Entering the City
The kitchen, with its pots and pans set out, began to feel the warmth of daily life.
Mu Chuan put ginger, garlic, and dried chili peppers into the burlap sack that Wang Xiaoyao had woven and hung it by the window.
Wang Xiaoyao neatly arranged the firewood, stuffed it into the stove, then tied a handful of dry grass, lit it, and threw it in through the stove door.
During the spring equinox, the air is humid, and the firewood absorbs moisture. The moment it is lit, smoke bursts out of the stove like a puff, instantly filling the entire kitchen.
The two sisters nimbly scattered. Mu Chuan, lacking prior experience, watched helplessly as smoke instantly enveloped the room. Belatedly, he covered his nose and retreated to a corner, coughing violently as he leaned against the wall.
He coughed so hard his internal organs felt like they were about to spill out, and his whole body was trembling, looking both pathetic and comical.
Wang Pan'er's shoulders trembled as she tried to suppress her laughter, and she couldn't stop smiling even when she picked up the spatula.
Mu Chuan looked at Wang Pan'er with annoyance: "Still laughing? Anyone who knows you're going to cook, but anyone who doesn't would think you're preparing to smelt iron."
Wang Pan'er covered her mouth with her hand and pulled it down slightly: "Cook, cook."
Wang Xiaoyao also found it quite amusing, but after being glared at by Mu Chuan, she composed herself and cleverly went to help.
The pot was already heated through. Wang Pan'er poured in some cool oil and sprinkled in some rock sugar. Following Wang Pan'er's movements, Wang Xiaoyao used the fire tongs to remove some firewood and reduce the fire.
The iron pot sizzled as the rock sugar gradually melted and blended with the oil. At first, it was clear, but as the temperature rose, it eventually turned into an amber syrup, swirling in the oil like molten gold.
Wang Pan'er, quick as a flash, poured water into the pot, added salt and soy sauce, ginger, scallions, chili peppers, and the spice packet she had just tied in a gauze bag. She then sealed it with three large spoonfuls of peanut oil, creating a thick layer floating on top of the braising liquid.
"Sister Pan'er, there's way too much oil in this! Our family can't even eat this much in a month."
“This is called the sealing layer.” She scooped up the golden oil flowers and let them slide down like silk. “It’s an old method. This kind of brine doesn’t spoil easily and is even more effective than the ice cellars of the rich and powerful.”
Wang Xiaoyao's eyes were practically glued to the pot, and she wasn't really paying attention to what Wang Pan'er was saying. After getting a general reply, she just said "oh oh" twice and continued to watch her sister's next move with bated breath.
Wang Pan'er set up a smaller pot and began blanching the meat to remove its fishy smell.
A good braising liquid requires ingredients that are fresh and flavorful. Raw meat with a gamey smell will impart a fishy odor to the braising liquid and should never be thrown directly into the pot.
When it was Wang Pan'er's first time making braised meat, she prepared enough meat, but the braising liquid lacked the rich aroma of meat, making the flavor bland.
She tossed in the blanched pork, beef, and offal one by one. Unlike the cheap, unwanted offal described in novels, offal, as a meat substitute, was several times more expensive than vegetables, not to mention poultry like chicken and duck. Most ordinary households would casually raise four or five chickens for eggs; there weren't many chickens and ducks sold in the market. Restaurants and wealthy families had their own channels, so she couldn't buy poultry at a reasonable price.
However, she planned to eat the first batch of braised meat herself, so she bought a lot without considering the cost, piling up chicken legs, wings, gizzards, and sausages.
We won't consider selling these; the profit margin isn't high, and it's not worth the trouble.
The owner of the courtyard must be someone who enjoys life. The stove not only has two pot holes, one large and one small, but also a special space in the innermost corner for stewing soup and boiling water.
"I also want to prepare three kinds of sweet soup, four kinds of calming drinks, six kinds of energy tea, and eight kinds of beauty soup." Wang Pan'er thought that Mu Chuan wasn't picky about food, so she leaned closer to Wang Xiaoyao and asked, "Which one would you like to try?"
Wang Xiaoyao felt inferior because of the criticism from the matchmaker and his own father who said he looked like a girl. He wanted a beauty soup, but he was too shy and embarrassed to ask.
Seeing this, Wang Pan'er understood the little girl's thoughts: "Then let's make a beauty soup!"
Mu Chuan pouted: "What about me?"
