"If you can't finish it, Master should either give it away or let the servants take it home to eat."
Xu Jiang looked at these fish and felt that it was a waste of food. The lotus fish had delicate and sweet meat. If it was cooked in the right way, it might not be enough to eat.
"This carp is best when it's two or three pounds in size. There are many ways to prepare it. I'll write a few recipes for you later. If you want a different flavor, ask the kitchen to make it and try it."
Yin Yin's eyes lit up, "Okay!"
"For those over three pounds, keep the beautiful ones and put them back after cleaning the pond. When the lotus flowers bloom next year, watching the carp holding the flowers is quite elegant. The ugly ones can be dried or smoked and steamed for a fresh and salty taste. I'll write you the method later."
Yin Yin nodded rapidly, and then asked the servants to bring another tank. According to her instructions, the fish were divided into two tanks with two or three pounds, one tank for the ugly ones, one tank for the beautiful ones, and one tank for the fry.
After the fish were divided, the lotus roots were almost dug out, and the rest were left for regrowth next year.
Xu Jiang asked the servants to sort out the lotus roots and separate the intact ones from the broken ones.
After sorting the lotus roots, Yinyin had the servants carry them to Fuqiu Gate for washing, instructing them to wash them thoroughly, leaving no trace of mud. When the lotus roots returned, plump and white, Xu Jiang had several large wooden basins and wooden scrapers brought in, and they rubbed the lotus roots into a paste, then added water and stirred it.
After stirring, use gauze to wash out the residue and let it stand to cool down.
The servants and maids didn't feel tired or cold. They were busy and laughing. But Xu Jiang sat idly by and felt cold.
While the powder was being cooked, Xu Jiang asked Yinyin to bring her a brush, ink, paper, and inkstone. She first had Yinyin write her name, and seeing that she did a good job, she taught her two more characters. Once she had learned, she wrote down the recipe for her and also included instructions for how to prepare the lotus root starch.
"The lotus root starch that has been left to rest needs to be washed twice more with clean water. Once all impurities are removed, pour out the water, drain the starch, spread it out, and place it in a warm room to dry in the shade. Remember not to place it directly over a charcoal fire or expose it to smoke. Place it in a well-ventilated area covered with gauze." Xu Jiang finished writing and continued, "The preparation method is the same as for kudzu starch. Use boiling water. You can also add some honey or chopped preserved fruit for a sweeter taste."
"I've got it." Yin Yin seemed to have seen the prepared lotus root starch in front of her eyes.
When the work was almost done, the servants and maids collected the lotus root powder, fish tank, and leftover lotus roots, and carried them to the back kitchen.
Just at this moment, the sound of drums was heard, and the time for the banquet was almost approaching.
"The banquet is in Plum Garden, but it's a bit far to get there. We have to go." Yin Yin quickly straightened her clothes and pulled Xu Jiang to Plum Garden.
Before they reached Plum Garden, Liu Mei came over and started nagging Yin Yin. Then, seeing that Yin Yin was covered in mud, she quickly asked her to go back and change her clothes, and she took Xu Jiang to the banquet herself.
On the way, Xu Jiang pleaded for Yin Yin, "Don't blame her, she brought me along because she was afraid I'd get bored."
Liu Mei said angrily, "My lady, please don't speak for her. I know this girl best. She looks like she should be a grown-up girl, but she still has a stubborn temper. She is greedy and naughty."
Xu Jiang laughed, "That's why people like you."
As they chatted, a fragrant breeze blew over, and Xu Jiang knew she was nearing the Plum Garden. Sure enough, after turning a corner around a rockery, a field of wintersweets came into view.
There are two leisure courtyards hidden in the plum forest, which can be used to separate the male and female guests into two seats without interfering with each other.
The men's guests included the Lou family father and son and several men Xu Jiang had never seen before. The women's guests naturally included Mrs. Lou and several of her close friends.
Before the banquet started, Xu Jiang went to pay a visit to Lou Jing first.
When Lou Jing saw her coming, he hurriedly said to the others present, "This is the Madam Xu I was talking about."
Xu Jiang smiled and said, "Hello, Mr. Lou, and hello, gentlemen."
After the greeting, Xu Jiang glanced at Lou Yunchun, and seeing that he was staring at her, she smiled at him.
Lou Jing said, "I was wondering where you were going, but I didn't see you when I came. Then I heard from the servant that you went to the lotus pond to watch them clean it." He glanced at Lou Yunchun again and said, "I wanted to send someone to call you, but someone wouldn't let you."
To Xu Jiang, Lou Jing was first her client, and only then Lou Yunchun's father, so she quickly apologized, "It's my fault. I should have come to see you earlier." Then she laughed and said, "I was just so engrossed in watching them catch fish and dig lotus roots that I was delayed."
"It's okay." Lou Jing also admired her calmness in not being disturbed by external things and getting along with others as she should.
Then he asked proudly, "How are the lotus roots I planted? Aren't they good? Are the fish fat too? Aren't you jealous?"
Xu Jiang praised, "Excellent! The lotus root is white and the fish is fat." She added, "Yinyin said she couldn't finish the lotus root, so I taught them to make lotus root powder. The fish looked good, so I wrote down a few recipes for her. You might as well give it a try."
Lou Jing's eyes lit up immediately. "Lotus root starch? What kind of strange way of eating this is this?"
Xu Jiang then explained to him how to make lotus root starch and how to eat it. He listened and sighed, "You should have told me to go make these earlier, and you should have asked me to come along. It's all because of these old guys. They've got me stuck."
One person laughed and scolded: "Speaking of which, why are you blaming us again? We didn't tie your legs."
Another person also said: "That's right, I wonder who insisted on dragging us to play chess and appreciate flowers?"
Lou Jing was both right and wrong, and after a few more words of argument with the others, he said to Xu Jiang, "That's great! I clearly asked you to be my guest, but now I'm asking you to work."
"If I really have to sit, I won't be able to sit still. I might as well play with them and have some fun."
"I've never met anyone more eloquent than you."
Xu Jiang smiled and said, "Thank you for the compliment."
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