Chapter 81 Braised Duck with Lotus Root
Su Yingxue set up a large cast-iron wok and poured in a little rapeseed oil. When the oil was hot enough to smoke slightly, she grabbed a handful of ginger slices and scallion segments and threw them in. With a sizzle, the aroma instantly wafted out.
Once the scallions turned golden brown, she removed the solids and added the drained pieces of cured duck. As the duck skin touched the hot oil, the fat slowly seeped out. She held a long-handled spatula and kept stirring, her arm gently swaying, until each piece of duck was coated with a glossy sheen.
"We need to render the duck fat so it won't be greasy when stewing, and it will be more fragrant." As she spoke, she scooped in two spoonfuls of light soy sauce. The savory aroma of the soy sauce mixed with the aroma of the cured meat made Lin Xiao, who was standing next to her handing her a bowl, sniff involuntarily.
When she added boiling water to cover the preserved duck, tiny wisps of steam rose from the water. She covered it with a heavy wooden lid and turned the heat down to a simmer: "It needs to simmer for forty minutes to make the duck meat tender so that the lotus root can absorb the flavor later."
Steam escaped from the cracks in the pot lid, filling the entire kitchen with the aroma of cured meat. Guan Ren leaned over to smell it and said with a smile, "Miss Su, just based on this aroma, today's boxed lunches are sure to be a hit."
While the duck was being braised, Su Yingxue began preparing the eggplant. She cut the long eggplant into thin strips, sprinkled some salt on them, and gently rubbed them with her hands: "This will draw out the moisture from the eggplant, so it won't absorb too much oil when you stir-fry it later, and it will still be soft and tender."
In no time, the eggplant strips softened and shriveled. She squeezed out the excess water and set them aside. Next, she chopped the meat. With each stroke of the knife, the meat was quickly chopped into a fine paste.
She added some cooking wine, light soy sauce, and half a spoonful of cornstarch, and mixed it well with her hands: "Adding cornstarch makes the minced meat more tender and less dry."
I chopped a whole bowl of garlic, piled up in the white porcelain bowl, and it looked so fragrant—this is the soul of the minced meat and eggplant dish.
After the preserved duck had been simmering for a while, Su Yingxue lifted the lid of the pot, and steam billowed out. She poured in the lotus root pieces, and the sweetness of the lotus root instantly blended with the aroma of the preserved duck.
She gently stirred it with a spatula, then covered the pot and continued to simmer: "Simmer for another ten minutes, and the lotus root will be tender and starchy."
When she was stir-frying eggplant in a separate pot, she heated the oil to about 60% of its maximum temperature, then poured in the eggplant strips, and the oil sizzled.
Once the eggplant strips were fried until the skin was slightly wrinkled and turned light brown, she took them out and drained the oil. Leaving a little oil in the pan, she added minced garlic and sautéed it until it was golden and fragrant. As soon as the aroma of the garlic wafted out, she poured in the minced meat and quickly stirred it to separate the pieces.
When the minced meat turned light brown, she added a spoonful of fermented bean paste, stir-fried it until the oil turned red, then poured in the fried eggplant, stirring constantly with a spatula to coat each eggplant strip with the sauce.
Finally, a little cornstarch slurry was added, instantly thickening the sauce and coating the eggplant strips and minced meat. Its glossy, tempting appearance made Lin Xiao swallow hard.
When making the tomato and egg soup, Su Yingxue selected two ripe tomatoes, scored a cross on the top, scalded them with boiling water to remove the skin, and cut them into small pieces. She put some oil in a pot, poured in the tomatoes, and slowly sautéed them over low heat until they became a paste-like consistency. Then she added boiling water and brought it to a boil.
She picked up the egg, gently tapped it on the edge of the bowl, and the egg liquid flowed into the bowl. She added a spoonful of water and stirred it well: "Adding a spoonful of water will make the egg drop soup more tender and prevent it from clumping."
As she poured the egg mixture, she gently rotated her wrist, causing the egg to spread out in the soup and quickly form fluffy egg flowers. Sprinkled with chopped scallions and salt, the refreshing soup was ready. Served in a large soup pot, the vibrant green scallions floating on top looked incredibly appetizing.
