Why have you been getting into fried foods lately? Starting with Crispy Meat, whether it's sweet and sour dishes or Alcoholic Peanuts, all are typical fried dishes. Unexpectedly, now there's a deep-fried tenderloin that is no less impressive than Crispy Meat...

Given Crispy Meat's presence on the menu, it's highly unlikely that deep-fried tenderloin will be a new addition to the restaurant's offerings. However, this dish can be used to explore the techniques for other fried snacks like dry-fried mushrooms. This is Lin Xu's favorite.

He remembered last year during Spring Festival, Chen Meijuan fried a basket at home, yet in less than a day, it was all devoured by Lin Xu, who was busy watching dramas and playing games. With no other choice, Chen Meijuan could only fry another big basket.

Recalling the comfortable times at home, Lin Xu sighed helplessly. After graduation, it's hard to have such leisurely moments anymore.

He set his thoughts aside and began to prepare the batter for sweet and sour tenderloin: flour, starch, egg, cooking oil, and two teaspoons of baking powder. After adding the baking powder, the batter rapidly expands during frying, forming honeycomb-like pores, which is key to the sweet and sour tenderloin's good texture.

Once the batter was ready, he removed the scallion and ginger from the tenderloin strips, then poured the batter over them, ensuring they were well coated.

He started frying.

When the oil reached medium heat, Lin Xu slipped the batter-coated strips into the pot, where under the heat, they quickly puffed up. Once the outside was firmly fried, he turned down the heat slightly, letting the oil cool to medium-low heat. This would cook the tenderloin inside thoroughly without the outer batter burning. He kept frying until the strips floated to the surface and felt light when stirred with a skimmer; then he could remove them and drain the oil.

At this point, the tenderloin was about seventy to eighty percent done. When customers order, a quick refry would bring the tenderloin's texture and taste to perfection. After drizzling with sweet and sour sauce, it would become the classic delicacy that sends sweet and sour aficionados into raptures.

While frying the tenderloin, Lin Xu handed the menu he had written to Mr. Gao, asking for his input.

"Your menu is too monotonous. You should at least add Onion with Black Fungus to the cold dishes. That's such an easy dish, can't you make it?"

Lin Xu: "..."

Should I be able to?

He cleared his throat, "I can't make it as delicious as you, Master. I'm just not gifted at preparing cold dishes."

"It's really simple! Just soak some thinly sliced onions, soak some black fungus, then mix with the sauce you use for your Oil-poured Noodles, drizzle some Chili Oil over it, and there you have it!"

That does sound quite simple when put that way.

Lin Xu planned to give it a try later. If the flavor turned out to be decent, then he could add another dish for Ou Hua.

"For the hot dishes... you can remove the Steamed Chicken Feet with Black Bean Sauce, no repetition; egg yolk baked pumpkin is a no-go either, it smells off when it's cold; Crispy Meat should also be removed, it won't be crispy when it arrives. I suggest you change the technique and make it into Crispy Pork Soup, that way it's still hot when served..."

Mr. Gao quickly adjusted the menu. The cold dishes included Ginger Lotus Root, Ginger Marinated Century Eggs, Onion with Black Fungus, and Alcoholic Peanuts. Hot dishes consisted of Steamed Pork Ribs in Black Bean Sauce, Tiger Skin Chicken Feet, Sweet and Sour Tenderloin, Boiled Fish, plus a portion of Crispy Pork Soup, making a total of nine dishes.

Although there are only nine, the contents are rich: meat and vegetarian, sweet and salty, hot and cold, it has everything.

Lin Xu finished frying the tenderloin and sent this menu to Ou Hua.

Before long, he received a reply from Boss Ou, "Excellent, Mr. Lin, remember to give ample portions; the guys working under me can really eat, make sure you fill them up."

That's no problem at all. As long as the budget allows, there could be two servings of each dish.

「At eleven in the morning.」

In Tianpeng Audit Firm inside Dongming Building, Shen Jiayue was reviewing past business data and processes.

"Little Yue, it's almost noon. What delicious food is your husband preparing for you today?"

