"Are you sure, Liu Mang?" asked Li Ruonan. Pen % fun % Pavilion www.biquge.info

"It's hard because I don't know how that fried rice is cooked. Liu Mang recalled the taste of Johnson's fried rice just now: "Is it just ordinary soy sauce fried rice?

"Mr. Johnson, can you recall the look and taste of that fried rice dish in more detail, the better. Li Ruonan said.

"Okay. Johnson nodded, frowned and carefully recalled the taste of that fried rice back then: "Well, that rice is covered with golden minced pork, the minced pork is dry and chewy, and the rice is red, mixed with the fat of the minced pork, very delicious." ”

"The rice is a little red, it must be because of the soy sauce, and as for the rice with minced pork, which is rare in China, is it the chef's original fried rice? ”

Liu Mang became more and more embarrassed, because the fried rice in Johnson's memory, if it was the chef's originality, then he didn't know what kind of fried rice it was.

"Well, Mr. Johnson, can you use your kitchen here? I can try to make a fried rice for you to taste, and see if it tastes like you used to eat back then." After thinking about it for a while, he still couldn't figure it out, Liu Mang said.

"Of course you can!" Johnson hurriedly stood up and led Liu Mang and Li Ruonan to the kitchen at the back of the restaurant.

The kitchen in the restaurant is very clean, it can be described as spotless, and all kinds of kitchen utensils are neatly arranged and have everything in place.

It is clear that Johnson loves his job and runs the restaurant as his life's work.

"I don't know your name, sir. Bringing Liu Mang to the crisper where the ingredients were placed, Johnson asked.

"My name is Liu Mang, and this is my girlfriend Li Ruonan. ”

"Liu Mang?" Johnson was stunned: "Why do I seem to have heard this name somewhere?"

"Haha, maybe we Chinese names are similar. Liu Mang smiled and took out a piece of fat and thin pork belly from the cabinet: "Mr. Johnson, what is the approximate fat and leanness of minced pork?"

"Fatness?" Johnson was stunned again.

"Oh, I mean the ratio between lean and fatty pork. ”

"I don't know, I just know that there is a lot of fat in that kind of minced pork, and it will be a little greasy at first, but the more you get used to it, the better it tastes. ”

"Let's go five-five. When Liu Mang heard this, he took out a slightly fat piece of pork belly from the fresh-keeping cabinet, and then walked to the workbench for cutting vegetables.

"Mr. Liu Mang, you can use these knives as you like, don't be polite. Seeing Liu Mang looking at the dazzling array of knives on the board, Johnson said.

"Forget it, just use this one. Liu Mang picked out a heavier one from these knives.

Of course, he is not polite, but there are many knives here, and there is not a single Chinese kitchen knife at hand, and it is very difficult to chop meat with these Western-style knives.

Cut the pork belly into small strips, then dice and puree with a knife.

"Mr. Johnson, do you have cooked rice?" asked Liu Mang, who had the minced pork ready.

"Oh, there is. Johnson hurriedly took out a small pot of rice from the cupboard.

"Our Chinese fried rice is fried with overnight rice, so that the fried rice can be dry. ”

"Huh, can't you fry it now?"

"It's okay, I'll try to stir-fry it first to see if it's the bowl of rice you had before, and I'll talk about the rest later. ”

"Okay. ”

"Well, yes, you have a complete set of condiments, and you have all kinds of soy sauces in China. Liu Mang was worried about the lack of condiments at first, but found that he was a little worried.

"I tried all kinds of Chinese spices in order to find out how to make this dish, and I thought that if I couldn't find it, I would have to close the restaurant for a while and try my luck in China. Johnson replied.

"Mr. Johnson, is this fried rice so important to you?" asked Li Ruonan.

"Of course, very important!" Johnson nodded solemnly, "It's about my childhood memories and a way for me to miss my mother." Every time I wake up in my sleep, I will have the image of fried rice in my mind, which is the most precious thing my mother left me. Unfortunately, I lost it and couldn't even remember what it tasted like. ”

"It doesn't matter, we have a saying in China -- hard work pays off! If it doesn't work this time, then next time, I believe you will definitely find it." Liu Mang comforted.

