Sizzling Beef Claypots and, alongside Sun Zhuangfei, devoured them with rice until not a scrap of beef was left. The unique cooking method of the sizzling claypot made the beef incredibly tender, with an excellent flavor and texture. The sampan congee was equally delicious.

For Sun Zhuangfei, the only downside was the small bowls, only about the size of his palm. He didn't find them satisfying enough and went to the kitchen to find a basin so he could serve himself more rice at once. Jiang Feng, on the other hand, stuck with the small bowls; two were enough for him. Jiang Feng ate leisurely, while Sun Zhuangfei wolfed down his food.

"In a while, go buy some pork intestines, along with Black-Foot Chicken, squid blossoms, fresh shrimp, and mandarin fish," Jiang Feng instructed Sun Zhuangfei. "We're not doing the Beef Claypot tomorrow; we're switching to Sizzling Pork Intestines Claypot. Beef sales are just average."

"Alright, Boss. I'll head there right after I finish eating," Sun Zhuangfei quickly agreed, adding, "The market around here is quite good."

Sun Zhuangfei went to the kind of local market frequented by residents—chaotic looking, but the ingredients found there were very fresh. There weren't any tourists, and the prices tended to be fair. Everyone spoke Cantonese, and Sun Zhuangfei was making an effort to learn. Now and then, he would blurt out a few phrases, quite comically, reminiscent of actress Ada Choi speaking Mandarin.

After lunch, Sun Zhuangfei went to buy ingredients, while Jiang Feng rested in the restaurant. Around four or five in the afternoon, business started picking up again. By evening, the day's tasks were easily completed.

[Served 100/100 diners. Daily task complete.]

[Received additional reward: Cantonese Proficiency.]

The system notification of task completion appeared. Jiang Feng felt pleasantly surprised. What a stroke of luck! Cantonese Proficiency? This meant he now had a mastery of Cantonese expression.

Guangdong Province had many dialects, such as Hakka, Chaoshan, Leizhou, and Cantonese. Cantonese was predominant in Guangzhou, and many locals chatted in it. Running a stall or a small store here, knowing the language would definitely be more convenient.

After selling one hundred servings of sizzling claypot dishes, not many ingredients remained.

"Alright, work's done for today. Time to close up," Jiang Feng said to Sun Zhuangfei, seeing that there were few customers left.

"Oh?" Sun Zhuangfei was momentarily taken aback, then quickly responded, "Okay."

It was now 7:30 p.m., just after a peak in business, and the place wasn't too crowded. Closing up a bit early was a good idea.

Jiang Feng wanted to go home early to see his cats and dogs. He had rented a large house where his pets could play freely, and he longed to join them. Running a small shop like this was basically stress-free and quite enjoyable. The ingredients were simple to prepare, as were the cooking methods. For Jiang Feng, it was truly relaxing. Such a lifestyle also seemed leisurely. Occasionally, he'd take a call or two to sort out some business for his main restaurant, but other than that, there wasn't much else. The feeling of not being recognized was quite nice—steady and secure, suiting his inherently low-profile nature.

「The next day, the shop opened as usual.」

All the ingredients had already been marinated and were neatly arranged. The shelves were full of claypots, thanks to the previous owner. All the seasonings were also ready. Before opening, Jiang Feng and Sun Zhuangfei sat leisurely, idly playing with their phones as there was nothing much to do at that moment.

At this time, Sun Zhuangfei picked up the teapot and asked Jiang Feng, "Boss, what tea would you like?"

"Longjing tea," Jiang Feng replied calmly.

Sun Zhuangfei immediately poured a cup of Longjing tea for Jiang Feng. It was a common, inexpensive variety, meant for serving guests, but it had the distinct Longjing aroma. Many people in this area drank tea, so it was important to have a variety of teas ready. Gradually, Jiang Feng had adapted to the local customs.

As the clock struck 11:00 a.m., customers quickly started to stream in. Business was noticeably better today than yesterday. Many of the customers who came right after opening were regulars from the previous day. After all, good taste naturally attracted more customers. The local elderly man from yesterday came again. This time, he didn't ask if the "chicken was good or not" but directly ordered a Sizzling Three Crispies Claypot and a pot of tea, then sat down to wait. Jiang Feng skillfully prepared the various ingredients, then cooked a delicious Sizzling Three Crispies Claypot, which Sun Zhuangfei brought over to the customer. This pot was a testament to his skill.

