Food starts with noodles

It's not that they like to watch the excitement, but mainly because they want to see how Xu Zhuo's level is.

Xu Zhuo first stirred the noodles with chopsticks a few times to mix the noodles and sugar evenly, then brought it to the edge of the stove, scooped a spoonful of boiling water with a spoon, and poured it into the basin.

The Cheng noodles in the basin were immediately scalded until slightly transparent, and then the boiling water was absorbed into the flour.

He flipped it with chopsticks to turn the flour in the basin into fluff, then poured a large amount of boiling water again, and then stirred it with chopsticks a few times after pouring.

In this way, pour water and stir until the flour in the basin completely turns into a translucent flour.

After turning off the fire, he took the basin to the chopping board, sprinkled some dried noodles on the chopping board, then dug out the flour flakes in the basin and put them on the chopping board.

The next step is to knead the dough.

Xu Zhuo first kneaded the dug out dough into the shape of dough, then pressed the dough with the mouth of a tiger and pushed it forward hard, until it reached the head, and then changed the position to continue pushing.

The reason for doing this is mainly to prevent dry noodles in the dough. In this way, dry noodles can be pushed out, so as not to form lumps in the dough, which is neither delicious nor good-looking.

When Xu Zhuo was doing the step of pushing the dough, the surprise on Zheng Guangyao's face became even more enthusiastic. Obviously he didn't expect Xu Zhuo's craftsmanship to be so sophisticated, and he knew even this step.

After pushing the noodles, put them together again and knead them into a dough again.

At this time, the little cheng noodles that had been sprinkled on the chopping board had completely touched the dough, and kneaded it twice to make the dough smooth.

While kneading the dough, also observe the softness of the dough.

This method of kneading the dough with boiling water is easy to make the dough slightly soft, so at this time, you have to sprinkle cornstarch on the dough when kneading the dough.

Raw flour can quickly absorb the moisture in the dough, and at the same time make the dough a little bit gluten.

These tendons will make making shrimp dumplings much easier, because the dumpling skin will be easily pinched together without cracking.

In addition, these tendons can also make the dumpling skin slightly tougher, so that it will not crack due to high-temperature steaming.

Because the raw flour is sprinkled on after kneading the dough, the gluten only exists on the superficial surface, and the overall taste of the noodles will not be affected by the raw flour.

After Xu Zhuo kneaded the dough until it was soft and hard, he flattened the dough with his fist again.

Then, he sprinkled two teaspoons of cooked lard on top of the dough.

Cooked lard is an essential ingredient for kneading noodles. Lard can not only increase the aroma of the dough, but also make the dough more fragrant, soft and smooth, and taste better.

In addition, putting lard in the dough can also keep the dough moist for a long time.

Otherwise, the wrapped shrimp dumplings will be easily dried in the air, and even if they are steamed, the taste will not be very good.

You don’t need to put too much lard, just a little bit, because if there is too much, not only the dumpling skin will taste greasy, but also the dough will become soft again, which will affect the subsequent production.

Spread the cooked lard on the surface of the dough with a spoon, then fold the sides of the dough to the middle to wrap the lard in.

Then knead it again in the normal way, and the lard is almost kneaded into the dough.

After smoothing the dough again, Xu Zhuo put the dough in a basin, covered it with a layer of plastic wrap, and let the dough rest for 5 minutes.

Relaxation can make the water molecules in the dough more uniform, and at the same time make the dough softer, so that no matter the next pressing or wrapping, it will become very easy.

During the few minutes of loosening the dough, Xu Zhuo was not idle. He found an unused towel, folded it twice and placed it next to the chopping board.

When pressing the dough with a kitchen knife, a towel is essential, without a towel, it is even impossible to make the dough well.

The existence of the towel has two meanings. The first is to wipe off some small dough sticking to the side of the kitchen knife to make the surface of the knife smoother, so that the pressed dumpling skins are more regular and easier to wrap.

The second is to add a layer of grease to the top of the kitchen knife.

Xu Zhuo took the olive oil and poured it on the towel in a circular motion, so that the oil would soak more evenly.

The reason why olive oil is used is that olive oil is more refreshing than vegetable oils such as peanut oil.

After the towel was ready, Xu Zhuo went to find a skin slap knife.

The leather knife is very big, similar to a large kitchen knife, but it is very thin, with a flat surface, without any decorations such as pattern steel stamps, and the blade is too shallow to cut vegetables. Its only function is to slap dumpling skins.

The towels are ready, the leather knife is in hand, and the next step is to witness the strange...

Cough, it's time to make dumpling wrappers.

Chapter 1368 Making Shrimp Dumplings

Making dumpling wrappers is a very high-end operation visually.

Because in public perception, dumpling wrappers are rolled out with a rolling pin, but now the kitchen knife has taken over the job of the rolling pin, and even surpassed the rolling pin.

