As a cook, when Yan Qiushu heard about river seafood, she thought of countless delicious dishes that could be made.
But it was a bit late now, so she could only try her luck. When she went out, she told the officers and soldiers guarding her, and they took the initiative to follow her to the street to find where there were vegetable vendors.
Fortunately, God still gave Yan Qiushu a chance to survive. When she reached the vegetable market, she saw what she wanted in just a few steps.
I bought some crabs, some fish, and some river shrimps. Finally, I actually found some clams. Not many, but better than nothing.
Yan Qiushu bought everything and even went to pharmacies and other shops on the way to buy some cinnamon, bay leaves and the like. Then she came back excitedly, packed some money and borrowed the kitchen of the post station.
The kitchen of the post station is divided into a large kitchen and a small kitchen. The guests here are all dignitaries, so the small kitchen is often needed. It has all the ingredients, including oil, salt, ginger and vinegar.
Add the seasonings Yan Qiushu bought, and it will be no problem to make spicy crab.
But before that, these things need to be dealt with.
The crabs need to be cleaned and the shrimps need to be deveined. The clams cannot be eaten and have to be put aside after they spit out the sand. Fish are not suitable to be put here either. Yan Qiushu was thinking while cleaning.
In this fictional dynasty at that time, there were no potatoes or sweet potatoes, but if there was no staple food, would it taste too salty and spicy?
Thinking about it, Yan Qiushu suddenly thought of the braised flower rolls from Northeast China.
After determining what she wanted, she began to prepare in an orderly manner.
After processing the shrimps and crabs, wash your hands and knead the dough.
While waiting for the noodles to form balls and ferment, she started cooking. The first step was to heat oil in a pan.
She was thankful that she knew how to use an earthen stove in her previous life, otherwise she would be at a loss now. After successfully starting the fire, she waited for the pot to heat up, added oil, and poured it from the edge of the cleaned large iron pot. Suddenly, the pot became shiny and smooth, which looked very comfortable.
When the oil is hot, the crab bodies cut in half are picked up, dipped in flour one by one, and quickly pressed sideways into the oil pan. Immediately, a "sizzling..." sound is heard in the kitchen.
The pot looked greasy, but Yan Qiushu was already used to this kind of scene. Her pretty face, a little childish, was calm at this moment, and her hands moved with ease. After all the crabs were put in and their shells turned red, she took them out and set them aside, and changed the oil again.
This time, when the oil is hot, the first things to be put in are the already prepared ingredients such as cornus officinalis, Sichuan peppercorns, cinnamon, bay leaves, salt, etc.
These all had a very strong smell, and when they were fried, the aroma gushed out like an explosion. Yan Qiushu's body was not used to such a pungent smell, and her face changed. Fortunately, she poured the crabs into the pan and stir-fried them in time, and the smell was immediately suppressed a lot by the crabs.
But even so, there was still a series of rapid and continuous sneezes at the door of the kitchenette.
"A-choo, a-choo..."
One after another, the man looked very uncomfortable.
Yan Qiushu looked at him in surprise.
Accidentally discovered, Yan Xiang's pretty face showed a slight embarrassment, and he said with a wry smile: "Miss Yan, I was just passing by to take a look. Why is it so smelly? What are you cooking?"
Yan Qiushu smiled and said, "Let's make something delicious. Lord Yan, please try some later."
"Okay then, thank you so much. How about I help you with something?" Yan Xiang immediately walked into the kitchen and asked enthusiastically.
Yan Qiushu didn't resist and pointed at the stove in front of her: "Do you know how to light a fire?"
"Yes! You tell me whether you want a high fire or a low fire, and I will make sure it burns well for you!" Yan Xiang said loudly and sat down.
Yan Qiushu then really began to direct him to light the fire.
Yan Xiang also didn't have the temper of an official. He looked very open and confident, but he would always sneak a peek at Yan Qiushu's movements when she wasn't noticing. But there was not curiosity in his eyes, but... vigilance.
Of course, he didn't pass by the small kitchen on purpose, and this place was not a place where he could pass by.
He was simply afraid that this girl had some special identity, so he followed her over out of curiosity. After all, he initially thought she wanted to eat river food, but the scene was quite large, and he could smell a strange odor from a distance. He came over to check it out immediately, but as soon as he got close, he couldn't help sneezing, which exposed himself in advance.
Fortunately, the other party probably didn't realize what he was doing.
Yan Xiang stared intently, his eyes filled with wonder. What on earth was this girl doing? Wasn't river seafood primarily steamed? He'd heard that steamed crabs were a favorite of the emperors in the palace; they were incredibly delicious!
Instead, she made it taste so pungent, didn't that suppress the freshness?
Just as Yan Xiang was surprised and puzzled, he suddenly found that the pungent smell was gradually changing.
From simply spicy to pungent, and then to a hint of appetizing fragrance, and then, the fragrance became stronger and stronger, mixed with a faint fishy smell.
But soon, as a spoonful of water was poured in and the lid was closed on the pot, the fragrance disappeared, and Yan Xiang felt a little disappointed.
How come it's gone?
That fragrance is so pleasant!
