Chapter 184 - 184 Seasoning Is Vital
184 Seasoning Is Vital
Su Wenchi took a deep breath. All he could smell was the lamb skewers’ fragrance. He looked intoxicated, and everyone could not help but laugh when they looked at him.
Su Fengzhi was unsure what the lamb skewers would look and taste like before making them, but he trusted his niece. Still, he did not expect the lamb skewers to smell so good.
He had cooked many dishes and tasted several delicacies, but he knew the lamb skewers were unique. Su Fengzhi was energetic as he busied himself. “Let’s barbecue some more so I can call my parents to come over and try some tonight.”
His parents and siblings had worried about him over the past few years, but now, he could invite everyone to his house for a good meal.
Madam Liu said, “Big Brother and his family are out of town now, so we can’t invite them over tonight.”
Su Fengzhi said, “I’ll call them for dinner when they return, but we’ll invite my parents and Fengchen first.” Then he looked at Su Fengmao and continued, “We’ve agreed that you and your family will have dinner at my place tonight, right?”
Su Fengmao was skewering the lamb when he heard that. He replied, “I won’t argue with that. I’ve already made a deal with you, after all.”
Su Fengzhi looked at the lamb skewers again. “Wenchi, clean the lamb offal later, and give them to your eldest cousin, Wenzhe.”
“Yes, Father. I’ll clean them right away.” Su Wenchi placed some barbecued lamb skewers on a plate and went to clean the lamb offal.
Su Binglan looked at the lamb offal and said, “Those are good things, Uncle Fengzhi, and Aunt Liu. They will be useful after cleaning them.”
Su Fengzhi said without hesitation, “All right, we’ll do as you say, Binglan.”
No one questioned Su Binglan and did whatever she said.
Madam Liu spoke, “I’ll help clean them near the river when I have time. Then I’ll dry them and put them away.”
Soon after, she could not help but complain, “It’s much more convenient to wash things at the east river now since the drought is over. I had to go to the well and fetch water to wash our clothes when the river was dry. It was such a hassle.”
Su Wenchi brought a stool with him and sat down. He started cleaning the lamb offal as he said, “The drought was annoying. I had to fetch water from far away to water our crops.”
Su Fengmao also expressed his opinions, “The rain that happened after that came at the perfect time. Otherwise, it would have taken too much time and effort to water our crops.”
Su Binglan simply lowered her head and continued to barbecue the lamb skewers when she heard that. She knew they were talking about the rain she had summoned.
The rain made everyone happy, but she could not use her soul powers for a long while after that. However, she could only use her auxiliary powers now to figure out Su Wenxiu’s exact location and save him.
After barbequing some lamb skewers, Su Binglan took out the seasoning powder she had made and put it into a salt shaker-like wooden container with a net cover to evenly spread the seasoning.
She had asked Luo Jin’an’s help to make the wooden container. That way, it would be more convenient to season the lamb skewers.
Su Binglan told her husband to make two wooden containers. One was for a non-spicy seasoning, and the other was for a spicy seasoning. “Uncle Fengzhi, Aunt Liu, do you prefer spicy or non-spicy food?”
Madam Liu remembered something and replied, “Your uncle and I couldn’t eat the spicy food your mother sent us, but Wenchi could.”
Su Fengzhi said, “Wenchi had trouble eating the spicy food at first, but after a few more bites, he said he enjoyed it.”
Su Wenchi turned around to face the others and grinned. “That’s because you don’t know the benefits of spicy food. It’s very delicious.”
Su Binglan made a clear decision. “All right, I’ll give the spicy seasoning to Wenchi, not Uncle Fengzhi and Aunt Liu. Then Father can put less seasoning on his if he wants.”
After seasoning the lamb skewers, she brought them out for everyone to taste. Su Wenchi exclaimed, “Ah, they taste amazing, Binglan! The lamb skewers with a spicy seasoning are completely different from the others. They’re truly delicious!”
Su Wenchi hoovered up the lamb skewers as he spoke. His cheeks were bulging.
Madam Liu also thought the lamb skewers were tasty. “I’ve never eaten something like this before. If we sell these things, they will undoubtedly become popular. I-I just have no idea how much we should sell them for.”
After some thought, Su Binglan said, “We should price them individually. We can sell one skewer for two coins each, so everyone has a chance to try them. I’m sure everyone will frequent them once they’ve tasted one lamb skewer.”
She felt there was no need to advertise the lamb skewers. Just their taste alone would attract more people.
Su Fengzhi listened attentively to his niece. He had worked in a restaurant before and knew how to set dish prices. He thought the price Su Binglan had set was reasonable.
The customers could afford to eat more because the lamb skewers were affordable, even if one were apprehensive about how they would taste.
Su Fengzhi ate a seasoned lamb skewer and was shocked. “The seasoning is what makes this dish unique.”
Su Binglan said smilingly, “That’s the seasoning I made myself. I’ll teach you how to make it and give these two wooden containers to you. That way, you can spread the seasoning more evenly.”
Su Fengzhi thought his niece was a genuine treasure. “I was worried that others could easily imitate the lamb skewers, but I don’t have to anymore since we have these two seasonings.”
Su Binglan said, “Everyone can imitate the lamb skewers, but seasoning is vital. These are my secret recipes, and no one can copy them.”
Su Fengzhi felt more at ease. “Binglan, you always have a solution to everything, don’t you?”
…
Time passed quickly. The sun was setting in the west as it dyed the horizon red while the villagers returned from the mountain. They smelled the delicious fragrance wafting from Su Fengzhi’s house as they passed by.
“I wonder what he’s cooking. It smells so good!”
“It smells so appetizing!”
“Oh, great. Now I’m hungry.”
“Fengzhi’s cooking skills have always been astounding. I wonder what he made.”
The villagers were curious, but Su Fengzhi often closed his house doors, which was no different this time, so no one knew what was happening. The villagers thought Su Fengzhi was being too mysterious.
Su Fengzhi had already prepared many lamb skewers and simply waited to barbecue them. Moreover, it was time for dinner, so he sent his son to call the family over.
Su Wenchi happily went to call the others as he was the most willing to do it.
…
Su Wenzhe and the others rode the oxcart back to the village as Liu Yinyin thought something was missing. She said, “I’m so used to Binglan coming home with us that I feel weird because she’s not with us now.”