Food Stall: Customers Chase Me across the Country-Chapter 377 - 378: Mouthwatering for All—Green Peppers Stuffed with Shrimp Paste
The thin cornstarch sauce was not easy to detach, and its addition quickly coated the layer of shrimp oil and seasonings at the bottom of the pan onto the green pepper, as if laying an amber-colored oil film over it.
The wrinkled tiger-skin patterned green chili, combined with shrimp paste browned on three sides, complemented by this oil film and a soul-stirring, intense aroma, nearly begged to have the words "irresistibly tempting" engraved upon it.
Ordinarily, an overpowering shrimp flavor can be quite overwhelming, but this scent was intriguingly mingled with the unique fresh and slight spiciness of the green chili, creating a truly marvelous smell.
Jiang Tian and Lu Yuan had already lost count of how many times they swallowed their saliva, but they were very clear that before this shrimp-stuffed green pepper reached their mouths, the drooling was not going to stop!
This aroma and visual appeal, who could possibly resist it?
As if sensing the diners’ impatient mood, Wang Fan finally spoke the heavenly phrase: "Dinner is served."
"Wow!"
In an instant, the people in line felt as if they’d been injected with adrenaline, each person’s demeanor becoming extremely excited.
"It’s open, it’s open, hurry, hurry!"
"Friends at the front, hurry up, if you don’t move faster, you risk being washed away by our drool."
"Friends at the back, stop rushing us, we’re even more in a hurry than you are!"
Jiang Tian felt the food was almost in front of them; could those behind be more anxious than him?
Zhuo Qianqian’s speed in plating and weighing was quick, mostly just estimating the weight before adding a bit more if it seemed lacking, never bothering to skim down to the exact gram, as long as it wasn’t short.
Jiang Tian grabbed his portion of shrimp-stuffed green pepper and rushed aside to start eating; to save time, he’d already paid when he’d placed the order.
The dish in the plate looked substantial in portion, the slightly charred green chili wrapped in a layer of amber-like thick sauce, visually attesting to its incredible deliciousness.
Without hesitation, he picked up a piece, brought it close, and examined it in detail.
Color, aroma, and taste— a dish’s appearance and color are always prioritized; unappetizing food succeeding against the odds is almost impossible.
The shrimp-stuffed green pepper before him clearly did not belong to this category; it was a masterpiece of art!
Even on its own, without any plating, it could compare to Michelin-style presentations.
The amber-colored shrimp oil sauce clung tightly to every shrimp-stuffed green pepper.
The thumb-sized green chili looked petite and elegant, yet appeared robust and full due to the generous shrimp paste stuffing.
The contrasting black-yellow ridges and the tender green layer of chili flesh created a visually teasing display.
The shrimp paste visible on either side and the middle, pan-fried to a golden hue with faint scorch marks, demonstrated the unique beauty that only perfect heat can impart to ingredients.
Jiang Tian couldn’t resist any longer; her hand moved faster than her mind to stuff the shrimp-stuffed green pepper from her chopsticks into her mouth.
"Crunch..."
The outer layer of shrimp paste broke with a crisp sound, and the refreshing, slightly sweet taste of the chili burst forth alongside the rich, savory flavor of the shrimp, the rich juice of the chili flesh and the juices locked within the shrimp paste blending into a perfect taste, leaving Jiang Tian momentarily breathless.
The crispness of the green chili, the crisp outer layer of the shrimp paste, and the tender shrimp within interwove in her mouth, with small pieces of shrimp occasionally providing a delightful bouncy texture. Jiang Tian swore it was a uniquely unmatched tactile delight.
Crispness, chewiness, tenderness, and softness— it was hard to believe a seemingly simple dish could possess such varied textures.
The fresh shrimp still primarily exuded a sweet-savory essence, but the slight spiciness of the green chili added a unique flair.
Jiang Tian felt her only option was to close her eyes and focus all her taste buds to savor this deliciousness.
Yet even so, she couldn’t provide a perfect analysis or truly convey to others how delicious it was; only by experiencing it firsthand could one truly appreciate its exquisite changes and flavors.
Suddenly, Jiang Tian’s gaze sharpened, directing a gaze as if filled with a palpable killing intent to the side.
Lu Yuan’s chopsticks paused mid-reach; he had no doubt that if his chopsticks dared to move even a millimeter further, a set of Chaotic Cape Fist moves would find their way onto him.
"If you want some, buy it yourself! This plate’s mine, all mine! I want it all!"
Lu Yuan nodded quickly, whereupon Jiang Tian contentedly withdrew her sharp gaze.
"Truly worthy of Boss Wang, proving there’s only a wrong name, not a wrong nickname; the most formidable wild gourmet boss title is well-earned!"
"I gotta take a picture for social media."
"What Michelin star cuisine, delete them all; in front of Boss Wang’s shrimp-stuffed green pepper, they’re all nothing!"
As she mumbled, Jiang Tian took out her phone to capture the shrimp-stuffed green pepper from every angle, then posted it online.
After a whirlwind combo, she went back to picking up another piece to eat.
"The rich shrimp aroma feels like it would soar through one’s mind, as if hordes of shrimp are swimming in your head, followed by rows of chilies chasing after the shrimp..."
Lu Yuan looked at Jiang Tian dumbfounded, wondering how eating a dish could send someone into such a trance. 𝒻𝘳ℯℯ𝑤ℯ𝒷𝘯ℴ𝓋ℯ𝘭.𝑐ℴ𝑚
What was all that talk about?
Were you eating shrimp paste or some sort of enchantment potion?
Jiang Tian’s reaction wasn’t unique; in fact, anyone who purchased the shrimp-stuffed green pepper found themselves captivated from the first bite, even those who’d already indulged in one of yesterday’s shrimp feasts couldn’t resist the allure of this dish.
Principal Qi and Tuomuer got the second batch.
Forget those half-grown kids; even Principal Qi, who had enjoyed nationally renowned cuisine during his four years at Wudaokou Vocational Technical College, couldn’t resist the power of this dish.
His family conditions were adequate, living quite comfortably through work-study and scholarships, having sampled most culinary delights both on and off campus.
But he was certain that no dish had ever compared to what he was tasting now.
The fresh flavor of shrimp and the crispness of chili with no unnecessary seasonings to steal the limelight either in flavor or texture.
The perfectly balanced dash of salt neither disrupting the overall taste nor inspiring the most extraordinary palate pleasure.
"Zibo steadied its immense affluence largely due to Boss Wang’s two apprentices."
This had been his former roommate’s conclusion after eating there for three consecutive days.
"One apprentice roasts the meat tender between cooked and uncooked, bursting with juice in every bite; the other roasts it slightly charred, yet that charred aroma becomes a charming addiction. Since opening the shop, they haven’t received a single negative review. When I asked them how their skills compared to Boss Wang’s, they said they were at most sixty percent as good. Honestly, I can’t imagine how delicious the food Boss Wang makes must be."
