Food: Taking the twins to kindergarten to be chefs

"Let's eat dumplings~"

Following Huang Jun's shout, he carefully served plates of steaming dumplings to everyone, took out a small dish from the kitchen, poured a little vinegar into it, and used it as a dipping sauce to eat with the dumplings.

"Come here~"

Everyone couldn't wait to get on the table neatly.

"Brother Huang, what do you do with the dumplings that were accidentally broken?"

Liu Shiwei asked curiously, looking at the intact dumplings on his plate, and added humorously: "I am mentally prepared to taste the 'artworks' I made!"

"Brother Liu, you are also a guest, how can I let you eat broken dumplings?"

Huang Jun responded with a smile: "I put the broken dumplings in the refrigerator and plan to use them to make sour soup dumplings next time."

"Don't we always pick whole dumplings to make sour soup dumplings? Why do you have such a special preference for those broken dumplings? Will they really taste good this way? Moreover, the dumplings this time are stuffed with pork, which is different from the common sour soup dumplings stuffed with beef. Will they taste good?"

As soon as Liu Shiwei asked a series of questions, he felt that his questions were a bit stupid, so he quickly added: "But then again, Brother Huang's cooking skills can turn ordinary things into delicious food. I'm sure he can make these broken dumplings become something that people can praise!"

Huang Jun smiled gently and patiently explained, "In fact, the broken dumplings, when soaked in sour soup after being cooked, will absorb more soup, making the taste fuller and the flavor richer and mellower, with a unique flavor."

"Really!"

When Liu Shiwei heard this, he immediately became interested: "Brother Huang, how about you cook some sour soup dumplings tonight so that we can also taste this special delicacy?"

Liu Ruihan, who was greedy after hearing this, couldn't help but smack his lips, and then couldn't wait to interrupt and say, "Damn, I want to try it too!"

Qingqing and Weiwei also nodded.

Wen Xueqin also looked at Huang Jun expectantly.

See this.

Huang Jun readily agreed, "Okay! I'll prepare some sour soup dumplings tonight for everyone to try. Let's eat the dumplings first, so they don't get cold and affect the taste."

"Yeah yeah yeah ~ Daddy's so good!"

A bright smile broke out on Liu Ruihan's face, and she playfully made a heart gesture to Huang Jun.

When Liu Shiwei saw this, he felt numb!
So...

He chose to ignore it, quickly picked up the chopsticks, and began to devour the dumplings in front of him to comfort his slightly sad heart.

After taking a bite, his eyes lit up.

Adding lotus root to the filling not only makes it more delicious, but also brings a crisp taste. You can feel the freshness of the lotus root with every chew, and the more you eat, the more delicious it becomes.

Not only the dumpling filling is delicious, the dumpling skin is also excellent.

Huang Jun added eggs and salt when kneading the dough, and also made sure the dough had enough time to rise.

This makes the dumpling skin moderately soft and hard, with a chewy texture, which complements the meatball-like plump dumpling filling. It is simply a match made in heaven...

Liu Shiwei couldn't help but give a heartfelt compliment: "This dumpling filling is absolutely amazing and extremely delicious!"

Wen Xueqian nodded in agreement, with a satisfied smile on her face: "Indeed, the taste of these dumplings is more delicious than any I have tasted before."

Liu Ruihan took a bite of the dumpling, his eyes curved into crescents, and he smiled from ear to ear, cheering: "Wow, these dumplings are so delicious, it's really different when you make them yourself, they taste even better!"

"Hanhan, you really know how to praise yourself~"

Weiwei disagreed with her words, and acted like a little adult, pretending to be serious: "Actually, these dumplings are delicious because the fillings made by my father are so fragrant, the dough is soft, the dumpling wrappers are rolled thin, and they are cooked just right. It has nothing to do with you making them. Hehe, it doesn't really matter!"

Liu Ruihan was slightly stunned after hearing Weiwei's words, then blinked her big eyes, smiled sweetly, and said happily: "Hehe, Weiwei, you are so right! But for us, as long as the dumplings are delicious, that is the happiest moment, isn't it?"

After saying that, she playfully stuck out her tongue, an action that instantly made everyone laugh.

Afterwards, everyone continued to indulge in the delicious dumplings.

Even though Liu Ruihan kept complaining about being hungry and her stomach growling when she didn't eat, once she started eating, the little girl quickly "surrendered".

A small plate of dumplings easily "conquered" her and she ate it to her satisfaction.

After dinner, she rubbed her round belly, took Qingqing and Weiwei's hands, and skipped to the living room to watch their favorite cartoons.

At this time, Wen Xueqin stood up and began to busy herself with cleaning the dishes.

Unexpectedly…

Liu Shiwei actually took the initiative to stand up and lend a hand.

This scene made Wen Xueqin open her eyes wide in surprise!
You know, at home, Liu Shiwei is a veritable "hands-off boss" who always stays away from trivial household chores.

