“It’s lamb.”
Shen Fenghuo opened the oil-paper package in her arms, and the aroma became even more intense. The lamb pieces skewered on thin bamboo sticks were uniform and small, slightly charred on the outside, with sesame seeds sprinkled in the glossy meat juices, mixed with crushed cumin.
She extended her hand, offering the oil-paper package forward. “If you don’t mind, sir, why not try a skewer? I made this myself, seasoned with cumin—perhaps it will suit your taste.”
The clerk had started his shift early and had eaten pork and Chinese cabbage buns from the temple’s canteen for breakfast.
The buns were a bit too gamey, and the filling was pitifully sparse. He had only taken half a bite before putting them down, finishing two bowls of porridge with pickled vegetables instead. All that liquid had only filled him up with water, and he was already hungry again.
Now, this aroma was truly enticing. He no longer declined and took a skewer, stuffing it into his mouth.
Shen Fenghuo’s lamb skewers were small, disappearing from the bamboo stick in just two or three bites.
The clerk smacked his lips. “It has a charred fragrance and the richness of lamb—truly delicious. It’s just that the skewers from the Hu merchants are bigger, more satisfying to chew.”
Seeing the opportunity, Shen Fenghuo offered two more skewers. The clerk cleared his throat softly and took only one.
She smiled and replied, “Sir, bigger skewers have their own way of being made, and smaller ones have their own appeal. Big skewers are chewy and satisfying, but the Hu merchants sometimes skimp on the cumin, making the inside a bit bland. Mine are small skewers, slowly rotated repeatedly while roasting to lock in the juices and evenly infuse the flavor. I also sprinkle sesame seeds, making them even more tender.”
Having tasted the lamb skewers, the clerk thought of giving Shen Fenghuo a chance and led her to the back kitchen of Dali Temple. What if the lamb wasn’t made by this young lady? He needed to see her cook firsthand.
“What a fragrant lamb aroma—it’s not yet time for Young Minister Lu to send us out to buy food. A Li, have you been to Xi Shi?”
Chief Clerk Shi Yixian followed the scent and came over. He sniffed, and his eyes immediately fell on Shen Fenghuo behind the clerk.
“Hey, I haven’t.”
The clerk quickly replied, “Chief Clerk Shi, look, this young lady is here to apply for a kitchen position. You’ve come just in time.”
“Apply for a kitchen position?”
Shi Yixian narrowed his eyes, sizing up Shen Fenghuo from head to toe.
She wore a plum blossom hairpin at her temple, and though her dress was plain, the fabric was decent. Her features were delicate and elegant, and her demeanor didn’t seem at all like an ordinary kitchen maid.
He quickly pulled the clerk aside and whispered, “Have you forgotten? In autumn, a young lady came to apply for a kitchen job. She wasn’t there to cook—she clearly wanted to use the opportunity to get close to Young Minister Lu. She was distracted all day, even burning the dishes, and was eventually dismissed.”
He glanced at Shen Fenghuo again and continued, “Look at her—she’s good-looking and well-dressed. Would she willingly come to Dali Temple to work as a kitchen maid? Besides, Young Minister Lu just got married. I attended the banquet yesterday, and the bride was like a fairy. For her to come now… it’s just asking for trouble.”
Listening to this, Shen Fenghuo almost scratched her head.
Her Happiness-Union Fan had covered her more tightly than a bridal veil—her husband might not even have seen her face clearly. Yet this Chief Clerk Shi…
Shen Fenghuo looked up at him earnestly and said, “Chief Clerk Shi, I truly came to apply for a kitchen position and have no other intentions. If you don’t believe me, why not let me show you my skills? You’ll know whether it’s good or bad once you taste it.”
Shi Yixian studied her for a moment. Seeing her expression open and honest, without any sign of deceit, and with the aroma of lamb skewers still lingering at the tip of his nose, he finally agreed.
He led Shen Fenghuo through the front area until they reached the Dali Temple’s dining hall.
