Chapter 252 Instant Noodles
The days slipped by quietly amidst the hustle and bustle, and the days of the sacrificial ceremony and the scientific expedition drew ever closer.
Huo Lin visibly lost weight, his already sharp jawline became even more defined, and his eyes were tinged with a faint bluish-black.
Jiang Huan saw this and was anxious, worried that the immortal breath might not go up or down and choke to death.
This workaholic reviews memorials until the wee hours of the morning, often skipping breakfast and frequently having his lunch delayed by meetings.
If this continues, even an iron body can't withstand it.
She was both angry and heartbroken, wishing she could rush into the imperial study and throw out all those mountain of memorials.
But as long as Huo Lin remains emperor, this endless work will not stop.
Instead of thinking about unrealistic things, let's brainstorm a solution.
That's it! I can get him something that's easy to carry and can quickly fill his stomach.
We can't always rely on the kitchen to deliver hot food; by the time he finishes, the daylily buds will be cold.
Jiang Huan muttered to herself, an idea forming in her mind.
instant noodles!
Although conditions were limited in ancient times and it was impossible to make something so perfect, a simplified version of fried dough cakes with a concentrated soup base should have been achievable.
It's better to just rinse it with hot water and eat it than to go hungry.
Jiang Huan was instantly filled with energy and got right to work.
She plunged into the small kitchen and began tinkering with her old-fashioned version of instant noodles.
Kneading the dough, rolling it out, cutting it into strips...
Jiang Huan moved swiftly and focused, and the kitchen was soon filled with oily smoke and fragrant aromas.
He Ling and Princess Mingzhu were frequently visiting Weiyang Palace because of the vegetable garden, and at this time they both gathered around Jiang Huan.
"What is Your Highness doing?" Princess Mingzhu sniffed, her eyes sparkling.
"Good stuff." Jiang Huan smiled mysteriously. "You are all part of my new product tasting team."
She placed the dough on the work surface, covered it with a damp cloth to let it rise, and while she was doing so, she began preparing the ingredients for making the concentrated broth.
Pork bones and chicken carcasses are washed, blanched, and the blood foam is removed. Shiitake mushrooms are soaked, and dried shrimp are washed and drained. All of these are put into a large pot and enough water is added.
"Xiao Zhao, start a fire and simmer it over low heat," she instructed.
A small fire blazed in the stove, its orange-red flames gently licking the bottom of the pot.
As the water in the pot gradually heats up, the aroma of the ingredients begins to slowly seep out. First comes the subtle aroma of meat, followed by the rich and mellow scent of shiitake mushrooms, mixed with the oceanic aroma brought by dried shrimp. The aromas intertwine and rise in the small kitchen, gradually becoming rich and enticing.
Meanwhile, the dough had risen. Jiang Huan took the dough out, placed it on a floured work surface, and began to knead it vigorously to release the air.
The more thoroughly you knead the dough, the chewier the noodles will be.
It took quite a bit of effort to knead the dough properly, and then Jiang Huan rolled it into sheets and made it into flatbreads.
She poured enough oil into another pot, and only when she saw the oil surface ripple slightly did she put the dough into the oil.
The oil pan suddenly became lively as the dough tumbled and puffed in the hot oil, its color rapidly changing from light yellow to an enticing golden yellow, releasing a rich aroma of wheat.
On the other side, the concentrated broth was almost ready. The broth had thickened, turned a deep brown, and had an aroma so rich it was almost indistinguishable.
She strained the soup and poured it into a wide-mouthed, shallow bowl to cool and solidify.
After a flurry of activity, Jiang Huan wiped the sweat from her forehead, looked at the instant noodles she had just made, and smiled brightly.
"It's done!"
Jiang Huan looked at the neatly arranged golden pancakes and the dark brown concentrated soup base in front of her and nodded in satisfaction.
"Come on, take a look and see if there's any room for improvement in my deluxe version of instant noodles that combines land, sea, and air?"
She took a few bowls, put a piece of flatbread, a spoonful of concentrated soup, and sprinkled some chopped green onions and dried vegetable bits in each bowl.
"Xiao Zhao, pour some hot water."
