Chapter 9 Boiled Fish Slices

Chapter 9 Boiled Fish Slices

"We go to the market every morning to buy fresh vegetables and meat. The purchasing truck is on its way and will be back soon, ensuring that the crew eats the freshest vegetables and meat."

As she was speaking, Su Yingxue saw Xu Guoqing drive back in his van, which was loaded with a variety of items. She had specifically called Xu Guoqing at five o'clock in the morning to ask him to go grocery shopping, and after calculating the time, she knew he would be back just in time.

I asked the director to increase the budget before going to bed last night. As a crew filming a food drama, the food can't be bad.

So when Xu Guoqing arrived carrying a basket of blackfish that were swimming happily.

Chen Ming's eyes lit up. They had visited many film crews, but this was the first time they had ever seen such fresh ingredients.

"We're making boiled fish fillets for lunch. You can come and try our group's boxed lunches," Ye Lu warmly invited.

"We're so sorry!" Chen Ming tried to decline, but the intern next to him, Fang Xiang, looked completely willing. Seeing everyone's excited expressions, he smiled and nodded. "Then we'll shoot some more footage this afternoon. Sorry to bother you!"

He looked around and exclaimed, "Where's the female lead?"

Su Yingxue suppressed a laugh.

Ye Lu replied with a serious expression, "Upon hearing of your arrival, Shen Yu went to put on makeup; her outfit is rather elaborate today. She'll be there shortly."

Little did anyone know how surprised he was when he heard Shen Yu say her stomach hurt that morning. It turned out Zhu Xiaoxiao told him that Shen Yu had eaten two boxed lunches and drunk noodle soup yesterday. She complained of a stomachache when she got home, and only felt better after taking some digestive pills in the middle of the night.

He was dumbfounded, having never seen anything like it before. Although yesterday's meal was indeed delicious.

Su Yingxue breathed a sigh of relief as she watched Ye Lu lead Chen Ming and his group forward.

I tidied up the small kitchen and decided to start cooking.

Today's Menu

Boiled fish fillets

Stir-fried romaine lettuce

Winter melon, barley, and old duck soup

The first step is to cook the rice.

Next came the winter melon and barley duck soup. Su Yingxue took the duck pieces that Xu Guoqing had already prepared; these pieces had been blanched and were clean and neat. She put the duck pieces, barley, and ginger slices into a clay pot, added water, and started simmering over low heat. The soup in the clay pot gradually turned milky white, emitting a rich aroma of duck meat.

"Sister Su, the winter melon is cut!" Xu Qingqing came over carrying a plate of evenly cut winter melon pieces, and the bok choy next to it had also been washed.

"Wait another 40 minutes," Su Yingxue said, glancing at the time. "Add the winter melon only after the duck meat is tender; that way, it will taste better." As she spoke, she deftly wiped the stove, keeping the kitchen tidy.

Su Yingxue started by preparing the blackfish. She skillfully lifted a lively blackfish from the basket Xu Guoqing had brought, its tail still splashing water in the air. She gently stroked the fish's body, feeling the firmness and elasticity of the flesh.

"This fish is so fresh!" Xu Qingqing couldn't help but exclaim. "Look at these scales, they're so shiny they reflect light!"

Su Yingxue explained with a smile, "You need to choose snakehead fish that swim around actively; that way, the meat will be firmer. Soak it in ice water for a while first, which will make it easier to slice." She deftly cleaned the fish, gently patted its body with the back of the knife, and then began slicing. Holding the fish down with her left hand and the knife in her right, the blade at a 45-degree angle, she sliced ​​thin, almost translucent pieces neatly onto the cutting board, their pale pink color and clearly visible marbling.

"Wow!" Xu Qingqing leaned closer to examine it. "This knife skill is amazing! Even better than the chefs at professional Japanese restaurants!"

Su Yingxue smiled modestly: "I learned it all from my grandma." She quickly and skillfully coated the fish slices with a batter, adding salt, cooking wine, egg white, and starch one by one, gently mixing them to coat each slice with a thin protective layer.

