Miao Chu

Chapter 198 Rewarding Diligence
The cages were full of white geese, with long necks, and they called out happily.

Dabing was a meddlesome person after all. Hearing Song and Zhang talking seriously, and seeing the geese making noise and turning their heads around randomly, he couldn't help but reach out and try to push their heads back into the cage.

Unfortunately, before his hand could even press down firmly, the goose under his palm suddenly lowered its neck, turned around quickly, and pecked him hard.

The goose's beak is sharp and hard, and it sits squarely in the mouth of the tiger's hand.

Big Pancake screamed in pain, clutching his hand and staggering backward.

Although it was inappropriate, the other three people in the room couldn't help but burst out laughing.

While suppressing a laugh, Song Miao went over to look at his hand. When she saw that it was already red, and in just a short while, even bruises were slowly appearing, she quickly said, "There's a basket with a gray cloth tied in your room. There's some liniment in it. Go get it and rub it on!"

He added, "Many people keep geese to guard their homes. These beasts are very fierce. You should stay away from them and not provoke them."

With tears in his eyes, Dabing glared fiercely at the geese in the cage before turning away. He then turned back, pointed at one of them, and cried out, "Wife, that's the one that pecked at me just now. I'll have to keep it here to pluck my feathers later to vent my anger!"

Still unconvinced, he ran to the stove, dipped his hand in the soot from the bottom of the pot, and tried to mark the goose.

But after taking a few steps forward, he was still shaken and dared not go any closer. He turned back, took out his tongs, dipped them in ash, and from a distance of five or six steps, he reached out and rolled the tongs around the goose that had pecked him, leaving a black mark. Only then did he stop, put the food down, and ran away, shaking off his pecked right hand.

When Chef Zhang saw the boy's appearance, he laughed heartily. After laughing, he grinned and said to Song Miao, "Four big geese, are we going to cook them all for one meal?"

Song Miao said, "There are thirty or forty people in the yamen, plus a dozen or twenty in the waterworks. Even if we cook them all, it might not be enough to satisfy our appetites."

Chef Zhang then said, "Ordinary geese are only prepared in a few ways: braised, stewed, simmered, or roasted. How do you want it cooked?"

Song Miao took a look and, having heard that the goose had been raised for about four months, judged its size and meat quality, and said, "It's so hot, and everyone says they don't have much of an appetite. This goose isn't the right size for roasting, braising, or stewing. I think it would be better to use it to make something light and appetizing."

How can goose be prepared in a light and appetizing way?

“Our local cuisine in Huazhou is heavy, and the geese are mostly large geese with thick, coarse meat. That’s why you, Master Zhang, make such good braised and stewed geese. But since I was a child, besides roasting and braising, I’ve also loved another way of cooking geese in the summer, called white-cut geese. It might sound like it’s unappetizing, but as long as the ingredients are good and it’s cooked well, it’s all about the original flavor of the meat, which is fragrant and tender.”

"I also have a separate dipping sauce – if you like the taste of goose, it's delicious on its own, but if you can't stand any goose flavor, you'll find it just as good with that sauce!"

Upon hearing this, Chef Zhang immediately said, "If it were anyone else, I would turn around and leave as soon as I heard the words 'white-cut,' but your skill makes me curious about what it tastes like."

He added, "With so many, it's quite a hassle to prepare them. If you're too busy, I'll ask the waiter to help you—once they're done, could you share a few pieces with me so I can taste them?"

Xiao Er was his nephew's apprentice.

Killing geese is indeed troublesome, the most troublesome part is plucking their feathers. Goose feathers are thick and dense, with coarse outer feathers and fine down. In particular, geese are much larger than ordinary birds, making the process even more difficult.

Moreover, Dabing has injured his hand and we don't know what's going on.

Song Miao did not refuse, but replied, "Even if I can't help you, can't I at least offer you a share?"

He then laughed and said, "I just told the messenger to go back and tell him that I asked him to go back and tell him that I asked for a share of this goose to use for entertaining guests. I've been in Huazhou for a long time and have been using your kitchen every day, Uncle Zhang. I was just thinking of inviting you to join us!"

The officials and students of the Water Conservancy Bureau who worked hard to handle cases in the yamen were certainly hardworking, but in Song Miao’s opinion, the aunts and women in the kitchen who provided information on wrongful convictions and inquired about and described everything clearly also deserved credit.

Since Cen Dezhang had promised to reward them and given them money, she wanted to take this opportunity to try and get some benefits for them—there were a total of twelve people who reported wrongful convictions that day, plus the two cooks, so it would only be two more sets of chopsticks.

Besides, although the kitchen belongs to the official post station, the Zhang family uncle and nephew have done a lot of favors for Song Miao these days, saving her a lot of trouble. Even just to express her gratitude, she should be treated to a meal.

"It's a pity that the dishes prepared today are rather simple. I hope Uncle Zhang won't mind!"

Chef Zhang was very pleased and chuckled, "Not at all! Not at all! During your stay, I've been exchanging ideas with you and learned several new dishes. I feel my skills have improved a lot—last time, Liu Yiguan even praised my steamed buns, saying they had 'some resemblance to Song Xiaoniangzi's steamed buns'!"

