Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 58
Tled by Serena Love
Unedited
Chapter 58: Hand-Cut Noodles
Just as Xie Xun thought, sealing her small kitchen had little effect on Jiang Shuyao.
She told Zhou-shi that she wanted to borrow the second branch's small kitchen to make lunch, and Zhou-shi didn't think anything was wrong with it. Besides, she was interested and wanted to come to the small kitchen to watch the excitement.
Jiang Shuyao planned to make hand-cut noodles today.
She uncovered the damp cloth covering the dough that had been prepared before and took it out. If you want to make a bowl of fragrant and chewy noodles, you must knead the noodles well.
It was the first time that Zhou-shi had seen someone knead dough. She watched carefully while holding her crutches.
Kneading noodles require strength and patience. Jiang Shuyao kneads the noodles unhurriedly, with a consistent rhythm and smooth movements. The dough becomes soft, uniform, and light under her hands.
Obviously, it is very monotonous and boring, but her smooth movements attracted Zhou-shi, and she gradually became fascinated.
One of her legs was injured, and she can only stand with one leg. After standing for a long time, inevitably, her leg will be sore. Even then, she still endures the pain and stands next to Jiang Shuyao while silently sighing, "You are really amazing."
Jiang Shuyao said with a smile, "It's just kneading a dough."
Seeing that the dough was almost done, Jiang Shuyao shaped the dough, picked up an arc-shaped cutter, held the dough with her left hand while holding the knife in her right hand, and began to cut the noodles.
With dexterous force of her wrist, the knife's tip separates the dough like flying fallen leaves. With a bright white arc in the air, each piece followed by one another fallen into the pot.
The boiling water in the pot creates a whirlpool of noodles. It is really beautiful.
Zhou-shi's eyes shined brightly, and she praised, "Third sister-in-law, I didn't expect you to be so good at swordsmanship."
"What kind of swordsmanship is this? This is just a knife technique." Jiang Shuyao was amused.
This novel is hosted on pure tl. com / do not repost or steal!
Zhou-shi didn't care about these differences. Seeing Jiang Shuyao skillfully cutting the noodles, the knife creating blurred shadow, and her neat technique, she was itchy.
She couldn't help but said, "Can you let me try?"
Jiang Shuyao paused and turned her head to see Zhou-shi, eager to try with an agitated expression. She hesitantly handed the knife to her.
Zhou-shi took the knife and stood limping in front of the stone, leaning her crutches against her armpits and holding up the dough.
"Be careful, don't hurt yourself," she reminded.
Zhou-shi hadn't had such a great interest in foreign objects for a long time. At this time, she was full of interest. Hearing Jiang Shuyao's reminder, she showed a somewhat ostentatious gesture, raised her eyebrows, and smiled, "This knife can hurt me?"
As she said, she made a fancy movement. The knife quickly spun out of her palm. With a flick of her wrist, the spinning blade immediately stopped, and she happened to hold the handle of the knife.
Jiang Shuyao rarely saw her with such a vivid appearance. She was infected with her childishness, raised her hands, and applauded, "Awesome."
Zhou-shi smiled more happily. She weighed the dough on her hand to feel it, lifted the knife, and started to cut the noodles.
Jiang Shuyao was originally just playing around with Zhou-shi and didn't think she could get started right away. After all, cutting noodles requires a lot of practice to make it perfect. As a result, she was immediately dumbfounded when Zhou-shi took the knife.
Zhou-shi's speed was faster than her own, and the white hand-cut noodles flew down in a line. Her strength is even, and the knife is stable. Generally, only skilled chefs can have this skill.
Zhou-shi finished cutting the dough and clapped her hands, "How is it?"
Jiang Shuyao swallowed her saliva and said, "Second sister-in-law, you are amazing."
Zhou-shi triumphantly said, "Using a knife is my unique skill. When I killed a barbarian for the first time, I used a knife—"
Speaking of this, she immediately stopped and looked at Jiang Shuyao nervously.
But Jiang Shuyao did not show the disgust and dismay as she imagined. Instead, she blinked and looked at her, very curious, "Was it before? Second sister-in-law, when I finish the noodles, you have to tell me. We will talk while eating."
Zhou-shi was stunned and saw Jiang Shuyao's clear eyes.
At that moment, she suddenly felt a sense of openness. Those restless, low self-esteem and panic all disappeared under Jiang Shuyao's benevolent eyes.
She burst into a bright and hearty smile, nodded, and said, "Okay!"
＊
There are many toppings for hand-cut noodles, such as meat sauce, sour soup, eggplant and minced meat, etc. Unlike normal noodles, where people are more accustomed to using broth as toppings.
What Jiang Shuyao made today is the simplest pork sauce. The red sauce is covered with a light layer of red oil, while the bean paste is very fragrant. The minced meat is chopped and piled up in the stew.
She poured a large spoonful of steaming broth on the cut noodles. The snow-white cut noodles are stained with a red oil color, but the soup is concentrated but not thick. She sprinkled green onion and coriander on top and put them on the table.
The sliced noodles are shaped like willow leaves, with a smooth and tender appearance, thick and chewy inside. The noodles are soaked in the soup. The noodles fragrance blended into the soup, and the noodles absorb the soup's aroma.
The minced meat sauce and the sliced noodles are entangled together. When they are stirred together, there will be a sticky sound. The sauce's aroma dissipates in the air with the heat, making people suddenly feel empty in the stomach. There is an urgent need to eat these warm meat-flavored hand-cut noodles for comfort.
