sbdcsierra Chapter 60 Fried Skewers
Chapter 60 Fried Skewers
Xiao Zhang wears glasses, is not tall, and has a pretty face; she does have the air of a literary and artistic educated youth.
Their conversation amused the doctors, who all looked at Xiao Zhang as if to say, "So you're a cultured young woman after all."
Xiao He also ran over, revealing a half-smile, and said:
"If you saw what Xiao Zhang looked like in the hospital, you'd know she had absolutely nothing to do with art and literature."
Lu Yuan also became interested and asked Xiao He, "What was Xiao Zhang like in the hospital? Tell me in detail!"
"Ugh, this is so annoying!" Before anyone could spill the beans, Xiao Zhang covered his face and ran out.
"Never mind, let's not talk about it anymore, let's save face for Xiao Zhang!" After saying that, Xiao He couldn't help but add:
"Boss Lu, here's a hint. Let's see if you can guess it: 1, 2, 3~"
Lu Yuan almost burst out laughing when he heard the numbers 1, 2, 3, and immediately said:
"Labor and capital on the Shu Road, right?"
"That's right!" Xiao He was incredibly excited, not expecting that Lu Yuan could guess the southwestern dialect.
"Dr. Huang, I knew Boss Lu was a master!"
Amidst everyone's laughter and chatter, only Lu Hua looked bewildered and immediately grabbed Lu Yuan, asking, "What does this mean?"
Lu Yuandao: "The Sichuan-Chongqing female tyrant, get it?"
Lu Hua nodded as if he understood, while the others also understood the implication and all agreed that Lu Yuan's description was very apt.
Xiao He added, "But you should consider her a mutant female tyrannosaurus. Have you ever seen a Sichuan or Chongqing girl who can't eat spicy food?"
. . .
The next morning, the Zhou family's craftsmen came to work.
Mr. Wang has booked the banquet for Sunday, so there are still a few days to prepare.
In the next few days, Lu Yuan's goal is to completely renovate the place next door.
Otherwise, it would seem strange to open only one luxury private room in an abandoned restaurant.
After lunchtime, Lu Yuan didn't let the braised eggs continue practicing their basic skills.
Today, they were all requisitioned to re-lay the small courtyard next door.
In Lu Yuan's plan, this courtyard should also serve as an open-air dining space during normal times.
First, the ground needs to be repaved; the original, just flattened soil looks dirty.
Lu Yuan simply leveled the entire surface and then laid down red bricks in a staggered pattern.
As long as no cars come into the backyard and run over it, red bricks look better than cement.
Another thing is that the walls need to be repainted. Rural bungalows are not like city houses where the sunlight is always blocked by taller buildings.
If you paint the walls white, they will appear very bright under natural light.
The bungalows in northern China are square and have a ceiling height of 3 meters or more.
The roof is a flat roof made of round logs, which is sturdy and durable, and can also be used to dry grain.
Unlike the traditional blue-tiled roof houses in the south, which lack a certain gentle charm, this one has a Moroccan style.
So Lu Yuan also plans to put a net on the roof and tie some grapevines around it next year, which will become a natural sunshade in the summer.
After returning today, the medical team also spontaneously joined the team that helped level the ground and lay bricks.
Surprisingly, Old Wu was very skilled at it, while the young men were clumsy and awkward.
"Dr. Wu, look at your skills! You'd be a great bricklayer even if you weren't a doctor!" Lu Yuan exclaimed as he poured everyone some herbal tea.
Old Wu worked very quickly, looked up and smiled, and said:
"It's only because you young people have better conditions. Back in our time, who didn't suffer in the fields?"
Lu Yuan then pointed to the clumsy Doctor Huang: "But I don't think Doctor Huang is very good at it."
Dr. Wang chuckled and replied, "Dr. Huang comes from a capitalist family and grew up living the life of a pampered young master. He only started doing charity work after he was brought down."
"What nonsense are you talking about!" Doctor Huang's face darkened.
. . .
A dozen or so people worked very quickly, laying the ground out in just one afternoon in a small courtyard.
Before the sun went down, everyone finished painting the walls.
"Boss Lu, don't you think this white wall is too plain?" Xiao He stood in front of the freshly painted white wall, examining it closely.
Lu Yuan replied, "It's a bit plain. I'll draw some more designs when I have time."
"We can have Xiao Zhang draw it. She's been drawing since elementary school and can sketch CT scans."
"Won't this delay you?" Lu Yuan asked.
Xiao Zhang also came over and waved his hand, saying, "It won't take any time. Boss Lu, just leave what you want to draw to me!"
"Wait me a moment!"
Lu Yuan ran back to the front desk, found a notebook, and took it.
He opened the notebook and handed it to Xiao Zhang. The notebook contained a design that would later become a popular spot for internet celebrities to take photos.
There's also a road sign painted on it: I miss you so much in the North!
Although this thing looks increasingly outdated over time, it was still quite trendy in 1996.
Several young people gathered around and looked through Lu Yuan's sketches. Xiao Zhang's eyes lit up:
"Wow, the design is so stylish! This style is simple yet beautiful, and the color combination is fantastic!"
Xiao He couldn't help but exclaim, "Boss Lu, you're absolutely a master!"
Lu Yuan was a little overwhelmed by the praise, so he tossed the manuscript to Xiao Zhang and told her to draw it herself.
He then went back to the kitchen to prepare some extra meals to replenish everyone's energy.
We've already had lunch this afternoon, a big, meaty meal, and I doubt anyone's had enough left.
So Lu Yuan is going to make some snacks for everyone.
Actually, fried chicken is the best choice. It can be enjoyed by people of all ages and genders, and it's also quite suitable for the current atmosphere.
But there was only one old hen left in the kitchen. Firstly, the meat wasn't suitable, and secondly, there wasn't much meat left for frying.
So Lu Yuan prepared to make a batch of fried skewers, the king of snacks, a timeless classic.
Ham sausage, green peppers, mushrooms, vegetarian chicken, tofu skin, potato slices...
As Lu Yuan cut the meat, he had Wei Yinghong help him skewer it, and soon he had a whole plateful.
Before frying the skewers, Lu Yuan prepared the chili powder and spice powder.
After the oil is heated, pour it over the chili powder and spice powder, then add MSG, sugar and other seasonings, and stir to make a slightly viscous spicy sauce.
In addition to the spicy sauce, Lu Yuan also grinds fragrant nuts such as peanuts and sesame seeds into powder, adds special spice powder, and makes a five-spice seasoning.
Then they threw all the skewers into the oil to fry, and soon the faint aroma of vegetables wafted out.
Northern-style fried skewers are first brushed with a moist, spicy sauce, then sprinkled with a layer of five-spice powder.
It has a very layered flavor. The first taste is the sweet aroma of nuts, followed by a salty and savory flavor that slowly draws your tongue in.
Finally, there's the rich, spicy flavor that directly stimulates the taste buds.
This spicy sauce is fragrant but not spicy, making it perfect for people who can't handle spice.
There are also some rules to follow when frying skewers.
A hearty dish should have a crisp texture, not be soggy.
For example, if potato slices turn out soft and mushy after frying, it means the oil temperature wasn't high enough.
These potato chips are very greasy and have no texture at all.
For soy products, the goal is to achieve a crispy exterior and tender interior. If they are fried too dry, the aroma of soybeans will be lost, and the texture will become hard.
Leafy vegetables should only be kept slightly crispy on the outside; frying them further will result in a bitter taste.
As for ham sausages, they're delicious no matter how you fry them, unless you're clumsy.
In short, properly made fried skewers should not feel greasy.