Chen Yuancheng said, "Although Tang Tong's character is flawed, his judgment is good. You are a good person, so it's normal for someone to be fond of you."
Xiao Yunying was completely confused: "Are you praising me? But I don't want him to like me."
Chen Yuancheng realized he had spoken carelessly: "What I meant was that you don't need to belittle yourself. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. There are always people who don't care about appearance but value character and personality."
Besides, you've already lost a lot of weight, your looks are no less than others, and your knowledge and talent surpass many men, so don't feel inferior to others.
Xiao Yunying laughed heartily: "Don't try to comfort me, I'm not insecure."
She touched the bridge of her nose, wondering if she was being too wicked.
Chen Yuancheng is right. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder. Chubby girls are quite cute, and maybe some people like to hug chubby girls.
She has been brainwashed by modern aesthetics; she is superficial and not as open-minded as an ancient person.
The two chatted as they went through the side gate of the Chen family's house to the kitchen. Xiao Yunying skillfully had the ingredients prepared and answered the cook's questions.
"I scored the tomatoes with a cross, scalded them with hot water to remove the skin, peeled the winter melon and removed the seeds and pulp, washed it clean, removed the roots from the organic cauliflower, broke it into small pieces, cut the thick stems with a knife, blanched it, washed the mushrooms with flour and salt, removed the stems, and washed and pitted the hawthorns."
Chen Yuancheng said, "These dishes are indeed novel; I've never seen them before."
"I grew these vegetables from seeds I bought from overseas merchants a while ago. The mushrooms were picked from deep in the mountains. I've tasted them all, and they taste great. You can eat them without worry; there won't be any problems."
Chen Yuancheng put down the tomato in his hand: "Overseas merchants? Although Donglin City is not far from the sea, I haven't heard of any overseas merchants coming here recently."
Xiao Yunying stopped chopping vegetables: "How did you know?"
“Those who do business naturally need to be observant and attentive to their surroundings.” Chen Yuancheng lowered his voice: “The laws of Yi State clearly stipulate that overseas merchants returning from abroad must register with the local government where they came from and where they are going, and are not allowed to cross the border illegally.”
Why?
"Taxes and silver are different."
Xiao Yunying understood: things from overseas were novel and expensive, so the taxes were naturally higher.
She had just made up an excuse, but she didn't expect there to actually be overseas merchants here. She was a little dumbfounded after hearing Chen Yuancheng's words.
Chen Yuancheng comforted him, saying, "You probably encountered a traveling merchant who had smuggled himself back. The law punishes sellers more severely, while it usually only warns buyers. Don't worry."
Xiao Yunying was relieved: "That's good."
Xiao Yunying chopped the winter melon into cubes herself, instructing everyone on how to prepare the other ingredients:
"After the hawthorns are cooked until soft, mash them into a paste with a wooden spatula. Try to remove the hawthorn skin as much as possible, leaving only the flesh for a better texture. Then add a bowl of maltose and cook until thickened."
Blanch the organic cauliflower for a little longer to prevent uneven heating and undercooking, then stir-fry it like regular vegetables.
The simplest way to make scrambled eggs with tomatoes is to first scramble the eggs and set them aside. Then, scramble the tomatoes until they release their juices, add the eggs back in, and season with salt and a little maltose.
Ling Qi muttered, puzzled, "Put salt and sugar together?"
Xiao Yunying explained, "Tomatoes are sour, and a small amount of maltose can alleviate the sourness, making the dish taste better and more palatable."
Ling Qi asked, "What does this girl named Winter Melon plan to do?"
Xiao Yunying placed the diced winter melon into a plate for later use: "A simple stir-fry makes the winter melon crisp, juicy, and refreshing. It tastes great even when simply stir-fried. If you stir-fry it with ham, the texture and flavor will be even better."
One of the cooks said, "Ham, we have it."
Then they had a kitchen helper bring over a huge pig's leg.
Xiao Yunying: ……
She was talking about sausages!
Well, she's just ignorant.
"This will work too. Go and stir-fry it. Just cut the ham into roughly the same size cubes."
She carried the cleaned and sliced mushrooms to another large pot, asked someone to start a fire, and first stir-fried the mushrooms until they were thoroughly cooked, then poured in water.
Crack two eggs into a bowl, add a little water and beat them. After the water in the pot boils, cook the eggs for a while and then pour the egg mixture evenly into the pot.
Do you eat scallions, cilantro, and sesame oil?
What is cilantro?
Xiao Yunying pointed to the cilantro in the basket: "That's it."
She'd forgotten what it was called in ancient times.
"Coriander? Yes, you can eat it."
Xiao Yunying chopped a little scallion and cilantro, and asked the cook for some sesame oil, which they call sesame oil here.
After the eggs solidified, I added salt to taste, scooped a little into a bowl, and tasted it with a spoon.
Button mushrooms are a delicacy from the mountains, and the soup made with them is delicious without needing any extra seasonings.
Pour the soup into a porcelain bowl, add chopped green onions and cilantro, and a few drops of sesame oil for aroma.
The other cooks had almost finished their dishes, so Xiao Yunying tasted each one and had them plated.
"It's best to put the hawthorn puree in a flat container, let it cool, and then cut it into small pieces before eating. If you don't have a flat container, just use a bowl. You don't need to worry about how it looks when you're eating it yourself."
Ling Qi said, "Isn't hawthorn the fruit used to make candied hawthorn skewers? Why are you making it for my young master's children?"
"Who says hawthorn can only be eaten by children? Hawthorn can be used as medicine. It can help with digestion and strengthen the stomach. Its sour taste can make people's mouths water and also has an appetite-stimulating effect."
If your son has a poor appetite, it's good for him to eat a little after each meal, but he shouldn't eat on an empty stomach, as it's bad for his stomach.
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