Miao Chu

Chapter 359 Crowded

The soup wasn't clear; it was very thick and white, with only tiny specks of oil on top. These specks wouldn't come together for a long time, and they couldn't form a larger drop. It had just been ladled out of the bowl and was steaming.

Even before opening the lid, He Ying secretly took a deep breath.

Compared to ordinary meat broth, this soup has a very special flavor, like dried fish, but not quite, it is more mellow.

—It does have a certain fragrance; it looks rich but not cloying.

Having drunk for half a day without eating much and having traveled all the way here, his stomach was churning slightly. When he saw the cup he was holding, he couldn't help but hesitate a little. He had used two cups of strong tea at the Sifang Pavilion earlier, but it hadn't helped. Would this light tea be effective?

He couldn't help but look up and glance at the soup bowl on the table in front of him.

—If clear tea is useless, then this soup…

But Zhu Jie'er, who was blinking her eyes, didn't hesitate much.

She had been swaying and dozing in the carriage, half-asleep, when the smell finally woke her up. After rubbing her eyes and looking closely, she saw the soup bowl in front of her and smiled, revealing her little teeth. She hurriedly called out "Grandmother," and when the other woman nodded, she grabbed the spoon and started "eating" the soup without waiting a moment.

It's no exaggeration to say that we "ate" the soup.

This soup is packed with ingredients; every spoonful is full of them, containing all sorts of ingredients.

Considering that Madam He was old and Zhu'er was young, this pot of stew was cooked for an exceptionally long time.

The pig stomach was cut into small pieces, about an inch long and two centimeters wide. It was already very soft, but it was the stomach of a large pig carefully selected by Butcher Shen. The fat pig was greedy, and the pig stomach was big, thick and firm. Even after long cooking, it was still not mushy. You could clearly taste the almost bouncy texture, but it didn't hurt your teeth at all. It was very interesting and a feeling that children's teeth had never experienced before.

The dried squid was cut into thin strips. It had been soaked and simmered over low heat until the meat was thick and plump. It absorbed some broth, but due to its texture, it didn't absorb much. When you bite into it, you feel a slight tearing or pulling sensation, bit by bit, but it's neither dry nor stringy.

As Zhu Jie chewed, she noticed that the pig's stomach was sweet towards the end, and the cuttlefish also released a sweetness in her mouth. This sweetness was different from the sweetness of sugar and fruit; it was a fresh, salty-sweet meatiness.

The cuttlefish, in particular, has a sun-dried flavor; even though it's been stewed for a long time, it still has a strong, rich, and savory taste.

When eaten with the soup, it won't choke you or make you feel uncomfortable, it's very easy to swallow, and it makes her face and eyes smile.

"Grandma, this soup! It's so delicious!"

After eating and drinking several spoonfuls of soup, Zhu Jie'er finally found a moment to speak when she had no food in her mouth.

She was a busybody, and taking a moment from her busy schedule, she reminded Old Madam He, "Try it! Grandmother, try it!"

When she looked up this time, she noticed that there was another person sitting next to her, and she was a little taken aback.

"Big brother? What's big brother doing here?" Zhu Jie'er was only confused for a moment before looking around. "Is it seventh brother? Where is seventh brother?"

Seeing her granddaughter darting around, Madam He quickly said, "Your seventh brother is still on business and can't come out right away. Your eldest brother came to bring him something!"

Zhu Jie'er wasn't easily fooled like ordinary children. She greeted He Ying first, then asked what errand He Qi was doing, and why she hadn't seen him for so long. She had saved up a lot of delicious food and fun toys, planning to eat and play with "Brother Qi" together. She was also thinking about going out to see the Mid-Autumn Festival lantern festival together, and whether she could make it in time for Sister Song's new business opening...

Hearing that it was an important task and she would be very busy, she said with a regretful "Oh," and added, "Sister Song just made some new candy, it's so delicious! Big brother, take some back to Seventh Brother, give it to him secretly—he'll definitely love it!"

Just then, Zhang Si Niang brought out three more dishes on a tray.

Zhu Jie'er quickly added, "Big brother, drink your soup and eat your meal quickly—Sister Song's cooking is delicious!"

—They always just use the phrase "it's so delicious" to describe it.

As she spoke, she pointed to the bowl and said, "There are lotus seeds inside, they're pink and delicious! So delicious!"

It was as if they were the shop owner, greeting customers.

Hearing that Sister Zhu was speaking like a child, He Ying obediently took a spoon. Because he felt unwell, he did not serve the lotus seeds, pig's stomach, or cuttlefish, but only drank a sip of soup.

As soon as the soup entered his mouth, he couldn't help but slowly exhale, and then drank several more mouthfuls.

The soup is very thick, even slightly sticky and viscous, which is made from the collagen and fat of pig's stomach. It will stick to the "left and right walls" and "top" of your mouth, but when you put it in your mouth, the first thing you taste is not the meaty taste of pig's stomach, but a distinct seafood flavor, which is clear and thick.