Although there is a nanny at home to take care of everything and he doesn't need to do anything himself, today's action is rare.

But she also understood that Liu Shiwei might have done this to leave a good impression on Huang Jun so that he could be invited to dinner here more often in the future...

really!

If you want your husband to become more proactive, all you need is Huang Jun!
"Brother Liu, sister-in-law, you should go to the living room and take a rest. I'll clean up here..."

Seeing this, Huang Jun hurried forward and wanted to take the bowls and chopsticks from their hands.

Liu Shiwei declined with a smile, shook his head and said, "Brother Huang, please don't be polite to me.
I want to stretch my muscles today, so I can help you clean up and help you digest your food."

Wen Xueqian also smiled and agreed, "Yes, Huang Jun, just let him perform well for once. This is a rare initiative of his, so we should not deprive him of this 'joy of labor'."

Seeing that the couple was so persistent, Huang Jun no longer refused and nodded in agreement.

So the three of them worked together and soon tidied up the dining table and kitchen, making them look brand new.

Afterwards, Huang Jun led them into the living room and warmly invited them to sit down and rest.

After chatting about some daily life...

Huang Jun glanced at the clock on the wall and decided to get up and return to the kitchen to continue making final preparations for the upcoming New Year’s Eve dinner.

There weren't many people having dinner tonight, only three adults and three children, a total of six people, so Huang Jun didn't plan to prepare too many dishes, about ten would be enough...

After all, if you cook too much and can't finish it, it will only cause food waste, and may even make your family immersed in the cycle of leftovers for several days in a row.

Many people like to post photos of their family’s New Year’s Eve dinner on their Moments on New Year’s Eve, but on the first and second days of the New Year, few people do so.

The reason!

It’s simply because I’ve been eating the leftovers from New Year’s Eve these past two days and there’s really nothing to show.

Even though Huang Jun has streamlined the menu, it seems that there are still too many dishes prepared. I guess I will have to eat at least leftovers tomorrow.

Before leaving his seat, Huang Jun asked everyone with a smile on his face: "Brother Liu, sister-in-law, Hanhan, do you have anything special you want to eat for the New Year's Eve dinner? There are only a few of us here, so don't be polite, just say it."

Wen Xueqian responded easily: "Huang Jun, I can do anything. I like to do anything."

Hanhan also echoed in a baby voice: "As long as it's made by daddy, I love it..."

This mother and daughter are so easy to satisfy!

Noticing that Liu Shiwei hadn't spoken yet, Huang Jun turned and asked him gently: "Brother Liu, what about you? Is there anything you want to eat?"

Liu Shiwei thought for a moment and said, "Brother Huang, can you cook braised lamb? If possible, let's have braised lamb. That dish makes you warmer as you eat it, and it can also be used as a hot pot, which feels pretty good." Huang Jun originally planned to make delicious dishes with the seafood he brought, such as garlic lobster and three ways to eat king crab, in case Liu Shiwei wanted to eat these seafood feasts.

The results of it…

But he wanted to eat braised lamb.

This is a typical example of "After eating delicacies for a long time, you may occasionally miss the pleasure of simple meals"...

However, considering that we might be eating late tonight, we really need a dish that can be heated up at any time and becomes more delicious as it cooks.

The dish of braised lamb in red sauce combines the method of stewing lamb in the north with the characteristics of red oil hotpot in Sichuan and Chongqing.

In this way, you can not only taste the deliciousness of mutton, but also enjoy the fun of cooking vegetables in the red oil soup.

What's even better is that using the broth from stewing the lamb to cook the vegetables makes the dishes taste richer and more delicious.

This dish is not difficult to prepare, and he has already prepared mutton, so Liu Shiwei's small request must naturally be met.

Huang Jun smiled and nodded: "No problem! We have mutton at home. I was thinking about making salt and pepper mutton. Now it seems that it would be more appropriate to directly change to braised mutton..."

"it is good!"

Liu Shiwei responded cheerfully, and then added: "Brother Huang, how about I give you a hand..."

Huang Jun waved his hands quickly and said with a smile: "No, no, you should spend more time with your sister-in-law!"

Liu Shiwei insisted, "Let's go together. This way I can learn a few moves from you and show them off to my family in the future."

Huang Jun thought about it and felt that it made sense, so he nodded and agreed: "Alright! Then let's do it together and talk while we do it."

"Huang Jun, let me help you too..."

Wen Xueqin said this and followed Huang Jun and the others.

Fortunately, the kitchen is not small and is more than enough to accommodate the three of them at the same time.

If it were the small kitchen on the top floor of Jinyuan Community, even two people would find it difficult to turn around.

At this moment, Huang Jun was processing various ingredients skillfully.

Liu Shiwei and his wife assisted him. Wen Xueqian carefully washed the vegetables, while Liu Shiwei clumsily peeled the garlic cloves.

