Chapter 48 048 Spiced Glutinous Rice Lotus Root, Cherry Meat, Oil-Poured Fish [...]
Soon, Zhang Fengqiu and his wife arrived with their elderly relatives and children. As soon as Luo Tiantian arrived, she went to greet Wen Fan.
Hello, Sister Xiao Fan~
Wen Fan was busy in the kitchen, so he grabbed a handful of fried peanuts, put them in a small bowl, and handed them to her.
"Take it out to eat."
The kitchen in the shop was really cramped. Wen Fan had to cook tonight, so Wen's father couldn't make claypot rice freely. Fortunately, there were fewer people eating claypot rice at night, so they could at least catch their breath.
Luo Tiantian ran out happily, clutching a small bowl. Wen Fan had given her a small bowl of fried peanuts, which were crispy and fragrant. Luo Tiantian ate one after another, thoroughly satisfied.
Of course, being a good baby, Luo Tiantian first politely distributed a few pieces to everyone around her.
The crispness of the peanuts exploded in her mouth, and Zhang Fengqiu's mother-in-law exclaimed, "I've been frying them for decades, and I've never been able to make them taste like this."
Her late husband liked to have a drink now and then, and Zhang Fengqiu's mother-in-law has been making fried peanuts the most over the years.
When Zhang Fengqiu's husband heard his mother say this, he knew that she was thinking of her deceased father again. He suppressed his sadness and coaxed his mother, "No, I think what you make tastes just as good as this."
Zhang Fengqiu's mother-in-law laughed: "You're kidding me. It's the same salt and the same rice, but with a thousand hands, it will taste a thousand different flavors."
Wen Fan's fried peanuts are simply deep-fried and coated with salt; nothing special, but they're just delicious.
Just looking at these peanuts makes the whole family even more excited for tonight's dishes.
"The food is served."
A sound from Wen's mother brought them back to reality instantly.
Wen's mother used a tray with two dishes on it, put it on Qu Qingqing's table and then put it on Zhang Fengqiu's table.
"Five-spice glutinous rice lotus root".
On a large plate, lotus roots, simply shaped, are arranged in a pagoda shape. The holes of the lotus roots are filled with sticky glutinous rice. After being cut open, they become semi-circles and are stacked on top of each other like coins. The pagoda is drizzled with sauce, and a savory aroma wafts out.
"Salty glutinous rice lotus root?"
Everyone was surprised.
Generally speaking, the most common type of glutinous rice lotus root is sweet; I've never tried savory lotus root.
People at both tables tentatively started eating. To avoid damaging the pagoda's shape, they tried to pick up food from the top.
“This lotus root… how could it taste like this!” Zhang Fengqiu muttered to herself.
Upon hearing this, Wen's mother, who hadn't gone far, explained, "Mainly because of the overall harmony of the dishes, we won't make anything sweet."
Sweet dishes are certainly delicious, but Wen Fan said that it's pointless to keep making them, so it's better to make something savory.
At first, Wen Fan also stuffed glutinous rice into lotus root and cooked it, but the difference was that after the glutinous rice lotus root was cooked, Wen Fan soaked it in the prepared sauce for several hours.
When it's almost done, take it out and slice it. The sliced lotus root should be about one finger wide. Coat both sides with glutinous rice flour and fry in a pan until golden brown on both sides. Then, use the broth from cooking the lotus root to season and thicken it, and finally pour it over the lotus root.
...
Zhang Fengqiu exclaimed repeatedly, "This tastes even better than the sweet kind!"
The glutinous rice and lotus root are cooked until they are soft and fluffy, while the outer skin is crispy. Not to mention the layer of broth on the outside, which gives the glutinous rice and lotus root an even richer flavor.
With one bite, the lotus root naturally stretches into strands, and the glutinous rice is sticky and chewy, almost melting on the tip of your tongue.
Zhang Fengqiu was captivated by the taste, and the birthday girl, Luo Tiantian, shouted loudly to Zhang Fengqiu, "Mom, this is delicious!"
She had a strong sense of ownership; after saying it was delicious, she started serving the dishes.
"Mom eats, Grandma eats, Dad eats."
She took a piece with a spoon, put it in the small bowl in front of her, and said confidently, "Sweetie, eat this!"
Zhang Fengqiu picked up a tissue and wiped the sauce off her chin: "Okay, eat it all."
The atmosphere at Luo Tiantian's family was harmonious, and Qu Qingqing's table on the other side was equally lively.