Xu Zhuo took the loosened dough out of the basin and put it on the chopping board, then kneaded it into long, even strips, and then divided it into dough slightly larger than his thumb.

After dividing it, Xu Zhuo put a dough on the chopping board in front of him, rubbed it twice, and then flattened it with the palm of his hand.

Next, you can pat the skin.

Xu Zhuo grabbed the skin knife and patted it on the towel first, so that the side of the knife was covered with grease, which could prevent the dumpling skin from sticking to the kitchen knife and also make the kitchen knife smoother.

A leather knife covered with a thin layer of grease looks like a mirror, very flat and smooth.

Holding the knife, Xu Zhuo put the greased side on the flattened dough, then pressed the palm of his left hand against the knife, and shook the knife so that the knife drew a circle with the dough as the center.

In this step, the right hand is responsible for holding the skin knife to draw circles, and the left hand is responsible for pressing down evenly, so that the surface of the knife can press the surface agent more round and flat.

Turn it around three times like this, and then pick up the leather knife, and a perfect round dough piece appears in front of everyone.

This dough piece is larger than the dumpling wrappers you usually see, but it is very thin, and you can even see the lines on the wooden chopping board below.

Xu Zhuo used the cutting edge of the leather knife to lightly stick to the chopping board, inserted the blade deep into the dumpling wrapper, and then lifted it lightly, and the dumpling wrapper could be picked up.

Turn the dumpling wrapper over so that the oil side is facing down and the side just attached to the chopping board is facing up, put it in the prepared tray next to it, and then continue to make the next dumpling wrapper.

After the shrimp dumpling wrapper was placed on the tray, Xu Zhuo continued to make it, while Zheng Guangyao, Yu Peiyong and Xu Wenhai gathered around and looked at the dumpling wrapper that Xu Zhuo had made with incredulous eyes.

After a long time, Xu Wenhai murmured: "When I had nothing to learn at home, I practiced in the kitchen for several days before I mastered the essentials of shooting. I didn't expect Xiao Zhuo to learn it all at once."

Zheng Guangyao agreed: "This step is really not easy, because both hands have to exert force at the same time, but the force points are different. One is to exert force evenly downward, and the other is to make a uniform circular motion. This is the same as the left and right fighting technique. , It seems simple, but it is not easy to do.”

The three of them praised Xu Zhuo a few times, which made Xu Zhuo somewhat embarrassed. He said with a smile, "I actually practiced at home for several days at night, just waiting to show my skills in front of the elders."

As soon as he said this, Xu Wenhai was obviously relieved.

Cough, face is saved.

While everyone was chatting, Xu Zhuo had been making dumpling wrappers, but as he was doing it, there was nowhere to put them.

Shrimp dumpling skins are different from dumpling skins. It’s okay to make too many dumpling skins, just stack them up, but shrimp dumpling skins cannot be stacked, and can only be placed one by one on a large tray.

After the tray was full, Xu Zhuo brought over the stuffing, brought a bamboo steamer, put the baking paper for steaming shrimp dumplings inside, and started wrapping the shrimp dumplings.

Baking paper can be replaced with sliced ​​carrots and vegetable leaves, but Xu Zhuo felt that the shrimp dumplings made out of baking paper were cleaner, and since Yu’s kitchen had a lot of them, he used them directly.

He held a piece of dumpling wrapper with his hand, still facing up the side that was attached to the chopping board.

Because there is oil on the other side when the skin is patted, the dumplings cannot be pinched together at all, so it is better to use the side without oil, so that the shrimp dumplings can be pinched tighter.

Holding the dumpling wrapper with his left hand, Xu Zhuo held a spoon with his right hand, scooped a small spoonful of stuffing with large chunks of shrimp and put it on the dumpling wrapper.

Be careful when placing it, not in the middle, but slightly to the side, so that it is easier to pack.

After the stuffing was put in, Xu Zhuo pointed the side with less dumpling wrapper towards himself, then folded up the wrapper, and then folded the more wrapper on the opposite side, starting from right to left.

First pinch it on the far right, and then move one finger forward, press the dumpling skin and pinch it again. When pinching, it should be pressed on the dumpling skin pinched in front, and a perfect fold will be pinched out.

This has been pinched forward, has been pinched to the head.

A qualified shrimp dumpling has more than ten pleats, and thirteen pleats are the most perfect.

The shrimp dumplings that Xu Zhuo is making now are thirteen-pleated shrimp dumplings, which look like a small and curved comb when kneaded as a whole, so the shrimp dumplings are also called "curved comb dumplings".

After the shrimp dumplings were made, Xu Zhuo made them again. This was done to make the dumpling skin tighter and prevent it from cracking during steaming.

