Chapter 17 Fried Dough Sticks and Cucumbers
"Miss Jiang, this is..."
When Gu Yuan held the string of pearls in his hand, his face was clearly still somewhat bewildered.
After she slid into the yard, she glanced up and saw that Miss Jiang's hand trembled.
He instinctively reached out and grabbed the wooden stick that Jiang Zhi had been holding tightly, then looked at Jiang Zhi with a somewhat bewildered expression.
Jiang Zhi looked up and met this face.
She finally breathed a sigh of relief and smiled faintly, revealing a small dimple.
"Ah Yuan, you've come at the perfect time! Come on, give me a hand..."
As she spoke, Jiang Zhi began to teach him step by step.
Her movements were so natural that before Gu Yuan could even react to the intimate address she had just received, her hands had already subconsciously followed Jiang Zhi's actions.
*
Pei Ye, who was behind him, stepped over the threshold and saw this scene.
The person was stunned.
Look what he saw!
The slightly shorter Jiang Zhi half-embraced the slightly taller Gu Yuan. The two were about the same size, and their bodies overlapped perfectly.
She even stood on tiptoe slightly and spoke into her earlobe!
Pei Ye was completely dumbfounded for a moment.
Although he realized a second later that Gu Yuan was holding something that looked like food from a distance, and Jiang Zhi was teaching her step by step.
Although that's what he thought rationally, deep down, he was still subconsciously annoyed!
He coughed lightly, causing the two figures crossing paths to look at him in confusion. Only then did he step forward and peek out to stand between them.
What are you two doing right now?
*
Startled by the shout, Jiang Zhi raised her eyes slightly.
Once she saw that everyone had arrived, her dimples disappeared, and she immediately started gesturing and giving instructions.
"You, help A-Yuan keep an eye on the heat, make sure the skin doesn't burn, and roast the parts that haven't turned this color yet!"
"Go and buy me two cucumbers and two fried dough sticks. Hurry back!"
Jiang Zhi didn't plan to cook today, but she planned to make two dishes: roasted lamb leg and cucumber fried dough sticks, which are the most refreshing and cooling dish in summer.
Speaking of this, people from the south may not have seen it before! But people in the north, especially in Shandong, love to eat it in the summer!
Although Jiang Zhi is geographically from the south, she was amazed by this cucumber salad with fried dough sticks made by a fellow Shandong native in the summer!
Not only does it cool you down, but it also has a unique flavor. When eaten with meat, it's truly "amazing"!
Jiang Zhi briefly savored the taste in her mind, and while You Yi went to buy cucumbers and fried dough sticks, she prepared the seasonings:
Two spoonfuls of sesame paste, two spoonfuls of white vinegar, one spoonful of the previously prepared soy sauce, and one spoonful of sesame oil.
The current method would also require adding MSG, but unfortunately, the ancient techniques couldn't produce it for the time being. Thinking of this, Jiang Zhi couldn't help but sigh.
Although the taste might not be perfect without MSG, Jiang Zhi still tried her best to adjust it, using a clever touch to separate the two spoonfuls of sesame paste with chopsticks.
When Jiang Zhi's arms were a little numb from fiddling with the mahjong tiles, and the mahjong tiles finally changed from small, fluffy pieces to the thick paste commonly found in modern hot pot restaurants, Jiang Zhi knew that the sauce was basically done!
Then she added a large spoonful of water, stirred it until it was evenly mixed, and then dissolved it into the sauce.
After all this was done, it seemed easy, but it was almost lunchtime. The lamb leg was already roasted, and Youyi had finally bought the cucumbers and fried dough sticks.
Before You Yi could catch his breath, Jiang Zhi rushed forward and snatched the fried dough stick wrapped in oil paper and the cucumber she was carrying in the other hand, placing them directly into Jiang Zhi's palm.
Cut off the top and bottom of the cucumber, then hold the side of the knife slightly and slice it diagonally into small pieces.
She learned this method from that old lady from Shandong years ago. She didn't know the specific steps or their purpose, but if one step was missing, the cucumber would taste bitter!
The preparation of fried dough sticks is even simpler. Just tear each dough stick into two finger joint lengths with one hand, throw it into the oil and fry it lightly again, then take it out and it will become fragrant, crispy and crunchy!
Put the fried dough sticks and cucumbers into a large bowl, add some finely chopped garlic, and then add the sesame paste you just prepared. Mix it all together!
Then it can be served!
At this moment, Jiang Zhi also glanced over to see how the lamb leg was roasting!
With Jiang Zhi's remote guidance, the two people on the other side were still flustered and somewhat bewildered, but fortunately, there weren't many steps left, so they didn't make any mistakes.
The lamb leg was roasted until it was charred and smelled wonderful!
After Jiang Zhi instructed the two men to finish processing the food, she had them bring it to the table and prepare to eat!
*
While everyone was busy, Grandpa Zhao, who was sitting stiffly on a small stool, felt a little embarrassed and tried to slip away while everyone was busy.
Who knew that Jiang Zhi, who always had sharp eyes, was still giving instructions verbally, but she had already caught sight of the old man's footsteps approaching the door out of the corner of her eye. She immediately grabbed a small porcelain bowl from the side, picked up a handful of mixed fried dough sticks and cucumbers from the bottom of the bowl, and then put a piece of roasted lamb leg on it, which smelled delicious!
She presented it with a smile, and after some back and forth with Grandpa Zhao, she finally managed to get him to take it home himself!
