Chapter 5 Tomato Beef Brisket Noodles (1)
When they got home, Yu Miaoyin turned on the TV for Xiao Tangbao to watch cartoons.
Then, she went to the kitchen to make dinner for Xiaotangbao. With cartoons and Xiaotangbao's voice playing, she finally didn't feel that the house was empty.
"Here, some dried sweet potatoes, Xiao Tangbao, have a taste. We'll take some more over to Grandma Chen later." Yu Miaoyin handed the dried sweet potatoes, packaged in a bag, to Xiao Tangbao.
Little Tangbao nodded, hugging the dried sweet potato and eating it while watching TV.
These dried sweet potatoes were made from small sweet potatoes given to them by Grandma Chen. They were homemade and sun-dried for several days. They are soft, chewy, and sweet with a rich sweet potato flavor. Plus, they don't contain any additives, so you can eat them with peace of mind.
Little Tangbao took a bite, and the soft, sweet potato chips spread in her mouth. "Delicious, so sweet!"
"Big sister, what are you doing? Do you want me to help you?" After finishing a sweet potato fry, Xiao Tangbao clapped her hands and jumped off the chair. "I can do anything. I'm a big girl now."
Today, Xiao Tangbao learned that there are children even younger than her in the kindergarten, and they are not as tall as her, so she is a big girl and can help her older sister with many things!
Yu Miaoyin gently pinched her cheek. "All you have to do is sit here obediently and watch cartoons, and then wait for your older sister to cook for you. Just eat your food properly and don't be picky."
"That way I can grow up quickly," Yu Miaoyin said.
Little Tangbao felt her older sister's hands were so warm. "Older sister, I can do a lot of things too! I can help you wash the dishes!"
Yu Miaoyin felt a warmth in her heart because she had transmigrated into a book. At first, when she saw a little girl standing in front of her, Yu Miaoyin sighed, "Why do I always have to raise a child every time I transmigrate into a book?"
But after spending a few days together, Yu Miaoyin thought having a child wasn't bad. Little Tangbao was cute, sensible, and well-behaved. Occasionally, she would speak with a serious yet innocent tone, which was very endearing. Having someone to keep her company was nice too.
"Okay, watch your cartoons, dinner's ready."
"Okay." Xiao Tangbao didn't insist anymore, but secretly decided to help her older sister with more chores.
As night fell, the moon's shape in the night sky became clearer and clearer. Yu Miaoyin looked out the window and saw a cluster of lights shining from the high school not far away.
Warm and cozy.
After finishing their meal, the two went to the shop again. Before going home, Yu Miaoyin forgot to make tea eggs in advance. What a terrible memory she has!
Yu Miaoyin rinsed the boiled eggs in cold water, then tapped them a few times with a stainless steel rice spoon, causing the eggs to crack and reveal beautiful patterns. She then added black tea leaves, star anise, cinnamon, rock sugar, water, and appropriate amounts of light and dark soy sauce before starting to cook.
Yu Miaoyin acquired this pot from a closed-down breakfast shop. It's a very large pot, capable of holding dozens of eggs at once.
After marinating, soak the eggs overnight, and ordinary eggs will become delicious tea eggs.
After finishing the preparations for making the tea eggs, Yu Miaoyin took Xiaotangbao home and asked, "Do you want to sleep with your older sister tonight?"
"Yes, I do," said Xiaotangbao.
The next day, Yu Miaoyin was the first to open her eyes. After washing up and having breakfast, she took Xiaotangbao to kindergarten and then went to the market by detour.
The stir-fried beef noodles and tea eggs she made yesterday were well-received; everyone loved them. More importantly, she made money.
Even in the morning, the market was still bustling with activity, filled with shouts and the sounds of bargaining. Yu Miaoyin had a large, sturdy canvas bag hanging beside her, just the right size for carrying her vegetables.
She saw that the beef brisket looked good today, so she bought a few pounds to take home. She also saw that the tomatoes sold by the old lady carrying a load outside looked good, so she bought some to take home. They were bright red, juicy, and beautiful.
