Chapter 411: Unexpected
Gu Xixi was cooking, and Lu Jing was standing beside her, looking nervous.
"Otherwise, give me the knife and let me do the cutting."
Gu Xixi stopped, looking amused and helpless, "Don't worry, I promise I won't cut your hand."
Then everyone understood why they couldn't cut their hands.
The dish called "Smashed Cucumber" is just as its name suggests. It is made by using a kitchen knife to smash the cucumber and then cutting it into small pieces with a few cuts.
Tomatoes are safer to handle; the berries are soft and easy to cut.
Gu Xixi finished cutting in just a few strokes.
Everyone looked at the pile of tomatoes on the chopping board that they couldn't tell whether they were slices or pieces, and their expressions were a little complicated.
Aunt Tao tried hard to find an angle to praise, "The boss cuts really fast."
Gu Xixi was of course aware of her own cooking skills and said with a smile, "Fortunately, these two dishes do not require much skill with the knife."
Except for Lu Jing, the others then realized that the boss couldn't cook.
At least by looking at the vegetables she cuts, we can basically make a judgment.
Watching Gu Xixi confidently heat the oil in the pan.
The same question arose in everyone's mind:
Are the dishes cooked by the boss...edible?
Brown rice, braised pork with dried vegetables, meatballs and winter melon soup, braised spareribs, and stir-fried water spinach were all made by Aunt Tao.
Although there are not many varieties of dishes, the advantage is that the quantity is large, and each dish is served in a small bowl, full to the brim.
The fresh vegetables used were grown by Mrs. Wu herself in the open space behind the house.
The last two dishes served were those made by Gu Xixi herself.
"Cold cucumber salad, scrambled eggs with tomatoes."
"I am happy today. Let everyone try my cooking."
When making scrambled eggs with tomatoes, she likes to simmer them a little longer to allow the persimmons to release juice and melt.
So no matter what shape it is cut into, it will look the same when it comes out of the pan.
Lu Jing said first, "These tomatoes and cucumbers can be eaten raw."
“We just tried them all at the little orchard, they’re delicious!”
The implication is that if something can be eaten directly, it shouldn’t be too unpalatable.
Everyone showed expectant smiles, echoed "Let's try it" and "It's the first time eating it", and stretched out their chopsticks.
Although fried eggs with tomatoes smell nice and their red and yellow colors are quite tempting.
But the adults still chose the cucumber which looked safer.
"Hmm?" Lu Jing looked at Gu Xixi in surprise, "It's delicious."
I didn't expect that just crushing the cucumber and soaking it in the sour, spicy, salty and fresh garlic juice would give me a feeling of being reborn.
Chen Dafu also nodded repeatedly, "If you say you eat it directly, it's like a fruit."
"If you make it into raw salad, it will become an appetizing and refreshing dish to go with rice."
"I guess it's good as a side dish for drinking."
Madam Wu agreed, "It's refreshing and crispy. It's hot today, and it's a good match with meat to relieve the greasiness."
The adults are still praising the smashed cucumbers.
I heard two soft exclamations: "It's delicious!"
"Auntie Xixi, is this a tomato? It's delicious!"
Gu Xixi said with a smile, "Try scrambled eggs with tomatoes. Put them on rice and mix them together."
"That's absolutely amazing!"
Xiulan and Xiuhe obeyed and did as they were told.
This time, the two of them didn't say anything. They just buried their heads and ate one mouthful after another.
Several adults quickly followed suit.
There was silence at the table for a moment, and only the plate of scrambled eggs with tomatoes could be seen dwindling rapidly.
Of course, Gu Xixi is confident about these two dishes.
Scrambled eggs with tomatoes, stir-fried shredded potatoes, and cold cucumber salad are considered the three most common dishes of the nation in later generations.
It’s not just because the ingredients are common and affordable, and the taste is widely accepted.
More importantly, it is easy to cook and has a low failure rate.
Unless you are an extremely stupid culinary idiot, it is not easy to make these three dishes taste bad.
Among them, shredded potatoes require certain knife skills, so Gu Xixi only knows how to make the other two.
After the meal, everyone was full.
Mrs. Wu said, "He'er has never liked eating eggs since she was a child."
"The boss made fried eggs with tomatoes today and let her eat so much."
As a mother, of course I am happiest when my child is no longer picky about food.
Gu Xixi said, "You can pick the cucumbers and tomatoes from the orchard to eat on weekdays."
"It's in season now. If you pick them, they will grow again. Otherwise, it would be a waste if they ripen and rot."
Previously, the conditions for hiring workers to farm the land did not include food and accommodation.
After all, such a generous reward is hard to find even with a lantern.
The boss is still so generous.
Chen Dafu and others were moved, but also felt ashamed.
After Gu Xixi finished eating the winter melon with everyone, she and Lu Jing left the farm.
The three men returned to the wheat field and continued working while discussing.
Aunt Tao said, "The fruits and vegetables from the Western Regions are so precious, we just need to taste some of them."
"It's not like we don't have other vegetables. Isn't it a waste to pick them and eat them every day?"
"Besides, the boss has been very good to us. It would be inappropriate to eat and drink lavishly again."
Madam Wu nodded, "I think so too."
"Hello, Dong family, she doesn't care about these, but can we think of a solution?"
"Neither let the fruit rot, nor let the owner suffer a loss."
Chen Dafu already had the answer in his mind, and he said thoughtfully, "It can only be sold."
The farm is not far from the county town.
The best way is to sell the leftover fruit and turn it into money for the owner.
Chen Dafu said, "But we can't make our own decisions on this matter."
"If you want to take anything out of the farm, you must get the owner's permission."
He paused and said, "Let's work first. After spreading the fertilizer, I will go to Huachidu Village tomorrow or the day after tomorrow."
Qingtian County, the back hall of the Treasure Pavilion.
Madam Meng looked at the two big, lush green melons and said with a smile:
"Thank you for your kindness. You thought of us when you just picked the first crop of fruits."
"During the New Year, Qing'er ate the winter melon you gave her. She loved it so much that she asked me to buy her some several times."
"How could she know how precious this thing is?"
Gu Xixi smiled, "Qing'er likes to eat, what's so difficult about that?"
"It's not as hard to find now as it was in winter. I'll send it back later."
Mrs. Meng said, "I feel embarrassed about this," but did not insist on refusing.
She handed an exquisite wooden box to Gu Xixi.
"I just got this clever device, and I thought it would be useful to you since you often go out."
It was a seemingly ordinary silver bracelet, with no gemstones or patterns.
Things like this usually only appear in street stalls.
Gu Xixi fiddled with it for a few times and found the key.
There is a part of the bracelet that is hollow, and it will pop open as long as the mechanism is touched.
Gu Xixi looked at it against the light and found a layer of fine holes hidden inside.
Mrs. Meng said, "I received a few pieces of jadeite from a merchant in the southwest some time ago."
"He said this bracelet is lightweight and has no decorations, but the mechanism inside is interesting."
"The inner ring of the bracelet can be opened, and after it is closed again, the items inside will not get wet whether you wash your hands daily or soak them in water."
"If the mechanism is triggered, the contents will burst out."
Gu Xixi tried it on the spot with tea, and it actually sprayed half a meter away.
Because of some force, the sprayed water can form water mist.
Madam Meng said, "It's just a small item after all, not as powerful as a real crossbow."
Gu Xixi turned around and smiled happily, "It's just right for me."
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