The Age of Discovery: Chinese cuisine swept across Europe

The next moment, Lord Mello put down his fork, stood up suddenly, turned his back to Yun Ji, quickly took out a one-real silver coin from his purse and placed it on the front desk counter, and said to Min Xi who was eating roujiamo behind the counter: "Check out, no need for change." After that, he left in a hurry.

Min Xi didn't notice his embarrassment and asked in confusion: "What's wrong? Is it not delicious? I didn't add any ingredients to the food tonight."

Yun Ji explained expressionlessly: "The food fell on my clothes, so I left."

Min Xi was stunned at first, then burst into laughter: "Is he so burdened by his idol status? His clothes got dirty and you happened to see it, so he won't eat?"

"What is idol baggage?" Yun Ji asked puzzledly.

Min Xi thought for a moment and said, "He is the type who takes his image in front of others very seriously and cannot possibly make a fool of himself. Well, I feel a little sorry for him." Isn't this equivalent to making a fool of himself in front of his idol? I'm afraid he won't come for the next two days.

Yun Ji looked at the food on the table, which had only been touched by a few chopsticks, and said, "You're not going to eat it now? What a waste!"

If it was at home in the past, he would never say such a thing. Every meal at home was extremely sumptuous, and many dishes were actually not touched before being removed. The experience of the shipwreck made him understand the preciousness of food, so he could not bear to see too much waste of food.

Min Xi said, "Put it away first, and give it to beggars."

Yun Ji brought the leftovers back to the kitchen. Everyone working in the kitchen saw it and asked, "What happened?"

Yun Ji said, "The guests have left, so we won't eat it anymore. If there's anything left, put it over there and give it to someone who needs it later."

Gail said, "None of these buns and egg tarts have been touched. They are all good. Give them to me."

Amanda wanted to give it to herself, but she was too embarrassed to speak up. Seeing Gail speaking up, she said, "The dishes are not touched much, sir, can I have them? I'll take them back for the children."

Seeing them say this, Yun Ji said, "If you don't mind, then just break up."

Diego licked his lips: "I want to eat an egg tart too."

Gail looked at him: "I want two egg tarts and two buns, and the rest are for you." He is a distant relative of the tax officer Pele. He came to Lisbon from his hometown to make a living and stayed in Pele's house. If he had the chance to bring some desserts or snacks back, he would be happy to do so because Pele's children liked them very much.

Diego looked at it and said, "I'll have an egg tart."

Amanda gave him the remaining two egg tarts: "These two are for you, and I'll take the rest back for the children." She was glad that she came to the Chinese restaurant because the children would have a great time.

Yun Ji said, "Just make the arrangements. Guests are coming, Gail, go and greet them."

Min Xi came back after eating Roujiamo and started cooking. When he learned about the distribution of the leftovers, he didn't say anything. Of course, it would be best if there was no waste.

Today is the first day after the opening promotion ended and there are no discounts. If the number of customers coming in the evening is similar to the previous two days, it means that the customer flow is basically stable.

The restaurant was still full in the evening. The table turnover rate was not high, which was normal. After all, it had only been open for four days and the restaurant's popularity had not yet been established. Old customers would not come to eat every day, so the fact that it was full showed that its recognition was still very high.

There were fewer customers than yesterday, so more buns were steamed in advance. They were not sold out, so Min Xi and Yun Ji distributed the remaining food to the three employees. Amanda took the most, and Min Xi told her not to waste it.

Amanda left with many thanks.

Min Xi and Yun Ji discussed that they would not make so much tomorrow. It was better to have less than too much. If there was less, they could make other substitutes, but if there was more, it would be wasted. Although the food would not be wasted in the end, it was a cost loss for them, and they still owed a huge debt.

The next morning, Min Xi asked Diego and Yun Ji to go shopping, while he went to buy the spices and ingredients needed to make boneless braised chicken. Braised chicken requires a lot of spices. Although Europe has collected a lot of spices from Asia and the New World, it is still not comparable to China. Min Xi can only try to find all the spices needed and make a simple version of braised chicken.

The cost of this dish was beyond Min Xi's expectations, and he would have to ask Baron Fernando for reimbursement of the money later.

After buying spices, he went to the market and picked two young hens. It takes a long time to make roast chicken, and if the chicken is too old, it can only be eaten in the evening. He also bought some milk.

After buying ingredients and spices, Yun Ji and Diego had not returned home yet. Min Xi boiled water and killed a chicken, while kneading dough to prepare today's staple food. He also had to make the dessert custard buns for the banquet.

