CHAPTER 611: EPISODE 325 MADE A PROFIT_2

Hua Xiaomai covered her mouth to suppress a laugh, but seeing Yuhuai staring intently at her, she quickly composed herself and stood properly to the side, daring not to speak again.

Wang Tonghe finally calmed down and turned to pick up the cleaned quail. He first rubbed it inside and out with Shao Wine, salt, and ginger slices. He then stuffed a lump of yellow paste into the belly of each quail and placed them in a clay pot, cooking them with a rich stock until it came to a boil. He then pulled two logs from the bottom of the stove and continued to simmer the quail over low heat.

After completing all this, Wang Tonghe slapped his sleeves with a carefree attitude, turned, and looked sideways at Hua Xiaomai, "What do you think? Still believe I’m fooling you? Let me tell you, this method of eating is so precious—restaurants all over wouldn’t bother with it so casually!"

While speaking, he pointed to the contents of the pot, "That filling, once steamed and laid over cooked egg, doused with boiling water mixed with wheat starch, is called ’Spring Hidden Snow Moon’, a rare and delightful flavor indeed. At first glance, you might think I’ve only taught you one dish today, but in reality, it’s two. Girl, you’ve profited from this! Look, this quail needs to simmer for quite a while. You watch the fire here, I’ll go sort out my luggage. When this dish is ready, you can have a taste, and it will surely make you jump!"

Without even washing his hands, he left the kitchen with long strides.

...

Good food is worth the wait, and no one knew this better than Hua Xiaomai, the cook. Perhaps it was the rich aroma filling the kitchen, but even the waiting process felt full of interest.

She worried about whether Meng Yuhuai would be anxious at home, yet she couldn’t bear to leave. As evening approached, Wang Zhanrui returned from Daoxiang Garden, peeked into the stove quarter, and instantly burst into laughter.

"This dish is my father’s signature, which he hasn’t made in many years. Master, you’ve struck it rich today."

After saying this, he took a deep breath as if reminiscent of old times and cheerfully exited.

At the hour of Hai, Wang Tonghe finally returned to the kitchen.

His appearance suggested he had taken a nap; his hair was tousled, and rubbing his bleary eyes, he directed Hua Xiaomai to take the clay pot off the stove and scoop the quail onto a large plate.

"Alright, now take the yellow paste out of the quail’s belly, and then you can throw the quail away."

"Throw it away?" Hua Xiaomai turned around to look at him in surprise.

While tending the fire, she had been guessing how this dish was supposed to be eaten, and it didn’t occur to her that in the end, the quail would be discarded—no wonder this old master bragged about the dish’s extravagance; even the most affluent restaurants wouldn’t dare such wastefulness.

"All the aroma of the quail has been absorbed by the yellow paste; it is of no use anymore. What use is there to keep it?" Wang Tonghe said impatiently, "Hurry up, don’t you see what time it is?"

Oh, they really treat her like an apprentice!

Hua Xiaomai felt not the slightest displeasure, but instead found it extremely beneficial, and she deftly removed the yolk pods from the quail’s belly as instructed.

After stewing for over an hour, the quail meat had collapsed off the bones, but thanks to the outer layer’s protection, the yolk pods remained intact. The deep-fried tofu skin had thoroughly absorbed the soup, becoming translucent and slightly yellow, with hints of green, black, and a touch of red visible within. When lit by the lamp, they shone like crystals, looking very charming.

"Want to try?" Wang Tonghe said with pride, raising an eyebrow.

Hua Xiaomai indeed picked up a yolk pod to her mouth and cautiously took a bite.

Instantly, the rich flavorful broth flooded her taste buds, the sweetness of bamboo shoots, the richness of ham, the freshness of leek yellows all scattered in all directions. Apart from these three tastes, the tofu skin had also absorbed the tender smoothness of the quail, without a hint of the bean taste. Perhaps it was due to a thin layer of thousand leaves inside that, despite being cooked for so long, it still had a bit of chewiness, slightly springy, which was indescribably delightful.

A simple yolk pod, because of its ingenious filling and having cooked inside the quail, had turned into a rare delicacy. During the process of chewing, the fresh broth kept flowing down the throat into the belly, and after setting down the chopsticks, a sweet fragrance lingered in the mouth.

The quail had the power to bring such depth and clarity to the flavor of a dish that even if it ended up discarded, it would still be far from a grievous fate.

Wang Tonghe squinted his eyes, looking completely at ease, and said with a laugh, "How about that, I didn’t trick you, did I? I told you, if I’m going to ask for your help, I’d naturally come with some sincerity. Why would an old man like me shirk responsibility? You have a solid foundation, and after watching me make this dish once, you’ll definitely have no problem making it on your own in the future. Now that you’ve learned it, those tiresome cooks in town will be your business to handle, right?"

"No problem at all." Hua Xiaomai, still savoring the taste, licked her lips, "You taught me this dish, I’ll make sure you don’t have to worry about anything else. But... if you’re not planning to attend the banquet, it’s fine for me to send a message to Master Zhao and the others. But why must you leave?"

"Ahem, if I avoid this time, there will be a next time. As long as I stay here, peace will never come!" Wang Tonghe said helplessly with a wave of his hand, "It’s better for me to leave early, so I don’t have to hide when they come knocking at my door. I’ll be leaving tomorrow morning. Ah, it’s much more peaceful in my mountain hideaway!"

Hua Xiaomai nodded in understanding, but couldn’t help glancing at the dish again, and with a smile, she said, "Could I perhaps..."

"Want to take some back for your family to try?" Wang Tonghe understood her intentions and chuckled, "Go ahead, this dish is suitable for both the elderly and children. Even if you are nursing a baby currently, eating a couple more won’t hurt. Hurry home, since it’s gotten so late, your husband must be worried."

"Then tomorrow morning, I’ll see you off!"

Hua Xiaomai immediately stood up, filled a food container with the remaining yolk pods, and held it tightly in her arms. She turned back, smiled at Wang Tonghe, and ran off without a trace. (To be continued. If you like this work, please come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation ticket and monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)