Although the shrimp dumplings have been prepared, they cannot be placed directly in the steamer at this moment, because the last step of trimming is required.

The so-called trimming is to put the shrimp dumplings on the chopping board, with the pinched side sticking to the chopping board, and use a leather knife to cut the pinched side so that the side becomes a straight line, so that the shrimp dumplings are perfect.

After putting the shrimp dumplings in the steamer, Xu Zhuo continued to pinch them.

Now Zheng Guangyao, Yu Peiyong and Xu Wenhai were not surprised anymore, because the three of them had already seen that Xu Zhuo's skills were good, not unskilled as he said.

The shrimp dumplings made out were like white jade works of art, even more beautiful than those made by Xu Wenhai.

In this case, it is not appropriate to say that you are not proficient.

If this is not proficient, then what is Xu Wenhai's package?

Since Xu Zhuo's craftsmanship is good, the three of them didn't look at it, and wrapped them up together. After all, so many people eat it, it's not enough for Xu Zhuo to make it by himself.

After a cage of shrimp dumplings was wrapped, Xu Wenhai brought a new steamer.

The four of them worked together, and the speed of making shrimp dumplings was greatly accelerated. When the old man came over with a yawn, all the shrimp dumplings had already been wrapped.

A total of ten steamers were wrapped in these shrimp dumplings. Although they were steamers on a small steamer like those used on gas stoves, they were enough to eat this morning.

There is a small steamer in the kitchen of Yu's house. Xu Zhuo turned it on to preheat it. After the steam came up, he and Xu Wenhai put these bamboo steamers into the steamer layer by layer.

After putting it away, wait for 6 minutes to get out of the pot and start cooking.

When the shrimp dumplings were steamed, Zheng Guangyao came over, looked at Xu Zhuo and asked with a smile, "Xiao Zhuo, I heard you plan to open a shop in the capital?"

Xu Zhuo was stunned for a moment, unexpectedly even Zheng Guangyao knew about it, it really became a well-known fact.

He smiled and nodded: "I have this idea, but I haven't decided yet, because it may not be able to drive."

Zheng Guangyao smiled: "It's a good thing for young people not to be complacent. I was worried that you would stay in the provincial capital and just get by."

Xu Zhuo thought to himself: I really can live with it, but the dog system doesn't agree.

When he was slandering in his heart, Zheng Guangyao said again: "In this way, if you open a new store, Grandpa Zheng can't help you. I still have about 1000 million in cash in my account. If you want to use it, I will give it to you."

Xu Zhuo: "..."

Is this the so-called windfall in the system prompt?

Loved it!

------

That's all for this month. Looking at the numbers in the background, I have written very little this month, only a little over 18 words. I am a little sorry for everyone's support.

Recently, the mainframe of the computer has a problem. I bought a new one. It should arrive tomorrow. I hope to write more next month.

This book has not been recommended for nearly four months, and maybe it will not be until the end of the book. After all, the grades are too poor, so I am too embarrassed to ask the editor for it.

No recommendation means no new readers, subscriptions will continue to decline, and manuscript fees will get lower and lower.In fact, manuscript fees have fallen off a cliff since last month.

Starting next month, I will strive to write more and try my best to finish the book before the Spring Festival, so as to give everyone and myself a satisfactory explanation. Although the book is terrible, we must start well and finish well.

That's it, good night everyone!

Chapter 1369 Let's Eat!

In fact, Zheng Guangyao has always been quite rich, because although he lost the management rights of Zheng Yuelou, the shares are still there, and every time the dividends come, there will be a lot of money in the account.

But for people of his age, money is not as important as family affection, especially after losing Zheng Yuelou, who has struggled all his life, Zheng Guangyao quickly entered a state of old age.

But other old people have their children and grandchildren around their knees, enjoying family happiness at home, while Zheng Guangyao stayed alone in the dormitory provided by the university for the big festival.

Although there was a phone call from home, I wanted to invite Zheng Guangyao back to celebrate the New Year together.

However, now that his face has been torn apart, Zheng Guangyao is too lazy to go back and act with his children and grandchildren. Although he can make a big table for New Year's Eve dinner after returning, he can also wear a red Tang suit and sit on the main seat to accept The false blessings of the children and grandchildren.

But Zheng Guangyao didn't want to do that.

At his age, coupled with the ups and downs of the past few years, Zheng Guangyao became more and more aware of his life.

Now that we have been separated from our children and grandchildren, why do we have to force ourselves to join together?

I have money, and they also have money. Isn't it comfortable for each other to be safe?

Besides, the older I get, the less I want to suffer any grievances. I don't have a few years to live, and it's too tiring to consider other people's opinions and feelings.

In view of this, Zheng Guangyao neither intends to return to Guangzhou, nor does he want to disturb Xie Hailong.

Instead, I chose to celebrate the New Year in Yangzhou alone.