When she left the market, her canvas bag was bulging with a lot of things. Yu Miaoyin was young and energetic, and she didn't feel tired carrying such heavy things. She slowly walked back to the store.
As the roller shutter door was opened, sunlight streamed in, creating a warm and inviting atmosphere.
"Boss." A female voice called out. It was the same woman who had told her yesterday that she liked her cooking. She was a little shocked to see Yu Miaoyin return from the market with her canvas bag full of fresh ingredients for the day.
"Just call me Xiaoyin next time," Yu Miaoyin said with a smile.
“Okay.” He Li smiled and took out a bunch from her bag. “Here, longan, have a taste. They’re grown by my relatives back home, they’re so sweet.”
Yu Miaoyin accepted the gifts with embarrassment. Everyone was very warm and friendly, and she had received a lot of kindness these past few days.
"Didn't you say yesterday you wanted to eat something I made? Perfect timing, I made some tea eggs last night, wait a moment, I'll get you some." Yu Miaoyin entered the shop, placed the ingredients she had bought on the table, opened the pot lid, and the aroma of tea eggs wafted out.
After simmering overnight, the eggshells have changed from white to brownish-red.
Yu Miaoyin caught four of them and said, "Here, have a taste, they're fresh out of the pot."
"Thank you." He Li took the tea eggs back to the shop.
Yu Miaoyin also picked a longan to try. Peeling off the skin, the longan flesh was crystal clear, and the black seed was faintly visible. Yu Miaoyin took a bite directly, and the refreshing juice of the flesh immediately spread on her tongue, carrying the fragrance of the fruit.
Delicious! Yu Miaoyin tried a few more, leaving the rest for Xiaotangbao.
Yu Miaoyin glanced at the wall clock; it was already past nine. She quickly washed her hands and prepared the meal.
Today I'm making tomato and beef brisket noodles. Tomato and beef brisket is the topping, and this method is quick and easy.
She spent some time preparing the beef brisket and tomato chunks, and before she knew it, the clock had struck ten.
Blanch the beef brisket in cold water. Heat oil and stir-fry until golden brown on both sides. Then add minced scallions, ginger, garlic, and fermented bean paste and stir-fry until the oil turns red. Add diced tomatoes and stir-fry until they release their juices. Pour in enough water to cover the beef brisket, add spices and various seasonings. The aroma has already started to emerge. Simmer for a while longer to make the flavor even richer.
Then, Yu Miaoyin poured the large pot of semi-finished tomato beef brisket into a pressure cooker. After cooking for a while, the beef brisket would absorb more flavor and taste even better.
When Yu Miaoyin had some free time, she wrote down today's menu on the small blackboard hanging above her.
The tomato and beef brisket is still simmering in the pressure cooker. The steam coming out of the pressure cooker mixes with the aroma of the beef brisket and overflows. The longer it cooks, the more fragrant it becomes.
Time passed by, and the early September sun in Yuncheng grew brighter and brighter, becoming even more scorching around noon.
Ring ring—
The school bell rang at Yuncheng No.1 Middle School. A minute later, the once quiet and empty campus was quickly filled with people coming down from the teaching buildings from all directions, and the noise was constant.
From Yu Miaoyin's perspective, the group of children in blue and white school uniforms were moving slowly, exuding youthful energy.
Yi Ling and Xu Jiajia were also in the crowd, sharing an umbrella and walking briskly toward the school gate.
Xu Jiajia is also a day student, but her home is not as close as Yi Ling's, so she usually rides an electric bike to and from school. Her electric bike is parked in front of Yi Ling's house, which is much more convenient than parking it in the school's parking area.
"Quick, quick, I want to go back to where they sold stir-fried beef noodles yesterday, and I also want to buy two more tea eggs." Xu Jiajia pulled Yiling away.
Yi Ling nodded, then sighed, "I don't know what my grandma is making today. Her cooking isn't as good as mine. I feel like she's completely stingy with the soy sauce!"
Upon hearing this, Xu Jiajia could immediately imagine what kind of food Yiling's grandmother cooked, because her grandmother's cooking was just like Yiling's grandmother's.
Xu Jiajia exclaimed, "No wonder you're so thin."
"It's okay, let's eat there."
