Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 82
Tled by Serena Love
Unedited
Chapter 82: Shumai Pocket
After dinner, one reads and writes, the other prepares ingredients. Then when it was late, they each took a bath to go to bed.
Jiang Shuyao remembered Lin-shi's letter and the conversation that they need to have tomorrow, her head was dizzy, and soon sleepiness surged.
When she was in a dream, she suddenly felt something in her hand.
She suddenly woke up and felt it in a dazed manner. Why as if it was... a hand?
Jiang Shuyao blinked her eyes and reacted. Her sleepiness was gone, and she felt helpless and funny.
Since Xie Xun and Jiang Shuyao started to hold hands, they quietly hold her hands every night to sleep. This is really...
She retracted her hand, and Xie Xun was startled. He thought she was asleep before daring to hold her hand secretly, but he didn't know that she was awake.
Thinking that something seemed to annoy her today, it was really not good for him to hold her hand, so he whispered, "Sorry."
Jiang Shuyao was speechless, grabbed his hand and pulled it in front of her.
Xie Xun has been practicing calligraphy all year-round. His hand has distinctive knuckles and long fingers. Because of his sword practice and pen use, there is a thin layer of calluses on his fingers. His hands complement his clear face beautifully.
She took his hand and rubbed it and said, "What's the matter with you? You only know holding hands and holding hands, don't you want to do something else?"
Xie Xun said in surprise, "What else can I do?"
Jiang Shuyao: Do you know that the thing I hate from you the most is you are like a wood!
She turned over, propped up her upper body, and moved her head closer to Xie Xun's face.
The moonlight was hazy like gauze, and Jiang Shuyao could see Xie Xun's eyes widened slightly. His long, clear eyes overflowed with surprise.
"It's okay."
Her mind was hot, and she lowered her head to press his lips.
Xie Xun felt a roar in his brain. His mind is blank, and half of his body was stiffened from numbness, and he didn't know what to do.
He later realized the touch she had left on his lips, warm and soft.
Jiang Shuyao turned over and returned to her side. She squeezed the quilt, pretended that she is "unwell," and closed her eyes comfortably, ready to sleep.
Suddenly, a refreshing cold fragrance came, and she felt a sense of oppression.
Opening his eyes, Xie Xun followed her posture and propped his body on top of her.
His hair was cold, and it hung down gently with his movements, sliding across her cheeks, causing a tickling feeling.
Xie Xun was cold-faced most of the time, but at this moment, he looked extremely distant and deserted, as if he couldn't get close. His thick eyelashes concealed the shattered light under his eyes, and he looked at her with his mouth closed.
"What are you doing?" Jiang Shuyao was completely awake. She seemed to have done something terrible just now.
Xie Xun gasped very lightly, which was very obvious in the quiet room.
Like a feather scratching her ears, Jiang Shuyao felt a thin, tiny electric current passing through her brain.
He said, "Can we do it again?"
Even at this time, his voice is still calm, like spring water hitting a rock, and it becomes more and more beautiful.
How could someone ask such a question in this tone of voice? Jiang Shuyao swallowed, not knowing how to answer.
She didn't speak, but Xie Xun waited quietly. The cold fragrance on his body penetrated into her nose. His scent is like the fragrance of vegetation and the fragrance of ink, which enveloped her whole body.
The surroundings are too quiet, leaving only a ringing in her ears. Jiang Shuyao clenched her hand tightly, and her fingertips are digging at the palm of her hand. With a sticky nasal voice, she let out a quiet, "Yeah."
The sound was very small, but Xie Xun did not miss it.
He got the answer he wanted and moved closer to her slightly. The movements were very slow and stiff. When he got closer, he paused, and then he got closer again and again. It seemed that he couldn't find a suitable posture, and he was afraid that he could not stand it if he got too close.
He felt her nose touching his. It is sweet and soft, wrapped around the tip of his nose, making him feel like he was floating.
He got close enough, and their noses are lightly rubbing together. He finally gathered enough courage and pressed his lips tentatively. This time he felt more intense than last time. Her lips were so soft, and the temperature made him a little surprised. A numb electric current rose up where they touched, which instantly rushed to the scalp and turned into a flow of heat to his limbs.
Perhaps his posture was a little oppressive, Jiang Shuyao shuddered for no reason, couldn't control her breathing. She was panting lightly.
The chaotic and rapid heat puffed on the tip of his nose, making Xie Xun instantly lost in the warm fragrance. He was also panting a little and instinctively and gently pressed her lower lip again.
A strange sensation rose from her lower lip, and Jiang Shuyao let out a shameful "En" sound while her whole body was shaking. She quickly pushed Xie Xun away with a soft hand.