The colleagues were accustomed to indulging in their 'relationship-feeding' sessions. Noticing the delivery boy hadn't arrived with lunch, they grew curious.

Shen Jiayue closed the folder and said, "I'm not sure yet, he mentioned he wanted me to try a new dish today, but I don't know what it is."

Why isn't Xu Bao's love-filled lunch here yet? My tummy is so hungry!

This morning, after seeing Lin Xu's message about the new dish offering, she intentionally skipped breakfast so as not to miss out on the deliciousness. Now her stomach was rumbling with hunger, and lunch still hadn't arrived, causing Shen Jiayue to start missing the Eight Treasure Porridge the nanny had made that morning.

"Your husband isn't still sleeping in, is he?"

"No, he runs a restaurant. Every day, he gets up to buy produce at around four in the morning, which is super hard work."

Runs a restaurant? Her colleagues were taken aback. All this time, they'd only been jealous and envious, totally unaware that Shen Jiayue's husband ran a restaurant.

"Where is the restaurant? Is it far from here?"

"Can we order takeout?"

"Give us the address, we'll check it out after work."

"Count me in! Seeing Little Yue enjoy her food every day almost makes me cry with envy."

Since he runs a restaurant, the lovingly prepared lunches that Shen Jiayue usually eats, they should be available at the restaurant too, right? So, what are we waiting for? Let's go check it out!

"My husband's restaurant is on Yingchun Street near the North Fourth Ring, called Lin Ji's Food."

After saying this, Shen Jiayue sneaked a glance at the chief auditor's office in the distance. She hoped Uncle Tan hadn't heard that! Otherwise, if her parents got wind of it, she would definitely be in for a lecture!

While everyone was discussing, a delivery boy's shout came from the door, "Shen Jiayue, your lunch is here!"

"Coming, coming!"

Shen Jiayue jogged over to get her lunch; her colleagues all breathed a sigh of relief.

Whew...

Today's dose of relationship sweetness had been delivered.

"Thanks, buddy!"

Carrying the bag back to her seat, Shen Jiayue couldn't wait to take out the lunch boxes and open them one by one: a serving of Sweet and Sour Tenderloin with bright red sauce, a portion of boiled meat slices exuding a strong spicy and numbing aroma, plus a serving of rice and a cup of Sour Plum Soup, generously filled with ice cubes.

"Wow, that smells amazing! Little Yue, what delicious dish did your husband make for you?"

"Sweet and Sour Tenderloin and boiled meat slices..."

Shen Jiayue's eyes narrowed into crescent moons. I've gained so much happiness since Xu Bao entered my life. If only I'd captured this troublesome guy during our school days!

"Does your husband's restaurant sell these dishes?"

"They should, but those dishes are limited, and you might not be able to get them if you go too late..."

As she spoke, Shen Jiayue picked up a piece of the Sweet and Sour Tenderloin and put it in her mouth. The moment it touched her palate, the rich, flavorful tangy sweetness filled her entire mouth, just on par with the sweet and sour fish cubes Xie Shixiong made yesterday.

My Lin Xu's cooking skills are just amazing!

With every bite, the crispy coating was so delicious it made her want to cry, especially those fluffy air pockets—that sensation was like stepping into the void. And the juicy meat inside firmly caught that void-stepping sensation.

So delicious!

「At the same time.」

Lin Xu rinsed the soaked wood ear mushrooms twice and put them into a small basin, then added the onions that had been soaked for about fifteen minutes, sprinkled in a handful of chopped cilantro, poured in the mixed noodle sauce, and topped it with two spoonfuls of Chili Oil. After stirring everything evenly, he poured it onto a plate.

Just as he finished up, the system alert chimed, "Host has created an Excellent Level dish using mixed noodle sauce. Reward: Excellent Level general cold sauce Technique. Congratulations to the host."

Ha!

General cold sauce Technique? Does that mean from now on, I can freely make cold dishes?

Thinking this, Lin Xu immediately took out his phone and called Old Hu, the meat vendor, "Boss Hu, send me a box of pig's ears when you're not busy later, I plan to make a new dish!"

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