Chapter 87 (Shrimp Cake + Hot Pot Shrimp...)

After returning from the food street, Yan Qiushu took Zhao Shuhong to visit Manager Yao.

Pick up Zhao Shuhong's luggage.

And get some shrimp.

Because his family has opened a food court, Manager Yao pays special attention to the ingredients. If they raise more at home, they can spend less money on purchasing them. With more money saved, the soldiers can eat better, so there are quite a lot of shrimps in the manor.

In addition to the common river shrimp, there is also a kind of small shrimp.

Only then did Yan Qiushu realize that this was the kind of shrimp that Zhao Shuhong wanted.

The largest is no more than three centimeters, and generally speaking, you can catch one or two centimeters. This kind of shrimp has a strong reproductive capacity and is easy to raise, so you can catch a lot of them just by catching a few in a pond.

Manager Yao was afraid that it wasn't enough and wanted to get a few more buckets, but Yan Qiushu refused.

Although she had dug a pond on her farm, she only put various kinds of fish in it. This kind of shrimp could only be used as food in the pond.

Manager Yao could only give up with regret and replaced it with a large pile of fresh mushrooms and dried mushrooms: "This is what the mushroom farmer the girl introduced before made. There are a lot of them. If you can't finish them, just dry them and save them for later."

"The eldest master invited that person over?" Yan Qiushu was surprised.

Manager Yao smiled and said, "Yes, he was invited over. We sent someone to help him."

Yan Qiushu also laughed. Xiao Huaiqi was really amazing. He seemed to have done everything without saying a word.

After taking a bunch of ingredients and leaving with Manager Yao's enthusiasm, Zhao Shuhong said with a smile: "It seems that Ah Shu still has a very high status in the Xiao family!"

Even though it was just a joke, she was also happy for her from the bottom of her heart. The manager of such a large estate as the Xiao family must have a high position, and it was rare for someone to be so respectful and enthusiastic towards her.

Yan Qiushu said seriously: "The Xiao family are all good people!"

Zhao Shuhong nodded vigorously.

The two then talked about how to make shrimp cakes.

Zhao Shuhong said: "This kind of shrimp would taste even better if there were clams. It only needs a little salt and a little ginger water to remove the fishy smell. I guarantee you will not want to let it go."

"You make me want to eat it even more, but I feel bad if I can't have it. No, I'll show you my cooking skills and make you some dried shrimps in a hot pot!" Yan Qiushu said with a smile, "Dried shrimps in a hot pot are simple to make, but they taste really good. You will definitely not regret it if you eat them."

The two of them talked about their favorite dishes, and Shui Yu was drooling as he listened.

In comparison, her cooking skills were actually the worst, as she learned most of them from Yan Qiushu and Nanny Xu. Therefore, she had never heard of dry pot shrimps and shrimp cakes and had never eaten them. But after hearing what they said, she was particularly looking forward to it.

However, no matter how much you look forward to it, you have to wait until the afternoon to start.

Otherwise it would be too early and they wouldn’t be able to eat.

Back at the farmhouse, it was still early, and Yan Qiushu had nothing to do, so she said, "Shall we brew some wine? I have a lot of fruit planted on my farm, and I can't use all the fruit at the food court. I'm too lazy to sell them, so I can use them to brew some wine and drink it myself. That would be nice."

Zhao Shuhong was surprised: "You can also brew wine?"

"Fruit wine, very simple." Yan Qiushu smiled and asked someone to pick some strawberries.

During this period, the strawberry harvest is reaching its final stage.

She had originally planned to invite guests over a few days ago, and it was a good opportunity to pick strawberries.

But now the guests probably can't catch up, and fruit wine, a low-alcohol drink, can help with sleep. However, before at the Xiao family, she was embarrassed to brew wine because there were children around, and it would be a sin if they accidentally drank it.

To make strawberry wine, use the soaking method, the steps are very simple. After washing and drying the strawberries, put them into a sterilized jar, then add boiled water, rock sugar and white wine. Soak for about seven days and then you can drink it.

Seeing her giving orders like this, Zhao Shuhong finally put away her surprise. This method was indeed simple.

The fruit wine was ready, and the two of them rested for a while.

Seeing that it was almost dark, Zhao Shuhong couldn't wait to make shrimp cakes. Yan Qiushu also followed her to the kitchen because she was hungry again!

One for seasoning, one for processing the shrimp.