To put it simply, it's not like those thick soups like pig's trotter soup, fish soup, or old broth that make your lips ache. It doesn't have a lot of ingredients piled up inside; the quantity and combination of the ingredients are just right, making it harmonious and clear to drink.

Despite its rich flavor, it's anything but "simple." In addition to the meat and seafood flavors, the red dates, goji berries, and lotus seeds all contribute a touch of sweetness to the soup.

It's very fresh, rich and fresh. The umami flavor of the sea is concentrated in the soup, and it's also blended with the meaty flavor of the pork belly. It's a perfect combination of fresh and rich flavors. But once it goes down your throat, the base flavor of the meat soup quickly comes out again - the meat flavor is still the smoother to swallow!
The more white pepper you add, the stronger the flavor will be. Once the soup is in your stomach, you'll feel a warm, spicy sensation on the back of your tongue and in your throat. But the spiciness is well-controlled, and with the rich broth as a base, it won't be overly stimulating.

He Ying sipped the soup spoonful after spoonful, and soon the soup was all gone, leaving only the ingredients at the bottom of the bowl.

He hesitated for only a moment before someone beside him said, "If you drink sake, sir, it will upset your stomach. You might as well eat some pig's stomach to fill your stomach."

—It turned out that Miss Song had also come out carrying a plate of dishes.

She was wearing a face mask at this moment, and not only her, but the person who served the dishes earlier also had a face mask covering their mouth and nose.

He Ying didn't speak, she just nodded.

He actually has a very good memory, but for some reason, he completely forgot what he had said just moments before, "I don't have much of an appetite." Instead, he simply picked up his chopsticks without any hesitation and started putting pig's stomach into his mouth.

The pork belly is soft and thick, the cuttlefish is not tough but chewy, and the lotus seeds are powdery and sweet. All of them have a soft texture, and eating them feels like eating from the same tree, without feeling separated.

He Ying was used to good food and was not surprised by the soup, but after eating a bowl of soup with plenty of ingredients, he felt that with the pork belly, cuttlefish and thick soup filling his stomach, it was as if there was something in between, warm and moist. The acid reflux he had felt earlier also gradually subsided, and he felt very comfortable.

It's very soothing and comforting.

He couldn't help but glance again at the veil on Miss Song's face, lost in thought.

Why do you all wear face masks?

People need to speak and breathe, and if a little bit of it is exhaled while cooking...

When you get back, you should tell all the cooks and servants in the manor, and even the people who serve the dishes, that they should all wear face masks!

At this time, four or five dishes were already laid out on the table, and Madam He and Zhu'er were enjoying their meal.

After eating the pig's stomach, He Ying went to look at the other dishes. They all looked like home-style dishes, and the portions weren't very large.

A plate of stir-fried loofah with eggs—the loofah is light green on the outside and tender white on the inside, with a lot of milky white broth at the bottom of the plate.

A plate of ordinary green cabbage—stir-fried until it's a vibrant green, glistening with white steam, and looks incredibly tender.

A plate of steamed meatloaf—the minced meat was perfectly balanced between lean and fatty, mixed with a sunset-red ingredient, I don't know what it was, and also had a very strong perilla aroma.

A plate of snow-white fish slices, I don’t know how they were made, each slice half-rolled up, accompanied by stewed lamb in a rich broth and pickled cucumbers cut into thin strips.

Then there was another lotus-shaped container, in the middle of which were several semi-circular and semi-square pieces of food.

The food was larger than dice, with a bright golden-yellow surface, clearly coated in batter and deep-fried. The batter was quite thick, and a small dish of sauce was placed on the side.

My stomach felt better, and then my appetite returned.

He coughed lightly and asked, "How many dishes have you prepared? Enough for how many people?"

This question perfectly captures Sima Ying's thoughts.

Just as Madam He swallowed a piece of loofah, she heard this and almost slammed her chopsticks down in laughter. She then turned to look at Song Miao beside her.

Song Miao then asked with a smile, "Would you like rice, steamed buns, or porridge, sir?"

Before He Ying could speak, Old Madam He said on his behalf, "Serve him some rice!"

Pointing to the stir-fried loofah and eggs, he said to He Ying, "This was specially delivered to me from the south of the city at noon. At this time of year, loofahs from ordinary fields are already too old to be used for washing dishes. Eat up! Good things are hard to come by, and it's a wonder that Xiao Song cooked it so well—it's so soft and smooth, you can eat it with rice, it'll soothe your stomach!"

She was about to say a few more words when, unexpectedly, as a small bowl of rice was served, the person took the bowl and, without any prompting, immediately reached out with their chopsticks.

There was a reason why Madam He praised Song Miao's stir-fried loofah with eggs.

This loofah comes from a greenhouse that specializes in growing out-of-season vegetables. Even though it's past its season, it's still very tender and has no stringy texture. The loofah seeds inside haven't fully developed yet.

