Quick Transmigration: The Supporting Female Lead Stays Out of It - Chapter 21: Chef 20

Tang Jiu craned his neck to look into the earthenware pot, but was pushed away by Lin Dan, who also quipped, “Take it easy, don’t fall in, or else I’ll braise you in there too.”

Tang Jiu was amused and looked at her intently: “The soup you make is completely different from the soup others make.”

Lin Dan said slowly: “The ‘Spring and Autumn Annals of Master Lü · The Original Flavor Chapter’ says: ‘The essence of all flavors begins with water; five flavors, three ingredients, nine boilings, nine changes… then the ultimate flavor is achieved.’ My three pots of soup use clear and sweet mountain spring water, secret spices, and South Mountain pine wood. One flavor is added for each boiling, and the ingredients are added nine times. Nine boilings, nine flavor enhancements, finally forming a pot of soup, which is naturally different from others. The flavor has saltiness and sweetness, the aroma has richness and lightness. This pot of brine is made using my self-created ‘Fragrant Flavor Enhancement Method’, which naturally makes it more fragrant than ordinary brine.”

Lin Dan put the retrieved chicken, duck, and pork knuckles into a food box, and also sliced the large pieces of streaky pork, along with the dipping sauce, and continued, “The brine is still best when it’s old, so fresh ingredients must be constantly added. You can take these cooked things back and enjoy them slowly. Consider it as a thank you for taking care of me these days.”

“No need to thank me.” Tang Jiu was polite on the surface, but his hands reached out honestly, took the food box, and finally said, “I remember you also put pig skin in to cook before, but I don’t see it?” The braised pig skin was also one of his favorite foods, so he had to ask another question.

Lin Dan pointed to the pork knuckles and streaky pork, and chuckled, “See, these pork knuckles and streaky pork have all been deep-fried by me, and the outer layer has formed a crust, protecting the tender meat inside, so it wasn’t boiled into mush by the brine. But the pig skin is fresh, it hasn’t been fried, and after a few hours, it has already turned into a thick gelatin, merged with the brine. Good brine must be fragrant and thick. Where does this thickness come from? It relies on rich oils and gelatins. If I don’t let the pig skin melt, how can I make the new brine taste like old brine? If you like it, I’ll fry the pig skin next time before putting it into the pot, braise it, and let it cool. You can come and get it.”

Lin Dan’s every word was about food, and a simple sentence also concealed secret skills that others wouldn’t be able to learn in a lifetime, causing Tang Jiu to be engrossed in listening. He swallowed his saliva and emphasized, “Then remember to braise a little more pig skin, and I’ll come to get it next time. If you have any trouble here, go to the Ministry of War and find me; I’m on duty there.”

Lin Dan didn’t inquire about Tang Jiu’s identity at all, nor did she have the feeling of being polite to a distinguished person, only smiled and nodded, and sent the person away.

Tang Jiu was disappointed that she didn’t ask, and his expression was somewhat disappointed. He kept looking back as he walked away, his expression complex. When he reached the alley, he saw a few people running out of the casino across the street, shouting, “Why did that fragrance just disappear? Who’s cooking? It’s so damn tempting! Let’s go, let’s not gamble anymore, let’s go home and eat!”

A while later, the people in the entire alley opened their doors to check on each other, their faces full of covetousness. This fragrant brine was indeed extraordinary.

Tang Jiu then carried the food box and slowly walked away, shaking his head and smiling, while the whispers of the passersby behind him continued: “Who was making the braised food just now? Did you smell it? It’s fragrant, really fragrant!”

As soon as he entered the yamen, Tang Jiu saw Zhao Liu and Luo Tietou gathered together eating something, with a hint of sweetness coming from it, which was very tempting. Zhao Liu raised his chopsticks and greeted, “Yo, Head, you’re finally here. We’ve already started eating.”

“You’ve taken Yan Langqing’s food box again? I’ve told you many times, no matter what she says, don’t let her in, and don’t accept her things. Are you treating my words as mere wind?” Tang Jiu’s happy expression was immediately replaced by irritation.

On his table was a delicate food box, the lid already open, and inside were four dishes in jade-white thin-walled porcelain bowls, with both meat and vegetables, of a unique shape. Zhao Liu and the others also received a food box, which contained more dishes, but the arrangement wasn’t as delicate, so it seemed they were specifically bribing them.

As the saying goes, “taking people’s hands is soft, eating people’s mouths is soft.” Zhao Liu and the others often ate the delicacies sent by Yan Langqing, and they couldn’t help but say a few good words for her: “Head, just go along with Chef Yan. You love to eat so much, and you’re also picky. If you don’t marry Chef Yan, who do you want to marry? Even the Imperial Concubine has agreed to your marriage. We can’t even aspire to marry Chef Yan. A wife with such great skills, you can’t find another one even with a lantern. Don’t be so difficult, quickly go and propose!”

Tang Jiu stared at the delicate food box for a long time, and sneered, “Take this food box too. From now on, if she sends anything over, you can eat it, I won’t interfere.”

As soon as everyone showed a look of great joy, they heard the leader continue to say: “Just one thing, the food box I brought, you won’t have any share in the future.”

The food box brought by the leader was certainly prepared by the chef of the Marquis’s mansion. How could it compare to the chef of the imperial kitchen? The few people quickly nodded in agreement, “Okay, okay, in the future, the food box sent by Chef Yan, we brothers will be responsible for helping you eat!” After the words fell, they quickly ran over and took the delicate food box on Tang Jiu’s table.

