If you just stand aside and watch the production process of Yi Fu noodles, you will find it very simple.
Like most handmade noodles, the first step is to knead the dough until it is evenly kneaded and firm. Then it is rolled into dough sheets, cut with a knife, or pressed into noodles by a machine.
The subsequent steps are also very intuitive. First, cook the noodles in a pot until they are 80% to 90% cooked, then drain the water and fry them in a pan.
It can be said that this entire set of processes, including the use of eggs and noodles, is really not much different from instant noodle processing when you look at it in detail.
Lin Ruifeng had seen the chef cook the prepared Yi Fu noodles in the kitchen before, and he always felt that there was really no difference between it and instant noodles.
Today, Lin Ruifeng actually saw his master knead the dough with his own eyes, and he watched it very carefully.
Starting from kneading the dough, Lin Ruifeng quickly noticed some differences.
The master does more than just add eggs when kneading dough.
Because if you only use eggs to knead flour, it will not be sticky enough and the dough will not be able to stick together, and it will also not be extensible enough.
Therefore, in the process of kneading the dough, in addition to eggs, you also need to add some water.
Usually the flour is rolled into a pile, a crater-like hole is made in the middle, and then a few eggs are beaten into it. Next, a certain amount of water is added, and then the surrounding flour is slowly gathered to the center, while kneading it with hands.
At this step, when making Yi Fu noodles, instead of adding water, chicken soup is used to knead the noodles.
The proportion of chicken soup added, as well as the proportion of eggs and flour, are all very particular. And in the process of kneading the dough, you need to make slight adjustments according to the feel of the dough.
Lin Ruifeng was also amazed when he saw the master kneading the dough vigorously and adding a little chicken soup from time to time.
After talking for a while, Feng Yifan looked up at his apprentice and said with a smile: "Why? Does it look simple to you?"
Lin Ruifeng quickly shook his head and said, "No, Master, I can feel that while you were kneading the dough, you were feeling the strength of the dough with your hands, so you should be able to make some slight adjustments."
Feng Yifan was a little surprised to hear this, and he looked at his apprentice and said, "Okay, you have made progress."
Lin Ruifeng looked at the whole jar of dough and couldn't help asking again: "Master, isn't it too hard for you to make noodles by hand? Can't you buy a noodle machine?"
Feng Yifan was holding the noodles in his pocket and gradually felt a little out of breath. He raised his head to take a few breaths and explained to his apprentice with a smile.
"For Yi Fu noodles, you need to use your hands to feel the firmness of the noodles so that you can adjust them better. This process cannot be omitted, otherwise the noodles will not be good."
After trying the noodles for a while, Feng Yifan said again: "Actually, Yifu noodles were not that complicated originally, but Su Ji later improved it, so the process became a little more complicated. Fortunately, you can prepare a lot of noodles by kneading them once."
Lin Ruifeng knew this, because Yi Fu noodles look like instant noodles after they are made, so they are also very convenient to store.
Feng Yifan basically makes a lot of dough at one time every other day, and the dough can be stored together for a long time.
Of course, Feng Yifan makes noodles every other day, not because the noodles will run out in two days. In fact, there are still some prepared Yifu noodles stored in the kitchen, and Feng Yifan still makes noodles to ensure that the total amount of noodles is sufficient.
After all, the production process of Yifu noodles is relatively complicated, but it is relatively convenient and long-lasting to store.
Nowadays, the restaurant's lunch business is good, and the consumption of Yi Fu noodles is also quite high, so Feng Yifan makes noodles every other day to better ensure sufficient consumption.
When the dough was almost ready, Feng Yifan asked his apprentice to help him get the dough out of the big noodle jar. Then he put them into the manual noodle machine and made them into noodles of uniform thickness and length.
Use another bowl to catch the noodles. When a layer of noodles comes out of the noodle machine, Feng Yifan will spread a layer of flour on it to prevent them from sticking.
This production method is also a craft passed down by Su Ji.
When my grandfather was alive, except for the preparation of the chicken soup, which he would prepare himself, the rest of the work, such as kneading the dough and making the noodles, was done by a group of apprentices.
At that time, because the restaurant business was booming, large batches of noodles had to be prepared in advance every time.
Later, Feng Yifan also followed his father-in-law, and each time he and his father-in-law did it together. This also shows that his father-in-law, who was still his master at that time, treated Feng Yifan differently.
During the years that Feng Yifan was abroad, Su Ji Yi Fu Noodles was not cooked very often, and the noodles provided for lunch were replaced with purchased noodles.
Now, Feng Yifan wants to restore Su Ji’s rules, so the production of Yi Fu noodles must naturally be completely restored as well.
After the noodles were made, Feng Yifan picked up a large bowl of noodles and went straight into the kitchen to cook them.
Lin Ruifeng had seen the process from cooking noodles to frying several times before, so he did not go into the kitchen, but cleaned up the noodle machine, basin and flour outside.
Then, Lin Ruifeng continued to practice cutting the ball, which also helped to guard Su Jinrong in front.
In the kitchen, Feng Yifan took out the noodles from the basin in fixed quantities, one by one, gathered them together and put them into the pot to cook.
There is not much fancy in the cooking process, basically just cook the noodles until they are about 80% done, take them out and set them aside to drain and dry.
A person was busy in the kitchen. In order to save some time, Feng Yifan turned on the stove next to him and prepared the oil pan at the same time while cooking the noodles.
When the noodles are almost drained, put them into the oil pan for frying.
The oil temperature also needs to be controlled during this process to instantly lock in the moisture in the noodles without allowing the noodles to absorb too much oil. The noodles can be removed from the pan when the surface is slightly browned.
When Feng Yifan cooks noodles, he rolls up a fixed amount of noodles. After cooking and frying, they will be shaped into a shape similar to instant noodle cakes, which makes them easier to store.
The process is not complicated, but it does take some time, and you have to watch the boiling water and hot oil, which are indeed very hot.
But that's how life is in a restaurant kitchen. As a cook, you have to deal with hot pots and stoves, so these are essential experiences.
In the restaurant ahead, Su Jinrong watched Lin Ruifeng practicing cutting the cubes, and occasionally gave him instructions: "Don't use too much force, find the rhythm, go slower, yes, find the rhythm, the beat."
With Su Jinrong's instruction, Lin Ruifeng gradually mastered the rhythm and found the strength to cut.
Once you find the sense of rhythm, cutting pile exercises will naturally become relatively easy, and the speed can be gradually improved.
This morning, the master and apprentice prepared the ingredients in an orderly manner, making various preparations for lunch and especially for the evening. Feng Yifan was mainly responsible for the work, while Lin Ruifeng was more involved in basic exercises, and occasionally helped his master.
Just as Lin Ruifeng was practicing cutting the cube, when it was almost noon, several figures came to the door of Su Ji and looked inside.