noffsinger Chapter 136 Mapo Tofu
Chapter 136 Mapo Tofu
After finishing her soy milk, Li Xiaoxiao began making tofu. She poured the remaining soy milk into a large wooden barrel, added an appropriate amount of brine, and stirred gently. Soon, the soy milk began to coagulate. Li Xiaoxiao expertly wrapped the tofu in gauze, placed it on a wooden board, and placed a heavy object on top to further shape the tofu.
Yun Che watched with great interest from the side. He couldn't help but ask, "Xiaoxiao, making tofu is so interesting. I've never seen it before."
Li Xiaoxiao explained with a smile, "Yes, making tofu may seem simple, but there are many tricks involved. For example, the amount of brine, too much or too little won't work, and the pressure when pressing the tofu, both need to be just right."
Mrs. Bai also echoed, "Yes, Xiaoxiao has become more and more interested in these things since she recovered from her illness. She has practiced her skills bit by bit."
As she spoke, the tofu was already forming. Li Xiaoxiao cut the tofu into small pieces, preparing it for Mapo Tofu. She expertly chopped the minced meat, garlic, ginger, and other ingredients, then heated the oil in a wok and began stir-frying.
As the spatula stirred, waves of fragrant aroma filled the air. Yun Che and the Bai family were attracted by the aroma and gathered at the kitchen door to watch.
Soon, a dish of delicious mapo tofu was ready. "Mom, why hasn't Lin'er come back yet? Did she go out and have some fun again?" Li Xiaoxiao looked outside the yard and said with a smile.
"Mom will go and find her right away. This child..." After saying this, Bai took off her apron and turned to go to the village.
Li Xiaoxiao scooped up some bamboo shoots soaked in water, cut them into slices, and prepared to make a refreshing dish of stir-fried bamboo shoots with meat and tofu.
Li Xiaoxiao poured a little oil into the pot. When the oil temperature reached the right level, she gently put in a few garlic cloves and stir-fried them over low heat until the garlic aroma was everywhere. Then she added the chopped bamboo shoots.
"Yun Che, come and help me stir-fry these bamboo shoots. I'll go prepare some sauce." Li Xiaoxiao said as she handed the spatula to Yun Che who was standing beside her. She then turned around to prepare a bowl of sauce made from a mixture of light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, sugar, salt, and a small amount of water.
Yun Che took the spatula and carefully stir-fried the bamboo shoots in the wok, fearing to ruin their crispness. This was the first time he had participated so closely in the food preparation process, and his heart was filled with novelty and joy.
After Li Xiaoxiao prepared the sauce, she quickly returned to the stove and poured the sauce evenly over the bamboo shoots. She then added the previously cut meat slices and quickly stir-fried them evenly, ensuring that every piece of bamboo shoot and meat was fully absorbed by the rich sauce. Soon, a dish of delicious bamboo shoot and meat stir-fry was ready.
“Yun Che, look, doesn’t this give you a sense of accomplishment?” Li Xiaoxiao pointed at the dish that had just come out of the pot, a satisfied smile on her face.
Yun Che smiled and nodded, praising, "It's truly a feast for the eyes, nose, and throat. Xiaoxiao, your cooking skills are truly excellent. If Lin'er came back and saw all these delicious treats, she would definitely be overjoyed."
As she was talking, she heard hurried footsteps and laughter outside the door. It turned out to be Bai Shi and Lin Er coming back. As soon as Lin Er entered the door, she smelled the fragrance wafting from the kitchen and shouted excitedly: "Wow, what delicious food did my sister make? It smells so good!"
"Of course it's the Mapo Tofu and Bamboo Shoots with Pork prepared for you. Come and try them." Li Xiaoxiao smiled and called Lin'er over. The family sat around the dining table, enjoying this warm and delicious lunch.
While we were eating, we heard Aunt Zhang from next door calling out, "Xiaoxiao, are you home? We've brought you some bamboo shoots..."
