Chapter 47: Chapter 47: Two Strands of Hair
The fine, soft appearance clearly belongs to Ye Xiaomo.
Zhao Gushen gently removed the two strands of hair without waking Ye Xiaomo.
He took a handkerchief from his suit, carefully wrapped the two strands of hair, and put them away.
Then, he stepped lightly out of the bedroom and closed the door for Ye Xiaomo.
Ye Fei spread plum sauce over the surface of the chicken, which seemed to rotate and bake in the oven.
Taking advantage of the time while the chicken was roasting, she took out the soymilk maker and made some soymilk.
Afterward, she put the cleaned crucian carp into the frying pan, fried both sides until golden, then placed it in the clay pot to simmer slowly with cut tofu cubes added.
The soup gradually turned white, but as the simmering continued, it also began to reduce.
This was when the soymilk came into play.
From time to time, Ye Fei distractedly added some soymilk to the clay pot, making the bean flavor of the soup more intense and the color of the soup increasingly milky white.
Afterward, Ye Fei washed three oranges clean, planning to make Crab Stuffed Orange.
This was her first time making it, uncertain of how it would taste.
Crab Stuffed Orange is recorded in ancient texts and has been passed down, becoming a famous dish, though it’s not commonly seen in restaurants.
Five years ago, she took a recipe from home that included this dish.
However, Ye Fei slightly improved the home version.
She cut off the top of the orange, leaving a little pulp on top, hollowed out the orange flesh, but left some on the peel so that during steaming, the flavor from the orange flesh infuses into the crab meat.
Extracted crab meat, crab roe, and crab innards; added orange juice, orange pulp, rice vinegar, and fragrant snow wine during stir-frying.
Scooped out to cool, Ye Fei then prepared a few greens.
Once the crab meat cooled thoroughly, she placed it inside the orange and steamed it for 10 minutes.
Just then, the chicken was also roasted; Ye Fei repeatedly brushed plum sauce in between.
The roasted chicken now has the refreshing aroma of plum sauce, with a delicious caramelized color on the skin, looking crispy and irresistibly crunchy.
She served the roasted chicken on the table and got scissors ready for carving.
Placed the clay pot with fish soup and greens on the dining table one by one.
Ye Xiaomo had already woken up earlier, and when he found himself lying in bed, he could only secretly curse Zhao Gushen for being crafty.
At this moment, Ye Xiaomo eagerly climbed onto a chair, sitting properly to admire the exquisite and enticing dishes on the table.
Zhao Gushen also noticed how much effort Ye Fei had put into this meal.
When Ye Fei finally served Crab Stuffed Orange to everyone’s eyes, Zhao Gushen showed surprise, "Crab Stuffed Orange?"
Thinking of the culinary empire Zhao Gushen held, Ye Fei was a bit nervous, "Yes, it’s my first time making it. Would you like to try?"
Ye Fei felt like she was showing off acrobatics in front of a master at that moment.
Zhao Gushen managed a culinary empire, and even if he doesn’t cook personally, he is very knowledgeable about food.
Given that he previously went to a wonton stall himself, rather than just sending someone randomly to investigate, it’s evident.
Zhao Gushen takes this seriously.
"Sure." Zhao Gushen smiled, opened the orange lid, and took a bit of crab meat.
The crab meat was warm, mixed with the rich oil fragrance of crab roe and a jelly-like texture of crab innards.
Right afterward, the sweet and sour fragrance of the orange blossomed in his mouth while the vinegar and fragrant snow wine successfully moderated the rich flavors of crab innards and crab roe.
"Hmm?" Zhao Gushen was pleasantly surprised as he felt tiny bursts popping in his mouth.
Zhao Gushen searched within the crab meat, "Is it orange pulp?"
"Yes, I separated the orange pulp into tiny segments, mixed them in, creating a more delicate texture that unexpectedly provides a popping sensation." Ye Fei explained with a smile.
Zhao Gushen did not comment on whether it tasted good or not, leaving Ye Fei somewhat anxious.
Only after Zhao Gushen gradually served a bowl of fish soup for both her and Ye Xiaomo, and later himself, did he taste it.
Under Ye Fei’s anxious but hopeful gaze, Zhao Gushen took a sip.
"Rich with bean aroma, the fish soup is savory and robust yet without a fishy smell." Zhao Gushen’s brows unfurled, his whole mood seemingly dissolved by the soup, "The color of the soup is brighter than usual white."
