Punch: From third-rate anchor to top chef

Chapter 1659

After dinner, the children took them to the village square, where an impromptu folk dance performance was taking place. The villagers, dressed in bright traditional costumes, gathered in a circle, and the cheerful hand drum rhythm sounded, and everyone started dancing. Zhang Yue was infected by the warm atmosphere and joined the dance team, following the villagers' steps, spinning and waving his hands. Although his movements were a little unfamiliar, he enjoyed it. Li Xiao was busy recording these precious scenes with his camera. He knew that these moments full of vitality would become treasures that he would savor again and again in the future.

Not far away, a small stall selling "rolled rice noodles" caught his attention. The stall was not big, but it was neatly arranged. There were several large plates of tempting rolled rice noodles in the glass cabinet, and the small plates next to them were filled with finely chopped side dishes. The stall owner was a nimble young girl. When she saw Li Xiao coming, she greeted him crisply: "Handsome guy, would you like some rolled rice noodles? They are freshly made and delicious!" Li Xiao nodded quickly, and after obtaining permission to be filmed, he pointed the camera at the production table.

The girl skillfully picked up a thin rice roll, spread it on the chopping board, and then put bean sprouts, cucumber shreds, carrot shreds, meat sauce, and peanuts on it. Each time she put an ingredient, her movements were brisk and precise. After putting the side dishes, she quickly rolled up the rice roll with skillful techniques. In the blink of an eye, a plump rice roll was formed. "The skin of our rice rolls is made from freshly ground rice milk and steamed every day. It is thin, transparent and chewy. The side dishes are also freshly picked and cut in the morning to ensure freshness." The girl said as she handed the rice roll to Li Xiao.

Li Xiao looked at the rice roll. The rice roll skin was slightly rice-colored, and through it, he could faintly see the colorful side dishes inside. He took a bite, and first the smooth and chewy rice roll skin, followed by the refreshing side dishes and the rich meat sauce collided in his mouth. The crushed peanuts added a bit of crispness, and the rich taste made people chew a few more times. "It's so refreshing! This rice roll is perfect for breakfast or afternoon tea." Li Xiao praised to the camera.

Netizens in the live broadcast room were also tempted by this refreshing snack: "It looks so healthy, without those fancy additives." "This kind of simple snack is the most challenging to cook, the girl's cooking skills are amazing." "Host, please give me the detailed recipe, I want to try it myself."

After chatting with the girl for a while, Li Xiao learned that she returned to her hometown to start a business after graduating from college, and relied on this small rice noodle stall to support her own small business. He couldn't help but admire her. After bidding farewell to the rice noodle stall, he continued to move forward. After a while, a burst of fried food aroma penetrated into his nose. Following the smell, he found that it was a shop selling "fried potatoes".

Many people gathered in front of the shop. The oil in the big pot was crackling and bubbling, and the golden potato pieces were tumbling happily inside. The boss held a long chopstick and turned the potatoes from time to time. When the skin was fried until crispy, he took them out to drain the oil, put them into a paper bag, and sprinkled them with chili powder, cumin powder, salt and other seasonings. Li Xiao asked for a portion, took the still hot paper bag, and shook it in front of the camera first: "Look, everyone, this fried potato is a snack that can be found everywhere on the streets of Yunnan. Don't look at it as ordinary, it tastes so delicious." As he said, he pinched a piece and threw it into his mouth. With a "crack", the potato was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, and the taste of spices was perfectly integrated into it. The more he chewed, the more addictive it became.

There were shouts of "It smells so good" and "I want to eat it" in the barrage. Li Xiao shared with everyone while eating: "You have to choose the yellow-heart potato for this potato, which has a high starch content. It is soft, sweet and delicious when fried. It is amazing with this soul seasoning!" After eating the fried potatoes, Li Xiao felt that there was still some space in his stomach and was ready to explore again. At this time, he saw an old woman guarding a small cart not far away. There were several large earthenware jars on the cart, and there was a faint sweet fragrance around. It seemed that another different tongue encounter was waiting for him... Li Xiao continued to approach the old woman's cart and saw a simple note on the earthenware jar with the words "sweet white wine" written on it. Before he could ask, the old woman enthusiastically opened the lid of a clay jar. In an instant, a strong aroma of wine and a sweet breath came to his face, refreshing his heart. "Young man, would you like a bowl of sweet white wine? It's homemade and very sweet." The old lady said with a smile.