While the fish fillets were marinating, Su Yingxue began preparing the side dishes. She washed the bean sprouts and lettuce slices thoroughly, cut them neatly, and arranged them on a plate like soldiers awaiting inspection. She then took out her secret-recipe fermented bean paste and hot pot base from the refrigerator; these were things she had specially obtained from the system.

Heat the wok with cold oil, and when the oil reaches the perfect temperature, Su Yingxue quickly adds minced scallions, ginger, and garlic to sauté until fragrant. Next, she adds fermented bean paste and hot pot base, and as she stir-fries, the oil gradually turns a bright red color, and a rich aroma instantly fills the entire kitchen. She skillfully pours in water, brings it to a boil over high heat, and soon a pot of bright red, fragrant broth is ready.

"Time to wash the vegetables!" Xu Qingqing quickly pulled Xu Guoqing, who had just finished washing the duck meat, to deal with the large basket of romaine lettuce. The fresh romaine lettuce was washed in clear water until it was a vibrant green, and every leaf shone with vitality.

Su Yingxue stared intently at the soup pot. When the broth boiled, she quickly turned down the heat and carefully added the marinated fish fillets one by one. The moment the fish fillets hit the pot, the surface of the soup rippled slightly. She gently shook the pot to ensure the fish fillets were heated evenly, cooking them until they turned white and curled up—exactly two minutes. She precisely timed it, then poured the fish fillets and broth together into a large serving bowl lined with side dishes.

"The final step!" Su Yingxue winked mysteriously, then heated the oil in a wok again, adding dried chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. As the spices sizzled in the hot oil, she quickly poured the fragrant oil over the fish fillets, sprinkling on bright green cilantro and chopped scallions. Instantly, the kitchen was filled with the aroma of spicy and savory flavors, making even the sunlight outside seem more inviting.

Finally, there was stir-fried romaine lettuce. Su Yingxue chose to use lard, her little secret. "Romaine lettuce stir-fried with lard is the most fragrant," she explained, "but it must be stir-fried quickly over high heat to maintain its bright green color and crispness." Sure enough, the moment the romaine lettuce hit the pan, a sizzling sound echoed in the kitchen as the bright green leaves danced rapidly in the hot oil. A few seconds later, a plate of vibrant green, fragrant romaine lettuce was ready, drizzled with glistening garlic oil, making it even more tempting.

"Dinner's ready!" Su Yingxue deftly plated the last dish. The boiled fish fillets were a tempting bright red, garnished with emerald green scallions and red chilies, exuding a spicy and numbing aroma; the stir-fried lettuce was a vibrant green, drizzled with glistening garlic oil, refreshing and delicious; the winter melon and old duck soup was served in a white porcelain bowl, with translucent winter melon chunks floating on the milky white broth, emitting a rich and mellow fragrance.

Throughout the kitchen, three distinct aromas intertwined, creating a symphony of flavors. Even Xu Guoqing, who was helping out, couldn't help but take a deep breath, a look of pure bliss on his face.

Meanwhile, at another interview location, Shen Yu had finally changed into her costume, transforming into a fairy in ancient attire, and was being interviewed.

"What do you like most about the Chang'an Banquet production team?" intern reporter Fang Xiang asked attentively.

Shen Yu smiled radiantly: "Everyone is so kind and takes such good care of me. But what I love most is the food on our set. Everyone is welcome to come to Chang'an Banquet for a meal; the food on our set is absolutely delicious!"

As they were talking, their noses suddenly caught a tempting aroma of food. The strong smell of Sichuan peppercorns and chili peppers, mixed with the rich fragrance of duck soup, forcefully entered their nasal cavities.

Fang Xiang secretly touched her stomach; it was lunchtime, and she was indeed a little hungry.

"That concludes today's interview. Let's say goodbye to our audience!" Fang Xiang quickly announced.

Shen Yu waved quickly, a sweet smile still on her face, but her feet were already moving uncontrollably toward the direction from which the fragrance was coming.

"Sister, you can't eat anymore!!!" Zhu Xiaoxiao chased after her, looking helpless.