Chapter 638 Cooking in Person
As Zhou Yimin, Zhang Yan and Zhang Lu stepped into the yard, they smelled a rich aroma of meat coming from the kitchen.
Straight blue smoke was coming out of the chimney of the kitchen, mixed with the crackling sound of burning firewood, making the New Year atmosphere in the yard even stronger.
"Grandma, we're back!" Zhou Yimin just shouted when he saw the kitchen door being pushed open. Grandma came out holding a black pottery bowl, with some flour on her apron.
"You're finally back. If you were any later, the meal would be ready." As soon as she finished speaking, Zhou Yimin saw Aunt Zhang standing by the stove, holding a spatula in her hand, with beads of sweat on her forehead.
"Aunt Zhang, why are you busy here?" Zhou Yimin walked quickly into the kitchen.
There were chopped green peppers and potatoes on the stove, and a piece of uncut pork belly on the chopping board. Aunt Zhang was holding a kitchen knife and preparing to chop the meat.
"You're free anyway, so why not give your grandma a hand?" Aunt Zhang smiled and wiped her hands.
"Your grandma's braised pork is so delicious. I'm trying to learn how to make it."
"Aunt Zhang, you are a guest, how can I ask you to help with cooking?" Zhou Yimin said, reaching out to take the kitchen knife from Aunt Zhang's hand, and pushing her out of the kitchen.
"Go to the living room and have a rest. Have a cup of hot tea to warm yourself up. Grandma and I are here."
Aunt Zhang was pushed out of the kitchen and shouted to the inner room with a smile: "Uncle, look at this child, he is still being polite to me."
Zhou Yimin rolled up his sleeves and added some firewood to the stove. The flames shot up, making his cheeks red.
"Grandma, I'll be the chef today, you just need to help me." He picked up the kitchen knife and cut the pork belly on the chopping board into even cubes. His knife skills were very skillful, and the blade made a clacking sound when it hit the chopping board. Each piece of meat was cut into even size, and even the ratio of fat to lean was almost the same.
Grandma was picking vegetables on the side and said with a smile, "Okay, let me show you my cooking skills so that Yan and the others can have a taste of your cooking."
She put the selected spinach into a bamboo basket, picked up the garlic mortar, put a few cloves of garlic in it, and pounded it with a loud bang. The aroma of garlic mixed with the aroma of meat filled the kitchen.
In the living room, Zhang Yan was talking to the old man. When she heard the noise coming from the kitchen, she sat there feeling a little uneasy.
Aunt Zhang came over and patted the back of her hand: "Yanzi, come in and help out. See if there's anything you can do. Don't just sit there all the time."
Zhang Yan's heart moved. She really wanted to behave well in front of her future grandparents, so she nodded quickly: "Okay, I'll go and take a look."
When she walked into the kitchen, she saw Zhou Yimin pouring soy sauce into the pot. As soon as the amber sauce entered the pot, it was stimulated by the hot oil to emit a strong aroma. The braised pork sizzled in the pan, and the skin gradually became stained with an attractive sauce color.
"Brother Yimin, what can I do?" Zhang Yan asked softly, staring nervously at the dishes and chopsticks on the stove, afraid that she would cause trouble due to her clumsiness.
After all, she knows a little bit about cooking, but it can be said that she knows nothing about it.
Zhou Yimin looked back at her and said with a smile, "Please help me wash the green peppers. They're right by the sink."
He kept turning the spatula in his hand, flipping the pieces of meat one by one to make sure each piece was coated with sauce.
"Okay." Zhang Yan picked up the green pepper, walked to the sink and started washing it carefully.
She first broke off the stems of the green peppers, rinsed the dirt off the surface under the faucet, and then carefully scraped off the stains in the depressions with her fingernails. The water flowed loudly, and the splashing water wet her cuffs.
She secretly looked up at Zhou Yimin. He was staring intently at the meat in the pot, pressing it with a spatula from time to time to see if it was cooked enough. His profile looked particularly handsome in the light of the fire, and she couldn't help feeling warm in her heart.
