Chapter 42 Bitter Melon Stir-fried with Eggs
Tang Yiyi came out to rest for a while, and just then Grandma Li passed by, carrying a large bag of groceries.
"Grandma, did you go to the market today?" she suddenly asked.
Then Grandma Li looked over and said, "Yes, I bought some vegetables. Vegetables are not cheap these days; even tomatoes have gone up in price."
"Grandma, come in and sit down!" It was very hot outside, and seeing that Grandma Li's back was soaked with sweat, Tang Yiyi invited her in.
The restaurant is cool now that air conditioning has been installed.
Grandma Li exclaimed how cool it was, sat down, and put the ingredients aside.
Tang Yiyi brought Grandma Li a glass of water. Grandma Li said "thank you" and drank the water, feeling much more comfortable with her throat moistened.
"Yiyi, what are you planning to do for lunch?"
"Bitter melon stir-fried with eggs"—the bitter melon I bought at the market this morning was fresh and had no bad parts, so it's perfect to stir-fry it with eggs.
Glancing at the time on the wall, Tang Yiyi saw it was still early and sat down to chat with Grandma Li.
A few minutes later, the food delivery platform beeped twice, "You have a new food delivery order. Please check it."
Song Man tore off the takeout order and saw the contents. "Sister Yi Yi, this customer ordered bitter melon stir-fried with eggs and pickled mustard greens, and also asked for a complimentary soup."
The soup has been prepared and can be packed up and served later.
Upon hearing this, Grandma Li smiled sincerely and urged, "Yiyi, the takeout is here. Go ahead and get busy, don't worry about me."
Tang Yiyi got up and went to the kitchen. The bitter melon had already been sliced and prepared. She went to the freezer to get two eggs.
The bitter melon was pickled with salt, and water seeped out from the bottom of the bowl. The eggs were beaten and stirred into an egg mixture.
Then heat oil in a pan, stir-fry the bitter melon until dry, pour in the beaten eggs, stir-fry continuously until evenly mixed, add a little salt and chicken essence for seasoning, stir-fry again and remove from the pan.
She packed the bitter melon and scrambled eggs into a takeout box, then went to the counter to get a glass jar containing pickled mustard greens, which only needed to be stir-fried with oil.
The food is ready, and we're just waiting for the delivery person to come and pick it up.
Grandma Li praised, "Yiyi, you serve food so fast! It feels like you cooked several dishes in the blink of an eye!"
Upon hearing this, Tang Yiyi smiled modestly, "Not at all!"
Not long after, Xiaoyu came home from school and rushed into the restaurant. His cheerful appearance infected Grandma Li.
"Hello, Grandma Li," Xiaoyu greeted obediently.
Grandma Li's eyes were full of smiles. "Little Yu, you're such a good boy."
Lili followed Xiaoyu over, her stomach growling. "Grandma, I'm hungry." She gets hungry easily at school, even though she ate so much this morning.
"Grandma will order now."
Grandma Li ordered a bitter melon stir-fried with eggs and a stir-fried pork with onions, paid the money, and waited.
The kitchen was filled with the aroma of cooking. Tang Yiyi was stirring the food with a spatula, and soon a spicy onion smell wafted out.
But it smelled so good that many diners outside, including Grandma Li, could smell it, easily captivating their senses and leaving them with no time to do anything else.
Lili exclaimed, "It smells so good, I'm even hungrier now!"
Passersby nearby were also tempted and stopped to look towards the restaurant.
"The bitter melon stir-fried with eggs and the onion stir-fried with meat are ready!" Tang Yiyi called out from the window. There were too many customers, and she couldn't leave at all.
Song Man helped Grandma Li bring the dishes over, and then said, "Grandma, there's free soup over there."
"Okay, thank you, little girl."
As soon as they sat down, the grandmother and grandson immediately picked up their chopsticks and began to eat heartily.
The freshly cooked food was steaming hot and smelled wonderful. Even though it was scalding hot, the grandmother and grandson didn't care.
Lili picked up her chopsticks and took a few pieces of meat, without even glancing at the bitter melon and egg stir-fry. She didn't like eating bitter melon; it was too bitter!