Qu Qingqing's roommates' eyes lit up as they ate and praised the place Qu Qingqing had chosen.
"Eating this kind of food, I'd be happy even if I gained 15 pounds in a month, or became as round as a ball!"
"That's true, but you wouldn't be happy if you really got as fat as a ball."
"Wow! This is so delicious!"
The moment a dish was served, it made everyone at the two tables submit to it, and Zhang Fengqiu's husband didn't even look up.
"Honey, this is so delicious."
No wonder my daughter doesn't like eating the food at kindergarten; he wouldn't like it either!
Zhang Fengqiu's mother-in-law is old, and this dish suits her taste very well. She doesn't like sweet food, and the spiced glutinous rice lotus root is sticky and chewy, and easy to eat.
"That's really good."
Upon receiving her praise, Zhang Fengqiu's husband put down his chopsticks and said, "Mom, eat more."
Luo Tiantian was enjoying her meal, but seeing what her father said, she patted her grandmother's hand and said, "Grandma, eat more!"
The old lady laughed: "Okay, I'll eat more."
She hadn't had enough of these good days yet; she wanted to see Tian Tian grow up before she could close her eyes in peace.
Zhang Fengqiu told her daughter not to get it on herself and also reminded her mother-in-law not to eat too much glutinous rice, as it would be hard to digest.
The glutinous rice lotus root was quickly devoured after it was served, and Wen's mother seemed to be used to it, serving the second dish without changing her expression.
"Cherry meat".
The name of this dish is excellent. Seeing the cherry-like chunks of meat on the large plate, accompanied by a sweet aroma, instantly whetted everyone's appetite.
Luo Tiantian's eyes lit up, and it seemed that words could not convey her joy. She jumped up and down on her seat, her little hands fluttering up and down like a bird.
"Meat!"
Mother Wen served the dish and added a few words of explanation: Cherry Pork actually has many ways of being prepared, and the current methods are vastly different from those of ancient times. Modern methods are more similar to sweet and sour pork.
Mother Wen: "This is traditional cherry meat, made with pork belly."
After learning about the differences in modern methods, Wen Fan tried making a modern version once, remarking that it was "quite interesting," before ultimately choosing the method he was used to.
Cut the pork belly into large chunks and make cross-shaped cuts on the back. Prepare red yeast rice by boiling it to make red juice. Caramelize the cut pork belly with sugar. Then, take a clay pot, line the bottom with scallions and ginger, arrange the pork belly skin-side down, and add red yeast rice water, rock sugar, and various seasonings. Most importantly, pour in a whole cup of Shaoxing wine.
Wen Fan wasn't very satisfied with the rice wine he bought, muttering as he poured it that he would have to brew some rice wine himself sooner or later...
After all this is prepared, simmer in a clay pot over low heat for two hours, then turn up the heat to reduce the sauce.
The stewed cherry meat prepared this way not only has a reddish color, but also a sweet and fragrant aroma.
Qu Qingqing took a big bite first. The plump and tender pork belly was incredibly tender and juicy, with a sweet flavor that blended perfectly with the aroma of the meat. Even though she knew that eating this would make her gain weight, she still couldn't stop eating it.
Mother Wen also served rice at the right time, with the broth from the cherry meat covering the rice, and two more pieces of meat.
The fatty parts have turned into a translucent fat that melts into a puddle of oil with the slightest pressure. This rich and fragrant flavor doesn't make the rice greasy at all.
At this moment, none of the three girls mentioned gaining weight. They all piled rice into their bowls and scooped it into their mouths in big mouthfuls.
"It's so delicious."
"Waaaaah, is this the magic of freshly made food? Or am I hallucinating from eating pre-cooked meals?"
"...Boss, another serving of rice!"
Everyone was eating rice heartily. Although there weren't many people there in the evening, they were still drawn to the unique dishes on these two tables.
"Their dishes are different from ours!"
"Boss, do you serve stir-fries now?"
As Mrs. Wen was clearing the table, she replied, "Yes, it's done, but only on weekends, and only for three tables."
Immediately, someone complained: "Why only on weekends!"
He was even thinking of coming to eat on a weekday!
"Then tomorrow..."
“Tomorrow won’t work,” Mrs. Wen straightened up. “The shop will be closed tomorrow.”
That's also her thought: when will she ever stop making money? She should at least rest for two days a month.
So Wen's mother decided to take a day off every two weeks, on Sundays.
They could see it but couldn't eat it, and many guests cast envious glances at them.