Afterward, more and more customers kept arriving. One of them was named Cheng Lai.

Cheng Lai came to Jiang Feng's little eatery to taste Jiang Feng's sizzling claypot dishes and, secretly, to learn from him. Cheng Lai also owned a sizzling claypot restaurant and was its head chef. Having heard that the sizzling claypots at Jiang Feng's restaurant were very tasty, he decided to come and see for himself. Seeing only three types of sizzling claypots on the menu, he felt a little disdainful. Then he noticed the Sizzling Large Intestines Claypot, a dish his own restaurant didn't offer. He decided to order one to try.

Soon, a piping hot Sizzling Large Intestines Claypot was served. Upon lifting the lid, the large intestines gleamed with a glistening sheen of oil. The silky, tender, and springy texture filled his mouth, an overwhelming satisfaction that almost melted his tongue. So this was the wonderful flavor of sizzling large intestines! Jiang Feng's sizzling sauce was also exceptional. The rich flavor seemed to blossom on his taste buds; it was countless times better than his own sizzling sauce.

The more Cheng Lai ate, the more astonished he became, and the more disheartened he felt. This sizzling claypot was too marvelous. To call Jiang Feng the "Guangzhou King of Sizzling Claypots" would be no exaggeration. Cheng Lai savored the soft, bouncy large intestines, indulging in the sensation of them dancing in his mouth. His whole body felt immensely invigorated.

Large intestines are also perfect for a sizzling dish! When I get back, I'll make one too, Cheng Lai resolved.

Cheng Lai was evidently spurred on by Jiang Feng. He hurried to finish his Sizzling Large Intestines Claypot. After downing a cup of herbal tea, he promptly got up and rushed back to his own restaurant. On the way, Cheng Lai even made a special trip to the market to buy some large intestines.

His sizzling claypot restaurant was open for business, with his brother-in-law working as the chef and his wife doubling as a waitress and cashier. Upon Cheng Lai's return, he announced, "I've learned a new recipe! Let me try it out."

With that, he headed to the kitchen and began to busy himself with the Sizzling Large Intestines Claypot. He resolved to create large intestines even more delicious than Jiang Feng's.

Soon, the temperature in the claypot began to rise. Hot oil and sesame oil were poured in, followed by garlic and onions to release their aroma. The claypot was blazing hot. Just as the temperature peaked, he placed the cut pork large intestines into it. Cheng Lai put the pork large intestines inside, covered the pot, and turned the heat up high. The claypot, enveloped in flames, looked quite spectacular.

"Brother-in-law, what's that you're making?" his brother-in-law asked.

"It's something I just learned, Sizzling Large Intestines made with real skill! Just you watch, the taste will be fantastic," Cheng Lai replied with full confidence. "You handle the front for a bit. Once I've perfected this, I'll take over."

He had just eaten Jiang Feng's Sizzling Large Intestines Claypot, and the wonderful taste still lingered. Cheng Lai was convinced this was a secret recipe he'd never encountered. If he made it, the flavor was bound to be just as good.

After several minutes on high heat, the sizzling seemed just about right. At this moment, there were still some customers in Cheng Lai's restaurant, scrolling through their phones while enjoying their sizzling claypots. Cheng Lai placed the claypot of sizzling large intestines on a wooden board, gripped a cloth, and then lifted the lid.

Instantly, a cloud of white steam billowed out, and the smell quickly spread. The customers in the shop also caught a whiff of it. It was humid and pungent.

One person twitched their nose, couldn't help but frown, and muttered, "Damn it! Who the hell is cooking shit?"

Another person also complained, "Why does it stink like shit around here?"

Cheng Lai was stunned. He had washed the large intestines twice, thinking he had cleaned them thoroughly. Who knew that when sizzled in hot oil, the smell would be so overpowering? This wasn't right! How could the other place's Sizzling Large Intestines Claypot smell so fragrant, while his ended up stinking like this?

"Brother-in-law, you'd better cover it quickly. The smell is making my eyes water," his brother-in-law urged.

Cheng Lai quickly clapped the lid back on the claypot and didn't mention the Sizzling Large Intestines Claypot again, pretending the whole thing never happened.