Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 75
Tled by Serena Love
Unedited
Chapter 75: Steamed Rice Roll
When Xie Xun told Jiang Shuyao that she would get rewards, she didn't care much. After all, ice-making was not a big deal in her opinion, and not to mention the rewards would be nothing more than gold and silver jewelry. She didn't lack any of it.
But she had obviously guessed the direction wrong, as Xie Xun came back empty-handed.
Jiang Shuyao, who didn't care about rewards, became interested. She was curious about what Xie Xun and the prince talked about and the results. So when they were lying in bed at night, she asked him.
Xie Xun understood her confusion and explained, "The prince remembers your credit and owe you a favor."
The lights were turned off at night, so Jiang Shuyao couldn't see Xie Xun's expression clearly. When he spoke, his tone had always been flat. At this moment, he sounds unpredictable.
Jiang Shuyao puzzled, "What does this mean?"
Xie Xun said, "It is just in case there are any trouble."
"It seems like we will cause some trouble in the future." Jiang Shuyao muttered.
Xie Xun chuckled and turned to look at her.
Because of the dark light, Xie Xun felt a lot more comfortable facing Jiang Shuyao.
"It's not us who will cause the trouble. It's you." Xie Xun corrected her and then his tone was stained with a smile, "So you have to think about it."
"Me?" Jiang Shuyao was not convinced, "What trouble can I cause?"
Xie Xun was silent for a moment and said, "Before, you persuaded your mother to open a restaurant, saying that it was to arouse mother-in-law's fighting spirit and make her life a little more comfortable. Is that really the case?"
Jiang Shuyao was dumbfounded for a moment, "I did think so at the time."
"What about now?"
Jiang Shuyao was silent.
"In my opinion, you won't limit yourself just to open a few restaurants in those piers and the street food market. You want to do big business, right?"
These words surprised Jiang Shuyao. She was inexplicably distressed and irritated. She said in a dull voice, "I don't know. Why do you seem to know me better than myself?"
Xie Xun was amused by her complaining tone, did not refute, but said warmly, "It's okay, think slowly. The days are still long. I promised to be with you before, so no matter what you want to do, you don't have to worry. Nowadays, the street food market business is booming, so it is eye-catching. If it is bigger in the future, I am afraid that trouble will come to our door."
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Jiang Shuyao also understands this truth, "I understand. After all, it's taking the business from other people who are also in the food industry."
Hearing her tone down, Xie Xun quickly changed his words to persuade her, "I just want to plan ahead first. Maybe it's just my unreasonable worry. Don't worry too much. Go to sleep."
Jiang Shuyao was quite convinced by Xie Xun. After Xie Xun said this, she felt more at ease.
She stared at the ceiling of the bed for a while, then turned to Xie Xun and said, "Thank you."
"No need to say thanks. Husband and wife are one, let alone I had promised you." He was referring to what he said during the confession that day.
Jiang Shuyao's entanglement disappeared, turning into strands of honey and warmth.
She stretched out her hand, found Xie Xun's hand, and gently hooked his finger.
Xie Xun stiffened and dared not move.
Jiang Shuyao didn't know the violent fluctuations in his heart. She felt that he hadn't moved his hand, so she closed her eyes and fell asleep.
Her fingers were slender and soft, and her fingertips were warm and smooth as warm jade. Xie Xun's heart was beating hard. After hearing her breathing ease, he became less nervous.
He then remembered that it was late, he had to go to bed quickly. He quickly closed his eyes, but he didn't expect to sleep more sweetly tonight.
The next day, when Zhou-shi came to see Jiang Shuyao, Jiang Shuyao put aside her entanglement from last night.
Zhou-shi's complexion was good today, with a brisk smile on the corners of her eyes.
Jiang Shuyao's mood also became a lot more joyful, "What is your happy event, second sister-in-law?"
Zhou-shi shook her head and smiled, "It's not a happy event." Speaking of this, she took Jiang Shuyao's hand, "My younger sister, it is all thanks to you. If it weren't for you, I would never have taken the step closer to Ah Sheng, let alone think that I can also make food for her to improve our relationship. She promised me yesterday that I could send food to her often!"
She sighed, "I don't understand poetry, unlike her. I can't talk with Ah Sheng about clothes and jewelry that ordinary girls like, let alone talking about martial arts. I have been worrying about it. But who can think that me, as a mother, can take the first step of being close with a bowl of sweets."
When Jiang Shuyao heard her say this, she was also happy, "From then on, you should go there often, whether it is to deliver food or just to see her. Let's also learn to cook something suitable for children every day. What do you think?"