Boiling hot water is poured into the bowl, releasing a rich aroma.
The dough quickly softens and expands in the hot water, the concentrated soup melts and becomes rich and tempting, and the scallions and chopped vegetables regain their vibrant green color.
"Let me try it!" Princess Mingzhu eagerly picked up her chopsticks.
He Ling's "couch potato" tendencies were instantly triggered, and her homesickness reached its peak.
Oh, it's instant noodles!
[Your Majesty is amazing! You can even replicate this perfectly.]
The two of them stirred the noodles with their chopsticks, picked them up, blew on them, and put them in their mouths.
"Mmm, delicious!" Princess Mingzhu praised without reservation. "The noodles are so soft, and the soup is so flavorful!"
He Ling nodded repeatedly, "It was so delicious that my nose and tears were about to fall."
[Your Majesty is truly a genius!]
[We're all time travelers, so why is there such a huge difference between us?]
[Someone like me who can't cook is lucky if the kitchen doesn't blow up.]
Seeing their satisfied expressions, Jiang Huan also smiled.
It seems that the experiment was a great success, and Huo Lin's precarious stomach and intestines can be saved.
Besides, instant noodles are simple and quick, so he should be able to spare that much time.
She immediately instructed the palace maids to carefully wrap the remaining dough and concentrated soup base and pack them into a food box.
Jiang Huan told He Ling and Princess Mingzhu to eat there first, while she took the food to the Imperial Study.
Inside the Imperial Study.
Huo Lin buried himself in the memorials, his brows furrowed.
The sacrificial ceremony procedures, the list of scientific expedition members, and military reports from the northern frontier...
There's a whole lot of stuff going on.
He rubbed his throbbing temples, feeling an emptiness and a dull ache in his stomach.
I think I forgot to eat breakfast again.
He sighed, but just then, an announcement came from outside the hall.
"Consort Zhuang has arrived!"
Huo Lin looked up at the sound, and the palace door was pushed open. Jiang Huan walked in with a smile, carrying a food box.
He stood up, his gaze falling on the food box in Jiang Huan's hand.
Hmm? I don't seem to smell any fragrance this time?
[Was I too busy, making her wait too long, and letting the food get cold?]
No, I can't let her eat cold food with me.
Just as Huo Lin was about to speak, Jiang Huan interrupted, "Your Majesty, guess what I brought?"
She deliberately kept everyone in suspense, placing the food box on a side table.
As Huo Lin approached, he noticed a peculiar fragrance wafting from the cracks in the food box.
It doesn't taste like rice or food, nor does it taste like soup...
I don't think I've ever smelled this scent before.
He was a little curious and tentatively guessed one.
"Are these freshly made pastries?"
Jiang Huan smiled and shook her head: "No, no, you can let your imagination run wild."
As he spoke, he opened the food box lid, revealing neatly arranged flatbreads inside.
"What is this?" Huo Lin looked at these things he had never seen before, his face full of doubt.
"This is called instant noodles," Jiang Huan explained to him. "When you're hungry, take a noodle cake, a spoonful of soup base, put them in a bowl, pour boiling water over them, and you can eat them after a while."
As she spoke, she gestured for Xiao Zhao to bring a bowl and hot water.
"That simple?" Huo Lin raised an eyebrow.
"Your Majesty can observe this."
Jiang Huan deftly placed the noodles and soup cubes into a bowl and poured in boiling water.
Under Huo Lin's surprised gaze, the dough quickly expanded, and with the soup base made by Jiang Huan, a bowl of noodles was ready in no time.
"Alright, Your Majesty, would you like to try some?" Jiang Huan pushed the bowl in front of Huo Lin and handed him chopsticks.
Huo Lin stared at the steaming noodles in the bowl, his Adam's apple bobbing in shock.
[So convenient? Done in a flash?]
The taste is just as good as noodle soup that's been simmering for hours.
He picked up his chopsticks, scooped up some noodles, and put them in his mouth.
The noodles are cooked to the perfect firmness, have a wheat aroma, and are soaked in the broth, resulting in a delicious and rich flavor.
Mmm, delicious!!!
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