bookcurios Chapter 311 Suzhou Cuisine
Chapter 311 Suzhou Cuisine
"Okay, let's listen to you, old man and not ask for now. Let's ask again when the time is right!" Mother Gu felt that what Father Gu said made sense, so she temporarily agreed to his proposal.
"Well, as long as you agree." Father Gu was really afraid that Mother Gu would not listen to him, so he insisted on going to Du Qiao to find out!
"Old man, what do you think I should cook?"
"Old lady, I don't mean to spoil your fun. You should first see what dishes you can cook at home."
"Yes! If you hadn't told me, old man, I would have really forgotten that I had to consider this..." Mother Gu slapped her thigh in annoyance.
"Old man, go and clean up the eels in the yard. I'll need them later." After giving the order, Mother Gu hurried to prepare other things.
"Mom, what can we do to help you?" Mrs. Gu and a few others squeezed into the kitchen.
"Whoever has pork belly, take it out first to deal with the emergency. I'll return it to you later, or I can give you money or tickets." Gu's mother was worried that there was no food at home! Just then, Mrs. Gu and the others came, so she asked!
"Mom, if I had meat at home, I would take it out without hesitation, but my family hasn't bought any meat recently!" Mrs. Gu was the first to speak out.
"Mom, my family didn't buy meat either."
"Mom, it's the same in my family." Third and fourth wives of Gu answered one after another.
"It's okay. If not, I'll just cook other dishes." Mother Gu knew that they were not lying, so she didn't mean to blame them.
"Mom, I still have a pound of pork belly..." Liu Sandi, who had been standing outside the kitchen and had not gone in, spoke weakly.
When Gu's mother saw that it was Liu Sandi, she originally didn't intend to take her meat, but when she thought that there really wasn't much vegetable at home, she didn't refuse, "If you have any, go get it for me now! I'll go back to my room to get you the money and the ticket!"
"If you guys have nothing to do, help me wash the vegetables or something." After saying this to Liu Sandi, Gu's mother turned to look at Gu Dasao and the others. In fact, she didn't really want them to help her here, she just wanted them to be witnesses in case Liu Sandi denied it later.
"Okay, Mom!" Mrs. Gu and the others agreed in unison, and Liu Sandi obediently went back to his room to get the pork belly.
"Why do you think the second family is so generous this time?"
"Sister-in-law, how can you say she is generous? Didn't mother give money and tickets? The meat is equivalent to being bought from her, and it's not given to her for nothing." Third sister-in-law Gu disagreed with what she said and immediately began to refute.
Although Fourth Sister-in-law Gu didn't say anything, she nodded in agreement. What Third Sister-in-law Gu said was exactly what she was thinking!
"It seems that what you said makes sense, but no matter what, I always feel that the second sister's family has changed. If it were the old her, she might not give out the meat even if you give her money."
"Sister-in-law, you are right. I also feel that Second Sister-in-law has become a little different." Fourth Sister-in-law Gu agreed with what Sister-in-law Gu said.
"Wasn't my second brother arrested and imprisoned for three months? If my second sister-in-law is still the same as before, no one would care about her!" Mrs. Gu pointed out the reason why Liu Sandi changed.
"As expected, Third Sister-in-law is the one who sees things clearly!" Fourth Sister-in-law Gu gave Third Sister-in-law Gu a thumbs up.
"Hehe...I just think that's the reason." Mrs. Gu felt a little embarrassed by the compliment and just smiled foolishly.
Liu Sandi stood at the door, unable to go in or out, and could only stand straight at the kitchen door with embarrassment on her face, because she heard everything they said inside, and what they said was all true.
"Come, give me the meat. The money and tickets are here." Gu's mother came back quickly, stuffed the money and tickets into her hands, and then took the meat from her.
"Mom, consider this meat as my filial piety to you! I don't want your money and notes." Liu Sandi said as he was about to return the money and notes to Gu's mother.
"Just take it if I give it to you. I'm not the kind of evil mother-in-law who specializes in sucking the blood of her daughter-in-law. Although the second son is in jail, life still has to go on. Listen to my advice and live a good life in the future. If you encounter any difficulties, come to me and your father. We will help you in any way we can." Gu's mother had a fierce face, but what she said made Liu Sandi want to cry.
After her second son got into trouble, she went back to her parents' home, wanting them to help her think of a way to get the second son, Gu, out first. But her family knew she was playing dumb when they heard about it, and even drove her out when they saw that she didn't bring anything back home this time.
She didn't expect that her mother-in-law not only didn't make sarcastic remarks to her, but also said these words to comfort her. When she thought of the bad things she had done in the past, she felt too ashamed to stay any longer.
"Mom, I don't want it." Liu Sandi stuffed the money and the ticket back into Gu's mother's hand, then turned around and ran away while Gu's mother was stunned.
"If you don't want it, then don't want it! Why are you running away? Do you think I can eat her?" Gu's mother complained, but she still turned and walked into the kitchen and gave the money and tickets to Gu's wife, asking her to take the money and tickets to show Liu San.
"Mom, what if the second son's family is determined not to accept it?"