Min Xi removed the internal organs of the two killed chickens and soaked them in water to remove the blood. When he took them out to drain the water and shaped the chickens, Yun Ji and Diego came back with the food. Today's dishes were very fresh, including the sea bass that Min Xi needed to make squirrel fish.

Min Xi said, "I have kneaded the dough, but I haven't had time to make breakfast yet. Brother Qi, please make breakfast. I have to hurry up and make the chicken, otherwise we won't be able to eat it until dark."

Yun Ji nodded: "No problem, let's eat noodles, I can't cook anything else."

"Okay." Min Xi said.

After the chicken is shaped, start to boil the sugar color. The sugar color of the braised chicken is not fried, but boiled. First add a small amount of water to boil into red syrup, then add more water to melt the syrup. After cooling, evenly apply the melted sugar color on the chicken. After drying, start frying the chicken.

Fry the chicken until golden brown, then put it in a steamer, add water to cover the chicken, use a heavy object to hold the chicken down to prevent it from floating up, add salt and spice bag to the water, and start stewing. Logically, chicken broth should be added, but there is no chicken broth prepared in advance, so let's do it this way for now, and prepare chicken broth in advance when we officially make it.

After boiling over high heat, turn down to low heat and keep the pot slightly boiling. Cook for four hours before the roasted chicken is done. If it is an old hen, the stewing time will need to be doubled.

Yunji's breakfast was ready, but Min Xi was still preparing the two chickens. He couldn't help but sigh, "This is too much trouble! I usually only knew that roast chicken was delicious, but I never thought it was so complicated."

Min Xi smiled and said, "Delicious dishes are made with a lot of hard work. It's the same as slow work produces fine results."

Yun Ji nodded: "The Buddha Jumps Over the Wall you mentioned will take longer, right?"

"Yes, it will take five or six hours to stew." Min Xi was finally able to wash his hands and eat. "This is something that only the rich can afford. Who among the common people would be willing to eat it? Not to mention the expensive ingredients, they wouldn't even be willing to spend the firewood that takes most of the day to stew it."

"You're right." Yun Ji agreed.

Compared to Buddha Jumps Over the Wall and Boneless Braised Chicken, Squirrel Fish is much simpler, it just requires more knife skills.

After Min Xi cut the sea bass into chrysanthemum shapes, coated it with flour and shook it, everyone stared in amazement. His knife skills were amazing!

Min Xi smiled and said, "You have never seen anyone with real knife skills. If you don't believe me, ask Mr. Yun. A real Chinese chef can even cut tofu into flowers."

Several people couldn't imagine: "What is tofu?"

Min Xi said: "The tofu is similar to the egg custard I made yesterday, but it may be softer than the egg custard. They can cut such soft tofu into the size of a hair without breaking it."

"Is this true?" Diego said in disbelief.

Yun Ji said: "Although I have never seen it, I believe it is true."

It is said that princes and nobles are particular about food. After Yun Ji went to the south of the Yangtze River and saw the diet of people in Jiangsu and Zhejiang, he felt that the people there are really particular and have taken food to the pinnacle.

He had eaten a kind of three-shrimp noodle. The shrimps used were Taihu white shrimps, which were no bigger than the tip of a chopstick. However, one had to first remove the shrimp roe and then peel out the shrimp meat and shrimp brain. The amount of effort required was so great that it amazed him, a northerner. The noodles were the most delicious he had ever eaten, and the price was naturally not cheap.

Min Xi prepared the fish and waited for Fernando to arrive before cooking it. The fish tastes best when eaten while it is hot.

But it didn't take long before Fernando and his older brother arrived, and this time his cousin, Lieutenant Colonel Fernando, also came.

Min Xi heated up the oil in a pan and cooked squirrel fish for them. The roast chicken had only been cooked for more than two hours, so they would probably have to wait until the afternoon to eat it, but they had plenty of time to wait.

Baron Fernando was a man who could not sit still. After sitting in the private room with his two brothers for a while, he went downstairs to the kitchen to watch Min Xi cook.

Min Xi said as he worked, "Baron, the kitchen is full of fumes, don't let them make you dirty."

Fernando waved his hand indifferently: "What does it matter? I can just wash it when I get home. I'm not that guy Simão Melo who can't stand even the slightest stain."

Min Xi suddenly laughed out loud when he heard that. It turned out that guy had mysophobia. The more he laughed, the louder his voice became.

Fernando asked curiously, "What are you laughing at?"

Min Xi laughed so hard that he finally stopped laughing and said, "Lord Mello came here for dinner last night and accidentally got a piece of chicken on his clothes, and then he ran away as if he had been bitten by a snake."

Fernando also laughed after hearing this: "Hahahaha, is this true? I'm afraid that guy will be in pain for several days."