Because she also participated in making noodles, for Zhou-shi, the noodles became more fragrant. She lowered her head and lifted the noodles, the heat flushed her face, and salty fragrance filled her nasal cavity.
The hand-cut noodles are the width of a willow leaf, and they will be entangled when picked up. Once it enters your mouth, the rich aroma instantly encroaches on all corners of your mouth.
The salty and spicy taste of bean paste, the umami taste of soup, and the aroma of noodles, mixed together to form the taste of happiness.
The cut noodles are slippery on the outside, but soft on the inside, soft but not sticky, and very chewy.
She slowly chew the sliced noodles, and feel their wonderful taste, together with the distinct, equally chewy diced meat. The more you chew, the more fragrant the sauce is. The fragrance is refreshing and overflows your cheeks.
After the first bite, she can't stop. Every chopstick must be covered with soup and meat sauce. She took a large amount in each chopstick to fully feel the chewiness of the noodles.
Zhou-shi eats comfortably and happily. After eating, she has forgotten all her troubles and worries. She just wants to go limp and sleep comfortably under the sun.
She suddenly understood Jiang Shuyao's peaceful and casual temperament. If she could also cook with this skill, she would happily cook and eat every day. She would not only feel the satisfaction of cooking by herself but also taste the food. It is happiness. How can she worry about this and that all day long?
Thinking of this, she was agitated, slapped the table, blurted out, "Sister, what do you think of me!"
Jiang Shuyao was wiping her mouth and was startled by her shouting. She raised her head to face Zhou-shi's bright and piercing eyes and stammered, "What, what?"
"Me, what do you think of me!"
Jiang Shuyao didn't understand and replied stupidly, "Uh, second sister-in-law, you are very good, you have a good skill, you are righteous, and you look good--"
Zhou was stunned by her praise, interrupted her uncomfortably to pull her back to the topic. She exuded an aura of excitement all over, "What? What are you saying? I said, you look at me. Am I a cook material? How about I learn to cook with you?"
Jiang Shuyao finally reacted and said, "Of course, if you want to learn, I will naturally teach you."
Seeing her promised, Zhou-shi was so happy. If it weren't for her limping leg, she would definitely rush over, pick Jiang Shuyao and spin her in a circle.
She couldn't wait to pull Jiang Shuyao into the kitchen immediately, playing all kinds of kitchen knife routines all over the place. This battle made Jiang Shuyao have to find an excuse to escape, um... the excited second sister-in-law is a bit dangerous.
So Jiang Shuyao just went to the second branch to make a meal, but she somehow got an apprentice after returning.
Due to Zhou-shi's excitement, Jiang Shuyao couldn't stand it anymore. She didn't dare to cook at her place at night, so she could only eat dinner prepared by the main kitchen.
After Xie Xun returned, he saw the familiar food on the table. He drooped his shoulders languidly.
After he was happy for dozens of days, he was beaten back to the days before getting married.
Jiang Shuyao was not picky and ate her food as usual. But unlike her, Xie Xun used his chopsticks perfunctorily then stopped.
Thinking of tomorrow's delicious lunch is gone, he is even more depressed and has no appetite.
The old lady sent someone to seal up the kitchen and also left a maid to stay in the third branch to use this opportunity to clean up the messy third branch's atmosphere.
If it were the former Xie Xun, he would be very happy. After all, he likes a peaceful atmosphere, and he is very disciplined. But now, he is not used to it. The cats fluttering in the corner are gone, the little maids frolicking under the corner are gone, and Jiang Shuyao's special patio chair in the courtyard is gone...
On the contrary, Jiang Shuyao adapted well and spent time reading miscellaneous books in the east wing.
Xie Xun walked into the east wing sullenly and saw Jiang Shuyao's leisurely and peaceful appearance. He walked out grumpily, wandering around Duke Xie's mansion.
However, Jiang Shuyao had developed the habit of eating casually for dinner and eat supper. When it was supper time, she was habitually hungry.
She drank a few cups of water to pad her belly and became hungry as she swallowed.
This novel is hosted on pure tl. com / do not repost or steal!
She wanted to fill her stomach with some pastries, but she really didn't have much interest in sweet and greasy pastries.
When people were greedy, they panicked. Jiang Shuyao walked out of the house and unknowingly walked near the main kitchen.
Usually, she just tossed around in her yard for eating supper, and no one can control her. But now, she accepted the penalty and said she would seal her kitchen. If she went to the main kitchen and still tossed around, even if the old madam didn't blame her, she herself didn't have that face.
She looked at the locked main kitchen and planned to leave, but the more she thought about supper, the more greedy and greedy she became. Taking advantage of the dim moonlight, she avoided the passersby and quietly opened the main kitchen's window.
Obviously, it was just a supper, but she felt a guilty conscience.
Duke Xie's Mansion rules are strict, and there will be no one stealing food. So the cook in the main kitchen just locked the door perfunctorily and did not lock the windows.
Jiang Shuyao opened the window and struggling to jump on the sill.
After she returned to the ground, she patted the dust on her cuffs. But when she was about to light a candle, she heard a noise from behind her.
She was taken aback and tried to hide in a panic, but before she could escape, the window was suddenly opened.
Moonlight leaked inside, illuminating Jiang Shuyao's vision, allowing her to see clearly the appearance of the person standing outside the window.
On a quiet night, in the main kitchen barely illuminated by moonlight, Jiang Shuyao inside and Xie Xun outside the window faced each other. The air fell into an awkward silence.
This novel is hosted on pure tl. com / do not repost or steal!
If you enjoyed Serena’s work, buy her a ko-fi! 