Chapter 417: Full from the Smell

Chapter 417: Chapter 417: Full from the Smell

"What’s wrong?" Widow Xie was enthusiastically gnawing on a duck neck. Seeing Ji Huan frowning with a dissatisfied look, she was a bit puzzled.

"It just feels like something’s missing..." ’Looks like this braising recipe isn’t the best for duck necks,’ she thought.

Ji Xuelan and Widow Xie unanimously felt the duck necks were braised very well, incredibly delicious, and that there was nothing wrong with them at all.

Ji Huan didn’t say anything more.

Next to be braised were eggs, dried tofu, and a slab of fresh tofu she had bought from Uncle Fu on her way back from Yeyang that morning.

The washed eggs were first hard-boiled over low heat. Once cooked, they were removed, cooled, and peeled. Then, they were added to the braising liquid to simmer for thirty minutes before being taken out.

The dried tofu followed a similar process, but the fresh tofu was a bit more work.

First, it had to be cut into thick slices, just under two centimeters. Then, it was pan-fried in a moderately hot wok until golden brown before being added to the braising liquid to simmer on low for ten minutes, which was enough for it to absorb the flavors completely.

Strictly speaking, a good braising liquid should never be used to cook different types of ingredients together.

For instance, offal, ingredients with strong earthy or gamey flavors, anything with a strong bloody taste, smoked products, and high-starch items. If these were all braised together, not only would the different flavors muddle, but it would also ruin the taste and color of an aged braising liquid. The resulting food would be unpresentable.

As a rule, high-fat ingredients that can be mixed—such as pig’s trotters, pig’s ears, pork hocks, headcheese, pig tails, chicken feet, chicken wings, whole chickens, whole ducks, duck feet, duck wings, duck heads, and duck necks—should all be cooked together in a single batch of braising liquid.

During the braising process, these ingredients release their fats, aromas, and collagen into the liquid. This creates a rich, multi-layered, oily stock. With each use, the braising liquid becomes oilier, and after three or more uses, the flavor improves significantly.

Meanwhile, offal and other ingredients with strong, earthy flavors—like fatty pork intestines, pork hearts, pork tripe, pork tongue, chicken hearts, chicken gizzards, duck hearts, duck gizzards, and duck intestines—should ideally be cooked in a separate pot or with a different batch of braising liquid.

Finally, smoked products like dried tofu will infuse the liquid with a smoky flavor, altering its profile. As for high-starch vegetables like potatoes and lotus root, the starch buildup would make the braising liquid progressively darker and saltier. It was best to braise both of these types separately as well.

But for now, with limited ingredients and equipment, she didn’t bother with such fine distinctions.

’In any case, I’m only starting with retail sales. Once business picks up, I can clear out a dedicated room and buy a few more pots. It won’t be too late to be meticulous then.’

By the time the last batch was done, the sun had already set.

The barks of Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding grew closer. In the blink of an eye, four figures shot into the kitchen, one after the other. The rich, savory aroma filling the room had them drooling, their tongues lolling out.

Fortunately, their training hadn’t been for nothing. They just stood there whining and wagging their tails, not pawing at anything.

Except for Ding, the little guy who was spoiled rotten.

He didn’t paw at anything else, just at Ji Huan’s leg.

With her hands full, Ji Huan was about to ask Ji Xuelan to get them out.

Forget Ji Xuelan, who was already afraid of dogs. Even Widow Xie—who wasn’t afraid of dogs and had even helped deliver Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding—felt a bit intimidated by the sight of them now.

’Dahuang looks so ordinary, no different from any other village dog. How did she give birth to four pups, with each one fiercer and stronger than the last?’

They looked intimidating even from a distance, let alone up close.

Ji Huan thought for a moment, then called outside, "Guan Shan? Dabao."

’If these four are back, Guan Shan and Dabao should be back too.’

Sure enough, a moment later, footsteps approached from the backyard.

Dabao and Dahuang were the first to appear at the kitchen door.

Dabao’s hair was a mess, his face was grubby, and his clothes were covered in dust. Anyone who didn’t know better might have thought he’d taken a tumble.

Widow Xie’s heart ached at the sight of him. After confirming he hadn’t fallen, she quickly washed his hands and offered him some of the braised food.

Dabao was indeed hungry, but he was still reluctant to be fed by anyone else. He just lifted his head and looked at Ji Huan with pleading eyes.

Ji Huan poked him on the forehead, then picked up a piece of braised tofu and popped it into his mouth.

Dabao chewed a couple of times, a hint of satisfaction finally appearing on his tired little face.

"Is it tasty?"

"Tasty."

His happiness was short-lived, however, because Guan Shan walked into the kitchen just then.

He gave Dabao an impassive glance.

With a sullen expression, Dabao stood up, took the plate of braised snacks Widow Xie had prepared for him, and retreated to his room.

