The summer is sweltering, people have no appetite, and the owner of Qinghe County seems to be a little ascetic in terms of food, Tao Ti thinks about it, and finally plans to make four dishes and one soup:
Kung Pao chicken, squirrel mandarin fish, sweet and sour pork tenderloin, vinegared cabbage, plus a light and delicious fish ball vermicelli soup.
After the palace staff processed the ingredients, Tao Ti washed her hands and started cooking.
The first thing she made was sweet and sour pork tenderloin. She selected fresh tenderloin and marinated it for a while, then wrapped the marinated tenderloin in batter and fried it in a frying pan. The success of a sweet and sour pork tenderloin is due to the frying process, the heat must be well controlled, so that the frying will not be too raw or too old. The degree of tenderness and tenderness depends on experience.
The second is the quality of the tomato sauce; although there are tomatoes in Dayuanchao, the taste is too sour, so when making the sauce, Tao Ti increased the proportion of sugar. That's the case, when stir-frying the tenderloin, in addition to adding tomato sauce, some sugar and vinegar must be added, so as to make a bright red and thick sauce.
When the dish of sweet and sour pork was poured out of the pot steaming hot, Tao Ti added a layer of green onion and fried white sesame seeds, and the dish instantly became more attractive.
Qinghe wasn't very hungry at first, but now seeing this bright red dish, she couldn't help pursing her lips, it looks delicious.
Seeing this, Tao Ti picked up a piece with chopsticks and brought it to Qing He's mouth, "Come, have a taste."
Qinghe was stunned, her little face flushed.
When she grew up, she hadn't been fed yet.
She shyly opened her mouth and bit down the piece of sweet and sour pork. But she never thought that as soon as she took the food, she would be amazed by the sweet and sour taste.
The tenderloin is extra smooth and tender, and the sweet and sour sauce wrapped around it is just right, not greasy at all, and I even want to serve it with a bowl of rice.
Realizing her own thoughts, Qing He was surprised and surprised, this was the first time she longed for rice.
Tao Ti didn't know what was going on in Qinghe's little head. After she fed Qinghe, she also tasted it herself, and then she was satisfied to make the next dish - Kung Pao Chicken.
This Kung Pao Chicken is a classic Sichuan dish. Although it looks like a bunch of red peppers, it is actually not spicy.
Take the fresh and tender chicken thigh, cut it into small cubes, and stir-fry it with the peanuts in the fryer. After a while, the rich and delicious smell floats out of the kitchen and outside the hall.
Yuan Bao's "meow meow" sounded right outside the kitchen door. Every time the little guy smelled the fragrance, he would stare at the door with a pair of beautiful mandarin duck eyes and cry. Even though it is very greedy, it is very obedient and never runs into the kitchen to make trouble.
"Little greedy cat." Tao Ti glanced up, smiled and told Linglong to feed Yuan Bao some dried fish.
After finishing the Kung Pao Chicken, Tao Ti continued to handle the plump mandarin fish—
The most important test of squirrel mandarin fish is knife skills. If you want to fry the fish beautifully, the angle of the chrysanthemum knife is very important.
Qinghe watched from the side, couldn't help holding her breath, looked at Tao Ti's skillful and neat technique, and then looked down at her own hands.
My hands seem to be decorations...
When a whole fish is wrapped in dry powder and put into the oil pan, with the sound of "stabbing", the aroma of fish and oil is quickly stimulated. After a while, a piece of fish was fried golden and crispy, and it was completely placed on the long white porcelain plate.
On Tao Ti's side, she started another pot, made a thick sauce, added hot oil, and sprinkled it evenly on the fish. At the same time, sprinkled the fried shrimp, green beans, bamboo shoots, etc. on the fish as a garnish.
"Biao sister-in-law, this dish is really delicious." Qing He praised sincerely, looking at Tao Ti with eyes full of admiration.
"It's not only beautiful, but also delicious." Tao Ti said, and started two more pots, cooking fish ball vermicelli soup and vinegared cabbage at the same time.