Small shrimps of this size do not need any processing at all, but Yan Qiushu's big shrimps require manpower. Fortunately, there are many people in the farm now. After she teaches the processing method, we can just wait.

With so many people around, the process went fast, and the shrimps were quickly prepared. Yan Qiushu also prepared the marinade and put the shrimps in and stirred it, trying to get every shrimp coated with the marinade, and then put them aside to wait for marination.

During this time, you can use it to fry other things, such as lotus root slices and cucumber strips.

It would be even better if there were potatoes, but they weren't grown yet and she couldn't get any.

Feeling a little regretful, Yan Qiushu calculated the time expertly, fried the vegetables and put them aside to filter the oil.

It was almost time, so she took the shrimps over. There were a lot of stains on the shrimps due to the pickling. She poured them out, leaving only the shrimps. She added some starch, stirred it again, and then put it in the pan for frying.

This time, the food is fried twice so it can be eaten directly.

After the first frying, it is almost done. Fry it again until the skin is crispy and then take it out.

Then comes the finishing touch. Leave a little oil in the pan and add the green onions, ginger and garlic and fry until fragrant. Next, add the Sichuan peppercorns, dried chili peppers, fresh chili rings, and the salty and spicy sauce that Chef Xiao had made earlier and stir-fry until the oil turns red.

Finally, add shrimps, cucumbers, lotus root slices, etc. in turn and stir-fry. When the orange shrimps, slightly browned lotus root slices, and tender green cucumber strips are all dyed red with the chili oil, they can be poured into the plate.

Since there was no such thing as a heating pot that could be used to cook while eating, Yan Qiushu made the finished product directly without any onion circles at the bottom of the pot.

But just the rich and bright color and the spicy aroma were enough to impress Zhao Shuhong, who had never eaten such heavy-flavored dishes.

"A-choo!" She was stung and sneezed, but her eyes were still fixed on it: "It looks so fragrant, doesn't it?"

"It tastes delicious!" Yan Qiushu confirmed her guess and said proudly, "It's especially delicious!"

Look at this overbearing taste.

When Yan Qiushu brought the food out of the kitchen, she saw her maid passing by the gate of her courtyard peeking at it. When she saw it, the maid ran away in panic.

Shui Yu laughed and said angrily, "What the young lady cooked is so delicious that I can't help it."

"I can't bear it. Let me let you taste it first. You've been busy collecting the shrimp threads for so long." Yan Qiushu put it on the table and picked up a shrimp with chopsticks and handed it to Shui Xuan.

Shui Yu smiled happily and opened her mouth to take it.

The hot shrimps have been fried till crispy. When you take a bite, the shrimp shell is crispy and not irritating to the teeth at all. After chewing it a few times, the shrimp shell breaks into pieces in your mouth and mixes with the shrimp meat. It doesn’t seem to be a bother at all, but tastes really good.

Moreover, the spicy and salty taste has already permeated into the shrimp. When you take a bite, the shrimp meat, which is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, lacks the original freshness, but has a spicy taste that makes people love it.

"Wow, I swallowed the entire shrimp shell!" After eating one, Shui Xi was pleasantly surprised.

The same ingredient can be cooked in many ways, and its flavor is even more varied.

Yan Qiushu smiled and said, "You can eat it directly. I fried it so crispy and asked you to wash it so cleanly!" She looked at Zhao Shuhong: "Sister Zhao, do you want to try it too?"

Zhao Shuhong couldn't wait any longer, but she was still reserved. Upon hearing this, she ate a shrimp without hesitation.

The shrimp head was removed, the shrimp tail was cut off, the shrimp back was opened, curled into a beautiful shape, and dyed with chili oil. She put the orange-red shrimp into her mouth and chewed it for a few times. Her face looked a little strange.

After eating a few more bites, his brows began to furrow.

After a few more times, she had cold sweat on her forehead!

By the time she had swallowed a shrimp, Zhao Shu's face had turned red, and she opened her mouth in panic: "My tongue hurts! Give me some water!"

Milk tea is always available here, and Yan Qiushu quickly brought a cup of milk tea.

Zhao Shuhong took a few gulps, and the sweet milky taste overwhelmed the spicy taste on her tongue. She said with tears in her eyes, "This is too spicy!"

Yan Qiushu held her forehead and said, "Sorry, I may have used too much chili."

The peppers had been brought to her not long ago, and she didn't know how much was appropriate. She gave them according to her habits from her previous life and her appetite in this life, so she reduced the amount a little, but it was still too spicy.

