Sha Zhu's Rebirth in the Courtyard: Starting with Hitting Someone in the Head

Chapter 19 Seafood Feast

He Yuzhu returned to Beijing but did not go straight home.

He went to a porcelain shop and bought twenty large ceramic jars and thirty ceramic urns. He hired a cart to take them to a deserted alley, unloaded them, and drove away. The twenty jars and thirty urns were neatly stacked in the space.

Back at the courtyard house, He Yuzhu closed the door.

I haven't left the house for three days.

He took out all the abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, dried scallops, and ham from his spatial storage, soaking and rehydrating the rest. With the memories of the successors of the Tan family cuisine from later generations, plus the few Tan family dishes he knew in his previous life, his mastery of Tan family cuisine after three days was no less than that of Peng Changhai in his current state.

Tan Family Cuisine emphasizes "excelling in the preparation of dried goods and mastering the art of slow-cooking seafood delicacies in broth," with the broth being the core of its cuisine.

Three kinds of soup.

Tan Family Broth. Made with old hens (over three years old), old ducks, and chicken fat, simmered over low heat for six hours. The broth is golden in color and so thick it clings to the spoon.

Second soup. The solids from the thick soup are boiled again with water, resulting in a milder flavor, suitable for medium-sized dishes.

Clear broth. This is the true soul of Tan family cuisine. Chicken, duck, dried scallops, and ham are processed separately, and finally, chicken paste is used to absorb all the impurities from the broth.

The soup was as clear as water, but its umami flavor was so good that you would swallow your tongue.

On the first morning, no one in the courtyard thought much of it. Everyone knew the He family's cooking smelled good. But by noon, the aroma was different. It wasn't the usual smell of meat; it wasn't stewed chicken or stewed duck.

It was a scent I'd never smelled before. Rich, full-bodied, fresh, and fragrant. It wafted outwards in layers, like ocean waves, one after another. It drifted from the central courtyard to the front and back yards, the entire courtyard soaked in this aroma.

The children are the first to give up.

Yan Jiecheng and Yan Jiefang, the two children, stood under He Yuzhu's window, sniffling and drooling.

Liu Guangtian, along with the other children from the courtyard, all came. They crowded around the He family's window, craning their necks to look inside. Seeing the pot bubbling and steaming on the stove, and the abalone and sea cucumbers soaked on the cutting board, their mouths watered and dripped onto the windowsill.

At dinner time, families began to eat. On Yan Bugui's table were cornbread, pickled vegetables, and cornmeal porridge. Yan Bugui picked up a cornbread, took a bite, picked up a piece of pickled vegetable, and chewed. The aroma wafted in through the crack in the window. He stopped eating, sniffed, picked up his porridge bowl, took a sip, and closed his eyes.

"What delicious food is He Yuzhu making now?"

Yang Ruihua glanced at him but didn't reply.

Yan Bugui inhaled the aroma again, then took a bite of the cornbread: "It smells so good. Perfect with rice."

Yang Ruihua couldn't help but say, "You're really open-minded."

"What can you do if you can't think straight? Can you go ask for another bowl?" Yan Bugui dipped the cornbread in the porridge and stuffed it into his mouth.

The Jia family home. Madam Jia Zhang brought a pot of stewed cabbage to the table. Jia Dongxu sat down, picked up his chopsticks, and the aroma wafted in. Madam Jia Zhang sniffed, her face falling.

Jia Dongxu picked up a piece of cabbage with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, chewed it twice, and

"Mom, this cabbage...it has no flavor."

Madam Jia slammed her chopsticks on the table: "Don't eat it if it tastes bland!"

Jia Dongxu didn't dare to say anything, lowered his head and ate his rice, still inhaling the aroma.

In the backyard, at Liu Haizhong's house, Wang Caifeng sat on the edge of the kang (a heated brick bed), her eyes vacant, just as she always had.

Liu Haizhong held a bowl of dumpling soup, took a couple of sips, and the aroma wafted in. He looked at the dumplings in the bowl; they were grayish-brown dough dumplings, without a speck of oil.

Wang Caifeng didn't touch her chopsticks. The couple sat facing each other, neither speaking. Waves of delicious aroma wafted in through the window.

Xu Damao was thoroughly enjoying the meal.

That kid has a sharp nose; he came right away the first day he smelled it. He knocked on the door and called out, "Brother Zhu." He Yuzhu opened the door and let him in, serving him a small bowl of thick soup with plenty of sea cucumber and dried scallops in it.

Xu Damao brought it over, smelled it first, and his eyes widened. He took a sip, and it was so hot it made him spit out a loud sizzle.

After swallowing, he held the bowl and drank it down, slurping it down mouthful by mouthful. After finishing, he licked the bowl clean, as if it had been washed.

"Brother Zhu, your skills are amazing..." He gave a thumbs up, unsure of what to say.

He Yuzhu looked at him and smiled: "Alright, come again tomorrow."

The next day was Sunday, and Xu Damao arrived early. After finishing his soup, he didn't leave but moved a small stool to sit in the yard, where the children gathered around. He crossed his legs and, imitating the adults, picked his teeth with a straw stick.

"Let me tell you, even the head chef at Fengzeyuan can't compare to Brother Zhu's cooking skills."

Yan Jiecheng didn't believe it: "That's bullshit."

"Bragging?" Xu Damao tossed the straw aside. "Smell this. Have you ever smelled anything this good in your entire life?"

Yan Jiecheng fell silent.

Liu Guangtian asked, "What did he make? It smells so good!"

Xu Damao lowered his voice, speaking mysteriously: "Abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, and fish maw. Ever heard of them? The Emperor eats them."

The children's eyes widened in surprise. Xu Damao was satisfied and leaned against the wall, basking in the sun.