"You're not allowed to speak. How could someone who looks like that understand our girls' pursuit of beauty?"
"Perfunctory." Mu Chuan was clearly not satisfied.
"Look at you, so strong and healthy, eating well, sleeping soundly, and even with fair skin and a beautiful face." She poked Mu Chuan's heart and scolded, "Honestly ask yourself, what are you lacking?"
Wang Xiaoyao secretly watched the two bickering, his eyes darting around with intense curiosity.
Look, here we go again. The older you get, the more childish you become.
Wang Pan'er ignored Mu Chuan and poured eight kinds of herbs into the pot for boiling soup: yam, poria cocos, fox nut, coix seed, dried tangerine peel, white hyacinth bean, lotus seed, and roasted malt. She then slowly simmered them.
All the dishes that the stall needed to sample were prepared.
Next was dinner for the three of them.
These days, we either forage for food in the mountains or eat flatbread and steamed buns. If our stomachs aren't treated to something good, they'll rebel.
Hot pot, you have to eat hot pot, and it has to be authentic, spicy and fragrant Sichuan hot pot.
People in this world also enjoy hot pot, but because spices are not widely available, they eat hot pot similar to the clear broth hot pot of Yunnan and Guizhou or Chaoshan hot pot with broth made from pork bones, accompanied by vegetables such as radish and corn.
There's nothing a hot pot meal can't solve; if there has to be, then two meals will do.
Today, we must show Mu Chuan and Wang Xiaoyao the power of Sichuan hot pot.
Wang Xiaoyao washed the pot that had just been blanched, and Wang Pan'er poured in plenty of oil and started stir-frying the ingredients.
First, fry the scallions and onions over low heat until they are dry and fragrant, then remove them; then add the pounded chili paste that you just instructed Wang Xiaoyao to make, stir-fry it in plenty of oil until it turns bright red, and then add the spices that have been rinsed with water.
It had cardamom, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, fennel, and other spices, but it lacked fermented soybean paste. This meant it was missing something essential compared to her ideal hot pot. Unfortunately, she didn't know how to make fermented soybean paste, so she wasn't entitled to be picky; having something to eat was already a blessing.
Once the aroma of the spices is released, add a spoonful of fermented glutinous rice and a few rock sugar pieces to enhance the flavor, and the hot pot is ready.
Wang Pan'er set out bowls and chopsticks on the stove and invited the two of them to start eating.
The beef, tripe, and beef aorta had been sliced, and the gizzard had been scored and arranged on a large plate. There was also a generous amount of various mushrooms and vegetables, each in a small bowl, arranged around the edge of the iron pot.
Wang Pan'er was the first to pick up her chopsticks, taking a large handful of beef and putting it into the pot.
Mu Chuan had never seen such large pieces of tripe before; its dark color looked a bit strange. But since Wang Pan'er had carefully selected it, he could rest assured, and his first bite was still taken from this plate of tripe.
Wang Pan'er shared her experience: "If the tripe is overcooked and too tough to chew, hold it with your chopsticks and count to fifteen before eating."
Fifteenth grade?
Mu Chuan's hand holding the chopsticks was lifted and suspended in mid-air by Wang Pan'er, and the tripe between the chopsticks had already become a resilient shape.
Mu Chuan was still uneasy. He swallowed hard and asked again, "Is this... really edible?"
He is not very accepting of raw food. The practice of eating raw fish, which originated from Kou Island and spread to Beijing, has been politely declined by his friends no matter how much they invited him.
Even though he only counted the tripe fifteen times, it was hard to convince him to eat it.
Wang Pan'er picked up a piece of tripe, dipped it in the red broth a few times, then coated it with minced garlic and sesame oil and brought it to his lips: "You're so particular."
Mu Chuan hesitated for a moment, then opened his mouth and let Wang Pan'er put the black slice covered in soup into his mouth.
The crunchy, tiny particles absorb all the flavors from the pot. When you chew them, they're like tiny, harmless bullets exploding on your taste buds, crunching between your teeth.
Mu Chuan sighed with satisfaction: "Opening this shop will definitely be a sure thing."
Wang Pan'er shook her head: "Making hot pot is too tiring. Oil splatters everywhere, and the pots and pans are hard to clean. Besides, these ingredients are not cheap, and each pot requires quite a lot. The pot is just filled with ordinary meat and vegetables. Just by changing the soup base, the price increases by several cups. Ordinary people can't accept that. Let's make it ourselves to satisfy our cravings."