“That’s how it’s decided.” Tang Jiu bent down, took a jar of good wine from under the table, patted off the mud seal, and poured a cup for himself, then opened the food box that Lin Dan had sent, took out a plate of steaming braised chicken, and then lifted the lower layer, taking out a plate of braised duck, the next layer took out a plate of braised pork knuckles, and the last layer contained a plate of sliced braised streaky pork, sliced extremely thinly, sprinkled with some sesame and chopped green onions, with a dish of bright red garlic chili sauce, the rich and hard-to-describe aroma of the brine permeated, domineering and imposing.

Tang Jiu pinched the chicken claw and gently pulled it, and the entire chicken leg was pulled down, the tender meat connected to the smooth skin, rich juices permeating clear oils. With a bite, the salty aroma overflowed, and it was delicious; the pork knuckles were also stewed soft, the skin would break with a single suck, the soft meat melted in the mouth, but the tendons still had a bit of toughness, and could be rolled into the mouth with a light roll of the tongue, the texture was slightly chewy; the streaky pork was evenly fat and lean, full of sauce, lean had its own chewiness, fat had its own softness, and after chewing a few bites, the juice of the fat blended completely with the tenderness of the lean meat, and then with the spiciness of garlic and chili, the taste was simply exquisite!

Tang Jiu ate a few mouthfuls ravenously, and seemed to have choked. He quickly picked up the cup and gulped down a large mouthful of strong liquor, and then sighed with satisfaction. Feeling that the room was strangely quiet, he raised his head to find that Zhao Liu and the others were completely stunned, their eyes, tinged with green, were staring intently at their own food boxes.

“Get out of here!” He sneered.

“No, Head, where did you buy the braised food? It’s too fragrant! Let the brothers taste some!” Zhao Liu cheekily implored.

The imperial dishes brought by Yan Langqing were all served in exquisite small dishes, the flavor was sweet and light, and the quantity was also small, and a plate could be finished in almost one bite. It was delicious, but not satisfying. It was not like the Head’s few plates of braised food, which were all rich in meat and fat, the smell of meat was so strong that it was frightening. Holding a chicken leg with his hand, he stuffed it into his mouth and chewed on it, and then drank a mouthful of burning liquor, the taste was so beautiful that it could be heaven! These were the dishes that the rough old men loved to eat, and it was hearty!

“Head, Head, give us a bite, just a bite! We won’t accept Yan Langqing’s things again, really!” Zhao Liu and the others gathered around, drooling over the bowls and dishes. The closer they got, the more tempting the aroma of the braised food, and they almost bit their own tongues.

“Get out of here!” Tang Jiu still used that sentence, ate and threw away the bones, and let the attendant take the remaining pork knuckles and streaky pork home, which could be warmed up as a midnight snack.

Zhao Liu and the others beat their chests and stamped their feet, wailing, and swore to the heavens that they would no longer deal with Chef Yan in the future, and they wouldn’t accept any good things she sent. They begged the boss to give them some braised food to taste. The taste was too overbearing, it almost stole their souls.

Tang Jiu pushed the few people away and went straight to the military camp. Good things had to be kept to enjoy slowly, who would be willing to share it with you?

……

Sleepless night, the next day, Lin Dan got up early, first kneaded the dough, covered it with a damp cloth and let it rise for a while, then boiled the porridge, sliced the side dishes, and prepared to welcome the guests. Most of the servants who had returned to the capital with her had left, leaving only Xiao Zhu and two literate runners. Shaoyao and Du Juan were responsible for helping with the cooking.

“Are we only selling noodles and porridge?” Shaoyao, seeing that the master hadn’t prepared any other ingredients, couldn’t help but be a little strange.

“We need to eat lightly in the morning, a bowl of porridge and a bowl of noodles is enough. Besides, the people who get up before dawn are all working people, and they have no extra money in their hands. Ordering a bowl of the cheapest plain porridge or simple noodles is already the most they can do, and they won’t order dishes to eat. We only sell noodles and porridge in the morning, the guests can order whatever they want at noon, we sell rice, noodles, and dishes, and we will close early in the afternoon and not do business, because there are a few brothels and casinos nearby, and it’s very chaotic in the afternoon and evening.” Lin Dan explained patiently.

There was a wharf nearby, and merchant ships often came and went, and there were also a few escort agencies for convenient cargo transportation. With more merchants from the north and south, brothels, casinos, and inns also increased, gradually forming a unique business circle. The people who got up early in the morning were either stevedores, or boatmen, or escorts, and none of them were wealthy. But at noon, all kinds of people were active, the poor, the rich, the underworld, the white way, the officials or rich merchants who traveled by water, there were all kinds of people, it was a veritable melting pot.

Lin Dan was very satisfied to be able to open a restaurant in such a bustling place, but she didn’t know what the Yan family thought, and they even thought she would suffer a great loss.

Lin Dan smiled and shook her head, and as she saw that it was almost dawn, and the sound of footsteps came from the street, she let Xiao Zhu and the two runners carry the large earthenware pots containing the braised brine out and place them at the door, and put a few stoves underneath, and simmered them slowly over a low heat.

“Untie the cloth strips, lift the lid, and stir with the long spoon.” Lin Dan instructed with a loud voice.

Xiao Zhu followed the instructions, and as soon as he lifted the lid, his head spun, and saliva immediately began to flow, almost dripping into the soup. He quickly covered his mouth, turned his head, and handed the long spoon to another helper, slurping, “Stir it quickly, I haven’t eaten breakfast yet!”

“Me neither!” The helper quickly swallowed a mouthful of saliva, and then began to stir. This stir was quite extraordinary; the already domineering aroma of the brine surged even more towards the surroundings. The narrow alley, the bustling markets, the docks—everywhere was permeated with this scent. It instantly permeated the entire city, making the people nearby restless.