Grandma poured the mashed garlic into a bowl, added some vinegar and sesame oil, and stirred it with chopsticks: "Yimin, take out the meat. It's time to stir-fry the green peppers and potatoes."
Zhou Yimin responded and poured the braised pork into a blue and white porcelain plate. The oil dripped down the edge of the plate and formed a small puddle on the stove.
He had just finished scrubbing the iron pot clean when Zhang Yan came over with washed green peppers: "It's done."
Zhou Yimin took the plate and picked up the kitchen knife to cut the pepper into shreds. The blade moved quickly on the chopping board, cutting the green pepper into thin and even shreds.
"Your knife skills are pretty good." Zhang Yan couldn't help but praise, with a hint of admiration in her voice.
She didn't know what it was that Zhou Yimin couldn't do, as if he was an omnipotent person.
"I'll teach you when I have time." Zhou Yimin smiled and poured the green pepper shreds into the hot oil. With a sizzling sound, he quickly added a spoonful of salt and the spatula flew in the pan. The green pepper shreds were soon covered with oil.
Grandma was peeling green onions and watching the two young people interacting. She couldn't hide the smile on her lips. From the looks of it now, it won't be long before she holds her grandson in her arms.
Zhang Yan stood by and watched Zhou Yimin skillfully flip the wok. The shredded green peppers and potatoes drew a beautiful arc in the air and fell steadily back into the pot. She felt both curious and at ease.
She picked up the rag and quietly wiped the stove that was splashed with oil. She wanted to help pass the plate, but she just stretched out her hand and retracted it, afraid of disturbing him while cooking.
When the last dish of spinach and egg soup was put into the pot, Zhou Yimin sprinkled some dried shrimps into the pot, and the delicious aroma immediately spread.
"Okay, let's eat!" He poured the soup into a large bowl, wiped his hands, and had a smug look on his face.
"Try my cooking."
Grandma had already set the table. Looking at the table full of dishes, she smiled and said to Aunt Zhang who had just walked in, "Try it quickly. These are all made by the children. They are more delicious than those made by an old woman like me."
Zhang Lu had already sniffed the aroma and sauntered over to the table. Her nose darted over the dish, her eyes fixed on the braised pork. The glossy cuts of meat were still steaming, the fat glowing amber, the lean meat soaked in the sauce. Her Adam's apple moved, and her saliva nearly dripped from the corners of her mouth.
She quickly raised the back of her hand to wipe her mouth, swallowed hard, and tugged at Aunt Zhang's clothes and whispered, "Mom, can I have a piece of meat first? Just a small piece."
"Let's wait until everyone sits down before eating." Aunt Zhang smiled and pinched her cheek.
But Zhou Yimin stopped him: "It's okay, let the child try it first."
He picked up the largest piece of braised pork with his chopsticks and said, "Eat slowly. Be careful of the heat."
Zhang Lu immediately scooped up the meat with a spoon and stuffed it into her mouth. She chewed it with her mouth full, but her eyes were still fixed on the meat on the plate. She mumbled incoherently, "It's delicious... It tastes better than the one at home..."
The old man was the first to sit on the kang, picked up the wine glass and took a sip: "Yimin's cooking skills are no worse than those in restaurants outside!"
He picked up a piece of braised pork and put it into Zhang Jianshe's bowl. "Jianshe, try it."
Zhang Jianshe took a bite, and the fat melted in his mouth, making him smack his lips. "It's really authentic! Yimin got the cooking time just right, it's rich but not greasy."
Grandma Zhou Yimin put some shredded potatoes and green peppers into Zhang Yan's bowl with her chopsticks and said, "Girl Yan, eat more meat. Look how skinny you have become."
Zhang Yan was a little confused. She was obviously not thin, and after being "fed" by Zhou Yimin during this period, she had obviously gained a lot of weight.
But Zhang Yan doesn't know that there is a kind of thinness that your elders think you are thin.
Grandma Zhou Yimin served Aunt Zhang another bowl of soup: "Aunt, the dried shrimps in this soup were sun-dried last year, they are very fresh."
