Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 37 (Part 2)
Tled by Serena Love
Unedited
Chapter 37 (2): Braised Pork
When Xie Xun saw Jiang Shuyao again, she was aggrieved.
He whispered, "What's wrong?"
Jiang Shuyao told him about Lin-shi's refusal, but of course, she didn't mention about the mother and daughter's heart-wrenching words.
"We can't do the business. Let's find another way." She looked disappointed.
Xie Xun knew how much she was expecting to open a restaurant, but now she was disappointed. In addition to her thoughts about business, she probably lost her hopes for regaining Lin-shi's fighting spirit.
He was not a stupid person. He quickly figured out why and understood Lin-shi's thoughts better than Jiang Shuyao, who had listened to Lin-shi's reprimand.
Thinking about how Jiang Shuyao was crying when she was drunk that day, he couldn't help but sigh. He said to Lord Xiangyang, "Father-in-law is busy with business, Bo Yuan shouldn't bother you any longer."
Then he patted Jiang Shuyao's hair and whispered, "Let's go. Let's see mother-in-law again."
"Why are you going?" Jiang Shuyao asked, but Xie Xun didn't answer her.
When he went to Lin-shi's yard, Lin-shi saw them return and felt very confused. She looked at Jiang Shuyao and hoped she could explain it.
But Jiang Shuyao didn't know what Xie Xun wanted, so she could only look at Xie Xun.
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Xie Xun coughed and said, "Son-in-law has something to say to mother-in-law."
Lin-shi's dagger-like glares flew towards Jiang Shuyao. Jiang Shuyao was so confused and pulled Xie Xun's robe.
After Xie Xun said these words, he didn't say anything anymore. Although Lin-shi's had a bit of a temper, but he was still a family member. Moreover, she had a good ability to guess his mind by looking at his expression.
Jiang Shuyao didn't move, didn't realize that she should go away too.
Seeing Xie Xun's serious expression, Lin-shi put away the kind and charitable appearance that she had put on her face and said to Jiang Shuyao, "You go."
Jiang Shuyao looked at Xie Xun and Lin-shi again and left reluctantly.
After she left, there were only Lin-shi's confidantes left in the room. Lin-shi asked, "What do you want to say?"
When she asked this sentence, she guessed in her heart. She feared that Xie Xun was here to question her. In order to pack Jiang Shuyao into Duke Xie's mansion, the Xiangyang Mansion employed scheming methods. After crying, making trouble, and hanging herself, their family deliberately asked the queen for a marriage decree. She was determined to tie Jiang Shuyao to his side. It was normal for him to have anger and resentment.
She felt guilty and couldn't help but feel short of breath when she was facing Xie Xun.
Seeing her expression, Xie Xun went straight to the subject, "Son-in-law wants to talk to mother-in-law about my marriage with Shuyao."
Sure enough, Lin-shi's heart shuddered, and she squeezed her handkerchief tightly.
She spoke with difficulty, "It is indeed the Xiangyang house who wronged you this time--"
Before she finished speaking, Xie Xun suddenly bowed to her.
Lin-shi was taken aback, stopped talking, and listened to Xie Xun's warm voice, "When I married her, I wasn't truly worship father-in-law and mother-in-law. I will make it up now. I hope my mother-in-law will forgive me."
He slowly said, "I treated Shuyao badly before, and after getting married, I ignored her, and I never give a good face to her. At that time, I had grievances in my heart because I didn't want to be an ordinary couple who respected each other as a guest."
"But now I know what kind of woman she is. I am annoyed at what she has done, but I blame myself for making her wronged. A matter of love, throughout the ages, no one has carefully studied it, and I don't understand what it is. Still, I thought, if I had never been calculated when I first met her, and I did not end up in this situation, I would definitely go to the door to marry her as my wife and give her respect and protection."
"If I say that I have been so affectionate towards her nowadays, my mother-in-law can hardly believe it. But son-in-law can only swear to God that I will indulge her in the future, respect her and care for her, and fulfill everything she wishes so she can live up her life."
Lin-shi looked at him blankly, and her eyes widened in disbelief.
Xie Xun was also a little bit ashamed after this straightforward confession. He coughed and turned to the most important subject, "Mother-in-law is not in good health, and Shuyao is very worried. I want to help her solve problems, so about opening a restaurant and do business, mother-in-law doesn't need to worry, I proposed it."