Just then, Dabing hurriedly returned. As soon as he entered, he had a long face and held up his bruised right hand for Song Miao to see. He then glared at the dried goose and became even angrier at the constant "cawing" sound. He cursed from afar, "Flat-feathered beast!"

Song Miao said, "If your hand hurts too much, take a break for the next couple of days and don't do any work for now. Fourth Sister said she'll be here soon, and Master Zhang will have Xiao Er come and lend a hand."

Dabing was already shaking his head frantically, and when he heard "Fourth Sister" and then "Little Er," he shook his head even more vigorously, like a rattle drum. He hurriedly said, "No need, no need! It looks scary, but it doesn't hurt much! It won't stop me from using my strength!"

—Just kidding, Zhang Si Niang was so obviously trying to curry favor, and besides, she's a woman. It's naturally easier for women to get along and become close.

What if Madam Song gets used to her and becomes familiar with her, and then doesn't like her anymore?

Although Song Miao couldn't fathom what was going on in Dabing's mind, she didn't force him. She only told him that if he felt really uncomfortable, he should definitely say so.

Sure enough, Zhang Si Niang arrived shortly afterward, and not only her, Aunt Ma also came.

The latter said, "I heard from Fourth Sister that Young Lady wants to invite you to a casual meal, and that there will be geese. I was thinking that with about ten people, and Young Lady also having to take care of the officials in the yamen's meals, she might not be able to manage. It would be good if you came early to help out!"

Since everyone had arrived, Song Miao naturally wouldn't refuse. She first asked if the others knew, and then asked who wasn't coming.

Aunt Ma said that everyone came, and then laughed and said, "When they heard that Miss Song was cooking herself, they were all so happy. They arrived in no time. They all said they wanted to come and help out, but I stopped them, saying that the kitchen is only so big and it would be chaotic if there were too many people. The official post station also needs its own space—the two of us sisters-in-law are enough!"

With three people helping her, Song Miao calculated the time and, seeing that it was about time, began to work.

It was hot, and everyone said they had no appetite, so she decided not to cook any more hot food like rice or noodles, but instead planned to cook porridge.

First, they had someone put the rice, which had been marinated in oil, into a pot and started cooking it over a fire. Then they boiled water. Once the water was ready, they killed the goose, and everyone helped wash and pluck its feathers.

In no time, the four geese were cleaned and prepared. Song Miao prepared two large pots of water, each with ginger slices, knotted scallions, salt, and a splash of cloudy wine to remove any gamey smell. While waiting for the water to boil, she used a small pot to boil water, took a large ladle, ladled in the boiling water, and poured it over the geese.

When goose meat is heated, it shrinks, becoming increasingly white and firm. After being scalded, it is rinsed in cold water, a process known as "tightening the skin." This step prevents the goose skin from falling apart during subsequent cooking, resulting in a more bouncy and smooth texture.

Once the skin was tightened and the water in the large bucket was boiling, then the goose was cooked.

Besides the goose, Song Miao also added several pieces of pork belly with a 3:7 ratio of fat to lean meat to cook together, both to enhance the flavor and to add vegetables.

Since the method involves poaching, the goose must first be immersed in water, then lifted out of the water, and then immersed again. This process of lifting and immersing three times ensures that the temperature inside the goose's abdominal cavity is the same as that of the outer skin, preventing the outside from being cooked while the inside remains raw.

After soaking properly, bring the water to a boil over high heat for a while, then turn to a very low heat and keep the large bucket of water at a state of just about to boil. This water is also known as "shrimp eye water" because when the water is just about to boil, the bubbles that rise from the bottom of the pot are about the size of a shrimp's eye.

Pork sliced ​​in this way is poached rather than boiled. The water temperature is low, so the meat cooks slowly, resulting in less loss of juices and more even cooking, making the meat more tender.

After simmering for about half an hour, Song Miao used chopsticks to poke the thickest part of the meat. Seeing that there was no blood, she took the whole goose out, let it cool slightly, and then began to chop it.

There's a proper way to chop meat: first remove the wings, then the legs, and finally the body. The cuts must be decisive, following the joints to remove the bones without breaking them. Otherwise, it will not only affect the appearance, but the bone fragments dragged out by the knife and the pulled bits of meat will also affect the taste.

Song Miao was chopping geese here, first Dabing, then Zhang Si Niang, then Aunt Ma, and finally even Master Zhang's nephew apprentice couldn't help but turn around to watch when he heard the "thud thud thud" sound of chopping.

When the cook came in, he saw four people craning their necks to look. Those who were doing something slowed down unconsciously, and those who were about to leave stopped abruptly.

The way the group of people stretched their necks was naturally not as good as that of a white goose, but rather resembled that of a bastard.

He took a few steps closer, about to laugh, when he caught sight of Song Miao chopping up a goose. He couldn't help but glance at it twice, then twice more. As he watched, he also craned his neck, becoming the fifth goose in the room that he had previously thought was a bastard. He had long forgotten what he was going to laugh at, and just stood there, watching the young lady chop up the whole goose.

