Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 67
Tled by Serena Love
Unedited
Chapter 67: Fried skewers
Midsummer is here.
Jiang Shuyao thought that when the weather was hot, ordinary people's appetites would decrease. So Xie Xun's lunch box was getting less and less, which led to Lin Cheng and the group of people who were salivating, unable to freeload any meal.
They are very eager for the Lin family's restaurant to open in the inner city so that they don't have to stare at Xie Xun's lunch all day.
It's a pity that Xie Xun has said that the Lin family would not open a shop in the inner city, so they calmed their minds and went out looking for a cook.
However, they couldn't guess Jiang Shuyao's plan. Her purpose of selling food is to keep people full while ensuring the deliciousness so that the lower working-class people can eat happily, not the pure pursuit of the delicious food.
So she wrote to Lin-shi about her idea of a street food market.
After Lin-shi opened a few shops, she visited from time to time and saw that everyone was happy and eager to eat, and she felt a lot more comfortable.
The depression in her heart dissipated a little bit, and she was no longer trapped in the chaos in the backyard but devoted herself to the food business.
When Jiang Shuyao told her about the street food market's idea, she immediately became full of energy. She held her pregnant belly and went out to choose the street food market's address in person.
The Lin family was generous, and when they chose a place, they bought the whole street. The road was renovated and closed for decoration. Everything is ready, only waiting for Jiang Shuyao to contribute some recipes.
Compared with the shops dedicated to dock-working men who don't make much fuss, the recipes for the street food market required more time to choose.
Fortunately, this time Jiang Shuyao had an extra helper, Zhou-shi. The two of them cooked together and tried recipes together. The list of recipes was set a lot earlier than planned.
The street food market cannot be opened too large initially, so they don't need too much food. According to Jiang Shuyao, this is called a "trial operation." Open a few shops first, try the attitude and preference of the diners. If it is suitable, then slowly expand the scale.
Today, she and Zhou-shi tried one of the common food of a modern street food market, fried skewers.
The deep-fried skewers have a strong flavor, bursts of oily aroma, and strong-flavored seasoning powder and sauce. It is full of guilty pleasure in one bite.
The hotter the summer, the more people pursue this stimulating and heavy taste. When the tip of the tongue tastes the spicy and salty sauce and the oily aroma, all the turbidity and depression of the day have disappeared. There is a kind of joy of indulgence after the tension. With a can of cold beer and a skewer, each bite is chic and comfortable. No matter what tomorrow will be like, just enjoy the sinful skewers at this moment.
The sauce is extremely exquisite. Jiang Shuyao and Zhou-shi tried various recipes for three days before they came up with the sauce that best suits ancient people's preferences.
At this time, seasonings are precious, so people prefer a light taste, and the sauce cannot be made too salty.
The sauce for the deep-fried skewers is very troublesome, but for Jiang Shuyao, the ingredients are not difficult. After all, she lacks no sauce at home, such as sweet hoisin sauce, soybean sauce, garlic chili sauce, etc.
Of course, the most indispensable thing is the oyster sauce that she boiled herself. Because the production process is pure and natural, there are no additives, so the umami flavor of oyster sauce is extraordinarily strong. The saltiness of fried skewers depends on it.
The raw seasoning powder is mixed with pepper, star anise, grass fruit, bay leaf, angelica, cloves, and other spices. It's ground into powder and then mixed with chili powder, garlic crisp, cumin, and peanut powder.
The mixed ingredients are glowing. She set the water to boil, add the ingredients powder, oyster sauce, garlic, and chili sauce. Then stir evenly, add starch to thicken, wait until the red sauce is simmering in the pot, and turn off the heat.
The taste of the spicy sauce is extremely overbearing. The heat is mixed with a strong salty aroma. The flavor is complex because of the various spices. Just smelling it makes people swallow.
It is then time to cook the sweet and salty sauce, which takes less effort and costs less than the spicy sauce. After mixing the oyster sauce, sweet hoisin sauce, sugar, sesame seeds, etc., put them into boiling water, and stir them while boiling, and finally put in starch. The finished product is golden brown with a layer of white sesame on the surface.
Zhou-shi took a spoon, dipped it with a little sauce, and put it in her mouth to taste. The complex and salty taste instantly captured her taste buds. She stared in surprise, "Third sister-in-law, this is really strange."
Because of the hot weather, Jiang Shuyao didn't want to get cooped up in her small kitchen to fry the skewers, so she took out the barbecue stove used before and fried the skewers in a shallow pan in the courtyard.
This was a pain for the people working in the courtyard. When the skewers were fried into a pot, the sizzling sound was accompanied by the bursts of oily fragrance, which aroused people's spirits and immediately started their appetite.
Zhou-shi had a nearly blind worship in Jiang Shuyao's craftsmanship, and she started to swallow when she fries the skewers.
