This hot pot base is a simplified version made by Lin Rui. He adjusted the amount of salt several times before making this one. Thankfully, he is not a bad cook and has a good understanding of everything.
The butter was bought at the market. Yesterday, while my uncle was having a wedding, I asked the kitchen helper to refine it. In total, it was made into three large blocks of hot pot base, each marked with the degree of spiciness.
Yes, even in ancient times, the ritual of eating hot pot is indispensable, and the choice of hot pot base is even more important.
Even if there are no conditions, we have to create them, so hot pot bases are clearly divided into mild, medium and very spicy.
Lin Ziming, who was delivering the pot and the base, walked in front, while Lin Ziren and Lin Zizheng followed behind, carrying plates with more than a dozen fresh dishes.
The common local foods in Huangmoguan during winter include snow vegetables, bean sprouts, pea sprouts, thinly sliced beef rolls, mutton rolls, eggs, pig ears, pork rolls, pig brains... In short, everything can be cooked in hot pot.
It's strange. These dishes are obviously raw, but why do they feel so hungry just by looking at them?
The stove used specifically for hot pot has also been modified. It is different from the copper basin commonly used in Linjing. It is more like a modern shuangyang pot, but there is no partition in the pot.
Lin Rui asked his cousins to put the hot pot on the table and served it himself. He asked the major general: "Can everyone eat spicy food?"
"Of course!" Lin Pingyu replied smoothly. In a cold place like Huangmo Pass, almost all men and women can eat spicy food and drink much more than Linjing. Only the spicy taste of water wine and dogwood can dispel the cold and make the body warm and sweat.
"The base sauce I developed has three levels of spiciness: mild, medium and extremely spicy. Please choose one." Lin Rui asked again.
Xing Lie was the first to choose a spicy one, which was approved by the other four.
"Are you sure?" Lin Rui tried it and found it extremely spicy. People who don't consider it spicy can't stand it. After all, the raw material is dogwood, not chili pepper.
The square solidified hot pot base is put into the pot, the charcoal fire in the basin is lit, and then the pot is placed on top and hot water is poured to dissolve the seasoning.
As the fire burned more and more vigorously, the pot gurgling with a strange fragrance attracted everyone's attention.
Lin Rui looked at the people gathered around the table and said with a smile, "Let's get started. Hot pot is all about the freshness and deliciousness of the ingredients. Do you see this piece of beef I picked up?"
Everyone looked at him. They saw that the beef in Lin Rui's hand was floating up and down in the gurgling steaming soup for seven or eight times, and then he picked it up and put it into his mouth.
It was a little hot, Lin Ruisi hesitated, but still gave a thumbs up: "Delicious!"
Although it cannot be a one-to-one replica, it is already very impressive to be able to achieve this level in ancient times.
Seeing him like this, others also picked up their chopsticks.
Xing Lie ate politely at first, but then he saw Xu Shaoxuan, Lin Pingyu and others pouncing on their food like hungry wolves, picking up the food from the pot gracefully but very quickly and eating it with relish. He immediately ignored his status and etiquette and joined the crowd grabbing the food.
The dishes Lin Rui prepared were actually quite large, but they were no match for the appetites of men in their prime, such as Xing Lie and Han Wenjing. They were eaten clean in no time. Xing Lie felt a little sorry: "Lin Rui, you only prepared this little!"
My goodness, they even called his name with resentment. These dishes are just for them to taste the hot pot base, not to fill their stomachs!
Lin Rui could only smile and say, "I'll definitely prepare more next time."
Next, it was time to get down to business. Lin Rui waved to Lin Ziming and others, signaling them to go down first.
Just as Lin Ziming, Lin Zizheng and the others turned around and were about to leave, Xu Shaoxuan said, "Wait a minute!"
Lin Ziming, Xing Lie, and the others all looked over curiously. Xu Shaoxuan, without any hesitation, made his request: "Master Lin, don't you still have two pieces of base sauce that you haven't used yet? I'm so polite and was wondering if I could ask for some so that my wife can also taste this delicacy."
What a good man! Lin Rui thought, eating delicious food while still thinking about his wife. It would be a blessing for a girl to marry a family-oriented man like Xu Shaoxuan.
Lin Rui nodded and agreed readily: "Of course, there are still two pieces left, right? Then give one to Master Xu and one to Master Lin. Let the sisters-in-law try it and give me some suggestions for improvement."
Lin Pingyu also bowed and thanked him: "Such a delicious meal is so tempting that one can't leave. It's truly impeccable. Lord Lin, please don't underestimate yourself."
After packing the hot pot base for the two adults, Lin Ziming and others finally left.
Han Wenjing... miscalculated. If he had known earlier, he would have mentioned it. Why did he act so arrogantly? Now he has gained nothing at all.
Coincidentally, Xing Lie and Chen Zhidong also thought so, and planned to go to Lord Xu or Lord Lin's house for a meal after getting off duty.
After everyone left, Lin Rui began to talk business with everyone.
"Major General and all the gentlemen, what do you think of this hot pot base?" Lin Rui asked for customer feedback. This was the result of his whole night of tinkering, but judging from the way it looked today, it should be very successful.
"It tastes really good, but we can't represent the people of Huangmo Pass after all!"
"That's not entirely true of Huangmoguan. I heard Lord Lin mean to support this industry and sell it to the common people or noble families in the entire Linjing territory?"
Lin Rui nodded: "Indeed, the price of hot pot base is not low. The cost price of the base determines that ordinary people can't afford it."
No matter which dynasty, 80% of the wealth will only be in the hands of 20% of the people, and these people are all high-ranking officials. Even though the world is in such chaos now, there are still princes fighting for power and aristocratic families are rampant.
In order to ensure the long-term interests of their family, some people even take the initiative to collude with other ethnic groups to deal with their fellow citizens.
Compared with the common people who can't even fill their stomachs, whose money should we make if not from these princes and nobles!
Lin Pingyu, however, saw through the essence of the hot pot base: "The oil in this base is not lard..."
Lin Rui nodded. "Indeed, we use butter. I had someone buy it from the border market. This brings us to the second question. Once we start this business, we will inevitably have to cooperate with the Dirong, Huidi, Tak, and Kaza tribes."
"How can that be possible!" Chen Zhidong immediately retorted: "If we keep them fat and they stop lingering, wouldn't our Xing army be in great danger?"
Xing Lie and the other three did not say anything, waiting quietly for Lin Rui to explain.
Lin Rui had already thought about how to convince them. If that still didn't work, he would come up with another idea. At this stage, he felt that the hot pot base business was a win-win-win for the Xing family army, Huangmoguan, and even the foreign tribes. "Major General, gentlemen, let me tell you a little story!"
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