The meat chunks were tender and flavorful, so delicious! Lili only managed to pick up a small piece of onion, but then she found it tasty and started eating it with rice. It was so delicious!
"Lili, you can't be a picky eater," Grandma Li said when she saw her like this.
At home, Lili is sometimes a picky eater, refusing to eat certain vegetables or meat.
Even though they tried to remind her, Lili still didn't change.
"No," Lili pouted, her little face scrunched up in strong resistance. "The bitter melon is so bitter, and the eggs have a weird taste I can't quite describe."
As soon as she finished speaking, she pinched her nose.
Grandma Li: "..."
Never mind, I'll just eat my own food.
The vibrant green of the bitter melon blends beautifully with the pale yellow of the eggs, creating a rich and appealing color combination.
Grandma Li opened her mouth and put a piece of bitter melon in her mouth. The bitter melon was slightly bitter, not strong, and tasted refreshing and delicious.
Like a cool summer breeze, it dispels the restlessness in people's hearts.
Pick up another piece of egg, put it in your mouth, the egg is tender and smooth, and also sweet, making the bitter melon from before no longer bitter.
Grandma Li and Lili can't eat spicy food, so Tang Yiyi didn't put much chili in either of her dishes.
But spicy doesn't necessarily mean delicious. For Grandma Li, it's just like that; her mild flavor has a unique charm.
Watching the guests enjoy their meal, Xiaoyu pursed his lips. The food smelled delicious, and he felt a little hungry.
But his sister is busy right now, so he can't bother her; he has to be a good boy.
Sometimes when customers are in a hurry, Xiaoyu will carefully and attentively serve the cooked dishes to them.
"Your bitter melon and egg stir-fry is ready."
Seeing such a young child, likely only in elementary school, the guest said with affection, "Thank you, little one."
Every day at mealtimes, the enticing aromas wafting from the restaurants draw students out of the school gates. Sometimes, too lazy to go back for a meal, they opt for their favorite nearby eatery.
Gu Jia crossed the road. She was in sixth grade and was about to graduate. She had eaten at almost all the shops in front of the school gate, so she naturally knew which ones were good and which ones were not.
But today, standing in front of the store, she was at a loss.
She had wontons with her classmates yesterday at noon, and her stomach started to feel uncomfortable. It wasn't until today that she felt a little better.
Wontons are definitely out of the question, and fried skewers are too hot to eat right now...
So what should we eat for lunch?
Suddenly, she saw several students younger than her eating in the shop, their eyes narrowing in enjoyment, a look of satisfaction on their faces.
This store looks pretty good.
As she approached, she realized she seemed to have eaten at this restaurant before. The food tasted similar to what she ate at home, but the portions were much larger. She and her friend could get full by ordering just one dish.
Back then, when classmates didn't have much money, they liked to invite friends over to eat together. Even if the food wasn't great, they could still eat their fill.
Wait a minute, this store's sign looks different?
Seeing the heartwarming scene of students eating with their heads down, Gu Jia bit her lip, her heartstrings twitching.
Especially with the strong aroma wafting from the shop, did they change chefs?
With a try-it-out mentality, Gu Jia curiously entered the restaurant.
Many of the customers ordered bitter melon... well, it should be scrambled eggs.
Gu Jia went straight to the front desk. "Hello, sister, what dishes do you have for lunch?"
"Bitter melon stir-fried with eggs, cold tomato salad..."
Hearing this, Gu Jia nodded. They had her favorite dishes, so she could have lunch at this restaurant.
Seeing the menu on the blackboard, the dishes looked delicious and the prices weren't expensive. Gu Jia clutched her money and told Song Man, "Sister, I want a bitter melon stir-fried with eggs and a cold tomato salad."
In this kind of weather, I don't want to eat anything too spicy.
"Okay, classmate."
Song Man gestured with her hand, "There are still seats over there, you can go sit there for a while."
Gu Jia sat for a while, and the dishes were served quickly. Tang Yiyi also gave the guests a bowl of soup.
