Lunch Menu

Ming Er returns after spending some time with her mother. With an apologetic look, she explaining why she took a long time to deliver the tea to her mother

"Hubby, sorry I take a long time. Mom asked me about our future plan and I have to tell her about our new business"

"It's okay, wifey. Did she like the tea?"

"She likes it very much as I do hubby"

"That's good, did she says something about our new business?"

"Um. Mom said we should start with a menu that popular and easy to accept by people like fried rice or noodles. It's important to have our customer first, that what she says"

"Yes, that's also my intention. Look, I already try to make a noodles dish while you talk with mother"

"It looks delicious. Hubby, can I take a bite? Please?"

Ming Er looks at me with twinkling eyes, and sweet smile like a child when ask their parent for new toys. I chuckled when she make this appearance.

"Okay, just a bite. Here…aammm"

I take a fork and scoop some noodles with that fork, closing that fork to Ming Er mouth that already open, waiting for me to feed her. With one bite all the noodles in the fork disappear in her mouth. after chewing it for a while, she swallows the noodles in her mouth

"Hubby, delicious! Are we going to sell this noodles?"

"Um. what do you think?"

"That will be sold hubby, besides without soup this noodles will easier to serve"

"Okay, I will put this noodles in our menu. Wifey, there's still time before lunch, help me make the vegetable dish okay?"

"Yes, what can I help?"

"Get me green beans, peppercorns, chili, garlic, scallions, and ginger from storage"

"Alright, wait for a moment"

After Ming Er return carrying ingredients that I need, I start to cook the vegetable dish for the lunch. What I want to make is:

Gan Bian Si Ji Dou dry-fried green beans with chilies and pickles—are one of the best and most mistranslated vegetable dishes in the world

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon toasted whole Sichuan peppercorns

• 3 tablespoons vegetable or canola oil, divided

• 6 whole dried small hot chili (such as árbol)

• 4 medium cloves garlic, minced (about 4 teaspoons)

• 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger

• 3 scallions, white and pale green parts only, thinly sliced

• 3 tablespoons finely minced whole or shredded Sichuan preserved mustard stems

• 1 pound green beans, trimmed

• Kosher salt and freshly ground white or black pepper

• 2 teaspoons sugar

Directions

Crush half of Sichuan peppercorns in a mortar and pestle into a rough powder. In a medium skillet, heat 2 tablespoons oil, remaining whole Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chilies over medium-low heat, stirring frequently, until sizzling and aromatic, about 2 minutes. Add garlic, ginger, scallions, and mustard root and cook, stirring, until aromatic, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and set aside.

Adjust rack to as close as possible to broiler and preheat broiler to high. In a large bowl, toss green beans with 1 tablespoon oil and season with salt and white pepper. Arrange in a single layer on a foil-lined rimmed baking sheet or broiler pan. Broil until beans are blistered and very lightly charred, 2 to 5 minutes depending on strength of broiler. Return beans to bowl.

Using a rubber spatula, transfer Sichuan peppercorn mixture to the bowl with beans. Add sugar and remaining crushed peppercorns. Toss to coat the beans thoroughly in the mixture and season to taste with more salt and white pepper if desired. Serve immediately.

The dish finish when I hear my father and brother in law voices in the house. I come out of the kitchen to greet them that already in the dining room

"Hello, father, brother"

"Hello son, did you make today lunch? I can smell delicious aroma from here"

"Haha, yes, today's lunch is what I'm just cooking. Shall we have lunch now?"

"Definitely, bring them in. I'll check your mother and take her out to eat if she already feeling better"

"Sure, please wait for a moment"

I return to the kitchen and preparing the dish with Ming Er. We cover the dish with the lid to make the surprise. When we arrive at the dining room, Ming Er father and mother already sit there along with her brother.

"Hohoho…what's with that lid? Can't we see the dish?"

"Let's say, this is sample menu for the food truck father, it's not interesting if you know before"

"Hahaha…go on, get the rest and have lunch quickly. I'm getting impatient with what kind of dish you make today"

We back to the kitchen and get the rest of the dish. After all the dish already arranged in the table, we sit in our respective chair.

"Okay son, let start. Introduce your dish to us"

"Yes father, let me start with the vegetables first"

I open the lid that covers the vegetable dish. I haven't mentioned the dish name when my father in law already mention it

"Gan Bian Si Ji! It looks fresh, not too oily and the aroma is good too. Good start son, what next?"

I open the second dish lid that covers the noodles. This time my brother in law speaking first

"Wow Dan dan noodles. I love that noodles, I often eat that noodles when I'm driving my truck. This one looks a bit different but still delicious"

I smile and open the last dish lid. Unexpectedly, my mother in law also speak first

"Husband….that dish…."

"I know, wife, you ever make that dish when we still just married"

"Um, it's been a long time ago when I make it. It reminds me of our young days, husband"

"Hmm, seems our daughter really fated with our son in law wife"

I and Ming Er are following their conversation with the muddled head. Did they know what dish is this? Fu Qi Fei Pian, that a dish that I created a long time ago. And there are people still know about that dish?