Upon hearing this, Li Xiaoxiao hurriedly put down the bowl and chopsticks in her hands and walked out. "Aunt Zhang, Aunt Wang, why are you here so early? We are still having lunch. Have you eaten? If not, have something at my house." Li Xiaoxiao greeted everyone warmly.
Aunt Zhang and Aunt Wang smiled and waved, each carrying a few baskets of fresh bamboo shoots as they walked into the yard. "No, no, Xiaoxiao, we heard from Bai Dong this morning that your family started buying bamboo shoots today, so we thought we'd bring them to you early. These bamboo shoots are fresh, just dug this morning," Aunt Zhang said as she handed the bamboo shoots to Li Xiaoxiao.
"Aunt Zhang, Aunt Wang, you're really quick! I thought everyone wouldn't be able to deliver it until the afternoon. Wait a minute, I'll get the scales and weigh them," Li Xiaoxiao said with a smile. Seeing this, Bai and Yun Che also hurried out to help.
"Oh, Cui Niang, I'm so sorry. We should have waited until you finished your meal before delivering it. Look at this..." Aunt Wang smiled embarrassedly.
"It's okay, Aunt Wang. I'm happy that you can deliver it to us as soon as possible. It won't delay our meal. Besides, we have almost finished eating." Li Xiaoxiao said with a smile when she heard that.
The two of them brought a small amount of bamboo shoots, and soon Li Xiaoxiao and Yun Che had weighed them. Li Xiaoxiao handed them some money. "Aunt Zhang, Aunt Wang, it's getting late. Why don't you eat at my house? I just made some fresh dishes. How about you try them all for me?" Li Xiaoxiao continued to invite them.
"Yes, I'll go serve you some food right away." After saying that, Bai hurried to the kitchen, fearing that the two would refuse again.
"Xiaoxiao has good cooking skills. We all love the dishes she makes. It is our blessing to eat the dishes you cook." Aunt Wang said with a smile, glancing into the kitchen from time to time. She was obviously very interested in the dishes made by Li Xiaoxiao.
"Okay, Aunt Zhang, Aunt Wang, please wait a moment. My mother has gone to serve you food. Try the Mapo Tofu and Stir-fried Pork with Bamboo Shoots that I made." Li Xiaoxiao said as she turned and went into the kitchen. After a while, she brought out two bowls of hot food and added two freshly cooked dishes.
Seeing this, Aunt Zhang and Aunt Wang thanked them repeatedly and then sat down to have lunch with Li Xiaoxiao and her family. At the table, everyone ate and talked, and the atmosphere was very harmonious. Aunt Zhang and Aunt Wang often praised Li Xiaoxiao's cooking skills, saying that her dishes were better than those in restaurants outside.
“Xiaoxiao, your cooking skills are truly amazing. Yun Che is so lucky to marry you.” Aunt Zhang looked at Li Xiaoxiao and Yun Che with a smile, her eyes full of admiration.
Li Xiaoxiao felt a little embarrassed by the compliment, and her cheeks flushed slightly. "Aunt Zhang, please stop teasing me. My cooking skills can only be used at home. How can I dare to compare with the chefs outside?"
"You can't say that, Xiaoxiao. If you share your skills with others, you can definitely open a good restaurant." Aunt Wang echoed.
"Sister, I also think what Aunt Wang said makes sense." Li Linlin agreed while shoveling food into her mouth. The food Li Xiaoxiao cooked today was really too delicious. She was a little full after eating, but why did she still want to eat?
Everyone chatted and laughed, and lunch was quickly finished. Aunt Zhang and Aunt Wang said goodbye and left. Li Xiaoxiao saw them off to the door and even brought them some homemade snacks to take home.
Back in the house, Li Xiaoxiao looked at the mess on the table, but her heart was filled with happiness. She knew that these simple meals and the warmth between neighbors were her most precious wealth.
In the afternoon, Li Xiaoxiao, Yun Che and Bai Dong were at home collecting the bamboo shoots sent by the villagers. Bai Dong was responsible for weighing, Li Xiaoxiao kept the accounts, and Yun Che was responsible for giving money to the villagers. The family was very busy.