plumnovel Chapter 41 Outside, leaves are falling everywhere; inside, people are eating hot pot!
Chapter 41 Outside, leaves are falling everywhere; inside, people are eating hot pot!
Chapter 41 Outside, leaves are falling everywhere; inside, people are eating hot pot!
The wind in Chang'an picked up a bit of coolness, the sun wasn't so scorching anymore, and the cicadas in the trees fell silent, leaving only a few yellow leaves swirling around in the corner.
Su Mu slammed a copper pot that gleamed with a purple light onto the millstone.
clang-!
The sound was deep and heavy, and it felt substantial to the touch.
This pot is a rare item; it has a large belly, with a piece of smoked meat standing upright in the middle. The inside can hold charcoal, and the outer ring can hold soup.
The system just sent me a picture of a "copper charcoal hot pot," it looks so comforting.
He tucked a few pieces of red-hot charcoal into the chimney.
A spark flew up, and the copper pot immediately began to steam.
Put water in a pot, cut a few sections of scallion whites, add a few slices of ginger, and then sprinkle in two red dates and a handful of goji berries.
That's it.
It was clear broth with no oil whatsoever.
The courtyard gate was pushed open.
"It's so cool!"
Before seeing the person, you can hear that whitish, childlike voice.
Little Sizi shrank her neck and squeezed in. Today she was wearing a thick little padded jacket, looking round and chubby like a lucky doll. Her little hands were tucked into her sleeves, and the tip of her nose was a little red.
Li Lizhi and Fang Qingjun followed behind.
Fang Qingjun was also holding a bulging cloth bag, the contents of which were unknown.
"Su Mu, aren't you cooking today?"
Li Lizhi peeked into the steaming copper pot and frowned slightly.
This pot of boiled scallions and ginger in plain water has no aroma and looks devoid of oil. Compared to the braised pork and lamb skewers we had before, this is far too bland.
"It's done."
Su Mu sat on a small stool and used a whetstone to rub the thin knife in his hand.
Brush, brush.
The blade gleamed coldly.
"That's it?" Li Lizhi pointed to the pot of water. "You want us to drink boiled water to keep warm?"
Su Mu ignored her and got up to walk to the cutting board.
A large piece of lamb leg was placed on the cutting board.
The meat was carefully selected; the tendons and membranes were removed, and it was frozen solid in an ice bath, covered with a layer of white frost.
The knife in his hand moved.
I didn't hear the sound of chopping meat, only the extremely faint rustling sound of the blade cutting through frozen meat.
Slices of mutton flew out from under the knife, so thin they were translucent, with beautiful red and white stripes and intricate patterns.
With a flick of his wrist, Su Mu arranged the slices of meat neatly on the plate.
He stood the plate upright, and even turned it upside down.
The slices of meat stuck firmly to the plate, completely still.
"This meat—"
Fang Qingjun stared in disbelief. Usually, the cook at home would cut meat into small cubes or chunks. How could something as thin as a sheet of paper be called meat?
"The plate stands upright without falling over; that's skill."
Su Mu placed several plates of meat on the table, and then brought over a bowl of washed tender spinach, frozen tofu, and a handful of soaked sweet potato noodles.
But this is not the point.
Su Mu took out an earthenware pot from the cabinet.
Open the lid.
A rich, mellow aroma wafted out slowly.
This flavor isn't overpowering or spicy, but it's extremely potent.
It's as if an invisible hand, gentle yet firm, has seized your sense of smell, forcefully stuffing the rich aroma of roasted and ground grains into your mind.
"What kind of duck is this?"
Little Sizi pulled her little hands out of her sleeves, leaned over the table, and practically put her nose into the earthenware pot. "It smells so good! Even better than flowers!"
Sesame paste.
Su Mu took a long-handled spoon and stirred it in the jar.
The sauce was thick and brownish-yellow, clinging to the spoon almost to the surface.
This is the sauce he spent the whole morning grinding.
Two parts peanuts, eight parts sesame seeds, roasted, skinned, and slowly ground with a stone mill, without adding a drop of water, relying entirely on their own oils to dissolve.
"This is the soul of hot pot."
Su Mu scooped out a large spoonful and put it in a bowl, then added red fermented bean curd sauce, chive blossom sauce, a little bit of braised shrimp oil, and finally poured on fried chili oil and sprinkled a handful of chopped cilantro.
Just a moment ago it was a bowl of yellowish-brown sauce, but now it's a mix of red and green, and the complex aroma explodes out instantly.
Glug!
Fang Qingjun swallowed.
She was originally a noble lady from a prestigious family, and she was particular about the finest food. However, these few times in the backyard of the imperial kitchen, her modesty had long since been exposed.
"sit."
Su Mu prepared a bowl for himself, sat down, and picked up a piece of mutton with his chopsticks.
The water in the pot boiled, bubbling away.
The sliced meat is added to the water.
Once it changes color, it's ready to be caught.
In just a few moments, the originally bright red slices of meat turned grayish-white and shriveled into a ball.
Dip it into that bowl of sesame paste.
The slices of meat were coated in a thick sauce that seeped into the meat along the grain, with red oil dripping down.
Su Mu put it in his mouth.
He squinted his eyes contentedly.
"What are you standing there for? Do I have to feed them?" Su Mu glanced at the three dazed women. "The meat will get old and inedible."