Now Lin-shi was completely stunned, unable to react after a long time, and said after a while, "You propose it?"
"Yes, I just want her to be happy." Xie Xun said, "The wife I want is not a decoration, let alone a lifeless puppet. She is free and unruly. For me, it is the perfect life for a married couple."
Lin-shi's face changed a few times, and in the end, only unspeakable entanglements remained in her expression.
Xie Xun pondered for a few seconds, and then said, "I know that mother-in-law doesn't believe me because of lessons you learned. I also have seen people's hearts changed over time. But I hope mother-in-law will give me a chance to prove what I have said."
Lin-shi did not speak for a long time. When Xie Xun thought she would not talk anymore, she slowly uttered a word, "Okay."
"Xie Boyuan, you are an upright gentleman, remember to do what you say."
Xie Xun bowed again and turned to leave the house.
The room fell silent, Lin-shi was sitting upright. Her long-term lack of appetite made her thin and haggard. At this moment, she stared at the teacup, and it was unclear what she was thinking. It was heartbreaking.
The nanny walked forward quietly and whispered, "Madam."
Lin-shi did not answer, and tears suddenly slipped from her eyes.
The nanny was shocked, "Madam... Miss, why are you crying?"
Lin-shi wiped away her tears and said, "Nothing, Nanny Fu, I am happy."
＊
Jiang Shuyao was uneasy outside the room. Seeing Xie Xun came over, he quickly asked, "How is it?"
"Well, it should be fine now."
"What did you say?"
Xie Xun avoided her sight and hesitated, "Just like this...what? I said I am going to show you the days of ordinary people. Let's go now."
"Now?"
"It's almost noon. It's a good time." He settled a problem, felt comfortable, and strode forward, "Let's go."
Jiang Shuyao hurriedly chased him up, "Hey, Xie Boyuan, wait for me."
The two got on the carriage and drove all the way to the outer city. In the outer city, the streets were narrow and crowded. Xie Xun led Jiang Shuyao out of the carriage and walked all the way south.
Jiang Shuyao followed him and asked curiously, "Have you been to these places?"
Xie Xun said helplessly, "Do you think that officials can handle political affairs by sitting in the hall all day?"
Jiang Shuyao went quiet. Xie Xun was afraid that someone would squeeze her, so he pulled her to his side to protect her.
When arriving at a small shop, Xie Xun said, "This is the most famous restaurant nearby, should we try it?"
There were no empty seats in the restaurant. Jiang Shuyao looked at a large group of people standing around them carrying bowls of noodles. Guessing that the taste should be very good, she said, "Okay."
Xie Xun ordered a bowl of noodles, and the lady boss made it quickly. Maybe she hadn't seen such a handsome young man for a long time, so she found a lame stool out of nowhere for him.
Xie Xun thanked her, but did not sit down. He brought a bowl of noodles, stood aside, and said to Jiang Shuyao, "Eat."
He was holding the bowl, and Jiang Shuyao ate it directly on his hand. She picked up chopsticks and found that the noodles were not as delicious as she had imagined. There is a meaty flavor, but it was not fragrant but a bit fishy.
But watching the people around me snorting noodles, she suspected that she had tasted it wrong, she took another bite, and the taste was still the same.
Xie Xun put the bowl down and left. A thin black boy next to him immediately grabbed the bowl and poured it into his mouth.
Jiang Shuyao puzzled, "This..." She saw it when Xie Xun paid the bill just now. A bowl of noodles is not expensive, but it was enough to buy a small piece of meat. The people were willing to spend the money but cannot eat the corresponding deliciousness. It should be unpleasant, but business is still hot, which was really hard to understand for her.
Xie Xun said, "Didn't I tell you, you will know what to do after seeing it."
He led Jiang Shuyao to the direction of the wharf. All work at the pier relied on strength, so people had to eat well in the afternoon to be vigorous. People here are more willing to spend money, usually a bowl of rice with stew, or dried bun with fish soup.
There is no shortage of fish at the harbor, and the fish soup was not expensive, but it tasted like soil, so after only took a sip, Jiang Shuyao didn't want to drink it again.
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Xie Xun ordered a bowl of stew, which portion was a lot of, but the taste was still mediocre. Probably it was stewed with ginger and garlic, so the smell of the meat was not too strong. The stew base is soy sauce, but the soy sauce was not fermented well, the taste was very ordinary, and the stewed meat was not much better. Even so, this is already considered a delicate meal here.