Because Today they will taste-testing the fried skewers, Jiang Shuyao prepared a wide variety of fried skewers. There was a large plate of various colors. She looked at the big plate and said to Zhou-shi with a little embarrassment, "Second sister, trouble you. Today, it is up to you to try the taste."
After smelling the tempting oily aroma of fried skewers on the tip of her nose and looking at the fragrant and rich sauce for two nights, Zhou-shi quickly replied, "Of course, it's not troublesome." Isn't this a blessing?
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Zhou-shi is about to burst into bubbles with happiness. With Jiang Shuyao, you can have the joy and sense of accomplishment of cooking, and you can enjoy all kinds of novelty foods happily. She really can't wait to kick the relationship's obstacle between them and immediately moved to the third branch's residence.
The deep-fried skewers float in the frying pan, and small bubbles are sizzling around, making people feel comfortable watching it.
Zhou-shi's mind was full of fragrant fried skewers, her brain cannot think quickly, and she only realized it later. Hey, what's the obstacle between them?
Xie Xun, who was worrying about politics in the East Palace, suddenly sneezed.
He looked up at the sky, he was about to finish work, and he had to hurry back to the mansion. For some reason, he feels a little uneasy.
At this time, the deep-fried skewers came out of the pot, and Zhou-shi also came up with the answer to the question she was pondering just now—no doubt, the obstacle is, of course... Xu-shi.
Speaking of Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrived. [T/N: This is a common idiom similar to "speak of the devil."]
Xu-shi led the two little guys and walked in from the courtyard gate.
Xie Zhao sniffed the scent and broke free from Xu-shi's hand. He rushed over, tiptoed to the table, and said, "What is this? Is it for eating?"
Xu-shi hurried over to grab him.
Jiang Shuyao said, "Fried skewers, but you can't eat too much, it's too oily." With the last time lesson, Jiang Shuyao didn't dare to give too much to these two little nephews.
Xie Zhao nodded obediently and licked his mouth, "I'll just eat a little bit and just taste it. I definitely will not trouble the third aunt."
Jiang Shuyao's cuffs are tied to her back with cloth strips, making it easier to do things. She used long chopsticks to pick out the fried skewers and put them on a generous plate. Then she dipped a brush in the sauce, brushed the front part of the fried skewers twice, turned them over, and brushed the back part twice.
The golden fried skewers are brushed with bright and brown-red rich sauce. After sprinkling some sesame seeds, the sauce drips down the fried skewers. It looks delicious and attractive.
"Second sister-in-law, please taste it." After brushing the sauce, Jiang Shuyao pushed the plate to Zhou-shi's side.
Zhou-shi glanced at Xu-shi lightly, with a feeling of exultation. See? Even if you bring your two children, third sister-in-law will still pass it to me first.
The skin of the tenderloin skewer was fried golden, and delicious. The surface of the tender meat skewers was covered with rich sauce. The color was bright. A little bit of sesame was attached to it. After taking a bite, the rich salty and oily aroma immediately penetrated her nose, like an electric current rushed to the forehead. The base of her tongue secreted saliva subconsciously.
Zhou-shi leaned her neck slightly forward and bit down the tenderloin in one bite. As soon as she had eaten it, the spicy flavor of the sauce swept across her lips and cheeks. This spiciness is not dry and spicy but a different flavor. It is not irritating, but it is enough to fully awaken the sense so that the freshness, salty, hemp, and sweetness of the sauce are amplified. The sauce is sweet but also salty and mixed with rich flavors. The fragrance is making people dizzy.
The meat on the outside of the tenderloin skewers was deep-fried, and the edges and corners were a bit crispy. After biting the outer skin, some heat rushed out. The tenderloin was extremely tender and smooth, and the original taste of the meat was preserved. The hot oil shrinks the meat, and there is no fishy smell. It is fully satisfying to chew. She can't wait to eat it all from top to bottom in one breath.
"How is it? Is it tough?"
Zhou-shi's mouth was immersed in tenderloin, and she was reluctant to swallow it, so she could only nod frantically and give a thumbs up.
"That's good. Please also ask sister-in-law to taste all the remaining fried skewers." Jiang Shuyao turned around and said to Xu-shi.
Xu-shi looked at the corners of Zhou-shi's mouth, smeared with sauce and her gobbling mouth. Then she swallowed silently.
"No need." She smiled, "Today, my eldest and my second sons will come home from college on their vacation. I was busy welcoming them and ignored the two little guys. They happened to be pestering me to come to you for a long time already. I just wanted to send them over for dinner, lest they always make trouble in front of me."
Xu-shi touched Xie Yao's head, "The last time he ate too much and caused you trouble, he didn't dare to come over, but Ah Zhao has been screaming. It's really a headache. I can't help but let them come over. Look. Ah Zhao said he must be obedient. If he is not obedient, third sister-in-law will send them back to the first branch."