Zhou-shi nodded, "Okay!"
"Then we start today."
Zhou-shi, who was gearing up, mumbled, "I only went to find her yesterday. If I went again today, is that good?"
Jiang Shuyao glanced at her, and Zhou-shi felt her complaint without a single word.
She immediately put aside those worries, "Go, I will go today." Then she pulled Jiang Shuyao to the small kitchen, for fear that she would be angry, "What shall we learn today?"
Jiang Shuyao thought for a while. Children shouldn't eat strong or pungent food, so she chose one from Cantonese cuisine.
She said, "Rice rolls."
"Rice rolls?" Zhou-shi was stunned when she heard the name. "Does it has anything weird?" She knew that Jiang Shuyao liked to use these weird ingredients for food, such as pig intestines or sheep intestines.
[T/N: In Chinese, this food is called "rice intestine" instead of "rice rolls". Hence, Zhou-shi question.]
"Of course not." Jiang Shuyao explained. "The rice rolls are made of rice."
As Jiang Shuyao explained, she fetched the rice soaked yesterday. She crushed the rice and ground it into a slurry, then added an appropriate amount of water to dilute it. Because the rice slurry is not fine enough, it must be sifted with a filter cloth and then grinded again until the ground rice slurry is very clear and delicate.
Then she added an appropriate amount of salt and peanut oil to the rice slurry and stirred it well. Then she took a flat bottom plate and evenly greased it with oil, poured in an appropriate amount of rice slurry, beat an egg, sprinkled with minced pork, green onion, and diced vegetable leaves. Then she put it in a steamer and steam for two minutes. The rice slurry gradually solidified. After turning into a thin, crystal clear white rice noodle, the plate can be taken out.
The next step is the seasoning sauce. She put soy sauce, sugar, a small spoonful of self-cooked oil to improve freshness in a small bowl and added a little warm water to dilute it.
She pushed the flat rice noodle from the end of the plate with a flat knife. The white and tender rice noodle is separated from the plate's bottom and rolled into long wrinkled strips that resemble pig intestine. Poured the well-tuned sauce and sprinkled with sauteed cooked sesame seeds, the rice rolls are done.
The rice rolls are white and clear, and the white color of the rice rolls is more prominent after being poured with the sauce. After the sauce is poured, it slides down everywhere, giving the rice rolls a dark or light reddish brown mark.
The rice rolls fresh out of the pot are steaming hot. The mist mixed with the sauce's umami, the scent is pure and rich, very attractive.
"Second sister-in-law, try it." Jiang Shuyao handed the chopsticks to Zhou-shi.
After thanking her, Zhou-shi took it and picked up a stick of rice roll. The rice roll were extremely tender and felt like it would shatter with one pinch. However, it was soft and elastic, shaking tremblingly between the chopsticks.
The moment she put the rice roll in her mouth, the tip of her tongue is amazed by the soft and delicate taste. The warm rice roll have the sauce's freshness, the mellow rice taste, which is simple but not weak, but the new fragrance burst out to the extreme.
With a light bite, the soft and waxy rice noodles broke open between her teeth. The texture was extremely tender, with a bit of elasticity and a little bit of tenacity.
The meat and egg inside provide more layers of flavor. The aroma of meat, the refreshing vegetables, the freshness of the sauce, and the rice's sweetness combine together. One bite gives you a feeling of happiness and comfort.
"How is it?" Jiang Shuyao asked.
Zhou-shi nodded hurriedly. After eating the whole plate of rice rolls, she took time to answer, "I didn't expect such simple ingredients and methods could make this kind of food." She praised, "If it is eaten in the early morning, you will be full of vigor and spirit."
Jiang Shuyao smiled and said, "Then you can do it in the morning after you learn it."
Zhou-shi suggested, "If the street food market sells rice rolls, there will be many people patronizing it."
Jiang Shuyao didn't think about business before, but now Zhou-shi suggested it, she thought about it and nodded, "Probably." Street food market has mostly heavy-tasting food, not much light and delicious food like rice rolls.
Speaking of this, Zhou-shi remembered her doubts from before, "By the way, why does the street food market only sell lunch and dinner, but not breakfast?"
Jiang Shuyao told her about her thoughts, "The street food market is meant to be fun, and the food inside is not suitable for breakfast. What's more, if it's early in the morning, who wants to get up early to eat at the street food market? People would eat breakfast at home or on stalls at the side of the road."
