self-improvement as a cook

Chapter 4

The method of fried jujube is similar to that of white jade rolls, the difference is that white jade rolls need to be steamed, while fried jujube is deep-fried.Boil water and sugar together, add glutinous rice flour, fine flour, scald until cooked, put it on the chopping board, add a little lard, knead into a pure smooth dough, knead into long strips, divide into several small dough, press thin , wrapped in bean paste fillings, wrapped in sesame seeds after forming, fried in oil pan until golden.

Although the work on the noodle table is delicate, fried sesame dates are considered easy for a chef like An Ran, but the guy at hand is not at all handy. The stove, fire, and oil are all that matters, and this knife is really blunt enough.

From the first day she learned how to cook with her grandpa, grandpa told her that a knife is like a sword in the hands of a swordsman to a chef. A good knife takes care.

My modern knife, from the selection of the base material to the molding and cutting, was completed by my grandfather with his hands. When I hold the knife in my hand, I feel like my newborn child. , will become a lifelong partner, friend.This feeling of intimacy cannot be expressed with words, but can only be experienced with the heart.

I suddenly ran here and became An Ran here, so I don't need to think about my own knife, I will find another handy one when I have a chance in the future, as for this knife, I will find a whetstone to sharpen it later, and I can make do with it , Fortunately, here is the outside kitchen, all the food is cooked by the servants, and they don't pay attention to knife skills.

As soon as An Ran finished frying the jujubes, Aunt Liu handed over a plate with great winking: "Girl An Ran, do you think this plate is ready?"

It is a very plain dish, without any fancy twig patterns, or the common Chinese characters such as Fu Lu Shou, but just the light blue color of the porcelain itself. Although the workmanship is a bit rough, it is also considered elegant, so I nodded: "Willow Auntie chose this dish well, and I am taking advantage of this dessert."

Aunt Liu immediately beamed with joy: "Girl Anran, it's not that the aunt is bragging with you. Now I have no time to spare. When the aunt was a girl at home, among the few sisters in our family, I was the best at matching colors. Let's make a network They can embroider a flower, what kind of base matches what kind of embroidery thread, they all learn from me."

An Ran pursed her lips and smiled: "No wonder the aunt knows how to pick dishes, she is really knowledgeable."

Aunt Liu suddenly felt that her face was full of brilliance. After making these two snacks, Aunt Liu convinced An Ran from the bottom of her heart. Although she didn't know why this girl died once, she has developed the ability to cook, but Aunt Liu It can also be seen that this girl's cooking skills are definitely not ordinary. Although they are two kinds of dim sum, the technique and aura are nothing more than that of a real chef. To get such a capable person The chef boasted, how could he not be happy.

Smiling, she was about to put the fried jujube on a plate, but An Ran hurriedly reached out to stop her: "Wait a minute, do you have white rice paper?"

Aunt Liu shook her head: "We are not a study room, where did we get the white rice paper, besides, it is so expensive that ordinary people can't afford it, but we have pasted windows here, we left some in the spring, I don't know if it will work .”

An Ran nodded, talking is better than nothing, better than nothing.

Aunt Liu went out in a hurry, and after a while brought in a stack of window papers, and said with a smile, "I don't need so much." She picked the middle one, which was flat and white, cut it into a circle, folded it up, I found scissors, clicked and cut a few times, and when I opened it, it was a hollow pattern.

Aunt Liu couldn't help laughing and said: "The window grilles are cut neatly, but it's not very auspicious to cut flowers with white paper, so what are they used for?"

An Ran placed the cut paper on the plate, and then put the fried dates on top: "The dates are deep-fried snacks, even if the oil is drained, there will inevitably be some leftovers, put this on it, you can eat it." Suck off the seeping oil, it looks neat, and it won't feel too greasy when you eat it."

Aunt Liu clicked her tongue: "So there are so many things to pay attention to, but my wife has learned a lot." As she spoke, she caught a glimpse of An Ran's complexion and hurriedly said: "You will get up to work before dawn these few days. I've been busy for a long time, look at it, now I see black and green, go back to the house and go to sleep, don't worry if you explain to the aunt, the aunt will take care of it for you, when you wake up, Let's close the front and back doors of this courtyard, so that we can enjoy it for half the night."

An Ran is also really tired. From waking up to the present, for more than a month, she wakes up at five o'clock and sleeps in the middle of the night to work every day. The meat is really not strong, and the strength is also weak. It is not because I have been exercising so hard this month, I guess the wind will blow it down, and I have to keep exercising in the future, otherwise, I am afraid that I will not even be able to overturn the side pot.

However, sleeping is still secondary. She has to take a shower. In modern times, she will never believe that she will not take a shower for a month. Although she still fetches water to wipe her body every day, it is not comparable to taking a shower. She feels that she is getting dirty soon. died.

Thinking of this, he said, "Ma'am, can I take a bath?"