Xie Zhao dragged Jiang Shuyao's clothes corners aggrievedly, and Jiang Shuyao smiled and said, "It just so happens that I cooked rice porridge and cold side dishes for dinner. It is good to lighten my stomach. Sister-in-law, please feel at ease."
"Thank you." Xu-shi thanked her, preparing to go back to the first branch and continue to stare at the maids setting up a banquet to welcome Xie Ye and Xie Hao.
Zhou-shi ate happily next to her, and she was relieved when she saw that Xu-shi was about to leave. Fortunately, she didn't have to split the skewers with her.
Who knows that Jiang Shuyao enthusiastically said, "Sister-in-law, do you want to take two bunches?"
Zhou-shi was taken aback and looked at Xu-shi alertly.
Xu-shi likes sweets and is not very interested in salty food, but at the moment, smelling the fragrance of oil and sauce, looking at the bright and soy-red fried skewers, she said in a dazed manner, "Then thank you, sister-in-law."
She chose a piece of rice cake at random. The rice cake was cut into off-white square pieces and skewered on bamboo sticks. After being fried, the edges were slightly yellow. After two layers of sauce were applied, the brown-red sauce on the off-white rice cake and the bright white sesame seeds on top are particularly attractive.
She rolled up her sleeves, took a bite gracefully, and was instantly overwhelmed by the flavor.
The rice cake is a bit crunchy on the outside. After it is bitten easily, the inside is very soft and glutinous, extremely tough. It seems that it won't go away with a few chew. After frying, the rich rice fragrance is multiplied. It becomes mellow and rich, with a spicy and slightly sweet sauce. It made her lips and cheeks taste fragrant. The more you chew, the more addictive it becomes.
"How is it?" Jiang Shuyao asked.
Just now, she also disliked Zhou-shi's lack of manners, chewing fried skewers without swallowing, and even speaking vaguely. Now, it was her turn to understand Zhou-shi's feelings.
She half-covered her lips with her hands and kept nodding. Finally, she couldn't help but thumbs up like Zhou-shi's.
...
Xie Ye and Xie Hao, as the young masters of Duke Xie's Mansion, had a lot of expectations from childhood. They were sent to the academy to study when they were very young and only returned to the mansion when they were on vacation.
They should have arrived at the mansion when it is getting dark, but they were in a hurry today and returned before the evening.
They first went to Shouning Hall to greet the old madam. The old madam was not in good spirits. Seeing that she was sick, they did not stay for long.
After they went out of Shouning Hall and asked about the old madam's condition, the nanny hesitated to answer. They looked at a little maid to ask, only to learn that it seemed to be related to the third lady.
As witnesses of Jiang Shuyao's chasing beautiful boy and causing a group of men to fall into the water, they had a very bad impression of their third aunt.
But she and the two of them are like well water did not offend the river, so the two would not go to her to cause trouble.
[T/N: "Well water did not offend the river" means they have different paths and have nothing to do with each other.]
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However, sometimes they thought of her when they listened to the college classmates mocking their third uncle's marriage, and then they disliked this third aunt even more.
Now they learn about the trouble, but they don't know the reason. They will not speculate and plan to go back to the first branch's courtyard and ask their mother.
When they arrived at the first branch, not only did they not see Xu-shi, but they also did not see their two younger brothers.
When they asked the maid, they learned that Xu-shi had taken their two younger brothers to the third branch.
"Big brother, what you think mother was doing in the third branch?" Xie Hao was puzzled, "She also brought Ah Zhao and Ah Yao with her."
They have been away from the house for two or three months, and they have no idea what happened in the house. Their memory still stays when Jiang Shuyao just got married. Xie Ye frowned and said, "I remember mother didn't like third aunt."
"Yes, indeed."
The two were a little worried. They waited in the courtyard for a while, but Xu-shi, who was busy eating fried skewers, did not return.
Seeing that the setting sun was about to set and Xu-shi hadn't returned yet, Xie Hao couldn't help being curious, "Shall we go and take a look?"
The two of them walked all the way to the third branch. They are about to arrive at the third branch's courtyard entrance, but they had not yet met Xu-shi and their two younger brothers.
"What do you think mother is doing?" Xie Ye looked at the sky and wondered, "It's around this time, if she doesn't come back, is it possible... Is it possible to have dinner in the third branch?"
"Hahahahaha." Xie Hao laughed, "Brother, you are so funny."
Xie Ye's own humor also amused him. The two laughed so much that they were about to hurt their waist.
After reluctantly suppressing their smiles, they came to the gate of the courtyard. Before they even stepped in, an oily scent mixed with spicy and delicious flavor penetrated into their noses.
The smile on their faces suddenly froze.
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