Zhou-shi said in a puzzled way, "Then don't sell it in the street food market. The recipes that are suitable for breakfast could be sold in a morning food stall. Do you just want to open one street food market, and that's it?"
This question made Jiang Shuyao startled, and Xie Xun said a similar thing yesterday. It seems that everyone thinks she would want bigger business.
Jiang Shuyao didn't answer this question, and Zhou-shi did not care. Under the guidance of Jiang Shuyao, she made a new plate of rice rolls and went to the old madam's courtyard happily.
Jiang Shuyao had something in her mind, so she didn't stay in the courtyard but took a walk while thinking about future business issues.
The restaurants at the piers and street food markets must be open forever, but should she open any restaurants in other places?
When she wandered around the house thinking about problems, Zhou-shi had already sat next to Xie Sheng.
In the summer, Xie Sheng would read a book in the arch bridge's shade every day, so Zhou-shi went there again today.
After she introduced the rice rolls to Xie Sheng, she looked at her expectantly, "Try it quickly."
Since Xie Sheng had agreed to Zhou-shi's offer to bring her food, she would not give her a cold face.
Unlike the twin from the first branch who often followed Jiang Shuyao to flatter her, this was the first time Xie Sheng saw such a novel food.
The child's curiosity prevailed. She glanced at Zhou-shi and picked up the chopsticks under her expectant look.
She ate slowly and took a small bite of the rice roll. Obviously it was just a small mouthful, but it made her eyes suddenly shine.
The rice rolls are smooth, soft and waxy to bite, but not sticky to the teeth. The sauce is pure and fresh, giving the rice rolls a strong fragrance of fresh and slightly sweet aroma. The minced meat and egg liquid inside adds a hint of meaty flavor to the tender rice noodles, delicious and refreshing.
The rice rolls have a very good taste, smooth and tender, and it slips into her throat gently. The soft texture makes people have a warm feeling.
Zhou-shi looked at her nervously, for fear that what she made would not suit her taste.
After Xie Sheng ate a piece of rice rolls, she opened her mouth and said, "It's delicious."
Zhou-shi suddenly jumped up and said, "Eat more if it's delicious. If you want to eat it in the future, ask mother to make it for you."
Her enthusiasm made Xie Sheng a little uncomfortable.
Before answering, she was urged by Zhou-shi to continue eating, "Eat quickly, it won't taste good when it's cold."
Xie Sheng pursed her lips. She wanted to say something but finally gave up.
The rice rolls are delicious, even if she is awkward and uncomfortable, she can't help but continue to eat until the plate is clean.
For people who likes to cook, there is a huge sense of accomplishment when others eat the food they made. Not to mention, it was eaten by the daughter that she wants to get close to most.
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Zhou-shi is happy, and the smile on her face can't be suppressed.
Her happiness was pure. Xie Sheng, who had just finished eating a plate of rice noodles, was infected. She only hesitated for a while and squeezed a not-so-sweet stiff smile to Zhou-shi.
Zhou-shi looked at her strange smile and let it go. After all, she is her own daughter, so she was not worried. Even if her daughter doesn't want to get close, she has to do her best as a mother.
She stopped laughing, and suddenly blurted out, "Ah Sheng, I will bring you food tomorrow, okay?"
Her expression was a little nervous, but her eyes were extremely gentle.
Xie Sheng was a little startled and was silent. Just when Zhou-shi thought she would refuse, she nodded gently and said, "Okay."
A bowl of rice noodles quietly dissipated the embarrassing atmosphere that had been deadlocked between mother and daughter for years.
Jiang Shuyao, who had walked towards them, stopped and watched this scene from a distance. She suddenly understood what she was going to do next.
At that time, doing business was a whim. The most important thing was to make Lin-shi happy. It was also a meaningful thing to open a restaurant and take care of ordinary people, so Lin-shi focused on it, forgetting the backyard's mess.
Lin-shi found a meaning in opening these restaurants, and so did she. For her, opening a street food market brings a variety of modern and rich cuisines to ancient times. Ordinary people can also eat new food and feel the joy of eating, which is completely different from opening high-end restaurants.
Seeing the diners in the street food market eating happily and lively, she will feel a sense of satisfaction and accomplishment in her heart. This feeling will make her want to do more and bring some changes to ordinary people's eating environment.
After she figures this out, she had to complain in her heart. Xie Xun really knew her mind clearly, and he understood her a little bit better than herself.
She said that food could bring happiness and heal people's hearts. So now she wants more people to eat more delicious food, taste more flavors, and taste more style of food.
Xie Xun guessed right. She must do better and bigger businesses.
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