Yan Qiushu was not idle at this time either. She could start making steamed buns with the fermented dough. She took two long pieces of dough with a few chopped green onions and oil stains, and twisted them with her slender little hands, and the dough became a beautiful petal shape.
She didn't make a lot, just a stack of twelve.
After that, Yan Qiushu opened the lid, and Yan Xiang, who was still making a fire, was immediately hit by an aroma that was even stronger than before, with a spicy aroma. He subconsciously took a breath, and then... swallowed his saliva.
Why does it feel delicious?
He watched eagerly, and Yan Qiushu naturally noticed it. She was a little happy, and her hands kept moving. She comforted him, "Master Yan, wait a little longer, it will be fine soon."
She understood this impatience too well, and she didn't even know how much her saliva was secreted, but the crabs had to be handled properly, otherwise it would easily cause problems when eaten, and this could not be sloppy.
Yan Xiang smiled awkwardly: "No hurry, no hurry..."
He rubbed his face secretly, feeling annoyed at himself for being tempted by such delicious food!
After Yan Qiushu stir-fries, make sure the shrimps are almost cooked, then add water starch and stir-fry. When it is almost cooked over high heat, put the steamed buns on one by one and cover the lid again.
This time, it only takes a cup of tea to wait.
When the lid is opened, the rich fragrance seems to rush straight to the top of your head!
Yan Xiangdu was cheered up and stood up involuntarily to look at what was in the pot. When he saw it, his eyes widened.
The big black iron pot is filled with a beautiful and delicious red sauce color. The crabs are cut into halves and lie on it in an interlaced manner like half a gold ingot. A small number of crabs may not be handled properly, and the crab roe is a little broken, leaving the thick crab roe half exposed, which is extremely tempting.
There are also plump beige steamed buns on the top, with rich spicy aroma and sweet pasta aroma intertwined together. Even though he was not hungry, he now feels that he can finish this big pot!
This looks so appetizing!
Yan Qiushu first packed two small portions and gave one to Yan Xiang.
"For me?" Yan Xiang didn't expect that he really had it, and was at a loss holding the bowl.
Will this be a problem?
The general has been conducting strict investigations and spies in recent years, not letting go of any suspicious people. This Miss Yan does look quite suspicious. So, can this food that smells so delicious really be eaten?
At this moment, Yan Qiushu was so anxious that she gasped for air: "Hiss! It's so hot!"
She kept breathing, trying to blow away the heat in her mouth, but she was reluctant to exhale. Her big eyes were filled with tears from the heat.
The main reason was that she had been craving it for too long, so when she was ready to eat it, she just grabbed one of the crab's long legs, put her mouth close to it, and ate the crab roe that was tightly locked in by the starch after being fried.
However, it was delicious, but she ignored the fact that it had just come out of the pot and the temperature was very high, so when the crab roe entered her mouth, it tasted like boiling hot tofu.
However, it was so delicious that Yan Qiushu could only endure it. After the heat finally dissipated, she relaxed, took a sip of her lips and tongue, and finally tasted the sweet taste of crab roe.
So delicious!!!
Yan Qiushu likes to eat these seafood and river fish very much, but some things have to be in season. Before she came here, she hadn't eaten hairy crabs for more than half a year. She was thinking about it, but she didn't expect that when she ate it again, it would be a completely different world.
But to be honest, this hairy crab is not only plump, but the crab meat is also so delicious that even the rich spiciness cannot cover it up!
The quality is also excellent!
Yan Qiushu was concentrating on eating. Her fair little hands had already been stained with the brown soup. She peeled the crab shells skillfully, as if she had done it thousands of times. Yan Xiang was drooling with envy at the sight of her.
After seeing the other person eating, he felt relieved and started eating too.
He immediately drooled because of the spiciness, but the spicy taste was so addictive that he couldn't stop eating. He ate with tears in his eyes, but you can't eat crabs whenever you want. His technique was not good enough, so the crab shell was mixed with the crab meat, which greatly reduced the deliciousness of the crab. However, just this little taste made him feel refreshed, and he didn't know what day it was. He envied Yan Qiushu even more for being able to eat so heartily!
"Hiss--" Yan Xiang accidentally bit a Sichuan peppercorn, and his face changed slightly. He slowed down before daring to continue eating. After another mouthful of rich crab paste, he was healed again and immersed in it.
On the contrary, Yan Qiushu, who was the first to eat, ate two crabs and then stopped temporarily.
I haven't eaten enough, what can I do...
Her belly is too small to hold it.
Yan Qiushu washed her hands with soap nuts, scooped up the remaining crabs and soup from the pot, and then put the hot steamed buns on top. She carried them out and said, "Enjoy your meal, my lord. I have something else to do, so I'll leave now."
"...Okay, take your time..." Yan Xiang's mind was no longer working. He mumbled the words and continued to eat. He only took a moment to wipe the sweat stains on his forehead caused by the spicy food with his sleeve.
So delicious!
It was really delicious!
He was wrong. He actually thought that this strong flavor would mask the crab's deliciousness. How could that be possible? It clearly enhanced the crab's deliciousness!!!
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