Compared to Mu Chuan's good adaptation to spicy food, Wang Xiaoyao's style was much more sloppy.
She gasped for breath, trying to get rid of the spiciness, but the incredibly flavorful broth was irresistible, like an addiction. She wanted to have another bite after finishing one, and for the first time in her life, she ate her fill of meat, ending up with flushed cheeks and a head full of sweat.
Wang Pan'er found it amusing and made her a bowl of eight-flavor beauty soup.
It smelled sweet and refreshing. Wang Xiaoyao gulped down several mouthfuls, and even glanced at Mu Chuan with a smug look.
Mu Chuan retorted defiantly, "I want one too!"
"We have everything!"
Everyone had a bowl and slowly drank the soup.
The broth in the pot was still bubbling, and despite the house being newly furnished, it exuded a warm and cozy homey atmosphere.
After finishing her meal, Wang Pan'er threw the vegetables into the pot of braised pork and extinguished the fire in the stove.
Although braised dishes start with the word "braised," they are only 30% braised and 70% soaked. They are only considered truly good when the heat is turned off, the food is cooled, and the flavors have fully infused.
Just like the cold dishes in Zigong, the taste is nothing special when they are fresh out of the pot, but once the heat dissipates, you can enjoy them with a little wine while watching TV or a movie. That's so pleasant that even the gods wouldn't trade it for that.
Wang Xiaoyao unwrapped the gauze from the splint on his little finger and volunteered to wash the pot.
It wasn't heavy work, not even a little bit of work. Wang Pan'er told her to let the braised food in the pot sit for a while, and then let her do it.
Mu Chuan lit a candle in the courtyard, picked up their newly bought wooden plaque, drew his chipped sword, and insisted on carving the names of the dishes on it.
Finding an opportunity to be alone, Wang Pan'er took out some wound medicine and muscle-regenerating powder and placed them in front of Mu Chuan, saying, "Although your injuries are no longer a problem, if you have any good medicine, apply it to reduce the pain and help you recover faster."
"Thank you." Mu Chuan put the bottle away.
"The distance between us was all bought with your money."
Mu Chuan shook his head: "I promised that if I receive your help, I will repay you tenfold and will not break my promise."
Wang Pan'er propped her head up as she looked at Mu Chuan's carving. The characters were as elegant and neat as the man himself. "So what are your plans next? A delicate young master like you coming to this remote town must have something you absolutely have to do."
Mu Chuan did not deny it, but seemed unwilling to talk about it further, and changed the subject: "I still can't contact my attendants. Logically speaking, they should come to me when they are out of danger, so it is not advisable to make any rash moves at the moment. I still need Miss Wang to continue to take care of them."
"Of course, of course." Wang Pan'er waved her hand. "Being so beautiful makes me feel better just by looking at you. I would be more than happy to stay. But your injury is something only heaven, earth, you, and I know. It's best if Xiaoyao doesn't mention it."
"Great minds think alike. Xiaoyao is still young and naive, and I'm afraid she'll be tricked into telling her secrets."
"When we set up our stall, you should also try to stay out of sight and follow us. The fewer people you see, the less risk you'll face."
"That's alright. All those who chased me to this place have perished. I was also seriously injured in the mountains and forests. It's a blessing that I'm still alive. How could anyone imagine that I've recovered to my current state? As long as I don't trap myself, they won't suspect me for the time being."
Mu Chuan carved the signs and arranged them neatly in a row in front of Wang Pan'er.
Wang Pan'er carefully put it away as if it were a treasure: "What should I do? I'm a little reluctant to use it."
"I'll just make another one if it breaks."
"Aren't you worried about your precious sword?"
"You're getting a good deal and still acting innocent." Mu Chuan felt he had finally gotten the better of him, so he slapped the sword in front of Wang Pan'er and then started to complain, "You'd better hurry up and make some money to fix it."
"Hehe." Wang Pan'er chuckled and stood up. "Young Master Mu said it's a precious sword, how could I afford to repair it! I'll leave first. I still need to go with Xiaoyao to deliver some braised food to the neighbors and the doctors at Huirentang. If we don't have distant relatives, we can always find some close ones."
"..."
Mu Chuan was speechless as he compared the two, staring at the gap with a sigh. He felt a pang of heartache for a moment, then looked up to find that Wang Pan'er had already vanished.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
