Transmigrated into the fat wife of the future prime minister

Chapter 42 Hot Pot
Xu Qingmeng first prepared lunch for her family, otherwise, once the workers arrived, she wouldn't be able to offer them food again.
The lunch is all prepared, and now we're just waiting for the workers to arrive.

Soon, several workers were sitting in the shop.

"Auntie, we didn't get a set meal yesterday, but we're the first ones here today."

"Okay, it's all ready. I'll bring it over to you right away."

"Xinting, six set meals. You get the vegetables, I'll get the rice. Xun'er, take them over."

"okay."

Xu Qingmeng was busy in the kitchen. When she heard He Shi's arrangements, she thought they were very good. She had already gained experience over the past few days.

On Xu Xun's side, Madam He prepared the food and served it to the workers.

"Oh, this rich, dark sauce must be braised pork."

"Yes, this meat looks very good."

"Yes, this braised pork is my aunt's specialty. It tastes really good over there. Everyone should give it a try."

"Alright, I'll have some meat first."

The worker had barely finished speaking when he put the meat in his mouth and was immediately amazed by its deliciousness.

"This meat is stewed until it's so tender, it's both sweet and salty, and the flavor is just right. Every piece is soaked in the sauce, it's absolutely delicious," the worker exclaimed as he chewed.

"Yes, it's so delicious! The salty and sweet flavors blend together perfectly without any conflict, and the meat isn't greasy at all. The owner's cooking skills are amazing."

Hearing what they said, the others also picked up their chopsticks and started to taste the braised pork. Before long, the whole house was filled with praise for the braised pork.

"This pan-fried tofu is also very good. It's crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. When you bite into it, the juice bursts in your mouth. With the rich sauce, it's really good with rice," another worker said.

Soon it was time for the workers to finish work, and more and more workers were coming to the shop. The set meals that had been made earlier were quickly sold out, so He could only ask the workers to wait.

"I'm so sorry, our set meals are sold out. Mengniang is cooking them now, and it will take a while. If you can't wait, we also have noodle soup and fried rice, which will be a little faster."

"It's alright, it's alright. We came here specifically for the set meals. It's still early, we can wait."

These are all unfamiliar faces; they must be here for the first time. The workers said that Gu Jia's set meals are delicious, although a bit expensive. They say that Gu Jia's food is made with care, and the portions are very generous; you can eat your fill in one meal.

As the workers eagerly awaited the meal, the second set meal was ready. The three members of the He family quickly divided the work and served the food. Xu Xun then hurriedly brought the food to them.

Xu Qingmeng hadn't expected so many people to come today. Fortunately, they added an extra bucket, but it still sold out very quickly, and there were many workers who couldn't buy any.

The workers who bought the set meals ate with great relish. Braised pork was, of course, the most popular dish, almost everyone loved it, and they all ate it clean. Some even used tofu to soak up the sauce from the braised pork.

One worker even asked if he could pack one to take home for his wife after finishing his meal. It was so kind of him, but there was no more left, and no ingredients to cook it fresh.

"I'm so sorry, our set meals are sold out for today. If you'd like to take them home, please come back tomorrow. You can buy one in advance and pack it up beforehand," Mrs. He said with a smile and a slight apology.
The customer looked somewhat disappointed, but then nodded in understanding. "Okay, I'll definitely come earlier tomorrow," the customer said, turning and leaving the shop with a hint of anticipation in his steps.

After seeing off the last guest, Mrs. He was tired but happy. She wiped the sweat from her forehead and her face was filled with a satisfied smile.

"Business is booming today! We've sold over a hundred set meals, and even the fried rice and noodle soup we prepared are sold out," Xu Xinting said to everyone as she tidied up the tables.

Xu Qingmeng also felt her arms were very sore today; she was really overwhelmed by cooking so much.

"Auntie, I'll make the fried rice from now on. It's too tiring for you to do it all by yourself," Xu Xinting said.

Xu Qing thought for a moment. Although Xin Ting's skills weren't as good as hers, they were still quite good. If Xin Ting could learn them, her own life would be much easier. So she nodded and said...
"Okay, if you want to learn, I'll teach you later. Actually, the technique for making fried rice isn't difficult; the main thing is to control the heat and seasonings."

"Then I'll give it a try, Auntie, see if it works," Xu Xinting said confidently, her face beaming with eagerness.

“I think this is a good idea. It will lighten Mengniang’s load and make her less tired. Why don’t you cook two portions right now and we can have them for lunch?” said Madam He.

Upon hearing this, Xu Xinting was even more excited. She immediately rolled up her sleeves and went into the kitchen to prepare. Xu Qingmeng stood by the stove, watching Xinting fry rice, occasionally giving pointers. Soon, the steaming hot fried rice was ready.

"Come on, everyone, have a taste and see if there's anything wrong with it."

Yun Sheng was the first to take a bite. "It's delicious, just as delicious as my sister-in-law's."

Madam He took a bite and said, "It's alright, almost as good as Mengniang's."

"It's great. Fried rice is simple to make, and I know Xinting's cooking skills. She made it very well," Xu Qingmeng said.

"That's good. Then I can help my aunt tomorrow."

After dinner, with more people in the house now, Xu Qingmeng no longer interfered with cleaning the braised food; He Shi and Xin Ting took care of that. Xun Ge'er went to tidy up the front hall.

"Mom, let's have hot pot tonight."

Before He Shi could speak, Gu Yunyi came out of the study and asked, "Hot pot, what's that?"

Xu Qingmeng immediately perked up and began to describe it with great enthusiasm.
"That hot pot, in the middle is a pot, and a fire is lit underneath or heated with charcoal."

There are many choices for the hot pot base, including a spicy one that makes your tongue tingle but is irresistible, and a clear broth that's incredibly flavorful; you can start by having a bowl of soup.

Then, various ingredients are added for simmering. For example, dried bamboo shoots are sliced ​​thinly and dipped into the pot to absorb the broth, resulting in a dish that combines the crispness of the bamboo shoots with the flavor of the broth.

And the kelp—long strands of kelp can be eaten after just a few dips in the pot, carrying the fresh taste of the sea.
There's also meat, beef, sliced ​​thinly, put into the pot, and it changes color instantly. Coated in sauce, oh my, the taste is simply divine!

I also bought some fish, which I can chop into fish paste, make into fish balls, and then add to the hot pot for a different flavor.

The group listened intently, as if they could already see the steaming hot pot.

(End of this chapter)