1986: Old Stories in Northeast China

"What are you doing? What are you up to?"

When Han Xiuying came back from get off work, she saw Chen Tiezhu and three girls, one small and two big, dressed in chef uniforms, ready for battle, and asked with great vigilance.

"Welcome home, Master's wife, please take a seat." Lu Dan shouted seriously.

"Where are you going to sit? You are so careless all day long. Doudou, what are you doing?" Han Xiuying asked helplessly.

"Sister Yingzi, make noodles, noodles that can be stretched." Doudou said seriously.

"Comrade Yingzi, be more serious and don't smile. Hurry up and sit down, and wait for the stretched noodles." Chen Tiezhu said.

"Just do it, I want to see what you can do." Han Xiuying said unhappily.

"Cough cough cough..."

Chen Tiezhu coughed lightly.

"As our only distinguished guest today, everyone should show their spirit. Comrade Qi Cuiwen, how is the bone soup in the pot?"

"Report, it has been boiled and the meat aroma is radishing." Qi Cuiwen stepped forward and then stepped back.

"Comrade Lu Dan, are the radish slices, chopped green onions, etc. ready?" Chen Tiezhu asked.

"Report to the master, it is ready and waiting to make the master's wife happy with the most full enthusiasm." Lu Dan stepped forward and then stepped back again.

"Little Doudou, how is the big bone meat in the soup?" Chen Tiezhu asked.

Doudou also pretended to take a step forward, "Delicious."

Doudou's answer was so concise and clear.

"That's it? It's three sentences and a half? Is there one person missing?" Han Xiuying was amused.

"Hey, let's not be particular about these things, let's start stretching the noodles right away." Chen Tiezhu said happily.

"Seriously speaking, stretching noodles requires skill. Kneading the noodles is just the first step. The word "stretching" naturally involves the art of stretching."

"Wide and thin, there are their own standards. When stretched to the thinnest part, it is comparable to dragon whiskers, but it is also strong and smooth, with endless aftertaste."

"Don't talk nonsense, hurry up." Han Xiuying interrupted.

"Okay, let's start stretching now." Chen Tiezhu said happily, and then pulled off a piece of dough.

With a little force from both hands, a thick noodle was pulled out. After getting some flour on the chopping board, the two ends were buckled and then sunk, and that was four noodles.

Seeing this, Han Xiuying also became interested, it seemed quite fun, not just fooling around.

One twist, one stretch, dip in some flour, twist and stretch again, and when the six twists are done, the noodles are directly put into the plate on the side.

Lu Dan, who had prepared it long ago, walked out with it and put it into the pot.

"Is it done? Didn't you just say that you can make it as thick as dragon beard noodles?" Han Xiuying asked with a smile.

Chen Tiezhu's old face flushed, "At present, it can only be stretched to six twists, and there are still a few techniques to master. The salt-alkali ratio of the noodles also needs further adjustment."

"Six twists are also OK, it's chewy and smooth, and then make another bowl. Don't worry, you must eat until you are full today."

This is indeed the result of his greatest effort now. He really practiced a lot in the afternoon. But the salt-alkali ratio and the technique of stretching noodles have to be slowly explored by yourself.

In later generations, watching the master stretching noodles is very easy, just a few slaps, and the noodles can be put into the pot. Only after you really get started, you will know how many tricks there are.

And if you want to stretch more, you have to increase the amount of dough in your hand. Unless you can make the noodles more stretchable, you really can't stretch them out.

When Chen Tiezhu stretched the third portion, Lu Dan had already walked in with a big bowl.

"Oh, it looks pretty good."

Looking at the stretched noodles in the bowl, Han Xiuying was somewhat surprised.

The noodles were placed at the bottom of the bowl and poured with clear bone soup. It was sprinkled with white and green chopped green onions, radish slices and boneless meat, and the appearance was really good.

"There is also chili oil, which tastes better with chili oil." Qi Cuiwen also brought up the chili oil that had just been fried in the afternoon.

"Eat it while it's hot, and it will be ready soon. After eating, call the second master over and stretch it and eat it right away. It tastes good when it's hot." Chen Tiezhu said with a smile.

Han Xiuying was not polite. She scooped some chili oil into the bowl, picked up a piece of noodles and took a bite.

Not to mention, the texture of this noodles is really good. It feels like it is more chewy and smoother than hand-rolled noodles.

Because hand-rolled noodles are a bit rough, although you eat noodles, more of the taste comes from the sauce.

But this noodles is different. The soup is salty and light.The noodles are full of soup. Add a little bit of chopped green onion, it's very appetizing.

"How is it?" Chen Tiezhu asked happily.

"It's really delicious, very chewy. Very fragrant, not greasy. But don't put too much chili, it will go into your throat." Han Xiuying said.

Then she didn't care about others and ate it.

The noodles are made very quickly. Han Xiuying had just eaten half a bowl when the rest of the noodles were served.

Doudou's is the most unique.

You can't see the noodles at all, there is a layer of boneless meat on top.

"Are you eating noodles or meat? You might as well hold the bones and chew them." Han Xiuying said helplessly.

"Eat both." Doudou said seriously.

"Doudou eats meat, and dad chews it. After dad finishes chewing it, Goushengzi chews it. Doudou can also eat bone marrow oil. Dad, have you tapped the bone marrow oil? The bone marrow oil smells good."

"You eat it first, the bone marrow oil is for you as a snack, and you can eat it when the second grandfather comes to eat." Chen Tiezhu said, and scooped a large spoonful of chili oil into his bowl.

He stirred it casually, and then took a big mouthful. Chewing carefully, his face was also very intoxicated.

It was really enjoyable to eat, and I really miss this taste.

When he was accompanying her, how could he have so much time to eat?

Instant noodles were the main dish, and a bowl of ramen at the ramen restaurant outside the hospital was a feast.

Now this bite, it really feels like the past.

Although the flour is not as white as the later generations, it is more chewy than the later generations.

"Burp..., it smells so good. I just can't eat anymore, otherwise I have to have another bowl no matter what I say." Lu Dan burped a lot.

"Look at you, didn't you have a fight with your master today?" Han Xiuying asked with a smile.

"I can't, I can't at all, the master is too powerful. The master is like the Yangtze River and the Yellow River, I am just a small stream, I can't be pinched." Lu Dan shook his head and said.

"Hehe, have you seen how powerful your master is? You still have to work hard." Chen Tiezhu said proudly, and drank the soup in the bowl.

Then he went to the chopping board and continued to stretch himself.

This is a genuine bone soup with meat PLUS version of stretched noodles. One bowl is not enough, you have to have another bowl.

Han Xiuying rolled her eyes, just a bag to eat full.

Doudou next to him looked at the remaining soup in his bowl and frowned.

Forget it, let Dad help.

Then he poured it all into Chen Tiezhu's empty bowl, the problem was solved, and the little guy was very satisfied.