Qinghe volunteered to serve the food, Linglong dared not let the glass doll-like county master do the work, and hurriedly said, "County master, come here, slave."
Qinghe bit her lips lightly, stood aside with her eyelashes drooping, like a helpless child.
Seeing this, Tao Ti said softly, "Qinghe, can you help put down the table and chopsticks, okay?"
Qinghe and Linglong were both startled, but they had different ideas.
Tao Ti didn't say much, just smiled warmly at Qinghe, Qinghe's black eyes flickered, and she also smiled, "En!"
She went out with the bowls and chopsticks without any shyness, and Linglong moved closer to Tao Ti nervously, "Crown Princess, Princess Jingyang looks at the county magistrate like an eyeball, if we let her know that we let the county If the Lord does things, she will blame you, Crown Princess."
Tao Ti said, "Don't worry, let's not talk about this matter, how does the eldest princess know? Besides, Qinghe is relatively slow, if you don't let her do anything, she will always be polite and will eat it later Not fragrant. A certain sense of participation will make the food more delicious.”
Linglong seemed to understand, but the princess had already said so, so she couldn't say more.
Besides, all the dishes are served on the table, the sweet and sour tenderloin is bright red, the Kung Pao chicken has a strong taste, the squirrel mandarin fish has a unique shape, the vinegared cabbage is sour and fragrant, and the fish ball vermicelli soup is delicious and refreshing.
Tao Ti picked up the chopsticks, smiled and said to Qing He, "Let's eat!"
Qing He responded, and gracefully reached out to the Kung Pao Chicken, picked up a small piece of chicken, and chewed it slowly.
Tao Ti also reached out to Kung Pao Chicken, but she used a spoon to scoop up a large spoonful of it and put it into the rice, picked up the rice bowl and started eating.
Qinghe was surprised, "..."
After Tao Ti finished eating the delicious food in her mouth, she said to Qing He, "Kung Pao Chicken is delicious with rice, you should try it too, one piece at a time is not enough."
Qing He bit her lip, hesitated for a moment, after all, couldn't resist Tao Ti's encouraging eyes, also scooped a large spoonful into the bowl, mixed it with rice and took a big bite.
The salty aroma of rice and vegetable juice is fully mixed, the diced chicken is tender and smooth, the peanuts are crispy and delicious, and the salty taste is the main one, followed by a touch of sweet and sour. a mouthful.
"How about it, isn't it delicious?" Tao Ti squinted like a little fox and smiled, with a little pride in her cooking skills in her tone.
"Yeah, it's delicious." Qing He opened her bright eyes and said in admiration, "Biao sister-in-law, your cooking skills are better than the imperial chefs in the palace. You are really amazing."
The innocent girl's sincere praise made Tao Ti's heart bubbling with beauty, but she still kept a humble face, and said softly, "Try this squirrel mandarin fish again."
Qinghe stretched out his chopsticks, the mandarin fish was fried crispy on the surface, the chopsticks used a little force to break through the shell, and pick up the snow-white and tender fish inside. The crispy outside and tender inside are mixed with the sweet and sour juice, and the delicate taste has a sweet and fruity aroma.
"At first I thought it would be like sweet and sour fish. Now that I tasted it, I found that there is a big difference between the two. The sweet and sour taste is not heavy, and it tastes crispy, fresh and tender but not greasy." Qinghe commented , I picked up two more chopsticks.
Seeing that she stretched out her chopsticks more often, Tao Ti was also happy. After all, for a cook, the best compliment is to eat up all the dishes.
The two ate while chatting, and the relationship also improved unconsciously.
During the chat, Tao Ti also learned about Qinghe's poor health.
"In the year I was born, Rongdi invaded aggressively, and my father led the troops to the front. The Rongdi soldiers were cunning, and divided part of their forces to surround Pingyang City. At that time, most of the soldiers in the city went to the front line, and the rest were Some remnant soldiers and veterans. In order to defend Pingyang City, my mother put on armor and went up to the tower to direct the defense... "
"And then?" Tao Ti asked nervously.