Jiang Shuyao had a vague understanding. No wonder Xie Xun didn't think she had to focus on cooking with cheap ingredients, because even the most common meat could not be handled well by ordinary people.
Only then did she realize that this was an era when the wok was only invented. Even the upper class did not eat fine food, let alone the common people.
It's no wonder that Ge Qingshu persuaded her to sell a hamburger in a restaurant. The people here indeed have a single cooking method, even if the infrastructure had kept up, the food had not developed.
Jiang Shuyao said, "I understand, let's go back. I have so many ideas."
Xie Xun was amused again, and the two returned home and bought two steamed buns on the way to cushion their stomachs.
By the time they returned to the Xiangyang Mansion, the mealtime was over.
Jiang Shuyao was at ease. She went into the big kitchen and looked around. Thinking about the stew she had eaten today, her heart moved.
It just so happened that there was a piece of fat and thin pork belly hanging on the chopping board. There could not be better ingredients to make braised pork.
The skin of the pork belly is the essence, and it must be left behind. The gluey layer of the stewed pork belly is sticky, and the taste is mellow.
Cut the pork belly into a square tile shape with the right size. If it's too big, it would not be tasty, and the stew would not be crispy. If it's too small, one will lose the satisfaction of filling the mouth full of meat.
After cutting, marinate to remove fishiness, then heat the pan with oil, saute ginger slices, garlic, pepper, and star anise. Then pour in pork belly and stir fry it for a while. Transfer all to a pot, then add white wine, soy sauce, rock sugar, and then simmer it slowly for half an hour.
When she uncovered the lid, the whole room was full of the scent of fragrant meat.
The braised pork that comes out of the pot was crispy, neat, and square. All crystal clear, like colored jade.
It was enough to re-heat the leftover rice from noon: one meat and one rice.
Jiang Shuyao asked the maid to call Xie Xun, and the two sat opposite each other. There was a plate of fragrant braised pork in the center of the table. The color was brown and red, bright but not oily, with an even caramelized color.
Xie Xun could not help but sigh when he saw such a beautiful pork belly for the first time in his life. He was even more surprised when he caught the meat with his chopsticks.
The pork belly was extremely soft and tender. But it was so soft that it melted in just one clip. The square pieces of meat tremble between the chopsticks, glowing with oil, which calling his tongue to produce fluid.
When he put it in his mouth, his teeth just touched the fat and the meat melted. It was sweet and soft, fat, but not greasy. The meaty fragrance spreads in the mouth, with a long and endless aftertaste. The more he chewed, the more mellow it tasted.
With a bite of steaming white rice, the meaty aroma and the fragrant rice flavor neutralized each other.
The skin of braised pork in brown sauce was not like pork skin at all. Instead, it looked like unmelted glue. It was soft and waxy. The delicate fat had a sticky and mellow meat scent.
The pork belly with such a flavor had to be handled gently with the chopsticks, and you can't gobble it up when you eat.
When he had eaten two pieces of braised pork, Xie Xun learned from Jiang Shuyao to pour a spoonful of sauce onto the white rice. He stirred it slightly. The sauce was brown-red, thick, and fragrant. After it was mixed with the white rice, the rice was evenly coated in the oily and shiny sauce.
The meaty aroma of the pork belly was completely integrated into the sauce, with a strong fatty meat aroma. Still, savory and suitable, sweet but not greasy, the sauce stuck to the rice, and each grain becomes sweet and salty.
This taste made people can't wait to take a large bowl of white rice, pour on the thick and viscous sauce, stir and stir, and eat it all.
Xie Xun said in surprise, "Pork can make such a taste."
"Don't look down at this meat. I have a lot of thoughts about it."
Xie Xun thought this was her inspiration today, and said, "This kind of food is not suitable for restaurants."
Jiang Shuyao shook her head, "No, braised pork rice is more suitable. A large bowl of coarse grain rice, topped with braised pork and sauce, and marinated eggs with green vegetables. It is filling and relieved hunger."
Xie Xun nodded and asked Jiang Shuyao to take the rest of the pot to Lin-shi 's to taste. With this plate of pork meat in front of her, he didn't believe that Lin-shi would not think about opening a restaurant.
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