Ji Huan handed him the chicken and pork bones she’d skimmed from the broth earlier. "Feed these to Jia, Yi, Bing, Ding, and Dahuang."

Guan Shan nodded and carried the basin out into the courtyard.

The three women began to finish up.

After all the braised foods were portioned out, Ji Huan picked up a basin and a ladle and walked toward the stove. Widow Xie glanced into the pot and saw that the amount of braising liquid had hardly changed. She thought Ji Huan was about to pour it all out.

"You’re... you’re just throwing this out? What a waste..."

Ji Huan didn’t know whether to laugh or cry.

"Of course not, Aunt Xie. A braising liquid only gets more fragrant with age. After each use, you just have to skim off the excess oil, then leave it in a cool place without disturbing it. It can be kept for a very long time."

It was an aged stock, after all—the older, the better.

The more it was used and the longer it was kept, the higher its quality and the more delicious its flavor became.

In her past life, some century-old braised-food shops did incredibly well. Their master stock wasn’t just the shop’s treasure; it was its very lifeblood.

Ji Xuelan asked curiously, "How long can you keep it? Will it last until next year? Won’t the flavor go bad?"

"In theory, it should be fine..."

When preserving a braising liquid, the most crucial step is bringing it to a boil.

During spring, summer, and autumn, when bacteria thrive in the hot weather, it needs to be boiled two or three times a day.

In the winter, when the temperature plummets, boiling it once a day is sufficient.

If the stock isn’t going to be used for a while, it just needs to be boiled once every two days in the summer and autumn, and once every four days in the winter and spring. That way, the stock won’t turn sour or spoil.

Once boiled, the stock must be left in a fixed spot and not moved until it has cooled completely.

Furthermore, before each use, you have to check the liquid’s color, saltiness, volume, and the intensity of its aroma.

If it was bland, you’d add salt. Too salty, add fresh broth. Too light, add caramelized sugar. Not fragrant enough, replace the spices. Basically, whether it was scallions, ginger, or cooking wine, you’d add whatever was missing to maintain its quality.

The schedule for replacing the spice packet also had to be minded.

A batch of braising liquid typically exhausts the aroma of its spices after three or four uses, at which point a new spice packet is needed. If you’re braising a large quantity of food daily, it needs to be replaced even more frequently.

’If I nurture this recipe properly for half a year,’ she thought, ’even if it can’t match those century-old shops, it’ll be more than enough to beat any ordinary braised-food stall.’

’But it’s hard to say with this particular batch, since I didn’t braise things like the dried tofu separately...’

’It doesn’t matter. I’m not that satisfied with this batch anyway. I’ll be changing it later on.’

Hearing that it didn’t need to be thrown out, Widow Xie was relieved and reached for the pot lid to cover it.

"Don’t cover it, Aunt Xie. We can’t leave the stock in the pot. I bought an earthenware jar."

No sooner had she spoken than Guan Shan walked in, carrying the earthenware jar.

He had also been the one to wash it after she brought it home. It had been airing in the courtyard for a day, and was now dry inside and out.

"It would be so much easier to just leave it in the pot," Widow Xie remarked.

Ji Huan shook her head. "I have to take it to Yeyang tomorrow. How could I possibly carry it in the pot?"

Even if it wasn’t an iron pot, an iron bucket or a wooden barrel wouldn’t do either.

Ironware rusts easily, and wooden containers can impart an odd taste. Besides, neither provides good insulation.

The best way to store braising liquid is in earthenware, as its thick walls protect it from external temperature changes.

"So many rules..."

"I’ll take care of this. It’s already dark, so you two should head home. I won’t keep you for dinner."

Widow Xie and Ji Xuelan couldn’t argue with Ji Huan, so they each left with a large bowl full of braised goodies.

Ji Huan gestured toward the mouth of the stove, and Guan Shan went over to add more firewood without being asked.

After each use, the braising liquid had to be brought to a boil before storage, and it was crucial to keep it clean.

With one hand on her aching lower back and a ladle in the other, Ji Huan skimmed the excess oil from the surface and removed any foam. Once it had cooled down a bit, she had Guan Shan help her strain the liquid through a piece of cheesecloth.

After all the braising liquid had been poured into the earthenware jar and covered with a mesh screen, Ji Huan’s stamina was completely drained.

Guan Shan took over all the subsequent chores, like scrubbing the pot and washing the basins and bowls.

Dinner was simple: a pot of rice served with the various braised foods.

Guan Shan wasn’t one for effusive praise, but his hearty appetite was plain to see. Even Dabao had two extra bowls of rice, while Dahuang, Jia, Yi, Bing, and Ding all happily gnawed on their bones.

Only Ji Huan, who had been smelling the aromas all afternoon, already felt full from the scent alone.

Watching everyone else eat with such gusto, she could only tilt her head back and sigh. ’How tragic!’