Qing He said slowly, "Pingyang City has a good terrain, easy to defend and difficult to attack. The Rong and Di soldiers could not forcibly attack the city, so they besieged the city and consumed it with Pingyang City. Mother was struggling with them. She couldn't eat well or sleep well. During the period, I became popular. If it weren’t for the experienced imperial physicians in the mansion, they might not be able to keep the pregnancy. After seven days and seven nights of hard work, at dawn on the eighth day, my father came back with reinforcements... "
Tao Ti thought about the scene at that time, and couldn't help but click her tongue, "It's really not easy for the eldest princess!"
Qing He nodded and said, "Yes, I always thought my mother was a very remarkable woman. But she always felt guilty towards me, and felt that it was her fault that made me sick from birth."
Speaking of this, Qing He smiled softly, "She gave me this life and treated me like a jewel like a treasure. I am too late to be grateful, so how can I blame her."
After one meal, several dishes were almost exhausted. Tao Ti ate three bowls of rice, and even Qing He ate two bowls of rice.
The stomachs of the two were bulging, and Tao Ti took Qinghe back to lie down on the couch, and continued to chat with her about the customs of Longxi.
Qinghe has never talked so much like today, as if she has to finish talking for a year in one day, she herself finds it inconceivable.
When the sky was getting dark, the two of them had another soup of snow lotus seeds, white fungus and almonds. The soup was simmered for an hour, and it was sweet and nourishing to the lungs and beautifying.
When it was time to part, Qinghe was still a little reluctant to part.
It wasn't until Tao Ti asked her to come back to play tomorrow that Qing He stretched her brows and left happily.
Linglong looked at the back of the Qinghe County Lord, and then at the Crown Princess who was holding the ingot and masturbating wildly, and felt an inexplicable warmth in her heart—
The concubine's culinary skills conquered the county magistrate's stomach, and she captured the county magistrate's sincerity with her innate gentle power.
It's like she used her actions to make everyone in the East Palace love her, respect her, and support her step by step.
Linglong's eyes are gentle, it is really a blessing for the East Palace to have such a princess.
Tao Ti, who was stroking the cat, seemed to sense it, and when she raised her head, she met Linglong's gentle eyes.
Tao Ti, "???"
What's with that motherly gaze
—
Yuming Hall.
Princess Jingyang leaned lazily on the beauty couch, one of the palace servants pinched her shoulders, and the other knelt and beat her legs.
Seeing Qinghe coming back briskly, Princess Jingyang raised her eyebrows, "It seems that you had a good time in the East Palace today?"
Qinghe walked over and sat down, nodded with a light smile, "Well, my cousin is fine."
Princess Jingyang narrowed her eyes, quite interested, "Oh? Tell me how to do it."
Qinghe then talked about the food, drink and fun in Yaoguang Palace today.
Surprise flashed across Princess Jingyang's eyes, "You actually used two bowls of rice today?"
Qing He nodded, her cheeks flushed, "My cousin's skills are really good."
The court lady serving beside Qinghe added happily, "His Royal Highness, the county lord used more than two bowls of rice today, as well as a bowl of fish ball vermicelli soup, and a cup of snow lotus seeds, tremella and almond soup. The county lord today This meal is worth three meals on weekdays."
Hearing this, Princess Jingyang got up from the couch, patted Qinghe's hand, and said with relief, "Okay, it's good to be able to eat. If you still go to her tomorrow, you should bring more gifts. Since you want to make friends , you have to show some sincerity."
Qinghe nodded, and leaned on the shoulder of the eldest princess like a little bird, with a faint smile on her delicate eyebrows, "I used to think that the palace was a gorgeous but cold cage, but today I know that in the palace You can also enjoy your life here.”
The mother and daughter were intimate for a moment, and Qinghe asked the eldest princess what they talked about in Ganlu Palace.