……

As time slowly passed, a feast of delicacies was being staged in Huang Jun's kitchen: the delicateness of crab meat stewed lion head, the deliciousness of garlic lobster, the richness of oil-braised prawns, the mellowness of chicken stewed with mushrooms, the sourness and sweetness of lychee meat, the fragrance of braised yellow croaker, the deliciousness of home-roasted pomfret and the richness of braised pork. One dish after another was laid out like a work of art...

The sun has set and the sky is gradually dyed with the colors of sunset. At this time, the sound of firecrackers can occasionally be heard outside the window, indicating that the footsteps of the New Year are quietly approaching.

But Huang Jun was not disturbed by the festive atmosphere at all. He was still busy preparing the last dish of the New Year's Eve dinner.

He put the mutton pieces into clean water, rubbed them gently, and then let the mutton soak in the water to remove the dirt.

At the same time, he filled the pot with water, placed it on the fire, and waited patiently for the water to boil.

When the water in the pot boils...

He put the cleaned mutton in and blanched it briefly, the time being exactly two minutes.

This step not only effectively removes the blood from the mutton, but also cleverly makes the outer layer of the mutton more firm.

Only with such careful processing can the stewed braised lamb show its unique flavor - the taste is chewy but not soft, and there is a hint of smoothness in the crispness, truly realizing the excellent experience of "tender in the mouth, chewy and crispy, crispy and tender, and satisfying in one bite".

After blanching...

He quickly took out the mutton and carefully rinsed off the foam on the surface with hot water.

Then he started the frying process.

The authentic way to cook braised lamb in red sauce is to use the special chili sauce from the Central Plains region to season it. The lamb cooked in this way will be bright red in color and very attractive.

But considering that there are three children in the family who are afraid of spicy food, Huang Jun considerately chose bean paste as a substitute so that they can also enjoy this delicacy.

In addition to bean paste, he also prepared common seasonings such as onion, ginger, garlic, as well as a variety of spices such as pepper, star anise, bay leaves, cinnamon, etc. to add aroma and layering to the dishes.

In order to make the braised lamb soup more attractive, Huang Jun also specially prepared a bowl of sugar color.

This bowl of sugar color not only adds a bright color to the dish, but also makes the flavor of the soup more intense, adding a unique charm to this braised lamb.

Everything was ready, and Huang Jun started to heat the oil in a pan.

Since he had to stir-fry the mutton first and then the bean paste, he deliberately added more oil so that he could create a rich red oil.

As the oil temperature gradually increased, he poured the washed mutton pieces into the pot.

Pick up the spatula and start stir-frying.

This step is crucial and cannot be omitted. The frying time must also be just right. If it is too short, the lamb will not reach the ideal crispy and tender state.

As the stir-frying continued, the mutton gradually changed color, and Huang Jun pulled it to the edge of the pot, revealing the fat at the bottom of the pot.

He added two spoonfuls of fermented black bean paste.

He continued to stir-fry until a rich red oil overflowed, then he added light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, cooking wine and other condiments, and continued to stir-fry for two minutes to allow the mutton to fully absorb the aroma of these seasonings.

He poured enough water into the pot to just cover the mutton.

After the fire is on...

A layer of fine foam floated on the surface of the pot, and he skimmed it off with a spoon.

After skimming everything off, he poured the prepared spices and previously boiled sugar color into the pot, then covered the pot, turned to medium heat and continued simmering for fifty minutes.

During this period, Huang Jun was not idle and started preparing other ingredients.

In addition to white radish, which goes extremely well with mutton and can add a refreshing taste, he also carefully selected wolfberries and red dates, intending to nourish the body through food. Especially in this cold weather, eating more ingredients that can replenish qi and blood can make the body feel warm from the inside out.

While waiting for the braised lamb to cook slowly, he did not stop, but instead was busy preparing another delicacy - sour soup dumplings.

Quickly boil a pot of water.

While waiting for the water to boil, he started preparing the sour soup.

Take a small bowl, put the washed seaweed and dried shrimp in it, pour in some aged vinegar, and finally add a handful of chopped green coriander and green onions.

At this time, the water was bubbling and he threw the dumplings into the pot one by one and covered it with a lid.

period.

He also tapped the water three times.

After the dumplings were cooked, he took them out and put them into the prepared sour soup.

After everything was ready, he brought the sour soup dumplings to the table and said with a smile, "Everyone, come over and have dinner. Brother Liu, turn on the TV in the restaurant. The Spring Festival Gala is about to start. Eating New Year's Eve dinner and watching the Spring Festival Gala, this is what it means to celebrate the New Year."

Wen Xueqian, who came with the dishes, replied: "Yes, yes, eating New Year's Eve dinner is more suitable for the Spring Festival Gala..."

Just like that, the New Year's Eve dinner for the three adults and three children began... (End of this chapter)