Song Miao used a home-style cooking method, cutting the loofah into bite-sized chunks, frying the eggs until they were fragrant and soft, and frying the loofah until it was smooth and tender. The best part was that the two ingredients had completely blended together.

The eggs are golden on the outside and tender and fluffy on the inside, soaking up the broth—this broth is made by emulsifying the juice from stir-fried loofah with the eggs and oil, giving it a unique thick and smooth texture, but not so slippery as to be mushy.

One bite, and the juices and liquid from the egg and loofah burst out together. It's incredibly sweet. The natural sweetness of the loofah and the sweetness of the egg immediately give your taste buds a jolt – look closely, our loofah really can be this sweet!
This dish is perfect with rice. The rice grains are coated in the sweet and fragrant broth, and then they are filled with chunks of loofah and egg before entering your mouth. It's soft, tender, fragrant, and sweet, and you can easily finish a bowl of rice in a gentle way.

Home-style dishes prepared to this standard are truly impeccable.

Even so, He Ying still heard the so-called "Young Lady Song" replying not far away.

"This loofah is definitely out of season; its aroma and texture are significantly inferior. Next year, when it's in season and we encounter good loofah, if the old lady comes again, I'll cook a separate dish for her. Otherwise, making a dish like this will truly tarnish my reputation as a chef..."

Judging from his tone, he was genuinely expressing regret.

—If the taste and texture are already like this, is it really enough to use such a harsh word as "rotten"?

Even though He Ying considered herself strict, upon hearing this, she felt that the cook was being a bit too harsh.

He picked up his chopsticks and ate one dish at a time.

The fish fillets were rich and fresh, and were processed to be completely boneless, which further highlighted the tenderness of the meat. The pickled cucumbers were particularly appetizing. The little bits coated with batter turned out to be crispy fried tofu, with a very thin and crispy outer layer. When you bite into it, you can hardly hear the sound of the outer shell breaking; only the person eating it can feel the crispy and fragrant sensation.

But once the shell breaks, the tofu inside will instantly burst open in your mouth, releasing an extremely thick and tender burst of tofu juice...

What was even more surprising was the steamed meatloaf, which turned out to be filled with crab roe. Crab roe and perilla steamed minced meat—if Xiao Qi were here, she would probably eat two more bowls of rice.
Every dish on the table was delicious.

Unlike her younger brother, He Ying wasn't particularly fond of food and drink, but after trying everything, she suddenly understood why her brother and Madam He were both willing to come to this small eatery.

That's really good craftsmanship.

All the ingredients were used to their fullest potential, with just the right seasoning, the perfect combination of ingredients, and the perfect cooking time. When everything was just right, and the dish was taken out of the pot and put into your mouth, you would only have one thought in your mind.

—This dish can taste like this, and this is how it should taste.

It's a really nice place.

The restaurant was small and quiet, with only one or two people serving dishes. The tables, chairs, bowls, chopsticks and tableware were very clean and peaceful.

The host's hospitality was also appropriate, neither overly attentive nor cold at all.

He Ying was a new guest, but he felt comfortable and at ease during the meal. If he had to describe it in one word, it would be "feel at home".

After finishing most of the dishes, Zhu Jie looked at the small, lotus-shaped bowl and counted on her fingers how many pieces of tofu were left. Once she finished counting, she pushed the dipping sauce dish closer to He Ying and reminded him, "There's sauce! Big brother can dip his food in sauce!"

The dipping sauce is salty and savory with a slightly sweet, sour, and spicy flavor, and it looks semi-transparent.

But seeing her longing look, He Ying refrained from picking up any food and instead said, "Sister Zhu, you eat."

Zhu Jie'er went to fetch Madam He again.

Seeing that neither of the two older ones were eating, she happily ate the rest, then sighed, "Why isn't Xiaolian back yet? Sister Song said she saved some for her too. If she doesn't have time to eat it, will it not taste good?"

He Ying arrived drunk, left full, and carried a large bundle of snacks with her.

He came by walking into the alley, and when he left, he first saw Madam He and Zhu'er into the carriage, and then walked out of the alley on foot, just like before.

As they walked, He Ying looked back at Song Ji's signboard and suddenly asked, "With the food quality of this restaurant, do you think we'll be the only customers tonight?"

Bei Zhi, who was standing nearby, quickly stepped forward to answer, saying, "Recently, because of the steamed buns from the Imperial Academy, Miss Song hasn't been taking any evening business for quite some time. She just said she's too busy and needs to give the restaurant staff a break. Once we have more staff and the house across the street is ready, we can talk about this again!"

She added, "Song's restaurant never had to worry about business—before this restaurant opened, when Miss Song pushed her cart to set up a stall in the food alley behind the Imperial Academy, the queues were incredibly long!"

As the master and servant were talking, the maid Yuhe, who had just left Suanzao Lane, blushed and awkwardly replied to Madam He in the carriage.

(End of this chapter)