Chapter 35 - 34: Two Kinds of Pancakes

Chapter 35: Chapter 34: Two Kinds of Pancakes

It was already past mealtime, and everyone was starving. Plus, Ning He’s cooking had a fragrance that was simply to die for, and the others couldn’t wait a second longer. Ning He herself felt as though her stomach had crawled up into her throat; if she delayed any further, it might just climb out and find its own food.

So as soon as she gave the word, four pairs of chopsticks shot out. In the blink of an eye, everyone had stuffed a large helping of fillings into the pocket bread in their hands and taken a huge bite.

HAAA—

This was the flavor!

The soft, fluffy pocket bread enveloped the rich fillings. One bite revealed a symphony of textures and tastes: refreshing, crisp cucumber shreds; soft, starchy potato slivers; and slightly sweet carrot ribbons. Onion, chives, and cilantro provided a heady aroma, while other vegetables added to the complex texture and fresh scent. Then there were the chewy tofu shreds. Having soaked up the sauce, they were no longer bland—Ning He could have sworn she tasted a hint of meat.

The specially mixed sauce magically fused all the ingredients. It was a perfect balance of salty, savory, sour, and sweet, with an exciting kick from garlic and spices that made it utterly addictive.

Tasting this familiar street food flavor, Ning He felt her eyes well up.

’It’s been too long.’

’It’s been so long since I’ve eaten something this delicious!’

She was completely lost in the blissful flavor, and the others were even more so.

Ding Xiang usually didn’t eat much due to her delicate health. Now, however, she held the bulging pocket bread with both hands, clutching the opening tightly as she took a huge bite. As she chewed, a smile bloomed across her small face and her round eyes narrowed into happy slits. She was clearly savoring every moment.

Connie felt as if she had been transported back to the first time she ever tried noodles with tomato and meat sauce. Her taste buds were reeling from the fierce onslaught of flavors, leaving her feeling almost dizzy.

’My prized sauce paste can be used to create a flavor like this?’

’Then what have I been making all this time?’

’How can it be this delicious without any meat?’

’How can vegetables be this aromatic?’

’I can’t stop eating!’

Ah Huai froze for a second after his first bite, then devoured the rest without pausing. He was the first to finish his pocket bread. His eyes fixed on the remaining bread and fillings on the table; for once, he found it impossible to restrain his desire for more.

’It’s not enough. Not nearly enough!’

"Everyone finished? Then on to the next one."

Ning He stood up and fired up the stove. She took one of the flatbreads she had made earlier and put it back on the heat, spreading it with a layer of stir-fried vegetables seasoned only with salt, sugar, and oil. She folded it into thirds and cooked it until the crust was crispy and flecked with charred spots before taking it out of the pan.

She cut the long pancake into four pieces with a knife and gave one to each person.

"This is called a vegetable pancake. Give it a try and tell me how it compares to the pocket bread."

The fresh-off-the-pan pancake was still hot to the touch, but no one had any intention of setting it down to cool. They each gave it a couple of quick puffs of air before taking a bite.

The texture of this vegetable pancake was completely different from the pocket bread.

The pocket bread was white, soft, fluffy, and thick. This pancake, by contrast, was paper-thin and exquisitely crispy. It flaked at the slightest touch of their teeth, and they could hear a distinct "CRUNCH" as they chewed.

The pancake skin was toasted dry and crisp, but the filling was tender and juicy, creating a perfect contrast in texture.

The simple seasoning allowed the vegetables’ natural flavors to shine. The rich variety offered a medley of sensations: piquant aromas, sweet crispness, mellow sweetness, fresh tenderness, and soft starchiness. Vegetables grown in the black mud had a much richer flavor than their store-bought counterparts. It was like being out in the wild, body and soul immersed in a rustic, fresh, and wholesome flavor that brought a sense of pure happiness and satisfaction.

It was the most comforting of flavors, and the most unforgettable.

After they had finished, a long moment passed before Connie finally sighed.

"I honestly can’t choose. They look similar, but the experience of eating them is completely different. I think they’ll both be very popular."

Ah Huai and Ding Xiang agreed.

"Neither of these seems too complicated to make. Why not sell both?" Ah Huai mused. "But with so many vegetables in the filling, they probably won’t be cheap. I wonder if the residents of the Fifth Ring can afford them."

Ning He patted her stomach and stood up again.

"Then let’s see about the third dish."

The other three stared, their eyes wide.

’There’s more?!’

But their surprise was quickly replaced by eager anticipation.

They still had a little room left in their stomachs, just enough for one more. They could only wonder: what delicious creation would it be this time?

With the other three watching her every move, Ning He took a youtiao she had set aside from the morning and cut it into small pieces. She flash-fried them in hot oil and then scooped them out.

Then she brought out another prepared batter and once again brushed oil on the flat-bottomed pan to spread it thin. A small amount of mung bean flour had been added, giving the batter a slight green tint and a faint, bean-like aroma.

