Chapter 197: Cookies
Chapter 197: Chapter 197: Cookies
The Wuyuan Steamed Chicken was the most time-consuming dish, but it was also quite simple. All she had to do was wash the chicken, add the seasonings, and place the whole thing in the steam oven to cook.
Shen Lu had Cai Su help prepare the duck and fish while she marinated the pork shoulder and started on the cookies.
It had been a while since she last made Western-style desserts, so she was a bit fuzzy on the ingredient ratios.
Shen Lu searched for some relevant recipes on her Light Brain, comparing them with what she remembered until she had more or less confirmed the recipe before starting.
Shen Lu’s favorite part was piping the cookie dough with a piping bag. She found the process very relaxing.
The Wuyuan Steamed Chicken went into the upper steam oven, while the cookies went into the lower one. The two levels operated independently, so steaming and baking could happen simultaneously without any issue.
As for the char siu pork, Shen Lu decided to make it in the rice cooker.
Making char siu in a rice cooker meant it would lack some of that roasted aroma. But to prevent the flavors from mingling with the cookies, Shen Lu had to settle for the next best thing. Besides, rice cooker char siu still tasted fantastic.
After the duck was chopped into pieces, it was stir-fried directly in the wok. This task didn’t require much skill, but it did demand a bit of patience, so Shen Lu let Cai Su take over.
She went to marinate the fish. Once the cookies were done baking, she could put the fish in to roast.
Shen Lu moved quickly. After finishing these tasks, she started on a seaweed and pork rib soup, using a pressure cooker to save time.
Turning on a burner next to Cai Su, Shen Lu fried some peanuts, then sliced the century eggs and drizzled them with sauce.
The duck was ready once the skin was golden brown and the rendered fat had turned clear.
Shen Lu took back the spatula, added whole spices, seasonings, half a can of beer, and a little water. She brought it to a boil over high heat, then lowered the flame, covered the pot, and let it simmer.
Just then, the cookies finished baking. Shen Lu put on oven mitts, took them out, and put the marinated fish in.
The aroma of baking was especially rich, enveloping the entire kitchen in a sweet embrace.
Shen Lu couldn’t resist. Unable to wait for the cookies to cool, she carefully picked one up and popped it into her mouth.
The first sensation was the heat!
Shen Lu opened her mouth and blew on it for a while. Only when it cooled to a reasonable temperature did she start to chew.
It was fragrant, crispy, and sweet. Eating a single cookie made Shen Lu feel as if she had sprouted a pair of little wings; it was so good she could fly.
Shen Lu placed a few on a small plate. "Sister Cai, would you like to try one?"
Cai Su nodded. She was also very curious about the new treats Shen Lu had made.
The cookie had been sitting out for a moment, so it wasn’t as scalding as when it first came out of the oven. Besides, Cai Su wasn’t afraid of a little heat, so she picked it right up.
She didn’t eat it right away, examining it first.
The cookie wasn’t large, just a couple of sizes bigger than a bottle cap, and it was a lovely golden brown.
Cai Su took a bite and was amazed by its crispiness. She quickly cupped her other hand under her chin to catch the crumbs.
"Is it good?" Shen Lu asked.
Cai Su nodded emphatically, her eyes full of admiration. "Boss Shen, this cookie is so delicious!"
’Shen Lu is truly amazing. She’s so young, yet she knows how to make so many dishes. It feels like I could never learn them all.’
"As long as it’s good. Here, take these to Xiao Lang. Kids love this kind of thing."
Shen Lu pushed the small plate forward. She had baked a lot of cookies today. Only a small portion was for Xue Can; the rest she intended to keep for herself as snacks.
’Still, it was fine to share some with the little one.’
Cai Su no longer stood on ceremony with Shen Lu like she used to. She knew Shen Lu didn’t care for such false pleasantries.
She would graciously accept what was given, work hard and diligently, and do as much as she could to help out in their daily lives.