Despite the stares of the crowd, Qu Qingqing and her two companions enjoyed their meal even more.
A gentle evening breeze blew, and a large tree stood by the door. Under the tree, they enjoyed an incredibly delicious meal, which brought back memories of the joyful late-night snacks they had shared during their university days.
Having already filled their stomachs to about 70%, the group took a moment to reminisce about the past.
"Do you guys remember that grilled fish place? During my first year working away from home, I dreamed about that taste all the time!"
"Who isn't like that? I've looked for so many grilled fish restaurants in Shenzhen, but none of them make it that way."
"Let's make some noodles at the very end..."
"Ha! Who's the one who always orders more food than they can finish? Eyes bigger than stomach."
"You're not like that. I remember when you were with XX, he gained 20 pounds in a month, right? He just took what was left of you."
"...Don't mention him. Just thinking about how he cheated on me when he graduated makes me sick."
...
The three of them started by talking about late-night snacks, then moved on to their past "criminal records," and finally returned to late-night snacks.
"Ah, I really miss the grilled fish from back then."
As they were talking, Mother Wen brought out the third dish: "Fish in oil".
The three of them looked at each other and burst out laughing at the same time.
The oil-soaked fish is fresh, fragrant, spicy, and numbing. A whole grass carp is pan-fried and then soaked in a seasoned sauce before being steamed. The fish is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the sauce is even more fragrant. In particular, the dried radish inside has a slightly sour and spicy flavor, making it a perfect dish to eat with rice.
The fish wasn't big; even with their best efforts, Qu Qingqing and the other two only managed to eat half. Looking at Luo Tiantian's table, the same amount was consumed.
Everyone ate until they were stuffed.
Luo Tiantian was so full she was almost hiccuping, but she still bravely asked her dad to help her remove the fish bones.
Qu Qingqing's roommate leaned back, feeling like the food was already in her throat: "I've never been this full before."
Working in a big city, even hunger and satiety become incredibly vague. You eat on time, and if you miss a meal, you're not hungry. At night, your appetite is plentiful, but you always miss the mealtime because you hesitate.
The two people told Qu Qingqing about their struggles.
"I was hungry around 11 o'clock, so I thought I'd just hang in there and ate two sausages from the fridge. But I was still hungry after that, so I ate a small bread roll. After midnight, I was so hungry I couldn't stand it anymore, so I ate some ice cream that I don't even know when it was stored in the fridge."
"Finally, at 2 a.m., I gave in to my appetite and ordered a bowl of snail rice noodles for delivery."
In addition to the heavy workload every day, I also have to fight against my uncontrollable appetite. I feel wronged when I don't eat, and I regret it when I do.
Both roommates had a lot of bitter experiences to share.
Strictly speaking, they don't eat much; their current appetite is even smaller compared to that of college students.
but……
Irregular sleep schedule, skipping breakfast, struggling with dinner, and then unable to sleep after eating.
My second roommate sighed, "Honestly, I'm starting to wonder if I should stay in the big city."
Seeing Qu Qingqing's life, it seems pretty good, doesn't it?
Big cities have their hardships, small cities have their comforts.
The three chatted casually, their predicaments so real, none of them able to solve the other's problems, but...
Just chatting is fine.
"Oh dear, I'm so full! Qingqing, is there any more food?"
Qu Qingqing shrugged and said, "I don't know either."
Since no menu was ordered, then it depends on Wen Fan's mood.
"Ugh, I'm so hungry but I feel so full, can we get some to go?"
"No, I can still eat!"
You just ate three bowls of rice!
"So what!"
My roommate bravely stood up and said, "I'll move around a bit and then I can eat."
Qu Qingqing: "...Sit down, I'm afraid you'll vomit in a bit."
As they were talking, Wen's mother brought over the fourth dish.
The two tables of people glanced at each other and the good news was that the last dish was soup.
The bad news is, a big bowl of soup.
Mother Wen: "Taro dumplings."
The dumplings made in Jiangxi Province use a wrapper made of taro paste and sweet potato starch, and the filling consists of pork and shrimp.
Qu Qingqing stirred the dumplings in the bowl.
"Come on, three for each of you."
Wen Fanbao's taro dumplings are huge; ten of these dumplings fit in a bowl.
It was clear that they understood their customers were already full; there weren't many taro dumplings, but there was plenty of soup.
Both tables of people started sharing dumplings without prior arrangement.
"Come on, have some dumplings and some soup."
"Pack the rest!"
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