90, Chili Sauce (4 more updates)
After the person delivering the jar left, Xie Zhinuan washed the chili peppers and filled the jar to ninety percent full, sprinkling a suitable amount of salt before finally pouring in well water.
She placed the flat lid on top, then covered it with an inverted lid and poured water into the groove around it, “Silly girl, move to the room next to the hall!”
“Oh!” The silly girl replied, hurrying off to work.
The remaining chili peppers, Xie Zhinuan soaked them all, managing to fill only three jars, but those three would last a long while if used for cooking.
As noon approached, Xie Zhinuan thought if the people from across the way were to come over, she would cook poached eggs to sell to them.
However, it would cost a tael of silver, if they were willing…
In the morning a tael, in the afternoon another, and by the end of the day, a pure profit of more than one tael, quite a profitable deal.
So, when the people from across came over, that’s what Xie Zhinuan told them, and they had no objections.
Xie Zhinuan asked Aunt Chen to cook the poached eggs, three eggs per person, and it took three pots to feed all those guards.
Even the noble young master’s snack was a poached egg.
Silly girl, “…”
Yuanbao, “…”
Xie Zhinuan was really taking it easy.
At noon, Xie Zhinuan thought about having pork and cabbage dumplings, so she called the silly girl to chop the pork while she waited at the door for the mute to pick vegetables.
Meanwhile, she went to turn over the dried bayberries to check their dryness, and figured they could be sealed in jars after two more days of sunlight.
Some villagers also came to sell chili peppers, and she took the opportunity to pre-order some cowpeas and fresh ginger.
It was just that people from other villages also came to sell chili peppers, and Xie Zhinuan couldn’t have asked for more.
She began making chili sauce that afternoon.
Peeling peanuts, roasting and removing the red skins from peanuts, toasting sesame seeds, chopping garlic, washing and cutting chili peppers.
Three large pots were used to render lard, the fried chicken pieces were set aside, then the Chili peppers were fried slowly until fragrant, the cooked chicken pieces were added, simmered on a low heat, and finally, garlic, peanut kernels, sesame seeds, and spices were added, continuing to simmer slowly, careful not to burn the bottom.
The fragrant and spicy aroma spread and attracted quite a crowd of onlookers.
Li Hengyi sneezed continuously, thinking that Xie Zhinuan’s cooking today was really casual.
“Yuanbao!”
“Yes, master?”
Li Hengyi, stroking the jade ring on his finger, “Go tell the Miss Xie across the way to cook properly if she lacks silver, I’ll give it to her!”
“…”
Yuanbao was momentarily stunned.
Was his master… unsatisfied in his desires?
“Master, would you like something tasty to eat?” Yuanbao asked.
Li Hengyi glanced at Yuanbao sharply.
Without a word.
Yuanbao immediately understood, “Master, I’ll go and tell Miss Xie right away!”
Since the young master had his preferences, Xie Zhinuan would surely satisfy them.
“How about rib soup for dinner, steamed fish, fried cucumber, shredded chicken, and stir-fried greens?” Xie Zhinuan asked.
Yuanbao nodded repeatedly.
“Miss Xie, thank you so much!” Yuanbao expressed his utmost gratitude.
He immediately went back to prepare the dishes and brought them over to Xie Zhinuan’s place.
For Xie Zhinuan, these dishes were all a piece of cake.
She’d been busy making chili sauce today and preparing cowpeas, forgetting to make snacks for the noble young master across the way, who had actually started to order dishes.
This kind of thing couldn’t go on, it just couldn’t!
Because of this, the dinner Xie Zhinuan cooked was very lavish, and Li Hengyi’s face looked much better as the dishes were placed on the table, a few hints of joy on his face as he picked up his chopsticks.
Then he began to eat heartily.
Two bowls of rice, most of the dishes were eaten, followed by a burp.
“…”
Li Hengyi was a bit surprised, but his face remained calm as he put down his chopsticks and bowl.
Yuanbao immediately stepped forward, scooping rice and soup, eating the dishes himself, “Mmm, Miss Xie’s cooking is always so delicious!”
It made one want to eat more.
“…”
Li Hengyi gave Yuanbao a look and asked, “How did her chili sauce turn out?”
“It’s ready, but Miss Xie has already poured it into jars, saying she wants to sell it. Master, should we buy a jar for ourselves?” Yuanbao asked.
Chapter 92