After Li Xiao obtained permission to film, he pointed the camera at the earthenware jar. Inside was milky white glutinous rice grains soaked in slightly yellowish liquor, with dots of rice floating on the surface of the liquor, which looked tempting. The old lady scooped out a bowl and handed it to Li Xiao: "Try it quickly, this is an old craft, using glutinous rice grown by our family, and the liquor yeast is also a recipe passed down from our ancestors."

Li Xiao took a sip and tasted the sweetness at first. The sweetness was not the greasy taste of industrial saccharin, but the natural simplicity and fragrance of glutinous rice. Then, the faint aroma of wine spread in the throat. The alcohol concentration was not high, but it just added a bit of smoothness and aftertaste. "Grandma, this is so delicious! It's sweet and smooth, and it has a grain aroma." Li Xiao couldn't help but praise.

The audience in the live broadcast room was very attracted by the sweet taste: "It feels like fermented glutinous rice, but it seems to be sweeter and purer." "I really want to know the recipe of the fermented rice. It must be very rewarding to make it at home." "This is the authentic old-fashioned taste. It is rare to see such pure sweet liquor on the market now."

Li Xiao asked the old lady about the secret of brewing the sweet liquor. The old lady patted her chest and said, "The key lies in the yeast and the heat. The glutinous rice must be soaked just right and not too soft or too hard when steamed. The yeast must be spread evenly. Then find a warm place to cover it and wait for it to ferment slowly. Don't be impatient." After chatting with the old lady for a while, Li Xiao finished the sweet liquor and gave the old lady a generous red envelope as a thank you before continuing to stroll around the market.

After walking a few steps, a burst of burnt aroma wrapped in the aroma of meat entered Li Xiao's nose. He looked around and found that it was a shop selling "roasted meat". The glass window of the shop was full of attractive roasted meat products, including bright red roast duck, greasy barbecued pork, and burnt roasted goose. Each piece was shining with an attractive luster, making people unable to take their eyes away. Li Xiao walked into the shop, and the boss came up to him enthusiastically, introducing his own roasted meat in Cantonese accent: "Handsome boy, my roasted meat is very authentic. I learned the craftsmanship from Guangdong, and the ingredients and seasonings are carefully selected." Li Xiao ordered a roast duck and barbecued pork. The boss cut the roasted meat into thin slices, put it in the lunch box, and poured a spoonful of secret marinade on it. Li Xiao showed the roast meat to the camera: "Look at this roast meat, it is sliced ​​evenly, with clear textures, and it's so tempting just by looking at it." As he said that, he picked up a piece of roast duck and put it in his mouth. The duck skin was crispy and fragrant, the duck meat was tender and juicy, and the rich taste of the marinade was the icing on the cake. He took another bite of the barbecued pork, the sweet barbecued pork sauce wrapped the tender barbecued pork meat, and every bite exuded a rich meaty aroma.

"This roast meat is so authentic, I feel like I have traveled to the streets of Guangdong in a second." Li Xiao shared with netizens while eating, and the barrage responded: "It makes me drool, roast meat is really delicious." "Eat more, anchor, eat our share too."

After eating roast meat, Li Xiao felt that this trip to the market was complete, and his stomach was filled with all kinds of delicious food. He held the dumplings and walked slowly towards the exit of the market, thinking about whether to visit the surrounding natural attractions in the next few days, see the magnificent volcanoes and hot springs in Tengchong, or continue to explore the niche food hidden in the streets and alleys. Just as he was thinking, his phone suddenly vibrated. It turned out that some local fans sent messages.

When they left the village, the villagers stuffed a lot of their own specialties into their hands, including dried apricots and hand-woven small pendants. This simple friendship warmed the hearts of the three people. Back in Kashgar city, it was already late, and the streets with lights on had changed their appearance. The neon lights flickered on the buildings with ethnic characteristics, outlining a mysterious and charming outline.

They strolled along the street and passed by a folk artist's studio, which was filled with various wood carvings and bone carvings, with exaggerated shapes but great artistic sense. Lin Fei was attracted by a wood carving depicting an ancient mythological scene. He chatted with the artist for a long time and learned about the creative inspiration and craft inheritance behind each work. This exchange added a sense of cultural heaviness to the trip to Kashgar. "Kashgar is really an inexhaustible treasure, and there are surprises hidden in every corner." Li Xiao sighed, and Zhang Yue and Lin Fei agreed with him. With the expectation of the next unknown journey, they slowly walked back to the hotel and prepared for a new day of adventure. Every time they output as much as possible, they continued to get up early on the last day in Kashgar and rushed to Oytak Red Mountain. Along the way, the landform gradually changed, the city's fireworks faded, and it was replaced by an increasingly majestic and magnificent natural landscape. When Oytak Red Mountain came into view, the three of them were stunned by the shocking scenery. The rolling mountains seem to have been burned by a raging fire, and are completely red. In the reflection of the morning sun, they are dazzling and eye-catching, forming a strong and fantastic visual impact with the surrounding barren Gobi Desert and the azure blue sky.