When packing twenty boxed meals, Su Yingxue deliberately used a spoon to spread pieces of preserved duck and lotus root on top of the rice. Each piece of preserved duck had a glossy sheen, and the lotus root was soft and powdery. She then scooped a spoonful of bright red minced meat and eggplant, and finally ladled tomato and egg soup from the soup pot into the matching soup bowl.
The moment the insulated container was opened, the aroma of cured meat, eggplant, and the sweet taste of soup mingled together. The kitchen staff gathered around, and one of them couldn't help but say, "This meal is only thirty yuan, which is much more substantial than the boxed meals at restaurants outside. It looks delicious!"
Looking at the full lunchbox, Su Yingxue touched the warm side of the container with her fingertips and felt a sense of peace.
She looked up at the window; the setting sun had already bathed the courtyard in its light. She thought to herself, "Perhaps in this unfamiliar place, I can slowly put down roots with these two hands."
In the funeral home office, as soon as the thermos was opened, the aroma of cured meat mixed with the scent of eggplant filled the room. Sheng Deyu was the first to come over, picked up the lunchbox, lifted the lid, and looked at the neatly arranged pieces of cured duck on the rice—the duck skin was glossy, the lotus root pieces were soft and powdery, and a spoonful of bright red minced meat and eggplant lay on the other side, with even the broth soaking into the rice.
He eagerly scooped up a mouthful of rice. The salty aroma of the preserved duck, combined with the sweetness of the lotus root, spread in his mouth, and he couldn't help but exclaim, "Wow!" He exclaimed, "This preserved duck is stewed so tenderly! It's even more fragrant than the one my family stews for Chinese New Year!"
The security guard next to him also opened his lunchbox, scooped out a spoonful of tomato and egg soup. The egg was so tender it melted in his mouth, and there were scallions floating in the soup: "Miss Su, this soup is really delicious. It's much better than instant noodles!"
He ate his rice, finishing almost half the box in no time, and looked up at Guan Ren, saying, "Director, let's order Miss Su's boxed meals again tomorrow. It's worth the thirty yuan!"
Guan Ren watched everyone eating with great enthusiasm, then opened his own lunchbox and took a bite. The sauce of the minced meat and eggplant coated the rice, savory and slightly spicy, while the preserved duck was stewed until the meat was tender enough to fall off the bone with a gentle touch.
He nodded and said with a smile, "I didn't expect that Miss Su could not only make such good stinky tofu, but also such authentic boxed lunches. I'll order dinner from her from now on."
Su Yingxue watched from the side, feeling warm inside. After everyone had almost finished eating, she picked up the three boxed meals she had packed in advance—each with extra vegetables and three boxes of stinky tofu—say hello to Guan Ren, and then pushed the food cart back to the stall.
As night deepened, the warm lights of the food cart were on. Su Yingxue placed the boxed lunches on the small table next to her. Just as she finished tidying them up, she saw a large truck driving in from a distance and stopping on the open ground by the roadside.
A dark-skinned man in dark blue overalls jumped down, a cigarette dangling from his lips and a lighter clutched in his hand. It was Lao Lu, the truck driver. He circled the food cart, his gaze settling on the boxed meals. He frowned and asked, "Young lady, how much are these boxed meals?"
"Thirty-one servings, one meat dish, one vegetable dish, and a soup, all served hot," Su Yingxue said, looking up and smiling.
Old Lu took the cigarette out of his mouth and pointed into the distance: "Thirty? You're robbing people! Drive a few kilometers ahead, and they only charge twenty-one for a boxed lunch, plus a bottle of iced tea!" As he spoke, he glanced at the stinky tofu on the hot plate, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction.
Su Yingxue rubbed her temples, thinking about the newly expanded boxed lunch business. Still wanting to retain this customer, she smiled and said, "Brother, this is your first time here. If you order a boxed lunch, I'll give you a box of stinky tofu for free. It costs ten yuan on its own."
"Alright. One order, please. Let me see how it tastes!"
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