Zhao Shuhong waved her hands, wiped her tears, sniffed, and said, "No, I've never eaten anything this spicy. You know our taste is very light. I didn't expect people in Kyoto like such a strong taste."

Yan Qiushu scratched her head: "Do you still want to try? Or should I do something else?"

“No need!” Zhao Shuhong shook her head: “Actually I like it very much. It would be better if the taste was a little lighter.”

Yan Qiushu: "Sure." She took a glass of water and placed it in front of her: "Rinse it in the water."

The two of them sat down, and Shui Xuan went to the kitchen to eat her portion.

Just as she picked up the chopsticks, Steward Gu suddenly came over and said, "Miss, Madam Xiao and the Sixth Young Master are here!"

Yan Qiushu quickly stood up and asked in surprise, "Who?"

"Mrs. Xiao and the Sixth Young Master are in the front yard. The Sixth Young Master is here to give the girl some peppers and gifts, and Mrs. Xiao is here with him." Steward Gu said again.

Yan Qiushu wanted to go out as soon as she heard the beginning, but she still said something to Zhao Shuhong before leaving. She ran out and saw Mrs. Xiao looking around and nodding.

"Aunt!" Yan Qiushu called out.

Mrs. Xiao smiled and turned around: "Hey, Ah Shu, come here, are you getting used to it here?"

"Very good, I'm adapting well." Yan Qiushu smiled obediently, took her arm, answered the question, and then looked at Xiao Huaiting with a crooked look in her eyes: "General Xiao."

Xiao Waiting was not wearing black clothes today, but it was almost the same. It was always the same style, with the cuffs tied tightly, clean and neat, as if he could fight with someone at any time.

He was tall, and standing here, he had to lower his eyes to look at the people in front of him. He happened to see that she only had a simple hairpin on her head. He curled his lips slightly and replied, "Well, Miss Shu, the chili has been handed over to Manager Gu. I didn't come back to propose marriage before, so now I'm making up for it with the betrothal gifts."

After Xiao Huaiting finished speaking, Yan Xiang, who had been waiting with something in his arms, came over and handed over a large wooden box. He said in a loud voice, "My lord, this is something the general picked out specially for you. It's not much, but the quality is definitely excellent..."

"Yan Xiang!" Xiao Huaiting covered his lips and reminded.

Yan Xiang chuckled and said no more, but still made suggestive faces at Yan Qiushu.

He is so kind, don't forget to share some delicious food with him, after all, he was helping her in the past.

Yan Qiushu nodded amusedly, indicating that she had received his hint, and took the box.

Yan Xiang was a rough man. He took it lightly and passed it on without taking it seriously.

However, the box was too heavy and Yan Qiushu was caught off guard. The box sank and she almost fell down.

Fortunately, Xiao Huaiting reacted quickly and reached out to catch it, but at this moment, his big hand covered the back of Yan Qiushu's hand.

As if in a flash, the two looked at each other quickly, and quickly let go in surprise. The box fell again. This time Yan Qiushu wanted to catch it, but failed. Fortunately, Xiao Huaiting caught it.

"Huh..." The young general who was sent out to kill the enemy was so frightened that he broke out in a cold sweat just to catch the wooden box.

Yan Qiushu was also shocked by this series of developments and became a little weak.

Shui Yu said, "Miss, let me do it."

Xiao Waiting hurried over and she took the box. She felt it was really heavy. If she wasn't very strong, she might not be able to carry it.

Seeing this, Yan Qiushu smiled and said, "Aunt, General Xiao, I just prepared a meal for you two to eat at this time. If you two have nothing to do for the time being, why don't you stay and eat together? But I'm not alone, I have a friend, Zhao Shuhong, with me."

Xiao Huaiting raised his eyebrows: "Miss Zhao is staying here?"

"Well, thank you General Xiao for bringing her here!" Yan Qiushu said crisply.

Mrs. Xiao had been watching the young couple in silence. After hearing this, she slowly said, "Okay, is there enough food? The sixth child may have eaten."

"It's enough. If not, let's make some more." Yan Qiushu nodded cheerfully, "Shall we go to the inner courtyard? It's too hot outside. There's ice inside. Auntie, you specially asked someone to bring it here." Seeing that Madam Xiao agreed, she looked at Shui Yu and said, "Shui Yu, please entertain Vice General Yan."