Zhang Yan drank the soup in small sips. The freshness of the dried shrimp mixed with the refreshing taste of the spinach warmed her stomach.
Seeing Zhou Yimin busy peeling eggs for Zhang Lu, she picked up a piece of braised pork and put it in his bowl: "Eat too, don't always take care of us."
Zhou Yimin looked up and smiled at her, then stuffed the peeled egg into Zhang Lu's hand.
The little girl held the egg in one hand and scooped soup with a spoon in the other. Her face was covered with soup, like a little cat that had stolen honey.
"Eat slowly, no one is going to snatch the food from you." Aunt Zhang wiped her mouth with a smile and picked up a piece of shredded potatoes with chopsticks for herself.
"These shredded potatoes are finely chopped and fried until crispy. They're much better than what I make at home."
The old man got into a good mood after drinking and started talking to Zhang Jianshe about spring plowing. Zhou Yimin listened from the side and interjected from time to time.
Zhang Yan and her grandmother chatted about family matters and the latest happenings in the city, while Zhang Lu concentrated on the food in her bowl, occasionally looking up and shouting, "Brother-in-law, more meat?"
After hearing this, Aunt Zhang almost didn't want to acknowledge her daughter. It was really too embarrassing.
What would Zhang Lu think if she knew this?
The old man was enjoying his meal when he suddenly realized something was missing. He put his wine glass on the table and said to Zhou Yimin, "Yimin, have a couple of drinks with your uncle."
As he spoke, he picked up the wine jug and poured wine into the empty cup in front of Zhou Yimin. The wine was golden in color and had fine bubbles coming out of it.
"Why."
Zhou Yimin picked up his wine glass and clinked it with Zhang Jianshe's: "Uncle, I toast you."
The two of them tilted their heads back and drank it all, the wine entering their throats carrying a spicy warmth.
Zhang Jianshe put down his glass and smacked his lips. "Is this Moutai? It's delicious!"
Although it was not my first time drinking Moutai, I was still shocked by its taste. It turns out that there is a reason why it is expensive.
Zhang Jianshe filled up the old man's and his own glasses again, "Grandpa, let's go one more time. I wish the children's marriages go smoothly."
"Okay!" The old man picked up his wine glass and clinked it with Zhang Jianshe.
"Thank you for your good wishes!" They both drank another glass.
Just as Zhou Yimin was about to pour himself a drink, Zhang Yan reached out and pressed his wrist: "Drink less. Too much will hurt your stomach."
Her voice was not loud, but it was filled with unquestionable seriousness.
Zhou Yimin was stunned for a moment, then smiled and was about to say "It's okay"
Zhang Lu, who was sitting next to her, couldn't help but tease her: "Sister, you haven't even gotten married yet, and you've already learned how to protect your husband!"
As soon as these words were spoken, everyone at the table burst into laughter.
The old man laughed so hard that he slapped his thigh. Zhang Jianshe and his wife also laughed. Zhou Yimin's grandmother pointed at Zhang Yan and said to Aunt Zhang: "Look at this girl, her heart is all for our Yimin."
Zhang Yan's face turned red from her cheeks to her ears, as if she had applied a layer of rouge.
She quickly withdrew her hand, picked up the teacup and pretended to drink water, but her ears were so hot that she could fry an egg. She caught a glimpse of Zhou Yimin smiling at her with a stain of wine on the corner of his mouth. She felt embarrassed and annoyed, and kicked him lightly, but he caught it with his foot without making a sound.
"This child is so smart." Aunt Zhang smiled and patted Zhang Lu.
Zhang Lu ran to Zhang Yan and tugged at her clothes, "Sister, am I wrong? You just feel bad for your brother-in-law."
"You have no respect for your parents." Zhang Yan reached out and pinched her cheek, but her hands were shaking a little, and even her fingertips were red.
The old man smiled and tried to smooth things over: "It's good to protect your husband. It shows that Yan loves you. Yimin, you have to love her more."