Once the crepe firmed up, she brushed a thin layer of beaten egg over its surface and sprinkled on a pinch of chopped scallions. She then flipped it, spread it with sauce, layered on lettuce, scattered the youtiao pieces on top, and folded it all into a roll.

A classic Jianbing Guozi, fresh off the pan!

Compared to the first two items, Jianbing Guozi’s ingredients were mostly flour-based, with the egg being optional. This drastically lowered the cost, making it much more suitable for the purchasing power of Fifth Ring residents.

The four of them shared it.

The result was predictable.

The appeal of Jianbing Guozi had been tested and proven by generations of people and millions of foodies. The chewy, fragrant crepe, the combined aroma of egg and scallion, the incredibly crispy re-fried youtiao, and the salty, sweet, savory, and spicy sauce—together, they created a thrilling and deeply satisfying explosion of flavor.

Ding Xiang clutched her stuffed little tummy, her cheeks flushed.

"Big Sis, all three of these are so delicious. I really can’t choose which one is the best."

Full and satisfied, Ning He lounged lazily in her chair. "Honestly, I can’t choose either. How about we just sell all three? They’re all made on a griddle, and there are three of us. We should be able to manage."

Connie nodded.

"We can sell all three, but we need to pick one as our main item. We also have to get the prep and pricing right, or we’ll end up with some items selling out while others are left over."

Connie had more experience in this area, so Ning He naturally deferred to her.

"So, what’s your suggestion?"

Connie thought for a moment. "The last one, the Jianbing Guozi, has the lowest cost. The portion you just made is enough to mostly fill up an adult. As long as the price isn’t too high, it’s guaranteed to sell well. Let’s make that our main product."

"The vegetable pancake and the pocket bread have similar costs, but the pocket bread is more troublesome to make, and the amount of sauce used also increases the cost. Let’s price the pocket bread the highest and the vegetable pancake in the middle. Plus, we can offer different price points for the pancake by letting people add or remove fillings."

"Considering this is our first time with a stall in the Fifth Ring and we don’t have any regulars... since the Jianbing Guozi uses youtiao anyway, why don’t we sell youtiao on its own? One original coin per stick. We’ll have no trouble attracting customers then."

"That’s a great idea. You’ve thought of everything." Ning He’s eyes lit up. An image of a street food stall she used to frequent flashed through her mind, sparking another idea. "If we precook the vegetable fillings, the flavor will suffer if they sit out too long. How about we do it like we did with the salads? Let customers choose their own fillings within a set portion, and we can charge extra for add-ons like eggs or tofu?"

Even though most people were used to eating mush and were hardly picky, there would always be someone who didn’t care for the taste of certain vegetables. This kind of customizable option would appeal to everyone.

"Alright, let’s set the prices. Considering the income levels of Fifth Ring residents, I suggest we keep the profit margin low, around 10 to 15 percent." At this, Connie turned to Ning He. "Where are you planning to get your supplies? The restaurant is closed, and we can’t contact our usual suppliers for now. If you don’t have any contacts, we can give you some introductions, but you’ll have to negotiate the prices yourself. On the other hand, a lot of food shops are running promotions right now with decent discounts. It wouldn’t be a bad idea to just buy directly from them."

Ning He waved her hand dismissively, her expression one of mysterious confidence. "Don’t worry, I have special channels. I can get supplies for extra cheap. I’ll just pick up the rest from the stores. I guarantee our costs won’t be any higher than other vendors."

Connie was a little surprised. Of course, she knew what Ning He meant by "special channels." She’d used them herself before, but they weren’t easy to find, nor were they reliable. Still, since Ning He seemed confident, Connie didn’t press the issue.

"Alright, just be careful. Ah Huai and I will help you out, and we’ll get the cart ready in the next couple of days. We won’t take a cut of the profits this time. Just fifty original coins per person per day for our trouble, plus two meals. That’ll be enough."

"No way. That’s too little." Ning He refused. "I’m using your cart, and you’re providing the sauce paste. It’ll be busy all day during the food festival, probably even more tiring than working in the cafeteria. How about this: one hundred a day per person, and I’ll pay for the sauce paste separately—one hundred per pound."

’It took at least two pounds of soybeans to make one pound of sauce paste. Soybeans cost around thirty original coins a pound, and that didn’t even include labor. At this price, Connie was giving it away.’

As for offering such high wages, Ning He had her own ulterior motives.

’My stall’s rating is too low. To raise it, I have to open for business often, and I can’t do that alone. It would be best to get Connie and Ah Huai to work with me long-term.’

’You need to offer good money to get people on the hook!’

Connie thought it over and finally nodded. "We’ll do the sauce paste at your price, but our wages are eighty a day, max."

"Alright, deal."

"Connie, I want to help too," Ding Xiang said, looking at her with hopeful eyes.

Connie hesitated, but Ah Huai gave her a slight nod.

"Alright. I’ll have Susan and the others go with you when the time comes."

"Yay!"

Ding Xiang’s cheerful cry echoed through the room.