Her strength is so small. How can she push Xie Xun away?
But Xie Xun felt her movement. He quickly stood up and looked at her anxiously.
Jiang Shuyao said nothing, but Xie Xun panicked first.
He hurriedly said, "Sorry," then quickly returned to his side and lay down stiffly.
Jiang Shuyao blushed so red to the point of bleeding. She wrapped herself with the quilt and turned to face the wall without speaking.
Xie Xun was afraid of her anger and did not dare to ask, so he could only wait quietly. He struggled with this kind of fear and anxiety all night, and when he finally fell asleep, there was only a soft sweetness in his dream.
The next day, when Xie Xun woke up, it was still dark. He subconsciously turned his head to her side of the bed, but he didn't see Jiang Shuyao's sleepy eyes. He saw nothing but emptiness.
He woke up instantly from his sleep. He got up from the bed, opened the quilt, put on his shoes and robe, and walked out hurriedly.
He moved too much, and Bai Zhi, who was cleaning up outside, was taken aback. She quickly saluted, "Third Master."
"Where is the madam?" Xie Xun asked.
"Madam got up early and said that she couldn't sleep, so she got up to make breakfast."
Xie Xun was taken aback for a moment and found that he was completely overthinking it. His energy was exhausted. He walked back to the inner room, dressed and combed his hair.
Early in the morning, both of them were weird. Bai Zhi couldn't think of a reason, so she didn't want to say anything. She continued to wipe the teapot on the table.
Jiang Shuyao woke up early today, and when she looked at Xie Xun, she thought of what happened last night. Her sleepiness disappeared instantly, and she got up and went to the small kitchen.
Jiang Shuyao and Lin-shi are both neat and non-procrastinating people. Since they came up with the idea of a breakfast stall, they have set a good day for opening. One is busy buying flours and choosing a cook, and the other is busy thinking about food, hoping not to delay the other party's progress.
When it comes to breakfast, in addition to porridge and pastries, Jiang Shuyao also thinks of the "breakfast capital" in Wuhan, where there is Sanxian Bean Curd, Hot dry noodles, and Shumai wrapped in pancakes.
She woke up early today and started the pancakes and Shumai that she was supposed to make in the morning.
Shumai wrapped in pancakes is a wonderful combination. The pancake is crispy and fragrant, and the Shumai inside is soft and sweet. It is full of satisfaction in one bite. One pancake can stuff four Shumai. It is high in calories, enough ingredients, enough for breakfast, very filling.
After the meat cubes and shiitake mushrooms are sauteed with oil until fragrant, she added a little fresh soybean paste and mixed it with the steamed glutinous rice. Poured into the translucent and semi-creamy mellow broth and finally sprinkled with pepper and chopped green onion. The stuffing for Shumai is ready. The Shumai's skin is rolled out very thin, then put in a large spoonful of stuffing, and squeezed from the bottom. It looked like a small bag, round, and the top is opened like a blooming flower.
She took out the dough fermented the whole night, rolled out a round shape, started the wok, and heated up the oil. When the oil temperature is right, she added the dough and fried it.
Accompanied by the crackling sound, oily bubbles appeared around the dough. She poured in the oil and as if inflated, the dough gradually bulging and swelling, and finally turned into a big and round golden oil cake.
Xie Xun came in at this time. He smelled the scent of oil and wondered, "Is this breakfast? It wouldn't be too good to eat heavy oil early in the morning."
Jiang Shuyao ignored him. At this time, she had to stuff the fried pancake, and she could not move slowly. If the pancake were cold, it would break when touched, and it would be difficult to cut.
After cutting the swollen pancake, a sufficiently large cavity was formed inside the crispy crust. She picked up the Shumai quickly and stuffed them into the cake. One, two, three, four. When all four were stuffed in, then it is time to answer Xie Xun.
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"Isn't the duck meat pastry oily?" She asked, "Shumai wrapped in pancake is just using oil, but it tastes not oily at all. However, it is very filling. You won't worry about getting hungry before lunch."
After she wrapped it in oil paper, she handed it to Xie Xun, "You can taste it. If the flavor and ingredients are suitable, we can sell it. If it is not suitable, I will change it. Anyway, I made it as a test this morning."
Xie Xun automatically ignored the word "test" and received the Shumai wrapped in pancakes. His eyes were bursting with brilliance. This kind of day finally came back, a happy morning meal.
The golden pancake is big, and it is stuffed with Shumai. The Shumai is white, tender, and smooth, and the skin is extremely thin and transparent. The swollen pancake seems unable to hold its shape. He could see the inside through the skin. A faint scent of oil penetrated into his nasal cavity, occasionally mixed with the sweetness of Shumai, and it was warm. As soon as he smelled the aroma, the thought of being too oily was instantly forgotten.