Compared with her daughter's wonderful experience in a day, Princess Jingyang felt that it was a waste of time to spend an afternoon with Queen Zhou and her daughter.
"Huh, their mother and daughter are really good at calculating, they have calculated you and your brother! What kind of virtue is her nephew? I didn't know when I returned to Chang'an after looking at her nephew? It's just that dandy who provokes cats and dogs, and I will carry your shoes for you." Not worthy!"
Princess Jingyang scolded, "And that Lingbi, I saw your brother last time and was picky about your brother in every possible way, and now I am here to please you again? Hmph, if such a daughter-in-law marries in, will the Duke of Jin's mansion Not to be disturbed!"
After cursing up to this point, she also kept muttering in her heart, Zhou Mingmiao is a smart and scheming person, how could the sons and daughters he raised are so incompetent? My royal brother is not a fool, so it doesn't make sense for two smart people to produce a fool? Really puzzled!
Qinghe didn't know her mother's slander, so she just let her calm down, and said, "Mother, my daughter doesn't want to marry, and my daughter wants to serve her father and mother all the time. My brother also said that if I don't marry, he will take care of me." All my life."
The eldest princess scolded, "Nonsense, how can there be a little lady who doesn't marry?"
She hugged her daughter's thin shoulders distressedly, and coaxed softly, "My Qinghe looks like a fairy, with good conduct and good temperament. Mother will definitely find a good husband for you."
The pair of mother and daughter are affectionate, but the pair of mother and daughter in Ganlu Palace are full of worries.
Pei Lingbi put the teacup on the table unhappily, frowned and said, "Mother, you have hinted so clearly, can't aunt see it? Or does she just look down on me? I'm her niece." , how nice it is to kiss more and more!"
Empress Zhou could naturally see Jingyang's perfunctory, and was annoyed in her heart, and sneered, "Your aunt has always been conceited and protective, in her eyes, her son and daughter are the best in the world, and no one is worthy of them. "
Pei Lingbi pursed her lips, "Qinghe is like that, who will marry? Marry a sick seedling who can't give birth and go back to be a Bodhisattva offering? Let me tell you, it's pretty good for her to marry into my uncle's family."
Empress Zhou said, "No matter what, we have to bring Longxi to our side, marry Qinghe, or marry Xie Yunshi, at least one."
Pei Lingbi's eyes flickered, an idea suddenly came up in her heart, and she whispered in Empress Zhou's ear for a while.
Empress Zhou's face turned red and then pale when she heard this, she frowned and stared at Pei Lingbi, she wanted to scold "such a dirty trick, you, a princess, can speak", but thought that it was her own daughter in front of her , endured for a while, and suppressed the words.
He just said, "If this matter comes to light, I don't want your face, but I want it!"
Pei Lingbi shrank her neck resentfully, "I'll just mention it now."
Suddenly, she narrowed her black eyes and revealed a faint smile, "Mother, if I use this method to take risks, why not use it on Qinghe?"
Queen Zhou's eyebrows moved slightly.
Seeing that she didn't refute, Pei Lingbi hurriedly said, "If it's done, forgive Qinghe for not daring to say anything, and my aunt can only accept the marriage with her nose. If it doesn't work out, Qinghe's reputation will be ruined, so if she doesn't marry Huibiao Brother, I have no choice but to shave off and leave the family to become my sister-in-law. Instead of rushing to get married with my aunt, the queen mother, you and your uncle, it's better to plan in secret... "
She seduced in a low voice, "After that, my aunt begged my mother to marry you. In the future, if Cousin Hui wants to take concubines and housekeepers, it will be arranged by the Zhou family."
Empress Zhou's slender fingers dyed with red Koudan tightened a little bit, and she frowned and thought.
Thinking about the possibility of this matter being done, at the same time, also surprised by her daughter's sinister thoughts—
After thinking about it, she thought it was good for her daughter.
Whether it is in the royal family that is intriguing, or in the back house that cannibalize people without spit out bones, only with more scheming and tricks can we live and work better.