Chapter 70 Cooking
Su Jiaojiao's temple throbbed, and she couldn't help but roll her eyes.
[Tuanzi, the key issue isn't whether I like it or not, it's whether they're willing!]
She leaned against the studio wall, watching the staff packing up equipment not far away, silently calculating in her mind: Lu Jinyuan was extremely possessive, the type who would keep his favorite things tightly locked by his side; Jiang Yi was obsessive and cunning, intolerant of even the slightest imperfection; Gu Yanchen seemed gentle, but in reality, he was bursting with controlling desires, and then there was Xing Che… None of these four were easy to deal with.
She muttered helplessly to herself to Tuanzi:
[Do you think this is like picking cabbages at a market? Just because I accept them doesn't mean they'll accept each other. These three big shots are all proud and arrogant; who would be willing to share with others? It's really hard to say.]
Just as Jiaojiao was about to say something
Then I heard Lin Xingche's voice in my ear:
"Sister, what are you muttering about? Your face is all scrunched up like a little bun."
She snapped back to reality, looked up, and saw Lin Xingche and Li Meng standing in front of her, both looking at her curiously. Li Meng smiled and teased:
"Jiaojiao, are you chatting with some handsome guy? Your face is all red."
"No way!"
Su Jiaojiao quickly waved her hand, but a blush involuntarily crept onto her cheeks.
She changed the subject
"I'm just wondering what to eat tonight. We've been streaming for so long, I'm starving!"
"Haha, I knew it!" Lin Xingche clapped his hands, his eyes crinkling with laughter.
"Sister, you're such a little foodie!"
Oh, by the way, I heard you say you wanted something spicy? I know a private restaurant that makes amazing spicy chicken, wanna go together?
"No, no."
Su Jiaojiao quickly shook her head, a sly glint in her eyes.
"I'm going to cook for myself tonight. I've recently learned a few new Sichuan dishes."
I was just thinking of giving it a try.
"Wow!" Li Meng's eyes lit up, and she said with envy.
"Jiaojiao, you're amazing! You can sing, dance, and cook! When will I be able to be as good as you!"
"Stop praising me, or I'll get arrogant."
Su Jiaojiao smiled and ruffled Li Meng's hair, then waved to the two of them.
"I'll be going now, see you tomorrow!"
"See you tomorrow!"
Lin Xingche and Li Meng answered in unison, with Lin Xingche adding a special sentence.
"Sister, if you cook too much, remember to call me! I'm not a picky eater!"
Su Jiaojiao smiled and responded, then turned and quickly walked out of the studio.
…
Back to my live stream
Su Jiaojiao first took a comfortable hot shower, then changed into a loose-fitting set of pure cotton loungewear. The light pink fabric made her skin look even whiter than snow, and her long hair was casually draped over her shoulders. She looked less glamorous and flamboyant on stage and more gentle and languid at home.
She walked into the kitchen and looked at the clean and tidy stove.
A hint of pleasure flashed in his eyes.
She loves cooking, not for any other reason than the process of transforming a bunch of ingredients into delicious dishes with her own hands. That sense of creation from nothing gives her immense satisfaction.
She opened the refrigerator, which was brimming with fresh ingredients—bright red chili peppers, vibrant green cilantro, tender bullfrogs, plump crayfish, and all sorts of her favorite vegetables.
Most of these ingredients were delivered by those three people.
Lu Jinyuan knew she liked spicy food, so he specially had small red chilies and Sichuan peppercorns air-freighted from Sichuan; Jiang Yi knew she liked bullfrogs and crayfish, so he specially had the freshest ones selected from a farm; Gu Yanchen simply took care of all the food in her refrigerator, and had the housekeeper restock it on time every day.
Su Jiaojiao shook her head helplessly, but felt a warm feeling in her heart.
Today she plans to cook several of her best Sichuan dishes—spicy crayfish, dry-pot bullfrog, and spicy chicken—along with a refreshing cucumber salad, and finally a bowl of hot and sour noodles as her main course.
Let's do it!
She first poured the crayfish into a basin, carefully scrubbed them clean with a brush, cut off the heads, and removed the veins with incredible speed. Then she cut the bullfrogs into pieces and marinated them with cooking wine and ginger slices to remove any fishy smell.
Next, she heated oil in a wok, and once the oil was hot, she added scallions, ginger, garlic, dried chili peppers, and Sichuan peppercorns to sauté until fragrant. Instantly, a rich aroma filled the entire kitchen, making everyone's mouths water.
She first poured the crayfish into the pot and stir-fried them until they changed color. Then she added fermented bean paste, hot pot base, light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, and other seasonings. After stir-frying evenly, she added an appropriate amount of water, covered the pot, and simmered it.
While the crayfish were simmering, she started making dry-pot bullfrog.
Coat the marinated bullfrog pieces with cornstarch and deep-fry until golden brown and crispy. Remove and set aside. Leave a little oil in the pan, add onions, green bell peppers, and red bell peppers and stir-fry. Add the fried bullfrog pieces, sprinkle with cumin powder and chili powder, stir-fry evenly, and your fragrant dry-pot bullfrog is ready!
Spicy chicken is even simpler: cut the chicken into small pieces, marinate it with cooking wine, then deep-fry it until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. Next, stir-fry it with dried chilies, Sichuan peppercorns, and peanuts, sprinkle with sesame seeds, and the aroma is irresistible.
Smashed cucumber is even simpler: just smash the cucumber, add minced garlic, chopped chili peppers, light soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, and sesame oil, mix well, and it's refreshing and helps cut through the greasiness.
Finally, she boiled a pot of water, cooked the hot and sour noodles in it, and then added chili oil, vinegar, crushed peanuts, cilantro, and other seasonings. A bowl of delicious hot and sour noodles was ready!
Su Jiaojiao handled the entire process with ease.
With a happy smile on his face
She loves this down-to-earth atmosphere and the feeling of cooking for herself.
After more than an hour of work, four delicious and visually appealing dishes, along with a bowl of hot and sour noodles, were neatly arranged on the table: bright red crayfish, golden and crispy bullfrog, fragrant and spicy chicken, refreshing cucumber salad, and the appetizing hot and sour noodles. Just looking at them made one's mouth water.
Su Jiaojiao clapped her hands in satisfaction, then took out a bottle of chilled plum juice from the refrigerator.
This is something she made herself; it's sweet and sour, and it helps to cut through the spiciness and greasiness.
She unscrewed the cap, took a big gulp, and the icy liquid slid down her throat, instantly dispelling the heat from cooking.
"Awesome!" she couldn't help but exclaim.
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