Xu Nian pondered for a moment and said, "Since you've studied it for so long and it's still useless, haven't you ever thought about eating it?"
Ying Fan opened his eyes wide in disbelief, as if Xu Nian was saying something terrifying.
"Niannian, what are you talking about? Does this fish-bird look like something you could eat?" Ying Fan pointed at the beetle-like body; he simply couldn't imagine what fish-bird meat would look like.
"What's inedible? I'm asking you, are these fish and birds poisonous?" Xu Nian went through the information several times, but no researchers had found any evidence that the fish and birds were poisonous.
"It seems not." Ying Fan's expression was strange; he was still thinking about the image of eating fish and birds.
“As long as it’s a non-poisonous species, it’s a new edible ingredient.” Xu Nian’s eyes sparkled as she stared at the pictures of fish and birds; she had already figured out how to eat them.
Fish head can be used to make chopped chili fish head or steamed fish head.
Fish and bird wings are delicious whether braised, roasted, fried, or stewed.
How fish and birds replicate wings using their claws.
The method for preparing the beetle-like body of the fish and bird is as described above.
With so many ways to eat it, as long as it's prepared properly, how could it not be delicious?
Seeing Xu Nian's greedy look, Ying Fan's temples twitched a few times. "Nian Nian, do you really want to eat fish and birds?"
"Why not? Go catch a few for me right after you get off the train, and I'll cook them for you." Xu Nian's cooking skills were only average, but she could cook anything.
Thank you to my greedy self who was broke.
If you want something delicious but don't have the money to buy ready-made food, you have to buy ingredients and make it yourself.
"There's no need to give me any!" Ying Fan broke out in a cold sweat.
He simply couldn't bring himself to eat fish and birds, those ugly creatures.
Even if Xu Nian cooks for him herself, he has to be mentally prepared.
"If you don't want to eat it, I'll give it to someone else." Xu Nian pouted. It was up to him whether he ate it or not; she wasn't forcing him. His terrified look made it seem like she was trying to harm him.
"No, I can't give it to anyone else, I'll eat it." He would rather eat fish and birds than give others a chance to get close to Xu Nian.
"Yingfan, you don't have to force yourself. You don't have to eat if you don't want to," Xu Nian said sincerely.
She's not the kind of person who's unreasonable.
He would eat what she made if he wanted, and not eat it if he didn't.
For her, the fallacy that not eating means not loving her doesn't exist.
"Niannian, I'm not unwilling to eat. Wait for me, I'll go catch some fish and birds right away." Yingfan saw the train arrive at the station and immediately jumped off.
With a few leaps, he rushed towards the border front, his speed so fast that he was just a blur.
Xu Nian stood there for a moment, then stood there waiting for Ying Fan to return.
She was surrounded by men, and many stared at her as she stood there all alone.
Xu Nian was fearless; let them look at her however they wanted, it wouldn't hurt her.
Most importantly, the laws of Xingluo Kingdom stipulate that men cannot harm married women.
So even on the border, even though women are scarce, she is still safe and sound.
After waiting for more than ten minutes, Yingfan returned carrying seven or eight fish and birds.
Some of the fish food was still alive, making a hissing sound.
The sound wasn't harsh, but it carried a strange sense of melancholy.
Xu Nian curiously examined the living fish and birds, finding them even more disgusting and unpleasant than what she had seen on the train.
This spliced species was something she couldn't accept on her own.
There's just one feeling: it goes against her common sense about nature, and it's extremely uncomfortable to look at.
Seeing that Xu Nian looked uncomfortable, Ying Fan quickly moved the fish and birds further away. He hesitated and said, "Nian Nian, you feel uncomfortable just looking at them. Are you sure you still want to eat them?"
"Of course I want to eat. Take me to the kitchen now," Xu Nian said decisively, taking a deep breath.
During the time she lived with Yingfan, she bought fish, shrimp and crab from many well-known stores. The taste and cooking methods were all similar: removing the fishy smell, steaming, or boiling.
She has also seen many popular dishes, and they are all made in similar ways.
This shows that the Xingluo Kingdom is not particular about food; as long as it is cooked, it is fine.
Xu Nian thought that if he could recreate the taste from his memory and turn fish and birds into delicious food, the border would no longer be a battlefield, but a place for gourmet fishing.
Ying Fan, carrying the fish and bird, led the way with a bitter face. Xu Nian watched his miserable appearance, but instead of comforting him, she waited to see him make a fool of himself.
There is only one kitchen at the border, which is the canteen.
Ying Fan led Xu Nian into the cafeteria, and the cafeteria manager looked on with a puzzled expression as they brought in fish and birds.
After some negotiation, they were given another 20,000 Star Luo coins before they were allowed to use the kitchen.
Without Xu Nian's instructions, Ying Fan took the initiative to kill fish and birds as soon as he entered the kitchen, and put all the parts of the fish and birds in a basin as Xu Nian requested.
I searched the kitchen and took out all the usable seasonings to process, grinding what needed to be ground into powder and washing what needed to be washed.
Heat oil in a wok, sauté the seasonings until fragrant, add water, and then braise the fish and bird wings and claws.
Since there weren't enough chili peppers, Xu Nian chose to make steamed fish head.
As for the beetle-like body of the fish-bird, the meat inside is white and tender, like jelly, and Xu Nian plans to roast it directly.
Since there was no barbecue grill, Xu Nian could only skewer the food on wooden sticks and grill it directly over the fire, adding seasonings while keeping an eye on the heat.
The aroma of roasted fish and birds filled the air, and Ying Fan went from feeling utterly hopeless to inhaling the fragrance with a look of pure bliss.
Looking at the sizzling, juicy fish and birds, he shamefully craved them.
"Niannian, is this done yet? Can I eat it?" Ying Fan stood next to Xu Nian, his eyes shining as he stared at the grilled fish and bird.
"Here you go, be careful it's hot," Xu Nian said with a smile.
Ying Fan took the grilled fish and bird, ate it in a few bites, and still felt it wasn't enough. He turned to look at Xu Nian with a pleading expression.
"Wait a minute, what I'm doing is almost done baking." Xu Nian smiled happily, pleased that her skills had been recognized.
One is grilled and the other is eaten; a perfect combination.
"Niannian, I never imagined that fish and birds that look so ugly could taste so good," Yingfan exclaimed.
It's not that no one has ever wanted to cook fish and birds before, but they are both unpalatable and difficult to prepare.
Fish and birds are scarce and troublesome to prepare, so no one wants to eat them anymore.
Killing and burying them on the spot became the best way to deal with fish and birds.
Before today, Yingfan never imagined that the meat of fish and birds could be so delicious and juicy that it melts in your mouth.
"Seeing that you like it so much, I'm relieved." Xu Nian smiled slightly. As long as people are willing to accept eating fish and birds, turning them into a well-known delicacy is just around the corner.
"What are you two doing? I can smell the food from far away, it's making this old man's mouth water!" The cafeteria manager barged in, his eyes widening when he saw Xu Nian and Ying Fan eating fish and birds.
"Grandpa, would you like to try some? It's delicious." Xu Nian handed the freshly grilled fish and birds to the canteen manager.
"Take it away, this old man won't eat this stuff." While complaining, Grandpa Zhang, the canteen manager, put the grilled fish and bird meat into his mouth against his will.
People can never escape the "it smells so good" phenomenon.
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