Mix light soy sauce and dark soy sauce in a 1:2 ratio, then add a little sugar and oyster sauce and bring to a slight boil in a pan.

Judging from Johnson's description, Liu Mang guessed that this fried rice was probably an ordinary soy sauce fried rice, so he wanted to try it first.

Soy sauce fried rice is so simple, even simpler than egg fried rice, the only complicated thing is that the soy sauce used in the fried rice is pre-blended, and it is the same soy sauce used to eat Cantonese claypot rice.

Once the soy sauce is ready, heat the pot on the stove and stir-fry the minced pork to bring out the fat contained in it.

Next, pour in the beaten rice and stir-fry until all the rice is stir-fried and the grains are even, and then pour in the soy sauce that has been prepared in advance.

Light soy sauce and dark soy sauce are mixed with oyster sauce and sugar, and then dried by fire, and the soy sauce is made with both the salty and sweet color of light soy sauce and the bright red color of dark soy sauce.

"Alright. Liu Mang removed the wok from the stove, and then put the fried rice on the plate: "Mr. Johnson, you try it to see if it's this kind of fried rice." ”

"Okay! Okay!" Johnson got excited, nodded repeatedly, and couldn't wait to take a spoon: "It's this color! ”

Johnson's hands trembling as he held the spoon and gently scooped up a spoonful of rice and put it in his mouth.

"How's that, Mr. Johnson?" asked Liu Mang.

"Yummy!" Johnson savored in his mouth for a moment, then spat out two words.

"Is it just delicious? nothing else special? Is it different from the fried rice you remember?" asked Liu Mang.

"It's kind of like, but it doesn't seem to be. Johnson shook his head: "The color is similar, but the taste is a little different, the texture of the rice is a little drier, not so moist." And the minced pork is a little too tender, and the fried rice that my mother brought back, the pork is a little burnt, and there is a 'crunchy' feeling in the mouth. ”

"Liu Mang, is it that the time for frying the minced pork is a little shorter, and the fat is not completely forced out. Li Ruonan said.

"Probably not. Liu Mang touched his chin: "Could it be that we have fallen into a misunderstanding, in fact, this bowl of fried rice is not fried at all?" because as long as it is fried, the taste of the rice will be a little dry, unless water is added temporarily." However, adding water temporarily is a big no-no for fried rice, and most Chinese chefs don't do it. ”

"It's possible, but what kind of rice is it?" Li Ruonan also pondered.

"Both, this bowl of fried rice is very similar to the bowl of fried rice in my memory, I'm very satisfied to be able to do this, can you teach me how to make it?" Johnson said as he ate the fried rice on his plate in a few bites.

"Wait, Mr. Johnson, I seem to have caught something. Liu Mang frowned and thought hard: "By the way, you said that the fried rice that your mother brought back back back that year, the minced pork was very charred, and there was a 'crunchy' feeling in your mouth?"

"yes, and there's an illusion of melting in the mouth, which makes it feel very good. ”

"Crunchy! melting feeling?" Liu Mang and Li Ruonan looked at each other and blurted out at the same time: "Lard residue!"

"Mr. Johnson, I now know what your mother brought back from the Chinese restaurant!" Liu Mang became excited.

"What's the dish?"

"It's not fried rice at all, it's a very simple bowl of 'lard bibimbap'!"

"Bibimbap?"

"That's right! In China, leftovers are often presented with the technique of stir-frying, but there are also other ways to eat them, and 'lard bibimbap' is one of them!"

"That'...... So what to do?"

"It's easy, I'll try it once. Liu Mang walked to the crisper again, took out a large piece of pork from it, and then used a knife to cut off the fat on it.

"You Americans don't make lard, right? But in China, lard is a very common cooking oil, and lard residue is a by-product of the refining process. ”

After speaking, Liu Mang cut the cut fat into cubes and put it in the pot.

"Mr. Johnson, please help me cook another pot of rice. ”

"Okay. ”

Under the heat of the torment, the diced minced pork is stir-fried, and the fat contained in it slowly seeps out.