He poured Zhou Yimin another half glass of wine and said, "Drink less and listen to your wife."
"Oh." Zhou Yimin responded and secretly glanced at Zhang Yan. She was fiddling with the food in the bowl with her chopsticks. Her long hair hung down, covering half of her face but couldn't hide her red neck.
After nearly an hour of "hard work", we finally finished eating most of the delicious food on the table.
Zhang Yan, who had finished her meal, did not sit down to rest as usual. Seeing her grandmother and Zhou Yimin were about to clear the dishes, she immediately stood up and said, "Grandma, let me help."
As she spoke, she reached out to pick up the empty plate on the table. The edge of the blue and white porcelain plate was still stained with oil stains from the braised pork. She carefully gathered her sleeves, fearing that they would dirty her new blue cloth jacket.
"Let the child rest. How can we let the guests do this?"
Grandma Zhou Yimin tried to stop her, but Zhang Yan dodged her: "It's okay, grandma. I often help my mother clean up at home."
She picked up two plates and walked towards the kitchen, her steps as light as a spring swallow. The hem of her skirt swept across the curtains on the edge of the kang, bringing up a gust of wind.
Zhou Yimin also stood up, holding three or four empty bowls in his hands, and the bottoms of the bowls made crisp clinking sounds when they collided.
Zhang Yan had just put the plate into the sink and ran into him when she turned around. The two almost bumped into each other. She hurriedly dodged to the side, her cheeks flushed again.
"Be careful." Zhou Yimin smiled and put the bowl on the stove.
"I'll wash it, you go and rest."
"No need, I'll wash it." Zhang Yan picked up the rag and wiped the table. The oil stains on the table were wiped clean, even the soy sauce spots that had just splashed on it were not left out.
She moved swiftly, gathering the chopsticks into a bundle and tying them with a straw rope, and then stacking the empty plates one by one, arranging them neatly.
Aunt Zhang's laughter came from the kitchen door. She leaned against the door frame and looked at her daughter: "Yanzi, you're not this diligent at home! Normally, when I ask you to wash the dishes, you always say you have too much homework. But now that you're at Yimin's house, you've become a diligent person who can't sit still."
As soon as these words were spoken, Zhang Yan, who was wiping the table, paused. The blush that had just faded away suddenly climbed up her cheeks again, and even her ears became hot.
She lowered her head, swishing the rag on the tabletop in random circles, and muttered softly, "Mom, what are you talking about..."
Grandma Zhou Yimin was boiling water at the stove. Upon hearing this, she smiled and said, "Hardworking is good, hardworking is good! We all hope for a daughter-in-law like this in our lives, quick and sensible."
She stuffed a clean rag into Zhang Yan's hand and said, "Don't listen to your mother. Let's just do what we need to do."
Zhou Yimin was squatting on the ground collecting firewood. When he heard this, he couldn't help but look up and met Zhang Yan's gaze.
There was a hint of shyness in her eyes, but the corners of her mouth were secretly raised, as if she was hiding a piece of candy that she hadn't said out loud.
He quickly lowered his head, his ears felt a little hot, and he almost held the firewood stick in his hand upside down.
Aunt Zhang looked at her daughter's rosy face and smiled even more happily: "Look, look, you're still embarrassed."
She stepped forward to help, but was stopped by Zhou Yimin: "Aunt, just sit down, we can do this little work."
Zhang Yan didn't reply, but simply quickened her movements. The water gurgled as she placed the dishes in the basin, sprinkled some baking soda on them, and scrubbed them carefully.
Zhou Yimin was helping her pass the plate. Their hands occasionally touched, and they would quickly pull their hands back as if they had been electrocuted, but they couldn't help but secretly look at each other. The heat from the kitchen mixed with the faint scent of soapberries warmed up these little thoughts.
Zhang Yan breathed a sigh of relief after she wiped the last bowl dry and put it in the cupboard. She turned around and tried to go out, but her grandmother stopped her: "Take a break and drink some water."
Zhang Yan quickly took it and slowly drank it.
(End of this chapter)
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