Li Lizhi snapped out of her daze and quickly imitated Su Mu, picking up a slice of meat.
"Up and down"
Su Mu gave a pointer: "Count silently in your mind, and lift it up when you reach the number."
Li Lizhi did as instructed.
The slices of meat tumbled in the boiling water, releasing their pure, meaty aroma.
Dipping sauce.
Entrance.
In that instant, Li Lizhi's pupils dilated sharply.
The lamb is so tender it's unbelievable; you don't even need to chew it hard, it just melts in your mouth with the tip of your tongue!
But the worst part is that sauce!
The rich aroma of sesame is as thick and heavy as a cotton quilt, completely enveloping the slight lingering muttony smell. The salty and savory flavor of fermented bean curd enhances the taste, while the unique fragrance of chive blossoms cuts through the richness, along with a touch of chili oil for added stimulation.
The aroma is so enticing, it's almost melting my heart.
"Ugh!" Li Lizhi covered her mouth, unwilling to swallow.
This smells amazing!
Compared to the previous grilled skewers and spicy oil, this copper hot pot has a more mellow and substantial feel.
This is exactly what we should eat in early autumn! It warms the stomach, warms the heart, and makes us feel at ease!
"Give it to me! Give it to me now!"
Little Sizi was so anxious that she twisted and turned on the stool. The chopsticks in her hand were too long, and she couldn't hold them steady. She tried to pick up some meat, but it slipped back into the plate every time.
"fool."
Su Mu casually picked up a piece of food with his chopsticks, dipped it in the untouched part of his own bowl, and brought it to the little girl's lips.
"Awoo!"
The little rhinoceros swallowed it whole.
Her little face instantly puffed up like a steamed bun.
She stopped talking, her eyes narrowed into slits, and her little feet dangled happily under the table.
"Good seven—good seven duck—"
The little girl's mouth was full of sesame paste, making her speech even more slurred, and a drop of sesame paste clung to the corner of her mouth. "This mud is so good!"
"What mud? This is sesame paste," Su Mu corrected.
"It's fragrant mud!"
Little Sizi stubbornly stuck out her pink little tongue and licked the sauce from the corner of her mouth into her mouth, "More! More! Give me another bite, bro!"
'
Fang Qingjun didn't stand on ceremony.
She prepared her own sauce, but greedily added two extra spoonfuls of chili oil.
As soon as you put a piece of meat down, the red oil dripped down your chin.
hot!
Fragrant!
The mutton was sliced so thinly that it absorbed all the broth and sauce; one bite after another, and you just couldn't stop.
"This clear soup—can it really be this delicious?"
As Fang Qingjun ate, sweat beaded on her forehead, she exclaimed in disbelief, "I used to think that mutton needed heavy seasonings to suppress its gamey smell, but I never imagined that rinsing it in plain water would make it so fresh and sweet."
"The greatest truths are the simplest."
Su Mu tossed a piece of frozen tofu into the pot. "The better the meat, the less you should mess with it. But this sauce is essential."
The frozen tofu had soaked up all the broth, and each bite was bursting with water, so hot that Fang Qingjun gasped for breath, yet she couldn't bear to spit it out.
The courtyard was steaming hot.
The charcoal fire burned brightly, occasionally producing one or two sparks.
Three of the most distinguished women of the Tang Dynasty sat around a copper pot, sweating profusely and with their mouths full of sesame paste.
"Brother, I want that tofu too!" Little Sizi pointed to the white chunks floating in the pot.
"That's too hot, your little mouth can't handle it."
"No! I want seven! I'm all grown up now, I'm not afraid of getting burned!"
Helpless, Su Mu scooped up a piece and put it in her bowl: "Let it cool down before you eat it. Don't come looking for me if you burn yourself."
Little Sizi leaned over, puffed out his cheeks, and blew hard, but he blew too hard and a few drops of sesame paste flew out of the bowl and landed right on Li Lizhi's nose.
"Li! Ming! Da!"
Li Lizhi was enjoying her meal when she suddenly felt a cool sensation on her nose. She reached out and touched it, only to find it was covered in sauce.
"Hehehe! My older sister looks like a tabby cat!"
Little Si laughed without a care in the world, picked up the piece of tofu and stuffed it into his mouth.
next second.
"Wow—! It's so hot!"
The little girl opened her mouth wide and breathed out, her eyes brimming with tears. The piece of tofu rolled around in her mouth, and she couldn't decide whether to spit it out or swallow it.
Su Mu sighed and handed over a cup of plum juice that had already cooled down.
"Should."
Little Sizi gulped down a big mouthful of plum juice, finally calming down the heat. She looked at Su Mu with a pitiful expression: "You're such a jerk—"
Tofu bites—
"That's because you're impatient."
Su Mu then added another portion of sweet potato starch to the pot.
The glass noodles are crystal clear and become soft and slippery after being cooked in the pot.
Li Lizhi didn't even bother wiping the sauce off her nose anymore; her eyes were practically glowing as she stared at the rice noodles.
"What is this now?"
"Wide rice noodles." Su Mu picked up a strand. "This stuff is amazing with sesame sauce."
Li Lizhi tried picking one up.
The rice noodles were so slippery that they were hard to handle. After finally managing to put them in my mouth, they slid right down my throat.
Soft, chewy, and delicious!
Paired with that rich sesame sauce, the taste is simply amazing!