When she came here, she had almost nothing to worry about. The Xiao family had prepared everything for her, fearing that she might not have enough.

It's ice cubes. As I said, they will be delivered here every day, so she doesn't have to buy them herself.

Mrs. Xiao smiled and patted her hands, then followed her inside.

Xiao Huai Ting followed behind the two of them, looking at the backs of the old and the young. His unnatural expression relaxed and he smiled easily.

Zhao Shuhong was a little flustered when the two of them arrived.

However, her family runs a business and she sees a lot of people, so although she was a little nervous, she still managed to stay calm. The four of them sat at the table. Yan Qiushu asked Shui Yu to add another dish and one soup, and then they started to eat.

"Aunt, this is Sister Zhao's specialty. Do you like it?" Yan Qiushu first picked up a shrimp cake for Mrs. Xiao, and then picked up one for Xiao Huaiting.

"Thank you." Xiao Huaiting said softly, then picked up the shrimp cracker.

This shrimp cake is made with batter, shredded white radish, and shrimps. The seasonings are already prepared. Put it in an oiled pan and fry until both sides are golden brown.

Each one is about the size of an adult man's palm, golden in color, with a few small orange shrimps visible on it, and some naughty white radish shreds peeking out of the outer circle.

Yan Qiushu ate this round cake in small bites, while Xiao Huaiting ate half of the cake as soon as he opened his mouth. The crust was crispy and the inside was soft. The radish shreds were soft on the outside and crispy on the inside. It must have just come out of the pan and was still hot.

It tastes very bland, with only a slight salty taste and the taste of radish, but once you get to the shrimps, surprises come one after another. The shrimps are tender, sweet, and have a great taste.

The shrimp cake itself was not greasy, but light and delicious. He finished a cake in just two bites.

Mrs. Xiao had only eaten half of her meal when she saw her son eating so fast. She stole a glance at the girl sitting opposite her and saw that she didn't even raise her head. She breathed a sigh of relief and secretly kicked her son, saying softly, "Eat slowly. Have you not eaten in how many lifetimes?"

Xiao Huaiting: “?”

He has been eating very slowly since Ah Shu reminded him last time. The biscuit itself is very small, and he ate it in two bites. Before, he would have finished it in one bite and chewed it for a lot of times.

Seeing her son not moving, Mrs. Xiao was frustrated and said bluntly, "Be more polite!"

Xiao Huaiting: "..."

"Aunt, it's okay. We are so familiar with each other, just eat normally." Yan Qiushu saw that Xiao Huaiting was really aggrieved and didn't know whether he should extend his chopsticks or not, so she said softly.

Mrs. Xiao nodded quickly: "Yes, Miss Zhao, your shrimp cakes are really good. If you want to do business, I will ask my boss to reserve a shop for you in the food court. If you don't want to do it yourself, you can cooperate with him."

Zhao Shuhong's eyes lit up. After hearing what Yan Qiushu said, she thought it would be good to stay in the manor to receive these guests. Getting up early and working late every day would be very tiring. She estimated that she would not make as much as here. After all, shrimp cakes also have small profits but quick turnover. It would be great if we could cooperate. She nodded: "Thank you, Madam Xiao, then I will take advantage of this."

"You're welcome." Madam Xiao said kindly, "You are a good cook and your food is delicious. How can I take advantage of you?"

Yan Qiushu listened to them talking and felt that this was pretty good. Like her, she could make money without doing anything. This feeling was really wonderful!

She blinked, looked at the young man on her right, and was glad that she had knocked on Xiao Waiting's door.

When he looked at her, he happened to meet a pair of dark eyes. Both of them were stunned, and then their eyelashes trembled, and they quickly avoided each other's sight. Xiao Waiting finally calmed down a lot and said softly: "This shrimp is delicious. The chili really works in your hands."

After saying that, he quickly picked up another piece of shrimp with his chopsticks, but perhaps he didn't notice that there was a bright red, crispy fried chili on it.

He stuffed it directly into his mouth.

Yan Qiushu was stunned. Wasn’t his eating speed already slow?

Why did he seem so flustered during these two meals? Was he too hungry on the battlefield?

As expected, she brought him a cup of tea. As expected, as soon as the cup was placed in front of him, this man seemed to have discovered that he had chewed something, and his face changed drastically, just like Zhao Shuhong's just now.

The dried chili peppers fried in a frying pan are so exciting!