"This is simply a peerless painting created by nature with the most intense colors!" Li Xiao shouted excitedly, rushing to the viewing platform first. Zhang Yue followed closely behind, the shutter sound of her camera in her hand was endless. She tried to capture the magnificence of Hongshan from all angles. Every photo was like an artistic close-up of nature. Lin Fei stood aside, staring quietly, his heart filled with the beauty of the world. It took him a long time to come back to his senses, muttering to himself: "Human beings seem so small in front of such magnificence."

Hiking along the mountain path, they came across a clear alpine lake. The lake was like a mirror, reflecting the red shadow of Hongshan Mountain. There were sparse but tenacious water plants on the shore, and several wild horses were drinking water leisurely. Zhang Yue approached carefully, fearing to disturb these lively creatures, and observed their agile postures and flying manes from a close distance. Li Xiao picked up a flat stone from the ground and started skipping it. The stone jumped on the lake, creating ripples, breaking the moment of silence, but also bringing a different kind of vitality.

In the afternoon, they returned to the city of Kashgar and walked straight to a traditional musical instrument workshop in the old city. The workshop was filled with a faint aroma of sawdust and was hung with a variety of folk musical instruments, including rewap, dutar, satar... The workshop master was concentrating on tuning a newly made instrument. When he saw them come in, he enthusiastically introduced the characteristics and sound-generating principles of each instrument. Lin Fei picked up a dutar with great interest and tried to pluck the strings. The untuneable notes spread in the room, causing everyone to laugh. The master came over with a smile to guide him, and soon a simple but melodious melody flowed out.

As evening approached, they were hungry and wandered through the alleys of the ancient city, looking for dinner. They finally chose an inconspicuous little shop and ordered baked buns, thin-skin buns and mutton soup. The baked buns had a crispy crust, and when you bite into them, the aroma of the hot mutton filling fills the air; the thin-skin buns had a soft and glutinous skin, and the filling was juicy and delicious. Li Xiao blew the hot air while devouring the food: "This bite is full of the flavor of Kashgar's fireworks, so satisfying!"

After having a good meal and a good drink, they set off on their way home, passing by the square in front of the Id Kah Mosque. Under the night sky, the square was still crowded with people, and the believers finished their evening prayers, looking peaceful and satisfied. The breeze blew gently, with a hint of parting melancholy. Li Xiao whispered, "This trip to Kashgar is like a dream that I don't want to wake up from. It's too unforgettable." Zhang Yue and Lin Fei nodded in agreement. Although they were reluctant, they knew that the next journey was still waving ahead. With a vision of the unknown, they stepped towards a new starting point and prepared to go to the next city full of stories. Continuing to say goodbye to Kashgar, the plane cut through the sky and landed in WLMQ with Li Xiao, Zhang Yue and Lin Fei. This capital city of XJ has both the prosperity and bustle of a modern city and the heroic spirit of the northwest land. As soon as I left the airport, the high-rise buildings lined up one after another and the snow-capped mountains looming in the distance came into view. The strong contrast outlined the unique style of this city.

"WLMQ, we are finally here! I heard that the Grand Bazaar here is world-famous, we have to go and have a look as soon as possible." Zhang Yue said excitedly, with anticipation in his eyes. Everyone put down their luggage and headed straight for the International Grand Bazaar. Stepping into it, it was like stepping into a bustling international bazaar, where merchants from all over the world gathered, and the dazzling array of goods was dazzling. Colorful Uyghur carpets hung from the walls, and every inch of the texture told the ancient legend of the Silk Road; exquisite Yingjisha knives were displayed in glass cabinets, and the gems inlaid on the handles were dazzling; there were also various exotic spices, and the rich aromas were intertwined, arousing people's olfactory nerves.

Li Xiao was attracted by a dried fruit shop, which was filled with all kinds of nuts. Walnuts were big and plump, cashews were attractive in color, and raisins were as clear as purple gemstones. The owner enthusiastically handed over samples. After tasting a raisin, Li Xiao praised it highly: "This raisin is so sweet and has the taste of sunshine. I must buy more to bring back for my relatives and friends to taste."