Although Grandpa Zhao was still a little embarrassed, Jiang Zhi was always good at talking, and after a few words, his guilt lessened considerably.
After forcibly returning the money that Jiang Zhi had given him to chop firewood, he walked back to the Zhao family with some unease, pondering how to explain it to his wife along the way.
Here, Aunt Zhao had already prepared a dish of scallion tofu and steamed a pot of rice cooked over a wood fire, and was eagerly waiting for Grandpa Zhao at the door.
Upon seeing Grandpa Zhao, they instinctively went to greet him, muttering about how slow he was.
When Aunt Zhao was three feet away from Grandpa Zhao, she was stunned to see the white porcelain bowl that Grandpa Zhao was holding in his arms!
"Didn't you go up the mountain to chop firewood for that young girl Jiang today? What, did you listen to those gossipy people and go to that widow's house again?"
To put it nicely, Uncle Zhao is kind-hearted; to put it bluntly, he lacks emotional intelligence and is weak. As a result, Aunt Zhao has had to present a shrewish demeanor to outsiders for many years.
Because of this, some ill-intentioned people like to try to matchmake Grandpa Zhao with another widow at the village entrance, which infuriates Aunt Zhao.
Therefore, when Aunt Zhao saw this guy carrying a bowl of rice, her first thought was not about Jiang Zhi at all. Instead, she suspected that Uncle Zhao's heart might have been bewitched by the widow or something...
Upon seeing his wife's angry face, Old Zhao instinctively shrank back and hurriedly replied:
“Wife, listen to me, this has nothing to do with that widow at the village entrance. This was given to us by that young lady Jiang, who said we should try it…”
*
By the time Grandpa Zhao finally explained things to Aunt Zhao, the rice in the pot was steaming.
Aunt Zhao smiled broadly, clearly in high spirits, and brought out the scallion and tofu salad she had just made.
He even instructed Grandpa Zhao to place the white porcelain bowl in the middle of the table.
The two sat down one by one, intending to try the incredibly tempting-smelling dishes.
*
Aunt Zhao was shocked after taking her first bite!
The outer layer is crispy and fragrant; one bite and it makes a satisfying "crunch" sound in your mouth, which is enjoyable even to onlookers. You can't imagine tasting it yourself.
The aroma of caramelized meat goes without saying; it's so enticing that just one sniff makes your mouth water. The outer crust is as crisp as a biscuit sprinkled with a thin layer of salt, yet it doesn't taste salty at all. As you chew, the aroma of mutton fat spreads from the bottom of your tongue.
Grandpa Zhao had just shamelessly asked Jiang Zhi for a small dish of sauce, which came in handy now.
Aunt Zhao, being an experienced cook, immediately recognized that the dipping sauce was perfect for mutton.
The meat fibers were grilled until they were incredibly firm, and when you tore them apart, they were separated into thin strands. Aunt Zhao dipped some sauce in the sauce, and the salty and savory flavors of the meat were combined with the chewiness of the tendons and meat. It was truly a delicious experience that went from the tip of your tongue to your heart!
*
Grandpa Zhao also started eating, but unlike the others, he ate the fried dough sticks and cucumbers first, intending to try them out first.
Looking at the sauce covering his hands, Grandpa Zhao initially frowned and hesitated, thinking he didn't want to get his hands dirty.
It wasn't until Aunt Zhao finished eating the mutton and started smacking her lips with relish, reaching for the fried dough sticks and cucumbers, that Uncle Zhao gritted his teeth and grabbed a fried dough stick coated in sesame sauce.
Grandpa Zhao had certainly eaten fried dough sticks before, or rather, in this dynasty and region, the actual name for this thing should be "Hanju". The method is also very simple: white flour is mixed with pork fat, fermented, shaped, and then deep-fried.
It's so simple that even Uncle Zhao's second uncle's son once started a business with this.
However, there is one problem: the cost is too high and the taste is not even as good as "Mantou". After all, "Mantou" at least has some meat filling, while Hanju only has a bit of pork fat and oil flavor.
However, since some people at the top enjoy eating it, those below will also spontaneously start to crave this luxury item...
In short, before putting it in his mouth, Grandpa Zhao didn't have much hope.
Look at all that green and yellow, how delicious can it be?
But after the first bite, he was proven wrong.
The crisp crunch of the cucumber, combined with the slightly softened "cold cutlet" that had absorbed a little sauce, instantly relieved the summer heat from walking outside.
As soon as the heat subsided, the sesame paste sticking to the cucumbers and fried dough sticks formed a thick nest on the membrane of the mouth, making it smooth and delicate. Combined with soy sauce, white vinegar, sesame oil, and the like, it felt as if the whole mouth was rolling in a mix of sweet, sour, bitter, and spicy flavors. The sourness was sour, the fragrance was fragrant, and the saltiness was salty, all mixed together like a symphony in the mouth!
Grandpa Zhao chewed it again, and the aroma of minced garlic wafted out. The unique umami flavor of the garlic, still lingering in the gaps of the fried dough stick, combined with the coolness of the cucumber, instantly masked the oily taste, making it not greasy at all, but rather incredibly addictive—
In an instant, the dryness and slight oiliness of the fried dough sticks, and the astringency and blandness of the cucumber, all disappeared completely, replaced by a sweet and savory flavor that is hard to find even in the finest meat dishes!
A note from the author:
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I'm so happy! [cheering emojis] I made the list today!
There will be five updates this week! It's super long, so don't forget to bookmark it and help Zhizhi keep making it onto the daily writing charts!
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