L.F-Hist.Novelist Chapter 96 I'm not even as good as a handyman?!
Chapter 96 I'm not even as good as a handyman?!
Chapter 96 I'm not even as good as a handyman?!
The aroma of meat mingled with the sweet scent of caramel exploded instantly.
Stir-fry quickly until each piece of rib is coated with a bright red sugar coating. Then, pour in a bowl of specially prepared sauce.
One spoonful of wine, two spoonfuls of soy sauce, three spoonfuls of sugar, four spoonfuls of vinegar, and five spoonfuls of water.
The golden ratio.
Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce to a simmer and cook slowly.
After covering the pot with the lid, Su Mu moved a small stool to sit in front of the stove, gently fanning the fire with a palm-leaf fan.
The sweet and sour smell seeped out through the gaps in the pot lid, so forceful and unreasonable that it wafted into my nose.
Little Sizi had already moved her little stool and sat down next to her, resting her chin on her hands and swallowing her saliva repeatedly.
"Potpot—it smells so good—"
"This is what you call fragrant? Once the sauce thickens, it'll be truly awful."
Fifteen minutes later.
Su Mu lifted the pot lid.
The broth in the pot had thickened, clinging to the ribs, making them look reddish-brown and glistening, trembling slightly.
The final step is to reduce the sauce over high heat: drizzle a spoonful of balsamic vinegar along the edge of the pan.
This is called "pot-side vinegar." When heated to high temperatures, the acetic acid evaporates, leaving only the rich aroma of vinegar, which cuts through the greasiness and enhances the flavor.
Remove from the pan and sprinkle with white sesame seeds.
"Try it."
Su Mu picked up a piece, blew on it to cool it down, and then handed it over.
The little ox couldn't wait to open its mouth wide, ignoring the loose tooth, and bit down hard.
In that instant, the sweet and sour sauce burst on the tip of the tongue.
Next came the tender, falling-off-the-bone meat.
There's no need to chew with your teeth at all; just a gentle press of your tongue and the meat melts away, leaving only a clean little bone.
"Ugh!!!"
The little ox's eyes were wide open, and its two feet were kicking wildly on the ground.
"Good! Good! It's sour! Sweet! The meat is so soft!"
She spat out the bone and reached out her greasy little hand to grab the second piece.
"Slow down, no one's going to take it from you."
Su Mu watched her eat with her mouth covered in red oil, then smiled and wiped her mouth. "These ribs are very nutritious, eat more, they'll help you grow taller."
He ate a plate of pork ribs, and in no time he had half of it gone.
Little Sizi let out a burp, then frowned as he looked at the few pieces left on the plate.
"What's wrong? Can't eat anymore?"
"Not tied————"
Little Sizi pointed to the plate, "I wanted to bring some for Father. He's been working so hard these past few days and hasn't had a proper meal."
This girl is quite filial.
Su Mu didn't stop him. He found a clean lotus leaf, wrapped the remaining ribs in it, and tied a pretty knot with straw rope.
"Take this, and don't sneak a bite along the way."
"No way!"
Little Sizi hugged the lotus leaf bundle to her chest; it was warm and smelled wonderful. "Goodbye, Guoguo! I'm going to deliver some meat to Father!"
The little girl, with her short legs, clutched the bag of precious pork ribs and dashed out of the backyard.
Outside the backyard is the Imperial Kitchen.
The Imperial Food Bureau is currently bustling with activity.
Ever since that spicy snack incident, everyone in the Imperial Food Bureau has been severely reprimanded by the Emperor, especially Liu Fengyu, who is determined to turn the tables.
Liu Fengyu stood in front of the large table, holding a kitchen knife, and fiercely pointed it at a fat duck.
"Everyone, perk up! His Majesty hasn't had much of an appetite these past few days. Whoever can cook a dish that will whet His Majesty's appetite will be richly rewarded!"
Just as he was shouting, a crisp sound suddenly came from the doorway.
pat!