Aunt Liu was stunned for a moment, she didn't expect her to mention this, and she remembered that in the past month, this girl had worked so hard carrying water and chopping firewood every day, she didn't know how many times she sweated, but after another day, she was still refreshed Yes, it can be seen that he likes to be clean, so he said: "It's not easy to take a bath, so I will ask Liu Xi'er to bring you two buckets of hot water in a while, you can use it accordingly."

An Ran also knows that her request is a little too much. She is a poor girl at the bottom. She has to pray to Buddha if she can eat enough and wear warm clothes. Taking a bath is definitely the most extravagant thing. Having two buckets of hot water is already lucky, remember There was a big wooden basin in her shabby house, mixed with a basin of water, it could barely be used as a bathtub, at present, it could only be like this, thanked Aunt Liu hurriedly, and went back to the house.

Entering the room and looking around, I couldn't help sighing, my predecessor offended my aunt, and my hair fell down, so naturally everything was gone. It's all gone, but there are good things, and it must have been scoured by my aunt long ago. Now the house is really empty, there is no quilt on the kang, just a broken mattress, fortunately, it is spring now, it is not cold, if you catch up In winter, even if you don't hang yourself, you will freeze to death.

Even so, she had to tidy up, at least clean and tidy. She had no time to spare before, but now that she was free, she really didn't want to live in such a messy house, so she just thought about it.

She should be glad that there are no young girls in the outer kitchen except herself. The rest are married servants who have a family and children, so naturally they don't live in the mansion. This small courtyard for the servants of the outer kitchen is just Empty down.

No one lived in it for a long time, so no one cleaned it up, even the weeds in the yard grew tall, and the place was so remote that no one would have thought of it easily, so the unlucky self got a big deal.

An Ran fetched a bucket of water, wiped it inside and out, pulled out all the weeds in the yard, swept it aside, found a broken shovel in the corner of the yard, and dug a hole by the wall. The weeds that have been pulled out are filled in and buried with soil. After a while, it will be the best fertilizer for a pit.

An Ran had just made a plan, and it was impossible for him to redeem himself and go out in a short time. The yard was idle, and it happened to be able to grow some vegetables that were easy to survive.

Just as I was thinking, I suddenly heard Liu Xi'er's voice outside the courtyard: "Sister An, Aunt Liu asked me to fetch water for my sister."

Liu Xier is a handyman in the outside kitchen. She is only thirteen this year. Regardless of her young age, she has a lot of eyes.

An Ran opened the gate of the courtyard and saw Liu Xi carrying two barrels of hot water on a shoulder pole. He was supposed to let him put it at the gate of the courtyard and carry it in by himself. There is a moving job, my sister just calls me, it is my luck to help my sister with her work."

An Ran knew in her heart that this kid saw Aunt Liu's attitude towards her changed, and then he saw the wind and followed Hao Er. Although it was realistic, it was also a way of survival. It would be bad for him to refuse, so he nodded: "Then sorry to bother you."

Only then did Liu Xi'er heave a sigh of relief. It's really hard to say what the fate of this person is. When the girl in front was in Lanyuan, she was careless and mean. It was itchy, but he could only secretly curse the little whore to relieve his anger.

Later, this girl was unlucky, she lost her hair, which is good, and I did not run out of her, anyway, Aunt Liu kept silent, and no one cared about her death.

But who would have thought that this girl would turn over suddenly, Aunt Liu just told herself not to embarrass this girl again, the obedient boss, Aunt Liu respects this girl.

Although she didn't know the reason, Liu Xi'er didn't dare to disobey Aunt Liu, she knew in her heart that even though Aunt Liu was the steward of an outside kitchen, she was not even considered a small grasshopper in this mansion, but it would be very easy for her to lose herself. .

Moreover, although the errands in the kitchen outside are tiring, they may be full, and occasionally they can get some oil and water, which is good for their stomachs. If they go to other places, what will happen? Hurry up to curry favor and help bring the hot water into the house. Seeing that the window paper is broken, his eyes lit up: "The windows are all broken, and the wind will come in at night. My sister is weak, and she will be sick if she catches a cold." .”

An Ran: "The aunt just gave me a stack of window paper, and when I have free time tomorrow, I'll just make it up again."

Liu Xi hurriedly said: "Tomorrow, how can my sister go over tonight? I have almost finished my work today, and I am idle. I will come over and help my sister later. It doesn't take much trouble." Son." After speaking, before An Ran could refuse, she ran away.

An Ran said in her heart that when the time comes, one must have a craft. If she is not a chef, I am afraid I will still carry water and chop firewood at this moment. As for the favor of this kid, it is easy to repay it. I will make snacks later and leave some for him. That's it, let's take a bath first, and think about what to cook for the evening. Although Aunt Liu promised to help me prepare, I have to show my heart anyway.

But what kind of dish is good, suddenly remembered, I just saw some raw pig's trotters in the kitchen, I guess Aunt Liu and the others kept them for themselves, so it would be better to make a stewed pig's trotter, which is delicious and goes well with wine.

(End of this chapter)