The dining hall was quite spacious, with sturdy beams and pillars, and dozens of low tables arranged throughout. However, most of the tables were empty at the moment. A few scattered individuals listlessly picked at their bowls and plates, their expressions gloomy, like wandering ghosts in the night.
Suddenly, a startled cry pierced the heavy silence.
“My heavens, he’s foaming at the mouth!”
Shen Fenghuo followed the sound and saw a clerk in the corner clutching his mouth, white foam hanging from the corners of his lips, his face pale.
In front of him was a bowl of fermented bean juice, a new dish the kitchen staff had introduced yesterday, made from ground beans and boiled.
Someone chimed in, “If we keep eating like this, we’ll lose our souls before we finish handling the cases.”
It hadn’t been so bad before. The food was ordinary but not exactly inedible. But recently, the head chef had become obsessed with experimenting with new dishes, obsessed with knocking out everyone in the Dali Temple.
Shi Yixian watched the chaotic scene, raised a hand to rub his throbbing temples, then simply turned his back, preferring not to see.
The head chef of the Dali Temple dining hall, Chen Yang, was in his forties and slightly plump.
He had just stepped out of the kitchen when he spotted Shen Fenghuo beside Shi Yixian. Squinting, he smiled, “Chief Clerk Shi, have you brought your family to the dining hall?”
“Bah, nonsense!”
Shi Yixian quickly refuted, “What are you guessing blindly? This young lady is here to apply for a kitchen position.”
Chen Yang laughed even more heartily, “Apply for a kitchen position?”
He gave Shen Fenghuo a once-over, then said disdainfully, “Chief Clerk Shi, why the sudden thought of hiring a new kitchen hand? I’ve been working here for three years, and everyone in the temple has eaten my cooking. You’ve eaten it for three years too, and you’re still fine, aren’t you? Why hire someone new?”
Shi Yixian frowned, “Just give her a chance to try. If she does well, she can stay. If not, we’ll discuss it later.”
It wasn’t as if they hadn’t hired cooks who made tasty food before. Several had voluntarily resigned after only a short while.
The reasons behind it were hard to say.
Chen Yang snorted, “If the young lady wants to try, let her show her skills. Feel free to use whatever’s in the back kitchen.”
He led Shen Fenghuo toward the back kitchen, his voice low, “But let me be clear upfront: I’ll give you two ke (approx. 30 minutes). If you can make something and satisfy the officials, whether you stay is up to Chief Clerk Shi. But if you can’t finish in two ke, don’t blame me for being ruthless.”
To make dishes tasty, you need plenty of meat. Meat is troublesome to prepare. I won’t give you river delicacies, only pork and poultry like chicken and duck. With this little time, you can’t stew them until tender.
Though the back kitchen was spacious, the ingredients weren’t abundant.
After the snow, Shen Fenghuo could still find eggplants.
Chang’an wasn’t like Shen Fenghuo’s countryside, where nearby farmers used methods like covering vegetable beds with thatch and burning fires day and night to grow certain vegetables even in winter.
To make a dish appetizing, sometimes you don’t need lavish meat or fish.
She rolled up her sleeves, revealing steady wrists, took two purple-skinned long eggplants, washed them, and sliced them diagonally into thin strips. Then she minced some pork.
When the oil was hot and slightly smoking, she added the eggplant strips, letting them soften in the hot oil before removing them. Next, she fried minced ginger and garlic until fragrant, added the finely minced pork and stir-fried until cooked through, then returned the fried eggplant strips to the wok.
After the eggplant strips absorbed the meat aroma and the sauce she had seasoned, she drizzled in a ladle of flour-water mixture to thicken the sauce slightly before plating.
Soon, a rich aroma of sauce mixed with the fragrance of eggplant drifted from the back kitchen, wafting straight into the dining hall.
Chen Yang was sipping tea nearby when he heard Shen Fenghuo's clear voice ring out.
"Sir, I've finished."