’This is its own form of give-and-take,’ Cai Su felt.
Cai Su carried the cookies out to the backyard. Xiao Lang and Ye Fan both looked over at the same time—or more accurately, they had smelled the sweet aroma of butter.
Although Xiao Lang hadn’t officially begun his awakening yet, his five senses had already started to change slightly.
They had become more sensitive than before.
"Come take a break," Cai Su said, waving them over. "Boss Shen just made these cookies and specifically asked me to bring them out for you."
Ye Fan was not a strict teacher. Under the temptation of delicious food, he didn’t hesitate for a second. He patted Xiao Lang’s shoulder, signaling for him to go over with him.
The two of them picked up cookies and put them in their mouths.
Most children love sweets, and Xiao Lang was no exception. After tasting the crisp, sweet cookie, his two dark, round eyes lit up like lightbulbs.
"Mom, this cookie is so yummy!"
Ye Fan had a big mouth and ate fast. Before Xiao Lang had even finished one, Ye Fan had already, Kuku, downed three.
If he hadn’t seen there were only two left on the plate, he would have kept eating.
"Boss Shen is incredible. Everything she makes is delicious."
Moreover, Ye Fan had noticed something. Ever since the restaurant’s original supplier’s cultivation base was attacked and their ingredient shipments were reduced, Shen Lu had been mixing in other ingredients for the regular menu. The only exception was when she cooked for her own people.
In other words, the only way to eat food that could soothe one’s Spiritual Sea was to have one of Shen Lu’s private meals.
Ye Fan had been bragging about this to the squad for two days.
Right now, in the entire squad, only he and Lin Zhou could eat food that soothed the Spiritual Sea. Not even their leader had that privilege.
By the time Cai Su returned to the kitchen with the empty plate, Shen Lu’s pan-fried eggs with scallions were just coming off the heat.
She glanced at the clock on the wall. It was 6:40. Xue Can should be arriving soon.
Speak of the devil. Just as she was thinking of him, she heard a noise at the entrance. Cai Su went to look and saw it was Xue Can.
Perhaps because the evenings were getting cooler, Xue Can was wearing a brownish-gray leather jacket. He still had on a pair of black trousers, and his combat boots seemed to be a permanent fixture. No matter how his clothes changed, the boots remained the same.
Shen Lu had already told Cai Su that Xue Can would be coming for dinner tonight and had even arranged a table for him.
Cai Su said, "This way please, Mr. Xue."
Xue Can paused, his gaze shifting toward the kitchen. "Is Boss Shen still busy?"
"Just one last vegetable dish. We can serve everything once it’s done."
Xue Can grunted in acknowledgment and followed Cai Su’s lead to a table in the booth area.
Cai Su brought him some tea before returning to the kitchen to inform Shen Lu that Xue Can had arrived.
"Okay." Shen Lu plated the water spinach. "You can take his portion out now."
Aside from the Wuyuan Steamed Chicken and the roasted fish, which were hard to divide, Shen Lu had made extra of the other dishes for their own dinner.
First came the fried peanuts and the cold-dressed century eggs. Then came the seaweed and pork rib soup and the Wuyuan Steamed Chicken. The beer duck, roasted fish, and char siu pork were all brought out together, followed finally by the pan-fried eggs with scallions and the stir-fried water spinach.
There was no rush to serve the cookies. It wouldn’t be too late to bring them out after Xue Can was almost finished eating.
Xue Can looked at the dishes, then at Cai Su. "Where’s Boss Shen?"
’There’s only one set of tableware. Don’t tell me she expects me to eat alone?’
Shen Lu washed her hands, planning to greet Xue Can before taking a tray upstairs to feed Fu Cheng and eat her own dinner.
’She had only said she’d cook a meal for Xue Can, not that she’d eat with him.’
’Besides, she was still holding a grudge about him constantly scheming against her. She had no desire to eat with him.’
Just as she reached the waiting area, a figure suddenly appeared outside the main door.