Liu Mang turned off the heat and let the diced pork boil in the fat until all the fat was forced out and the diced pork turned golden in color.

"Mr. Liu Mang, the rice is cooked. After about ten minutes, Johnson said.

"Leave it to me. Li Ruonan walked over with a bowl, scooped out a large bowl of steaming rice from the rice cooker, and handed it to Liu Mang's hand.

Liu Mang scooped a little lard residue from boiling lard with a colander and covered it with rice, and then poured a large spoonful of soy sauce and a little hot lard.

"Please use it, Mr. Johnson! This should be the flavor you remember. ”

"It's that simple?" Johnson, who watched Liu Mang's production the whole time, widened his eyes.

"That's right, this 'lard bibimbap' is a simple dish in China. In the past, people lived in poverty and did not often have meat to eat, so the residues left over from boiling lard were used to eat directly or into vegetables. ”

"Yes! That's the aroma!" Johnson picked up the spoon and took a deep breath into the bowl, then wondered: "The color seems to be a little wrong." ”

The pork lard residue on top of the rice is golden and brilliant, and with the white raw rice, it gives a simple, yet enticing visual effect.

"Mr. Johnson, you mix it well and give it a try. Liu Mang said with a smile.

"Okay. Johnson answered, and immediately stirred it in the bowl with a spoon.

After stirring, the soy sauce, rice, and pork residue are mixed together, and it quickly turns into the crimson color of the fried rice dish at the beginning.

Johnson scooped a spoonful into his mouth, just took a sip and chewed it again, and his voice choked: "Oh...... Mommy, Mommy!"

As soon as you take the steaming rice, the taste of soy sauce and the moisturizing taste of the lard make each grain of rice extremely sweet, and when you chew it gently, you will only burst into tears.

At this moment, Johnson seemed to be back in that humble cabin, and his young self sat on the tattered wooden chair, and the beautiful face of his mother appeared in front of him.

"Oh!oh my god!oh my god!"

Liu Mang and Li Ruonan looked at each other and smiled, with a relieved expression on their faces.

Johnson took a few bites of bibimbap, immediately put down his rice bowl, and rushed to the corner of the kitchen to remove an old-fashioned tape recorder from the counter.

"My mother loved to listen to this song the most. I always listened to the song and ate this bowl of lard bibimbap. Johnson pressed the tape recorder button.

After a rustle of tape jams, a familiar melody came into the ears of Liu Mang and Li Ruonan.

Sweet honey, you smile sweetly, like flowers blooming in the spring breeze, blooming in the spring breeze......

I saw you there, I saw you there, your smile was so familiar, I can't remember it for a while, ah...... In a dream......

Looking at Johnson, who was shaking his head slightly to the melody and eating 'lard bibimbap', Liu Mang and Li Ruonan quietly retreated and gently closed the kitchen door.

"Two, you ......" When the attendants outside saw Liu Mang and Li Ruonan, they hurriedly greeted them, and then wanted to push open the door of the back kitchen.

"Don't ...... Your chef is not available right now, please don't disturb him. Liu Mang grabbed the attendant.

"Is Chef Johnson still cooking inside?"

"No...... He's reminiscing about a good time. ”

After waiting outside for about half an hour, Johnson came out of the back kitchen, his eyes red and obviously crying.

"Thank you, Mr. Liu Mang!" Johnson said gratefully, holding Liu Mang's hand.

"It's nothing, food is meant to bring happiness. Liu Mang stuffed a note into Johnson's hand: "On the note is the recipe for soy sauce just now, as well as the boiling method of lard residue." By the way, the rice should be eaten hot, preferably freshly out of the pan. In this way, the oil in the pork residue can fully penetrate into the rice. ”

"I know, thank you again!" Johnson hugged Liu Mang and said affectionately: "Mr. Liu Mang, you will be the most distinguished guest of my restaurant in the future, thank you for letting me find my most precious thing." ”

"Actually, there are many other delicacies in China, but I don't think any of them can compare to your mother's taste. ”

"Yes, I'm going to keep making this 'lard bibimbap' so that everyone can share in my happiness. ”