Chen Yang was taken aback—had it even been a quarter of an hour? How could she be done already?
Shen Fenghuo emerged carrying a tray, with a porcelain bowl filled with rice topped generously with freshly cooked minced pork and eggplant strips.
The eggplant strips were glossy and purplish-red, coated in a thick sauce, with minced pork mixed in, glistening enticingly.
She casually mixed the dish and rice together, ensuring every grain was coated in the savory sauce.
Seeing her actions, Chen Yang approached with a dark expression. "Dishes are dishes, rice is rice. How could you mix them together? Such a crude and messy way of eating."
Yet the alluring aroma of the sauce and the savory scent of the meat had already filled the dining hall. The clerks who had been complaining earlier now gathered around, drawn by the fragrance.
Shi Yixian had tried the fermented bean juice earlier in the morning and found it off-putting, so he hadn't eaten much. Now, enticed by the rich aroma, he ignored Chen Yang's complaints and quickly picked up a spoon, scooping a large mouthful of rice mixed with eggplant and minced pork.
The tender eggplant strips, soaked in the savory meat juices and sauce, melted in the mouth. The finely minced pork was perfectly salty and fragrant, and the sauce was rich without being greasy.
The rice, mixed with the sauce, grew more flavorful with each chew, completely unlike the blandness of ordinary meals.
Shen Fenghuo then brought over a bowl of soup, clear and bright, with beaten eggs stirred into the broth and a few chopped scallions floating on top.
She said respectfully, "Sir, this rice bowl tastes even better when paired with soup."
Shi Yixian quickly took a sip of the soup, feeling a wave of comfort and warmth wash over him on this winter day. He picked up his spoon and began eating even faster.
The surrounding clerks watched enviously, clamoring, "Chief Clerk Shi, that looks so delicious! Let us have a taste!"
Shi Yixian finally swallowed the food in his mouth, scooped another large spoonful, and without looking up, said, "Just one more bite."
Chen Yang, half-doubting, picked up a spoon and took a bite of the portion Shen Fenghuo handed him.
The tender eggplant strips coated in savory sauce, with the minced pork's flavor seeping into every grain of rice, were indeed delicious.
But he couldn't bring himself to admit it. After chewing a few mouthfuls, he said coldly, "Hmph, barely passable."
Shi Yixian was moved to tears by the meal. Without bothering to argue, he wiped his face and leaned closer to Shen Fenghuo, overflowing with gratitude. Turning to the young clerk, he said, "Young lady, you truly are the savior of the Dali Temple dining hall! A Li, take her to complete the registration and officially add her to the kitchen staff roster!"
He scraped up the last grain of rice and finished the delicious soup. "Please make another portion for Young Minister Lu. I saw him looking haggard this morning—he must need something tasty to replenish his energy."
"Rest assured, Chief Clerk Shi."
Shen Fenghuo smiled faintly and nodded. "I prepared extra while cooking. There's plenty left in the kitchen—just serve it directly."
As soon as she finished speaking, the surrounding clerks crowded around, shouting eagerly, "I want some too! Give me a portion!"
Chen Yang couldn't let a newcomer steal his spotlight.
Standing beside Shen Fenghuo, he said, "Chief Clerk Shi, there's no need to trouble this young lady. Young Minister Lu was married last night and must be exhausted from the festivities. Look at him today—yawning frequently and looking weary. I've already prepared a stew of Eucommia bark, goji berries, and mutton to nourish the kidneys and replenish vitality. Young Minister Lu will surely feel refreshed after drinking it. It's far more effective than this ordinary meal."
How could this so-called rice bowl compare to his nourishing tonic?
"Never mind the medicinal cuisine."
Shi Yixian stretched lazily, his tone resolute. "If he can't even stomach ordinary meals, the finest medicinal cuisine won't help either. A Li, serve a portion of rice with toppings, along with Chef Chen's medicinal cuisine, and bring them both to Young Minister Lu!"
Author's Note:
A'He: Minced pork with eggplant is the best with rice.