"If she doesn't want them, just throw the money and tickets into her room and run away!" Gu's mother said lightly. This is called giving someone a taste of their own medicine!
"Okay, Mom, I got it!" Mrs. Gu said and walked out with the money and tickets.
"What are you two still doing? Hurry and wash the vegetables for me." Looking at her two daughters-in-law who were still daydreaming, Mother Gu couldn't help but yell.
"Mom, let's wash it right away." Third and fourth sisters-in-law of Gu quickened their pace in washing the vegetables. In a short while, they had washed them clean. Without Mother Gu's instructions, they helped to light the fire and prepare the onions, ginger and garlic. They were very enthusiastic.
Mother Gu washed the pork belly and drained it, then cut the meat into cubes. After that, she also cut the green onion and ginger into shreds.
After all the cutting is done, pour an appropriate amount of water into the pot, bring it to a boil, then put the meat in. After blanching, skim off the foam on the surface, then take it out and drain the water for later use.
Gu's mother poured oil into the pot, and when the oil was hot, she added onion, ginger and cinnamon and stir-fried them. After the aroma came out, Gu's mother poured in homemade sauce, cooking wine, soy sauce, sugar and salt, and finally added an appropriate amount of water. After it boiled, she added the pork belly. At this time, she needed to turn the high heat to low.
Finally, when Mother Gu saw that the ingredients had been well-seasoned, she added a little starch to thicken the sauce and served it in a bowl. A delicious sauce recipe was ready.
"It smells so good!" Father Gu had already processed the eels and was standing at the door breathing in the fragrance in the air.
"You only know how to eat. Hurry and bring the eels in!" Although Gu's mother spoke harshly, there was a smile in her eyes.
“Coming, coming…” Father Gu walked into the kitchen with the eel, put it away, and then walked out, because the kitchen was too crowded, and as a father-in-law, it was not convenient for him to squeeze in with several daughters-in-law.
Mother Gu skillfully cut the processed eels into pieces, put them into water, blanched them for a while, and then took them out.
Then Mother Gu cut the washed bamboo shoots into pieces and chopped the coriander. Then she started to season the food, adding appropriate amounts of soy sauce, cooking wine, salt and starch into a bowl to make the sauce. It would be even better if there was broth, and the taste would be more delicious!
After the sauce is ready, Gu's mother heats oil in a pan, pours in the scallions, ginger and garlic and stir-frys until fragrant. She then pours in the eel pieces and stir-frys. When the eel meat is almost cooked, she pours in the sauce and stir-frys evenly.
The last step is to pour in the chopped bamboo shoots, stir-fry evenly, then serve, and pour an appropriate amount of hot oil on it. The fried eel paste is ready. The only drawback is that there is no pepper to sprinkle on it, otherwise it would be more fragrant.
"Mom, it smells so good! Your cooking skills are amazing." Mrs. Gu kept swallowing her saliva. If she hadn't been rational, she would have taken a piece and eaten it.
"It would be more delicious if there were enough ingredients!" Gu's mother was still not satisfied, but she thought that it was excellent to the extent possible and there was nothing to complain about.
"Anyway, mother's cooking skills are just great. I can't compare to her." Mrs. Gu flattered her loudly.
"Okay, you are just a sweet talker, but I still know my own weight." Mother Gu did not get carried away by the praise from Third Sister-in-law Gu!
"Turn up the fire a little more..."
Next, Gu's mother cooked a few simple home-cooked dishes, but they were all vegetarian. Since there was not much meat at home, they had to make do with them for the time being.
Twenty minutes later, Gu's mother had prepared all the dishes and even cooked a pot of white rice. Gu's wife also came back. Just as Gu's mother said, after all the talk, Liu Sandi was unwilling to accept it, so she left the money and ticket and ran away.
Several people worked together to put the food on the table, and then consciously found an excuse to leave. The brothers of the Gu family were the same. Even if Gu's mother asked them to stay for dinner, they didn't stay. It's not that they didn't want to try it, but there were too few dishes. There was no way their family members, big and small, could eat enough, not to mention that Gu Tingxiao's comrades were still there! They couldn't embarrass him, so they left in a hurry...
"Aunt, these two are famous local dishes in Suzhou. You have worked so hard!" When Du Qiao saw the familiar yet unfamiliar dishes, he actually felt a little sad for a moment. He didn't know where his poor brother would be at this moment!
"It's not hard. Come and try it and see if it tastes good?" Mother Gu urged, her eyes full of anticipation.
“Okay…” Du Qiao picked up a piece of eel and started eating. He squinted his eyes immediately. It was the taste in his memory, not very authentic, probably because of the lack of ingredients, but the taste was very close, so it was still delicious.
"what about the taste?"
"It tastes very good, very delicious, Auntie, you are a great cook." Du Qiao praised with a smile.
"If it tastes good, eat more." Gu's mother pushed the bowl of food directly in front of Du Qiao and did not use her chopsticks to help him pick up the food because she was afraid that Du Qiao would be disgusted.
"Auntie, you guys eat too." Du Qiao felt embarrassed and pushed the bowl back to its original position.