As soon as he got home, Qin Wan couldn't wait to put on an apron and start processing the fresh big fish.
I saw her skillfully put the fish on the chopping board, rinse it clean with clean water first, then carefully cut open the fish belly with scissors, remove all the internal organs, and then carefully scrape off the scales and gills.
After completing these steps, Qin Wan picked up a kitchen knife and made several horizontal and vertical cuts in the thicker parts of the fish. This would allow the various seasonings to penetrate more easily into the fish during subsequent cooking, making the taste richer and more delicious.
Next, Qin Wan took an appropriate amount of salt and cooking wine and sprinkled them on the fish, and gently rubbed and massaged it repeatedly with his hands to ensure that every part was evenly coated with the seasoning.
After doing all this, she cut the green onion and ginger into thin strips and spread them evenly on the surface of the fish. Finally, she poured some steamed fish soy sauce on it to enhance the flavor and fragrance.
At this point, all the preliminary preparations are complete, and it’s time to steam it!
Qin Wan steadily picked up the plate of fish and carefully placed it in the preheated steamer. He covered the pot and immediately lit the stove. The blue flames jumped up happily, licking the bottom of the pot. The whole kitchen was suddenly filled with a mouth-watering aroma...
Then, she skillfully scooped out an appropriate amount of flour from the flour bag and poured it into a large bowl. She then slowly added water and began to knead the dough with her hands.
After a while, the originally loose flour gradually condensed into a smooth and elastic dough in her hands.
At the same time, the fish steaming in the pot nearby was also slowly changing. As time passed, the once quiet kitchen gradually became filled with an increasingly rich aroma - the aroma of fish!
This tempting smell seems to have magic, penetrating into people's nasal cavity and making people salivate just by smelling it.
Qin Wan kneaded the dough, looking up at the steamer from time to time. After a while, she estimated that the heat was about right, so she gently lifted the lid.
Instantly, a cloud of hot steam, carrying an even stronger aroma of fish, wafted towards me. A closer look revealed that the fish in the pot had become snow-white and juicy.
She carefully removed the steamed fish dish from the pot and placed it on the chopping board to cool slightly. Then, she poured out all the liquid in the dish to avoid affecting the taste.
Then, she picked up a small spoon and evenly poured a layer of boiling hot oil over the fish. Instantly, a sizzling sound echoed, accompanied by a puff of smoke. The instant the hot oil met the shredded scallions and ginger, it unleashed a richer, more mellow aroma that was truly appetizing.
After finishing the steamed fish, Qin Wan did not stop.
She turned and walked to another stove and continued to work - this time she was making corn pot stickers.
At this moment, Qin Wan was completely unaware that the aroma of the delicious food she had carefully prepared had already drifted out of the window on the breeze, attracting the attention and discussions of several gossipy women nearby...
Captain Wang's family was known for their gluttony, and they couldn't resist any kind of delicious food. At this moment, she smelled the rich and overbearing aroma, and her throat unconsciously swallowed, and her saliva almost flowed down the corners of her mouth like a flood.
Her eyes were wide open and her nostrils were flaring, as if she wanted to inhale all the tempting fragrance into her stomach.
Finally, unable to contain her curiosity and desire, she eagerly expressed her opinion:
"Oh my goodness, just smell that, it must be the Lu family eating meat again! Tsk tsk tsk tsk, tell me, how come their family is so rich? Eating delicious meat and fish every day, it really makes people envious and jealous!"
When Captain Xie's mother heard this, she couldn't help but feel moved.
Thinking of the time she had suffered at Qin Wan's hands, new and old hatreds suddenly surged in her heart. So, she rolled her eyes and began to apply eye drops to Qin Wan:
"That's right! Actually, Captain Lu is the only one in his family who receives that meager salary. He has to support a large family, so his expenses must be quite high. And yet, he still eats meat every day. In my opinion, his money might not have come from a legitimate source!"
At this time, another old lady, Big Head Grandma, also came over.
This old man always liked to gossip about other people's affairs. When he heard someone talking about the Lu family, he immediately became excited and nodded in agreement:
"Right, right, right! Who says it's not true? Logically speaking, with Captain Lu's income, how could he possibly support such a standard of living? Humph, I think we should report the Lu family to the higher-ups and have them send someone to investigate thoroughly to see if they've done anything shameful!"
Just as this group of people were chattering, Aunt Zhang and Aunt Yu came over.
They had been chatting casually at the gate, playing with the children. After a while, perhaps tired from playing, the children grew sleepy. So the two aunts had to pack up their things and push the stroller home with the baby.
On the road, they were walking and talking and laughing, when they suddenly heard several people talking about Qin Wan, and they couldn't help but get angry.
Their faces flushed, their fists clenched, but for a moment they didn't know how to refute these gossipers. After all, they were all neighbors, and if they started arguing on the spot, it would inevitably be awkward when they met in the future.
Although they were indignant, they suppressed their anger and turned away.
When Aunt Zhang and her group of four returned home, they smelled an enticing fragrance as soon as they entered the door.
It turned out that Qin Wan had already prepared the fragrant pot stickers. She was busy with her hands and feet, and beads of sweat oozed from her forehead.
Aunt Zhang walked into the house quietly, carefully carried the sleeping children to bed, then gently picked up the small quilt beside her and covered them gently, for fear of waking the children from their sweet dreams.
After settling the child, Aunt Zhang came to the kitchen, pulled over the busy Qin Wan, and lowered her voice to tell her all the gossip she had heard on the way.
Finally, Aunt Zhang warned worriedly:
"Xiao Qin, we have to be more restrained in the future. Eating too much meat won't do any good. If we get into trouble, it will be very difficult to end up like this. Especially when that big-headed grandma said she was going to report us, she was no joke!"
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