vrcanaries Chapter 134 Lotus Leaves Can Also Be Eaten
Chapter 134 Lotus Leaves Can Also Be Eaten
Although Jiang Ziling hadn't drunk alcohol for a long time, Meng Yuanyou's suggestion made him feel a sudden desire in his heart.
The scenes in my memory suddenly came to life: in the past, I would go to the town with my eldest brother to sell prey. Whenever we had a little surplus, we would go to the tavern, order a few greasy meat dishes, a small plate of salty peanuts, and finally drink a bowl of warm rice wine. That refreshing feeling could not only satisfy our cravings but also eliminate all fatigue.
But ever since that serious injury, such simple and pure happiness seems out of reach.
"Okay, Brother Yuanyou, I'll have a couple of drinks with you tonight."
There was a sense of determination in Jiang Ziling's words, as if he wanted to temporarily put aside the bitter past and regain the joy of the past.
The tacit understanding and topics between the two made the originally slightly unfamiliar relationship quickly become warm, and the previous estrangement seemed to be dispelled without a trace by the aroma of wine.
At the same time, in the kitchen, Su Yu, with the help of Aunt Wang, was busy cooking those plump fish with shining scales.
Su Yu cherishes these gifts from nature very much. Every fish scale is carefully collected. She has a plan in mind to use them to prepare delicious dishes with a different flavor.
Then, she skillfully sliced the fish into thin slices, carefully picked out the fish bones, added carefully prepared seasonings, let the fish meat fully soak, and waited for the flavor to penetrate deeply into every texture.
While the fish was marinating, Su Yu began to prepare pasta.
As the night progressed and with so many guests, it was clear that time was running out for rice, so she decisively decided to use noodles as the staple food for this dinner.
Seeing Su Yu scoop out a pile of snow-white flour, Xie Qifen was so surprised that she could hardly close her mouth.
On weekdays, in order to save money, their family usually ate rough flour mixed with wheat bran, and this pure white flour was an extremely luxurious enjoyment.
What moved her even more was that Su Yu not only took out the best food in his home, but also used it in such generous quantities, obviously hoping that every guest could enjoy the food to the fullest without any regrets.
Su Yu carefully noticed that Aunt Wang had forgotten the tip of the lotus leaf when she was washing the ingredients, so she gently reminded her, "Aunt Wang, don't forget to clean the tip of the lotus leaf too. We can stir-fry it later."
Upon hearing this, Xie Qifen's face was filled with surprise, as if it was the first time she heard that lotus leaves could become a delicacy on the table. Her eyes were filled with confusion and curiosity.
Little did they know that in Su Yu's world, every ingredient has its unique value, and although the Jiang family's life is simple, they never lack respect and creativity for food.
Su Yu's question made the air around them freeze for a moment. Her tone was full of joking and confidence: "It's edible, why don't you try it?"
As the words fell, it was like throwing a stone into a calm lake, causing ripples.
Xie Qifen shook her head like a rattle when she heard this, showing both resistance to unknown food and curiosity about new things. She thought to herself that others might have the courage to try, but she had always been conservative and had never thought of incorporating common plants like lotus leaves into her diet, let alone experiencing such a unique way of eating.
Su Yu caught the flash of confusion on Xie Qifen's face, and a gentle smile appeared on the corner of his mouth. He began to explain patiently: "This lotus leaf is not only a delicacy in your mouth, it also contains the gift of nature. It can clear away heat and bring a touch of coolness in summer; it can boost the spirit and make people feel refreshed; it can promote blood circulation and stop bleeding, protecting the balance and harmony of the body; it can remove dampness and regulate the intestines, helping the body to eliminate turbid air. It really has many benefits and is a rare natural medicine."
Xie Qifen's eyes gradually lit up, with surprise and curiosity intertwined: "Is it true? Eating lotus leaves actually has so many benefits?"
At this moment, she seemed to suddenly realize that her past neglect of lotus leaves was like ignoring the treasures around her, which was such a pity.
Su Yu smiled and nodded, with a gleam of affirmation in his eyes: "It's absolutely true, and it tastes very good, you will experience it when you try it yourself later."
Xie Qifen was infected by this enthusiasm and decided to put aside her hesitation: "Then let's give it a try."
Even if Su Yu didn't invite her, she would have wanted to try a few more bites of this delicious and beneficial food.
Then, Su Yu demonstrated her cooking skills. She blanched the ingredients brought by Xie Qifen - potatoes, bamboo shoots, and cabbage - one by one until they were just the right shade of green or golden yellow, arranged them neatly on a plate, and carefully added a few slices of Xie Qifen's homemade sauerkraut.
As the oil temperature gradually rises, dried chilies and Sichuan peppercorns jump into the hot oil. Together with wild onions, wild ginger and the sour sauerkraut, they dance in the pot, making pleasant crackling sounds. A mist mixed with spicy and fragrant aroma instantly fills the entire kitchen, stirring people's hearts.
Next, Su Yu deftly put the cleaned fish bones into the oil pan, stir-fried them quickly, added specially prepared soup and water, and when the soup boiled, he gently slid the pre-marinated fish fillets in one by one until the fish meat took on an attractive snow-white color.
When the fish fillets were fully cooked, Su Yu carefully transferred them to the dish that had been prepared in advance.
Just when Xie Qifen thought the dish was done and was about to praise Su Yu's cooking skills, she saw Su Yu sprinkle dried chilies and peppercorns on the surface of the basin, and then poured a spoonful of boiling hot oil. The "sizzling" sound and the rich aroma that followed instantly stirred the entire space, as if even the air was filled with the smell of temptation.
Even Meng Yuanyou, who was usually rough and casual, couldn't help swallowing his saliva, obviously deeply attracted by the unique fragrance.
The chopped green onions that Su Yu sprinkled at the end were like the finishing touch, adding a touch of freshness to the dish.
This series of smooth operations stunned Xie Qifen, who was standing aside. She couldn't help but secretly marvel at Su Yu's exquisite use of ingredients.
Especially when Su Yu blanched the lotus leaves in boiling water and then quickly rinsed them with cold water, Xie Qifen was amazed by his skill and composure.
What is most surprising is that fish scales, which are usually regarded as waste, are also thrown into the hot soup.
Xie Qifen was full of confusion: "Can this be eaten?" Although lotus leaves are special enough, eating fish scales is an innovation beyond imagination. The strong fishy smell can be clearly smelled even from a distance.
Xie Qifen was full of doubts. After all, fish scales were hard and rough. How could ordinary people chew and swallow them easily? She knew that she was not a picky eater, but she still found it unbelievable that fish scales were eaten.
Facing Xie Qifen's puzzled expression, Su Yu found it very interesting, with a hint of mischief flashing in his eyes: "Could it be that I would treat everyone with something inedible?"