The cries of children echoed throughout the courtyard. Yan Jiekuang demanded meat and was slapped twice by Yang Ruihua. Liu Guangfu cried until his voice was hoarse, but Wang Caifeng acted as if she hadn't heard him. Liu Haizhong, enraged, slapped them both. The old deaf man sighed and could only swallow his saliva at home.

He Yuzhu was smoking inside the house, and he could sense everything in the Yi family. The two widows, who had no descendants, were also quite tempted.

He left the window open on purpose.

Three days later, the practice ended.

Inside the room were a large vat of rich broth, a large vat of medium broth, and a large vat of clear broth. There were also jars of rehydrated abalone, sea cucumber, shark fin, and fish maw, as well as several kinds of rehydrated dried scallops. He clapped his hands in satisfaction, locked the door, and rode off on his tricycle.

The tricycle's cargo bed was filled with various seasonings. Abalone, sea cucumber, and fish maw, taken from the space, were wrapped in oil paper and placed in the cargo bed, then covered with a white cloth.

Military Control Commission canteen.

He Yuzhu parked his car at the entrance and started carrying his things inside. Chen Xiangqian came out of his office and saw him: "Hey kid, what brings you here today?"

"Uncle Chen, I brought you some dried seafood. Don't worry about wasting it; only a master chef like me could do this. I'll also show you if I'm not just bragging."

Chen Xiangqian laughed: "Alright, let's see what you're really made of."

He Yuzhu went into the canteen kitchen and laid out everything. Old Wang, the cook, was chopping vegetables when he saw what He Yuzhu took out, and he stopped chopping. Abalone, sea cucumber, prawns, pork knuckle, and two jars were still emitting a fragrant aroma.

"Young comrade, you..." Old Wang could barely speak.

He Yuzhu tied on his apron, smiled but didn't answer, and started working. He peeled the large sea cucumber, which was almost a foot long and shiny black, and slowly simmered it in the pot, letting the broth seep in little by little.

Chen Xiangqian stood at the kitchen doorway watching, and several cooks gathered around, craning their necks.

He Yuzhu's hands never stopped. He made deep-fried prawns, peeling and deveining them, coating them in egg white batter, deep-frying them until golden brown, draining the oil, and sprinkling them with salt and pepper. He also made stuffed crab shells, filling them with shrimp paste and dried scallop shreds, and steaming them.

First served was a clear broth from the Tan family, served with finely shredded cabbage. The broth had been simmering for two days, making it as clear as boiled water, and the shredded cabbage was so fresh it sent shivers down your spine.

Chen Xiangqian picked up the bowl, took a sip, his eyes widened, and without saying a word, he quickly shoveled the soup into his mouth with the spoon.

One dish after another was served. When the large sea cucumber was brought out, everyone at the table was stunned. The sea cucumber was almost a foot long, dark red and shiny, and could be easily pierced with chopsticks.

The fish maw in the casserole was still bubbling, the rich broth coating each piece, which trembled slightly. The braised abalone was sliced ​​into thick pieces, each about the size of a small soup bowl; when picked up with chopsticks, it was bouncy, tender, and fresh.

Deep-fried prawns are golden and crispy. Stuffed sea cucumbers are fragrant and delicious. Braised duck is exquisitely presented. Braised pork knuckle with rock sugar is bright red and tempting.

No one spoke. The sound of chopsticks clattering filled the air.

Chen Xiangqian picked up a piece of abalone and put it in his mouth, chewed it twice, then stopped. He chewed it twice more and swallowed it. He put down his chopsticks and looked at He Yuzhu.

"Pillar."

"Um?"

"Your skills are truly remarkable."

He Yuzhu chuckled.

Halfway through the meal, He Yuzhu brought out several bowls of plum juice to help everyone cleanse their palates and prevent them from getting an upset stomach from the greasy food. Strong tea was served afterward.

Chen Xiangqian held his teacup, leaned back in his chair, and looked at the empty plates and bowls on the table. The plates and bowls were clean, and the soup had been soaked up with steamed buns.

Chen Xiangqian took out a dozen or so yuan from his pocket and put it on the table: "The thirty-odd yuan I gave you last time definitely wasn't enough. How much is this meal? Make up the difference."

Several soldiers nearby also took out their pockets and put a lot of money on the table.

He Yuzhu pushed the money back: "I've already taken the money. Consider the extra vegetables a donation to the army."

Chen Xiangqian frowned: "That won't do."

"Uncle Chen," He Yuzhu looked at him, "you can't let down the people's support for the army."

Chen Xiangqian opened his mouth, but no words came out.

He Yuzhu grinned and leaned closer, saying, "Besides, it's not much money. Next time I cook for Lou Bancheng, I'll just ask for more."

He looked at Chen Xiangqian smugly: "Uncle Chen, I wasn't exaggerating when I said my skills, were I?"

Chen Xiangqian picked up the teacup and took a sip, trying to hide his embarrassment.

"You little rascal. Uncle Chen underestimated you."

He shook his head, but a smile played on his lips.

It was dark outside. Inside the mess hall, it was warm and cozy, with empty plates piled on the tables and steaming teacups. The soldiers sat in twos and threes, some still savoring the meal, others whispering about the braised sea cucumber they had just tasted. He Yuzhu packed up his tools and loaded the food onto the tricycle.

Chen Xiangqian stood at the door to see him off, saying, "Take care on the road."

He Yuzhu climbed onto his bike, turned around and called out, "Uncle Chen, next time a soldier gets married, I'll host the wedding banquet for free. You promised, don't forget."

Chen Xiangqian waved his hand.

The tricycle wheels creaked and groaned as they rolled across the ground. The night breeze was cool, and He Yuzhu pedaled the tricycle, humming a little tune.

There wasn't a single star in the sky, but his heart was bright.