HCB Chapter 161 Hot Pot
Chapter 161 Hot Pot
The two returned to the shop, and Song Jiaojiao began to teach Mu Qing how to cook sago.
"When cooking sago, add it to the pot after the water boils. Stir it at the beginning to prevent it from sticking to the pot and to prevent the sago from sticking together. Cook for five minutes, then turn off the heat and let it sit for another five minutes."
Song Jiaojiao watched as the water in the pot on the small stove boiled, then poured in the sago pearls she had made yesterday. After drying overnight, they weren't quite dry enough for storage.
"But it can still be used to cook sago pearls," Song Jiaojiao said while stirring.
“Sago is difficult to make, so you can have someone make it in advance. As long as it is stored properly, it can last for at least six months, so it won’t interfere with the shop’s business.”
"I've got it. I'll discuss it with Uncle Liu later," Mu Qing nodded.
"Well, our family won't be able to harvest cassava until the fall, so we don't have any extra. We'll have to rely on Xuewen's skills."
Song Jiaojiao currently has cassava from her spatial dimension and cannot take it out in large quantities. Since Wang Hefan was able to find it outside, he must have some elsewhere.
The sago pearls were cooked quickly.
"Rinse the cooked sago pearls with cold water first. At this point, the sago pearls are not yet cooked. You can see that the center of the sago pearls is still white."
Song Jiaojiao showed the sago pearls in the bowl to Mu Qing, and the white center of the sago pearls was clearly visible.
"Just add cold water and bring it to a boil again, cook for five minutes, remembering to stir halfway through to prevent sticking, and then let it sit for 15 minutes after removing it from the heat."
Song Jiaojiao added water to the cooled sago pearls and put them back into the pot to cook.
"Let the sago stay here and let it simmer. Muqing, go and process the milk. I'll go and stir-fry the hot pot base."
Song Jiaojiao smiled as she assigned tasks, then looked outside. The sun was already high in the sky; it would be noon soon.
The food stall opened after 9:30 AM, and just like yesterday, customers were already waiting outside early. As soon as the stall opened, customers flocked in.
After Song Jiaojiao finished frying the hot pot base, it was almost time to prepare for the smooth operation of the hot pot restaurant.
Song Jiaojiao had already prepared the pot and carried everything to yesterday's private room.
Everything is ready, except for the final push.
"Madam, the owner of Sifanglou and Liu Dongjia have arrived," a shop assistant announced to Song Jiaojiao as he entered the shop.
Upon hearing this, Song Jiaojiao hurriedly went out to greet them.
"Brother Xuewen, Mr. Wang, you've arrived! Everything is ready, we've been waiting for you."
Song Jiaojiao led the two into the private room.
Upon entering the private room, all I saw was a table full of raw vegetables and raw meat.
Wang Ziyi asked in surprise, "Madam Song, is this the new food you mentioned yesterday?! It's all raw, how can we eat it?"
"Mr. Wang, please sit down. Let's talk slowly."
Wang Ziyi sat down under Song Jiaojiao's enthusiastic gaze. Looking at the table full of dishes, apart from the tempting aroma emanating from the bubbling red soup in the middle, he really couldn't tell what was going on.
Song Jiaojiao clapped her hands, and Mu Qing led the waiter in to bring in the seasonings that Song Jiaojiao had prepared and placed them on a small square table that had been prepared to the side.
"This dish is called hot pot. There are two key points to eating hot pot. One is the dipping sauce in the small bowl."
Song Jiaojiao pointed to the scallions, ginger, garlic, fried peanut crumbs, and houttuynia cordata on the small square table next to her.
Just then, Mu Qing handed the prepared oil dish to Song Jiaojiao.
"This is the dipping sauce, which is the key to whether the hot pot tastes good or not. Then there is the hot pot base in the middle. A good base is what makes a good hot pot."
"Madam Song, you've been talking for so long, but you still haven't explained... how exactly should hot pot be eaten?!"
Wang Ziyi listened for a long time but was still confused. He just wanted to figure out how to eat this so-called hot pot, especially since the aroma of the constantly boiling red soup in the middle pot had already made his stomach rumble.
He swallowed his saliva countless times during that time.
"Yes, yes, Sister Song, you should tell me how to eat this hot pot. I haven't even had breakfast yet, all for this meal."
Liu Xuewen quickly spoke up, completely forgetting the purpose of his visit today, his mind only focused on the hot pot in front of him.
Seeing their expressions, Song Jiaojiao didn't say anything more. She knew that once they tasted it, they would know.
"Alright, alright, Mu Qing will prepare the dipping sauce for you today. Just tell me what you can't eat."
"I don't eat cilantro, thank you for your help, Miss Wang," Wang Ziyi quickly said.
"Niece, I don't have any dietary restrictions, as long as it tastes good," Liu Xuewen said with a smile.
"This is how you eat hot pot: just put your favorite vegetables into the pot and cook them until they're done."
Song Jiaojiao picked up a piece of pork coated with chili powder with her chopsticks and put it into the boiling pot. The thin slice of pork only needed to be cooked for ten seconds until it changed color before it was ready to eat.
Song Jiaojiao placed the blanched pork into the oil dish. The pork, coated with sesame oil, was fresh, fragrant, tender, and smooth. The oil dish quickly cooled the meat, preventing it from burning her mouth.
The two followed Song Jiaojiao's example, putting their favorite dishes into the pot. Once cooked, they quickly picked them out, dipped them in the oil sauce, and enjoyed the burst of flavors in their mouths – a taste they had never experienced before.
Only one thought remained in my mind: Delicious.
Both of them silently sped up, taking one bite after another without being able to stop.
After Mu Qing prepared the oil dish, she brought in the sago pudding she had prepared.
"Eating hot pot alone can get a bit greasy. Come on, try the sago pudding. It's a new product developed for Banrixian."
Song Jiaojiao asked Mu Qing to serve the sago pudding to the two of them. Only then did Liu Xuewen remember the purpose of his visit today.
Looking at the snow-white sago pudding in front of me, I could clearly smell the milk; it wasn't the kind with tea added.
The teacup comes with a small spoon. Gently stir with the spoon, and the sago pearls that have sunk to the bottom of the cup will be stirred up. The transparent sago pearls are very eye-catching. These sago pearls are even more beautiful than the small glutinous rice balls.
One sip, and the smooth milk flavor paired with the chewy sago pearls is delicious.
"Sister Song, is this the new product after Half-Day Leisure?" Liu Xuewen asked.
"Yes, actually it's best to use coconut milk in it, that way the sago pudding will taste better."
Song Jiaojiao thought that sago pudding would only be authentic if it contained coconuts.
"What is coconut milk?" Liu Xuewen asked, puzzled.
"Coconut milk is actually just coconut. It's made by combining the water and flesh inside the coconut. The snow-white flesh combined with the coconut makes coconut milk."
Song Jiaojiao explained,
"And what is this coconut?"
Liu Xuewen was completely confused.
"It's a fruit from the south; we don't have it here," Song Jiaojiao said.
During their back-and-forth conversation, Wang Ziyi quickly finished all the food on the table.
When Liu Xuewen finally understood, he was about to eat some more food when he looked around and saw that there was nothing left on the table.
"Forehead"
A loud burp came from beside Wang Ziyi.
"You ate it all, leaving me nothing at all!!!"
Liu Xuewen stared wide-eyed at Wang Ziyi in shock. Was this still the reserved young master of the general's mansion?
Wang Ziyi scratched his head, looked at his masterpiece, and said embarrassedly, "This hot pot was so delicious that I couldn't help myself..."