The goose was clearly that size, with different textures and shapes, yet her movements were incredibly fluid. With just a cleaver, she cleaved the goose's head in half; gently flicked the joints with the end of the blade; cleanly sliced ​​the bones; and used a diagonal cut to reach the thick breast meat…

Different amounts of force, different techniques, and different chopping methods result in almost every piece of goose meat being uniform in size, with skin, meat, and an extremely thin layer of fat.

A thought suddenly popped into Chef Zhang's mind—so this is what it's like to watch someone chop a goose into pieces.

The movements were clean and crisp, even carrying a subtle rhythm, smooth and comfortable. The goose seemed born to be chopped by the knife in her hand. Each cut seemed to encounter no resistance, as simple and easy as breathing.

The chopped goose meat is arranged on a plate, and the presentation is also beautiful, with the skin facing up, like white jade. It looks like a very refreshing dish, and it will never be greasy.

I just don't know what it tastes like.

Before he knew it, Chef Zhang's mouth was watering, and the saliva seemed to be flowing back into his brain—wait, why am I standing here like an idiot? What was I doing outside just now, and what am I supposed to do now?

Boiled goose is the main dish, while the other parts such as goose liver, goose heart, and goose intestines are prepared in their own ways.

The goose liver and heart are braised, while the goose intestines are blanched and then stir-fried over high heat with soy sauce. They are served on a bed of mung bean sprouts, with a blanched bean sprout serving as a base to catch the oiliness and sauce of the soy sauce goose intestines.

The staple food is porridge.

Song Miao adjusted the water-to-rice ratio herself, marinated the rice with a little oil beforehand, added plenty of water, and cooked the rice until the grains just began to bloom.

If there's too much water and too little rice, the rice and water will be separated when cooked into porridge.

The rice porridge was clear, only slightly thick when shaken. With a gentle stir of a large spoon, the rice would float to the surface for a moment before lazily sinking back to the bottom of the pot. It was like a student on holiday, who would half-open their eyes, only to close them again as soon as they realized they didn't have to go to school, refusing to get up and preferring to stay in bed as long as possible.

Plain congee must be served with side dishes.

The side dishes included pickled lettuce, pickled shallots, pickled ginger, pickled green beans, and pickled carrots, as well as fried soybeans, pickled minced pork, and a plate of fermented bean curd and water spinach leaves. She also washed and cut the water spinach stems separately, stir-fried them with vinegar, and added a dish of stir-fried water spinach stems with vinegar.

Although it was a simple meal, seemingly consisting of nothing fancy except for the poached goose, the table was still filled with a generous spread that looked refreshing, appetizing, plentiful, and tempting.

All the dishes were served, and finally, Song Miao prepared the dipping sauce for the poached goose.

The dipping sauce was specially made with a secret recipe. The most important ingredient was a salted Li Mengzi, which she brought from the capital. It was originally a specialty of Guangnan.

Old Li Mengzi, pickled for years, has developed an extremely rich flavor. All the bitterness has been transformed into a thick and astringent salty-sour taste. It is then mixed with finely chopped garlic cloves, dogwood, mustard seeds, scallions, and other ingredients, and seasoned with white vinegar, soy sauce, granulated sugar, salt, and oil. Finally, a large spoonful of the original broth from cooking the goose is added. The aroma alone is enough to make one's mouth water.

Now that the roads in Huazhou are open, there aren't many people at the official post station. Song Miao set up several tables. Two tables were for the people from the canteen on the river who came to report their grievances. They were specially arranged in a corner so that it would be convenient for them to talk later. The other tables were for the group from the Water Conservancy Bureau who had returned from the construction site. She also packed up the remaining porridge and dishes, asked someone to hitch up a cart, and wrote a note asking for help to send them to the Huazhou government office.

Once everyone was seated, and there was no need to worry about the Water Conservancy Bureau, Song Miao first thanked the staff of the River Management Office, then distributed a red envelope to each of them, whispering, "This is the reward money you asked Judge Cen for. Thank you all for the clues. Although it's not much, it's a nice little bonus. Just keep it quietly."

As he spoke, he raised his bowl, offering a toast to everyone with porridge instead of wine.

After drinking the porridge, she told everyone to eat as they pleased, without worrying about anything or feeling constrained, and without having to offer anything to others.

Upon hearing this, the dozen or so aunties and women thanked each other profusely, expressing their gratitude and declining the offer. Each of them was somewhat reserved, but as they kept pushing and shoving, someone suddenly started it all, and without any warning, everyone grabbed their chopsticks and started grabbing the dishes they had their eyes on.

Aunt Ma's first bite was of goose meat.

She wasn't the only one who coveted goose meat. Amidst the chopsticks, relying on her memory of serving dishes, she finally managed to pick up a goose leg, proving that hard work pays off.

　Many thanks to Kyoku Kin, Zishun, Miss Ultraman, c.ym, and I love Nong Nong for each of the five kind friends who sent me a small gift. Thank you all! =3=
　　(The little "m" at the end of c.ym's name is a cute little open heart, but I can't type it out, sorry, you can understand~)

　　(End of this chapter)