Chapter 123 Braised Food
She poured twice the amount of vegetable oil she usually uses into a cold pan, and before the oil even got hot, she added a handful of rock sugar.
Simmer over low heat, watching the rock sugar gradually melt from its sharp edges into fine amber bubbles, eventually turning into a deep and tempting caramel color.
This process cannot be rushed; if the heat is too high, it will easily turn bitter. However, Su Xiaonuan controlled it extremely well, her wrist as steady as a rock.
"Sizzle—!"
With a pleasant crackling sound, the sliced ginger, scallions, garlic cloves, and her pre-prepared spice packet—star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, Sichuan peppercorns, and dried chilies—were all added to the caramelized sugar.
Instantly, a complex and domineering spicy aroma is released by the hot oil, like a pebble thrown into a calm lake, rippling out layers of fragrance.
An Ran couldn't help but sniff, her eyes sparkling as she watched Su Xiaonuan's actions.
Next, Su Xiaonuan poured in an appropriate amount of light soy sauce and dark soy sauce for seasoning and coloring, and then added enough cooking wine and water.
Instead of using a pre-packaged spice packet, she added a pinch of cumin seeds, a few cloves, and finally squeezed in half an orange peel for extra flavor and to cut through the richness, based on her own understanding.
The broth quickly boiled, turning a deep, appetizing reddish-brown color.
Su Xiaonuan first put the blanched and drained duck necks, duck wings and other meats into the pot, brought it to a boil over high heat, then turned to low heat and let them slowly soak in the boiling braising liquid.
"Let it simmer for a while to let the flavors meld." Su Xiaonuan covered the pot with the lid, leaving only a small gap.
But this gap couldn't contain the increasingly rich aroma.
At first, the spices are pungent, which gradually blends with the richness of soy sauce, the subtle sweetness of caramel, and the unique aroma of meat released at high temperatures.
The aroma seemed to have a physical form, like an invisible hand, gently yet persistently slipping through the kitchen window cracks and drifting into the quiet stairwell.
About twenty minutes later, Su Xiaonuan lifted the lid of the pot, and a richer, more intoxicating aroma burst forth.
The braising liquid in the pot had thickened somewhat, and the duck necks and wings were a glossy, dark reddish-brown color, trembling slightly as if inviting you to taste them.
She added sliced lotus root, dried tofu, kelp knots, and other vegetables, brought it to a boil again, and then turned off the heat.
"Vegetables can be soaked in the braising liquid and simmered, using the residual heat to penetrate them, making them crisper."
Just then, Su Xiaonuan's phone, which was on the living room table, suddenly lit up frequently, with a constant "beep beep beep" notification sound. She wiped her hands, went over, picked it up, and saw that it was the residents' group chat for this community. The usually lifeless group was now unusually active.
Whose house is this? What are they doing up so late at night? This fragrance is overwhelming!
[Same question! My little rascal was asleep, but the aroma woke him up, and he started crying and demanding food!]
【Wow, is this braised food? It tastes so authentic, it's making my mouth water!】
[@All members, which neighbor has such amazing cooking skills? Please, could you share your secret recipe?]
[Is this even letting people get some sleep? It's so tough for people on a diet!]
Su Xiaonuan looked at the rapidly scrolling messages on her screen and thought to herself, "Oh no."
I was so busy cooking with Anran that I forgot it was already past nine o'clock at night. The smell was practically "late-night poisoning" torture for the neighbors.
She frowned in annoyance, but as her gaze swept over the pot of bubbling, tempting-looking braised food on the stove, an idea instantly popped into her head.
She silently picked up her phone, her slender fingers tapping rapidly on the screen.
An Ran curiously peeked out and saw Su Xiaonuan typing in the group chat:
Sorry, neighbors, we're just making some braised food. We made a bit too much, so if you don't mind, you can scan the QR code below to order and try some. The prices are very reasonable. Currently, only braised food is available. Delivery is included after ordering, limited to Unit 1, Building C only.
A QR code generated by the system's ordering app was attached at the end.
After the message was sent, the group was silent for a few seconds.
Immediately, it caused an uproar.
[Really? You can even order?]
[Wow! Little Nuan, it's you! I knew it! It's such a waste that you don't open a shop with your skills!]
[A few dollars a box? Really? This smells like it's worth more than a few dollars!]
Why are you making food in the middle of the night? It's so delicious! (crying emoji)
Same question! Isn't this just deliberately torturing people?
Su Xiaonuan looked at these questions and answered them very straightforwardly, even with a touch of adorable self-righteousness:
[Because my cat, my best friend, and I were hungry, I made some. I made extra because braised food can be stored in the refrigerator for a long time, so it wouldn't go to waste.]
An Ran looked at the words and then thought of Su Xiaonuan's serious baby face. She finally couldn't help but burst out laughing. She laughed harder and harder, holding onto the edge of the kitchen counter, laughing so hard that she couldn't straighten up and her shoulders were shaking.
Su Xiaonuan was puzzled by her laughter and couldn't help but chuckle, but she deliberately put on a serious face and asked, "What are you laughing at? Eating is a very sophisticated subject! It concerns the survival of billions of people on Earth!"
An Ran, who already had a low threshold for laughter, laughed even harder after hearing Su Xiaonuan's even more straightforward and even somewhat "philosophical" answer. She almost cried while laughing, and kept giving Su Xiaonuan a thumbs up, saying intermittently, "So, so right! Hahaha... It has to be you, Su Xiaonuan! A logic genius!"
Su Xiaonuan was amused by her and shook her head helplessly, but the corners of her mouth couldn't help but turn up.
Just then, my phone rang with a crisp order confirmation tone.
"Ding-dong! You have a new food delivery order. Please check it."
An Ran finally stopped laughing and wiped away the tears from the corners of her eyes.
Su Xiaonuan quickly took out a disposable lunchbox, used food tongs to scoop out various braised dishes from the pot, mixed them evenly, drizzled a little concentrated braising sauce on them, neatly put the lid on, and packed them into a plastic bag.
"Anran, this is order number 1103, could you please deliver it?" Su Xiaonuan handed over the packaged braised food.
An Ran took it, her face instantly switching to a serious work mode, and she straightened her back: "I guarantee I'll complete the task!" After saying that, she grabbed the bag and rushed out the door.
Su Xiaonuan glanced at the group chat on her phone and the app's backend. There weren't too many orders. After all, at this time, many health-conscious middle-aged and elderly people were already preparing to rest. Most of the orders came from young people who couldn't stand the aroma or those who wanted to try something new.
The group chat was lively for a while, then gradually calmed down, leaving only the first few neighbors who had placed orders, who started flooding the chat with praise:
[Got it! Oh my god! This duck neck is amazing! It's incredibly flavorful, the meat is firm, and it's so satisfying to slurp it up!]
The dried tofu soaks up the broth perfectly, bursting with flavor in every bite! The lotus root slices are crisp and refreshing with a sweet aftertaste! A box for just a few dollars is such a bargain!
[Little Nuan, your cooking is absolutely amazing! It's a hundred times better than those chain restaurants!]
[Thank you so much, boss! You saved my life! (kneeling in gratitude.jpg)]
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