A small dark figure rolled in through the doorway and landed right at Liu Fengyu's feet.
Liu Fengyu frowned and looked up.
Princess Jinyang was squatting at the door, looking at the ground with a pained expression.
One corner of the lotus leaf bundle in her arms had come loose; clearly, she had tripped while running too fast, and a piece had fallen out.
"Oops! I've lost so much weight!"
Little Si wanted to come in and pick it up, but when he saw Liu Fengyu's dark face, he became a little scared.
Besides, that piece of pork rib had already rolled around on the ground and gotten dusty, so it definitely couldn't be given to Aye to eat.
"Never mind—it's too dirty—"
Little Sizi pouted, hugged the lotus leaf bundle in her arms even tighter, turned around, and ran away on her little legs.
Liu Fengyu lowered his head.
A piece of flesh and bone lay quietly at my feet.
Although it was covered in dust, its bright red color was still very noticeable.
A very unique sweet and sour flavor, mixed with the aroma of meat, stood out clearly even in the smoky atmosphere of Shangshiju.
What kind of dish is this?
Liu Fengyu bent down and picked up the rib with two fingers.
cold.
The sauce on the surface has solidified and feels sticky to the touch.
He brought it close to his nose and smelled it.
Vinegar? Sugar?
This flavor is too strong.
The cooking methods of the Tang Dynasty mainly involved steaming, boiling, and roasting. The seasoning emphasized saltiness and umami, or the spiciness brought by ingredients such as dogwood and pepper.
This blatant sweet and sour flavor, especially when used on meat, is simply unheard of.
"What a waste." Liu Fengyu snorted, intending to casually toss the food into the slop bucket.
But when he reached his hand halfway up, he stopped.
The lingering aroma, like a hook, lured his appetite.
As the head chef of the imperial kitchen, he had an innate sensitivity to taste. This thing was strange, but—it was indeed fragrant.
For some inexplicable reason, he didn't throw it away.
He found a small knife, carefully peeled off the dusty outer skin, and cut off a small piece of the meat inside.
Put it in your mouth.
Liu Fengyu's pupils suddenly contracted.
acid!
That perfect amount of acidity instantly stimulated saliva production.
Then comes the sweetness.
The mellowness of rock sugar neutralizes the sharpness of vinegar, melting on the tip of the tongue.
Finally, there's the meat.
It's tender, flavorful, and incredibly delicious.
These three flavors unfold layer by layer in the mouth, eventually merging together to create a taste storm unlike anything you've ever experienced before.
Glug!
Liu Fengyu swallowed it.
He stood there, stunned, for the time it takes to drink half a cup of tea.
"This—who made this?"
He remembered that the princess had run from that direction earlier.
No wonder.
No wonder His Majesty disdains the delicacies served in the Imperial Kitchen, yet lingers on the memory of the food made by that servant.
This is not a problem with the ingredients at all.
This is about seasoning! It's about the heat! It's about the idea!
Liu Fengyu looked at the remaining half of the pork rib in his hand, and his expression changed.
"Sugar—vinegar—"
He muttered to himself, put the bone in his mouth and sucked on it, trying to identify each of the seasonings inside.
"It's just sugar and vinegar, isn't it? Our family has been immersed in the culinary arts for thirty years. Are you saying we're not even as good as a little kid?"
Liu Fengyu threw the bone into his mouth, chewed it up, spat out the bits, and slammed the cleaver down on the cutting board.
"Someone come here! Prepare some spare ribs for us! And the best vinegar and sugar too!"
"We refuse to believe we can't make this dish!"
Since His Majesty likes this flavor, if this dish were served from the Imperial Kitchen, would it win back His Majesty's favor?
What that expert can do, Liu Fengyu can do too! And he'll use the best materials to make it even more exquisite and impressive!
"Don't just stand there! Take the wok off the heat! Heat the oil!"
Inside the Imperial Kitchen, the fire roared to life.
>