The two of them unconsciously quickened their pace and walked towards the school gate.
"It smells so good, I'm so hungry!" As soon as Xu Jiajia stepped out of the school gate, she smelled the aroma floating in the air. This morning she drank a cup of soy milk that was thinner than water and ate a few meat buns, but unfortunately, they were all digested by the first class.
Although high school involves sitting in a seat watching and listening to lectures and doing homework, it is also very mentally taxing, and you get hungry very easily.
Yiling was also hungry, but she was still wondering what her grandmother would cook today. She didn't want to disappoint the old lady...
"Grandma." As soon as Yiling entered the small restaurant, she saw her grandmother sitting in a chair, wearing reading glasses and reading a newspaper, seemingly waiting for her food.
Grandma saw Yiling come back and said, "Yiling, you're home from school? You ate at Sister Ayin's place today. Her cooking is delicious, don't you like it?"
Yu Miaoyin is a good cook, and the ingredients are fresh, all bought on the spot. It's just as reassuring as cooking at home. In addition, Yiling likes it, so she can eat more, which puts Grandma Chen at ease.
"Jiajia's here too." Grandma Chen waved. "Aren't you going home today?"
Xu Jiajia grinned. She often went to Yiling's house to play with her and got along well with her grandmother, and they could talk to each other. "Yes, because the food at this restaurant is just too delicious, I can't refuse it."
She sat down opposite her grandmother with Yiling.
After the three of them ordered, Xu Jiajia glanced at today's menu and saw that there were also tea eggs. She quickly asked the owner if she could have two.
Yu Miaoyin, who was busy in the kitchen, said upon hearing this, "Just get it yourself."
"Okay!" The shop owner was busy working alone in the store. Xu Jiajia obediently took two tea eggs and swiped the money over.
Most of the diners were high school students, very well-behaved, and wouldn't leave without paying. They were probably the type who, if they forgot to pay, would feel bad and wait at the shop entrance for the owner to open and pay them.
The tea eggs were as fragrant as ever. Peeling them open revealed a beautiful, spiderweb-like pattern of brown lines that covered the entire egg.
The egg whites were firm, the yolks were flavorful, and the dish was smooth and oily without being dry. After eating it, Xu Jiajia didn't want to drink any water, and she was even more looking forward to today's tomato beef brisket noodles.
Because the tomato beef brisket was prepared in advance, it was ready to serve very quickly.
A large, porcelain-white soup bowl holds freshly cooked tomato and beef brisket noodles, steaming gently with fragrant aromas. The rich scent of tomatoes and meat mingles and fills the air, making you hungry just by smelling it. Large chunks of dark brown beef brisket and bright red tomato pieces lie on top, along with chopped scallions for added flavor—it's incredibly tempting.
Xu Jiajia swallowed hard, and as soon as she sat down, she couldn't wait to pick up the beef brisket that was buried in the soup. After being stewed in the pressure cooker, the beef brisket was tender yet still had a bit of chewiness. When she bit into it, sweet and sour tomato juice oozed out from between the pieces of beef brisket.
Xu Jiajia felt extremely satisfied after just one bite.
Grandma Chen couldn't bear to read the newspaper anymore, so she quickly picked up her chopsticks and started eating.
The tomatoes become soft and melt into the soup after being simmered, making it thick and moist. Every noodle is coated with the aroma of tomato and beef brisket. When you put it in your mouth, the sweet and sour taste is chewed together with the chewy noodles, and the beef brisket tastes fruity with the tomato flavor.
"Is it delicious?" Grandma Chen looked at Yiling and Xu Jiajia, both children eating heartily, looking satisfied and happy.
Grandma Chen recalled how Yiling used to eat as if she had anorexia, and she was very unhappy while eating, which worried her a lot!
Seeing Yiling eating heartily with a happy expression, she understood that her cooking really was bad, and that Yiling had suffered all these years.
Indeed, as everyone says, food is the most important thing for people, and that's absolutely true!
The two children were eating noodles and didn't want to stop. Hearing this, they could only nod haphazardly and say in a muffled voice, "Delicious, especially delicious."
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A note from the author:
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