He opened his mouth and took a bite. With a "crack," the crust broke. With the constant crisp sound, the glutinous Shumai was bitten open. The sweet and mellow broth overflowed, and the hot aroma lingered on the tip of his tongue. Later, he subconsciously slurped the broth, the Shumai, and broken pie crust into his mouth, then chewed it down with bulging mouth. He felt like everything will fall out of his mouth if he didn't pay attention.
The Shumai is very tender, and the skin is thin. The glutinous rice is soggy and full of broth. It is mixed with the plump aroma of diced meat and the rich pepper flavor, giving it a sticky rich luster. The broth is fresh enough to reveal a hint of sweetness and plenty of juice. The train of flavor finished off with pepper to erase the pancake's greasiness, leaving only a slight oily fragrance.
The pancake is crispy and oily, the glutinous rice is soft, the diced meat has a rich taste, and the broth is sweet and mellow. All the warmth gathers together and instantly wakes him up for the morning.
The outer skin of the oil cake is crispy. After the Shumai is bitten open, the broth overflows and softens the pancake's inner layer, so it tastes a bit tough. The three textures of waxy, soft, and crispy are perfectly integrated.
In the morning, eating plain porridge and vegetable dishes feels comfortable in the stomach, but eating pancakes and Shumai is a satisfying the stomach and the mouth. The pancake-wrapped Shumai requires a big bite, a real bite, the pancake's aroma, and the rich taste of the Shumai mix together. That is a delight.
"Do you think it can be sold in a breakfast shop?" Jiang Shuyao asked while frying the next pancake.
Xie Xun still has a big mouthful in his mouth, with bulging cheeks, like a hamster in a "flower of Gaoling" skin. He kept nodding his head and said, "Yes."
[T/N: The "Flower of Gaoling" is a metaphor for beautiful things that can only be seen from a distance and cannot be touched. Beautiful things that can only long for but out of reach.
Jiang Shuyao kept filling up another pancake with Shumai, planning to eat it by herself.
Xie Xun said, "Although one is enough, one more will do, thank you."
Jiang Shuyao: ...
She was too embarrassed to explain and only reminded Xie Xun to eat it early and not keep it for later. Then she handed Xie Xun the Shumai wrapped in pancake.
Xie Xun happily took it, grabbed one in one hand, and rode a horse in the direction of the palace.
On the way, he ran into Li Fu and Guan Ying, who bought steamed buns in Jiusi Alley, and also Lin Cheng, who bought duck meat biscuits at Changjiekou. The four of them gathered together and drove their horses to the palace.
As a person holding a bulging pancake-wrapped Shumai in one hand, Xie Xun is particularly prominent among the four.
The point is it looked so delicious even if they were full.
The pancake sounded crusty and crispy, but no one know what it was. It seemed that some soup was squeezed inside the pancake. They could hear Xie Xun chewing from a wide distance. The texture sounds are sticky, soft but crunchy.
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As an official of the East Palace, asking for food on the street is too unsightly! ——Lin Cheng took a bite of duck meat pastry, tears of envy slipped from the corner of his eyes.
Isn't it time to talk to my mother about the idea of proposing marriage to the Lin family's daughter? ——Guan Ying took a bite of the bun... Hey, how come it's all doughy.
Slurp, slurp, slurp—Li Fu couldn't think about anything, but he was greedy.
Hoho, until the day when the Lin family's breakfast shop opened, I would be the most dazzling in the entire East Palace—Xie Xun smugly stuffed his mouth... seemed a little arrogant.
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[T/N: Btw, I just had cereal for breakfast today (and joining the East Palace envious ranks) ToT]
Famous food from Wuhan
Picture: Sanxian Bean Curd.
Sanxian Bean Curd is a famous snack in Wuhan and one of the main breakfast for the Wuhan people. It was originally a special holiday delicacy made by the people of Wuhan for New Year and New Year's Eve, but later it became a common breakfast. The outer layer is made from glutinous rice and bean curd. The color is golden and translucent, bright and eye-catching, the skin is thin and soft. The fried bean curd skin is crispy on the outside and soft on the inside. The fillings could be made from eggs, shrimp, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and meat. It is famous for its unique flavor.
Picture: Hot Dry Noodle (see chapter 43 for more details)
Picture: Normal Shumai (or Shao Mai, or Siu Mai, or Siomay), which is usually served in a dim sum restaurant. In this chapter, they wrapped four Shumai in a pancake. It is a very popular breakfast item in Liangdao Street in Wuhan.
See 3:35 for actual food.
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