Siheyuan: Tanjia Cuisine He Daqing, destroying Yi Zhonghai

The Siheyuan in Beijing is a unique place. The brick and gray walls are simple and quiet. Every tile and every wooden door seem to tell the history of old Beijing. In this ancient Siheyuan, there lives a respected old man - He Daqing.

He Daqing is nearly 70 years old and was once a famous chef in Beijing. He has superb cooking skills and is good at making all kinds of Beijing dishes. He is well-known in the food circle of old Beijing. However, as he grew older, he gradually retired and only taught some people who were destined to learn how to cook in his courtyard.

He Daqing had an apprentice named He Yuzhu. Although He Yuzhu was young, he had great passion and talent for cooking. He often stayed in the kitchen for hours, studying the cooking methods of each dish. He Daqing admired the diligence and understanding of this young man and decided to teach him everything he had learned throughout his life.

The morning in the courtyard is always so peaceful and tranquil. The morning sun shines through the gaps in the leaves and shines into the courtyard. The breeze blows by, bringing a scent of flowers. He Daqing and He Yuzhu are busy in the kitchen early, preparing today's ingredients.

"Master, what dish should we cook today?" He Yuzhu asked while washing vegetables.

"Today we are going to make a famous Beijing dish - Peking duck." He Daqing replied with a smile, his eyes full of anticipation.

Peking duck is one of He Daqing's most proud works. His roast duck has crispy skin, tender meat, and melts in the mouth, which is deeply loved by diners. Today, he plans to teach the essence of this dish to He Yuzhu.

"The most important thing about roast duck is the selection of ingredients and the cooking time." He Daqing picked up a fresh duck and began to carefully prepare it. "Choose a fat and tender duck, wash it with clean water first, and then marinate it with seasoning. When marinating, pay attention to the time and temperature. It should not be too long or too short."

He Yuzhu listened carefully, afraid of missing any details. He has followed his master for many years and knows that cooking is a meticulous art and every step must be taken seriously.

"After marinating, it's time to roast the duck," He Daqing continued. "The temperature of the roast duck is very important. If the fire is too high, it will burn, and if the fire is too low, it will not be crispy enough. Therefore, we must constantly observe the color and state of the duck and adjust the temperature in time."

He Yuzhu nodded and began to follow the master's instructions. He carefully put the marinated duck into the oven, carefully observing the heat and turning the duck from time to time to ensure even heating.

The aroma of the roast duck gradually spread, filling the entire courtyard. He Daqing and He Yuzhu both smiled with satisfaction, knowing that this Peking duck had reached perfection.

After the roast duck came out of the oven, He Daqing taught He Yuzhu how to slice it and how to match the sauce and pancakes. Each step requires fine skills and patience. He Yuzhu completed each step meticulously and finally made a Peking duck with good color, aroma and taste.

"Master, please try it." He Yuzhu picked up a piece of roast duck and handed it to He Daqing.

He Daqing took the roast duck, tasted it carefully, nodded and praised: "Not bad, not bad, it already has some of my charm."

He Yuzhu was filled with joy and a sense of accomplishment when he heard the chef's praise. He knew that his cooking skills had improved.

Time flies, and life in the courtyard is still peaceful and beautiful. He Daqing and He Yuzhu are busy in the kitchen every day, constantly researching new dishes and passing on the food culture of old Beijing. Their story has become a beautiful legend in this ancient courtyard.

The summer in the courtyard is always so lively. The cicadas are chirping one after another, and the flowers, plants and trees in the courtyard are particularly lush in the sun. He Daqing sat on a bamboo chair in the courtyard, holding a yellowed cookbook in his hand, frowning slightly. Since retirement, he has been living on his savings, but in recent years, prices have soared and there is little money left. He Daqing knows that he needs to find a way to make a living, and he also hopes that He Yuzhu can learn more and carry forward his skills.

"Yuzhui, come here." He Daqing put down the book in his hand and called to He Yuzhui in the kitchen.

He Yuzhu came out upon hearing the voice, and seeing the master's expression, he felt a little uneasy. He knew that the master had always been worried about the livelihood of Siheyuan. Although he had been working hard to learn the craft, he seemed to have not found a real solution to the problem.

"Master, is there anything I can help you with?" He Yuzhu asked, with a hint of concern in his tone.

"I'm thinking, should we consider opening a small restaurant to showcase our cooking skills to more people?" He Daqing said, with hope in his eyes. "This will not only solve our economic problems, but also allow more people to taste the real Beijing cuisine."

He Yuzhu was excited when he heard the proposal. He had long had the idea of ​​opening a restaurant, but never had the courage to bring it up. Now that the master had proposed it, he was naturally overjoyed.

"Master, this is a great idea! We can convert part of the courtyard into a restaurant to entertain guests." He Yuzhu said excitedly, and he had already started to think about the restaurant's layout and menu in his mind.

"However, we have limited funds, so we need to consider this matter carefully," He Daqing said calmly. "Opening a restaurant requires not only funds, but also time and energy. We must be fully prepared."

In the following days, He Daqing and He Yuzhu began to prepare for the opening of the restaurant. They planned the restaurant's decoration design in detail, formulated the menu, and even went to the market to select ingredients in person, striving to do the best in every detail.

One night, He Daqing and He Yuzhu were busy in the kitchen, making final preparations for the trial operation the next day. The kitchen was filled with the aroma of various ingredients. He Daqing picked up a piece of tofu and started to make a famous Beijing dish - Mapo Tofu.

"The key to this dish lies in the texture of the tofu and its spicy taste." He Daqing said to He Yuzhu as he worked on it. "You need to use tender tofu and control the heat when cooking it. Don't cook it too hard. You need to use peppercorns and chili peppers as seasonings, and add a secret sauce to achieve the best effect."

He Yuzhu watched the master's operation carefully, and kept taking note of every detail in his mind. He knew that every word of the master was valuable experience and must be remembered firmly.

"Master, do you think our restaurant can be successful?" He Yuzhu suddenly asked, with a hint of uneasiness in his tone.