Twice-cooked pork? What kind of meat was that?
Not only had Long Zhenting never heard of it, but Shiyi and the others were equally clueless. However, regardless of what it was, they were all filled with anticipation, having absolute faith in their Madam’s culinary skills.
Their Madam was not only a master in the kitchen, but her farming techniques were also miles ahead of anyone else’s. They looked back at how they had lived here for over a year, turning the place into something resembling a wild animal’s den. Since their master’s marriage, Madam had organized everything perfectly. Not only was it pleasing to the eye, but she had also successfully planted grains and vegetables.
This, they realized, must be what a real home felt like.
The group walked slowly back to the courtyard halfway up the mountain. It was quiet, suggesting that Liu Yu had not yet returned. After putting away their farming tools, no one sat idle despite their fatigue. Some started the rice, others washed vegetables, scrubbed the pots, or chopped firewood. Everyone found something to do; not a single person slackened off.
While everyone was busy, Qiao Zilin took the opportunity to retrieve a large slab of pork from her spatial storage. It was a perfect cut, eighty percent fat and twenty percent lean. She needed to use up the pork she had hoarded. Although the space kept food fresh, eating it sooner rather than later was always better. She also planned to release some chickens from her farm into the orchard below and put ducks in the fish pond. In the future, whenever they wanted meat, they could just catch one, which would be incredibly convenient.
Qiao Zilin placed the pork on the cutting board and scanned the courtyard. Seeing that only Shiwu was free, she called out, “Shiwu, come and start the fire!”
Having said that, she turned and headed into the kitchen. The pigskin was clean, but she felt it needed to be seared to enhance the flavor. She took a cleaver, sliced the pork in half, and then pressed the meat directly against the bottom of the clean, heated dry pot, rubbing it back and forth.
As the skin heated up, it released a roasted, savory aroma. The smell was mouth-watering, yet carried that slightly pungent scent of singed hair. After rubbing it back and forth a dozen times, she lifted the meat. The skin had turned a charred, sooty black.
Once both pieces were done, she looked at Shiwu. “Wash the pot, fill it with water, and keep the fire going.”
“Yes, Madam.”
Qiao Zilin then took her knife and began scraping the blackened skin. Under the blade, the char fell away to reveal a beautiful, golden-yellow surface. Searing the skin like this not only removed any lingering gamy odors but also ensured the texture would be soft and chewy. This was a step she never skipped.
After washing the pork clean, she dropped it into the pot, adding a splash of strong white liquor and ginger slices to remove any odor. She covered the pot and let it boil over a high flame for fifteen minutes. Once a chopstick could easily pierce through the meat, she fished it out. She planned to use the leftover pork broth to cook a vegetable soup later.
After letting the meat cool slightly, Qiao Zilin began to slice it. For twice-cooked pork, the thinner the slices, the better. This was the true test of her knife skills.
Qing Mei walked in carrying some small vegetable seedlings she had washed and tossed them into the pork broth to boil. She stepped over to Qiao Zilin’s side, staring at the slices on the board. They were nearly translucent.
“Madam, can meat really be cut this thin? It’s like a cicada’s wing. Won’t it just melt away when you fry it?”
Qiao Zilin couldn’t help but laugh. “Haha! Don’t worry, it won’t melt. Not only will it stay intact, but it will be delicious. Alright, the vegetable soup is ready. Just add a bit of salt for seasoning and scoop it out.”
She continued her work without looking up. The radish greens had a unique scent, a bit sharp and grassy, but they tasted wonderful. Once the pork was sliced, she smashed the green peppers flat and cut them into sections, then sliced the garlic and julienned the ginger.
“Madam, the pot is washed.”
“Good, coming right now.”
Qiao Zilin carried the large bowl of pork to the stove. Twice-cooked pork had to be stir-fried vigorously to be fragrant. She tossed the pork into the dry pot first, letting it slowly render out its excess fat. Once the meat slices began to curl slightly into the shape of lamp rolls, she quickly scooped them out.
Next, she tossed the green peppers into the pot. As the temperature rose, the pepper skins began to blister, taking on a tiger-skin charred appearance. She pushed the peppers to the side, added a little more oil, and tossed in the garlic and ginger. Once the aromatics were fragrant, she threw the pork back in.
After adding a bit of salt, chicken essence, and soy sauce, she gave it a final toss and plated the dish. Looking at the golden, slightly curled slices of meat, she couldn’t resist using her chopsticks to pop a piece into her mouth.
“Delicious! Everyone, wash your hands, get your bowls, and dish out the rice. It’s time to eat!”
“Coming!”
In the blink of an eye, everyone was seated properly at the dining table.
“Lin’er, is this what you called twice-cooked pork? It’s amazing. The aroma is incredible, and the texture is wonderful. That slightly crispy edge paired with the peppers is perfect with rice.”
Everyone nodded in unison, agreeing with Long Zhenting. To think that Madam could turn simple pork into something so exquisite was truly marvelous.
“Regardless of the meat, once it reaches Madam’s hands, only one word remains: delicious.”
The group began chattering away with more praise. Qiao Zilin was naturally delighted; no cook dislikes hearing their food is good.
“If you like it, eat more. Another day, I’ll make you braised pork, stewed meat, steamed pork belly, crispy fried pork, slippery meat, and steamed meat patties. I can make sure you have a different dish every single day!”
The eyes of the group lit up with anticipation, already looking forward to the next feast.
Amidst the excitement, Long Zhenting asked a question they all wanted to know: “By the way, Lin’er, how long will it take for those seeds to be ready for transplanting?”
Qiao Zilin was momentarily taken aback by the sudden change in topic. She paused before answering, “About thirty days or so. But before we transplant the rice, we need to get the chili peppers in the ground first.”
She had noticed the chili seedlings in the corner of the wall; under her careful tending, they had already grown two leaves. They would be ready for transplanting in half a month at most.
Shiyi took the lead in responding, “Understood, Madam. Whatever you arrange, we will do. We follow your lead in everything.”
Qiao Zilin nodded. “Alright, everyone has had a hard day. Go wash up and get some sleep.”
Once the others had left, Qiao Zilin looked at Long Zhenting. “Husband, please hire some craftsmen to build a small courtyard at the foot of the mountain. Shiyi and the others should each have their own room. They aren’t children anymore; they deserve their own private space. Also, we should tear down those thatched huts next to our courtyard and build two more small courtyards. That way, your Master can have his own place to dry his herbs, and when my father and the others return, they will have a place to stay.”
Long Zhenting pinched Qiao Zilin’s nose affectionately. “My wife thinks of everything. Tomorrow, I’ll have Shiyi go to town to find craftsmen and order blue bricks. Once everything is ready, we can start construction.”
Qiao Zilin immediately added, “Great! I’ll draw up the blueprints so the master craftsmen can build according to the design.”
Long Zhenting looked at her with surprise. Was there anything his little wife didn’t know? She was truly incredible.