"Thank you, sister~" Gu Jia said sweetly, her tall ponytail bouncing with her movements.
"It's nothing, classmate."
Tang Yiyi smiled and nodded. These students were so adorable, like little angels.
Gu Jia filled a bowl with rice and then brought out chopsticks.
The refreshing vegetables look soothing, like a cool breeze flowing through your heart.
Stir-fried bitter melon with eggs is a feast for the eyes and the palate. The bitter melon is emerald green, while the eggs are golden yellow. The green and yellow colors blend together perfectly, creating a harmonious and eye-catching dish.
As Gu Jiaguang watched, his stomach growled even louder; he was so hungry.
Gu Jia picked up a piece of egg, feeling how tender it was, and put it in her mouth.
The freshly stir-fried eggs were tender, smooth, and sweet, with no eggy smell, and had a wonderful wok hei (wok aroma), making them quite appetizing. Then she tried the bitter melon, and... well, Gu Jia's eyes lit up.
It wasn't as bitter as I imagined, and the bitter melon was crisp and refreshing, with a unique flavor that was quite delicious.
Gu Jia is always in a good mood whenever she eats something delicious, and it's even better if her friends are there.
The food was so delicious that Gu Jia didn't want to stop eating. She rested her chin on her hand and thought to herself, "It's really delicious."
In addition, the cold tomato salad looks very appealing. The deep red tomato chunks are topped with a little white sugar, and the bottom of the bowl is filled with juice. When you pick up a piece of tomato, it's sweet and sour and delicious. When you bite into the tomato, it bursts with juice in your mouth. It's so delicious.
Gu Jia kept her head down and ate her meal, oblivious to her surroundings, never expecting the food to smell so delicious.
After finishing her meal, Gu Jia drank the soup that was served with her. Large pieces of seaweed floated on the surface of the soup, which was sprinkled with some chopped green onions. It smelled really good.
The kelp is soft and fluffy, with a natural ocean flavor and a slightly salty taste. The soup is delicious and very rich, unlike water which can be bland.
Knowing that it was seaweed soup delivered to her, Gu Jia became even happier.
Instead of leaving, she ran to the front desk and said, "Sister, I'd like to get a to go of bitter melon stir-fried with eggs and seaweed soup."
"Okay, just a moment."
Gu Jia walked around the store to digest her food. People were coming and going outside, while there were quite a few customers inside.
She wanted to pack up a portion of the delicious food and take it back to her best friend.
The sound of cooking from the kitchen was not jarring; rather, it had a rhythmic quality. Gu Jia abandoned her idea of going to the nearby milk tea shop to buy a cup of milk tea. The soup there was absolutely amazing, so delicious and flavorful that it tasted much better than milk tea, and it wouldn't make her gain weight.
An irresistible aroma wafted over, and Gu Jia instinctively looked towards the kitchen.
"Hey, your bitter melon and egg stir-fry is packed up, and there's more..."
Gu Jia stepped forward with delight. "So fast?" The pretty lady handed her the bag containing the lunchbox. "Carry it carefully, don't spill the seaweed soup inside."
"I will, sister," Gu Jia said, taking the gift and holding it with both hands, smiling to reveal her two small, white tiger teeth.
Tang Yiyi exclaimed again, "What an adorable child!"
It was past one o'clock when there weren't many people in the store.
Tang Yiyi cooked lunch for the group. Every meal had to be substantial; they needed to be well-fed and hydrated to have the energy to work.
There was a lot of pickled mustard greens, and Tang Yiyi was worried that they would spoil and become inedible later.
So she stir-fried a bowl of pickled mustard greens. Since they were already salted, she only added a little chili for flavor.
Song Man came over to serve the dishes, and every time she was tempted, her mouth watered, but she didn't show it on her face.
She needs to stay calm and not reveal her foodie nature, otherwise what will Sister Yi think?
But it really smells good.
Hungry!
As soon as Tang Yiyi sat down, Xiaoyu scooped a bowl of soup over and placed it next to her, saying, "This is your soup, sister."
"Thank you, Xiaoyu."
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