Chapter 141: First-class Pavilion
Gu Fei nodded. "They can. You can plant the dry ones directly, or you can plant them after soaking them in water. Either way works."
’She remembered the neighborhood ladies planting chili peppers. They’d just grab a handful of seeds and scatter them in the dirt. She had squatted beside them to watch, full of curiosity, asking all sorts of questions. They were the ones who’d told her all this.’
Gu Zhang nodded. "That’s good."
After peeling for a bit, Gu Fei took out various seasonings from her storage space to have them ready for later.
Just then, Lian’er’s voice came from outside. "Miss Xiao Fei, Liu Zhuangtou says Young Master Zhu has sent someone to ask if we can leave now."
Gu Fei called out, "Coming!"
As she spoke, she quickly put the deseeded chili peppers into a bag.
Gu Zhang stood up as well. "I’ll go with you."
"Gu Qing, you should go too."
Mrs. Chen nodded. "Alright. You all go. The rest of us will keep peeling."
The three of them walked out. Gu Fei called for Lian’er to come along as well. Since she would be cooking soon, Lian’er could act as her assistant and save some time.
Thinking that Young Master Zhu and his party would be on horseback, Gu Zhang borrowed a horse from Zhang Laojia, hitched it to his family’s own covered carriage, and drove out of the estate.
Young Master Zhu was waiting outside the estate. He nodded when he saw them, then flicked his whip, and they set off.
In the time it takes an incense stick to burn, they had entered the South City Gate. Not long after, the carriage came to a stop.
The street was exceptionally bustling, with people constantly coming and going.
When Gu Fei stepped out of the carriage, she saw a three-story restaurant. In the center hung a black, gold-trimmed plaque with three large, gilded words inscribed on it: "First-class Pavilion."
When the Shopkeeper saw the proprietor, Young Master Zhu, he hurried out to greet him. Young Master Zhu tossed his whip aside and pointed at Gu Fei. "This young lady is the one I’ve invited to cook."
"Take her to the kitchen. Let her have whatever ingredients she needs."
The Shopkeeper nodded and led Gu Fei toward the kitchen. Lian’er hurried to follow.
Young Master Zhu gestured invitingly. "Mr. Gu, please join me for tea upstairs."
Gu Zhang and Gu Qing followed Young Master Zhu upstairs.
When Gu Fei entered the kitchen, she was astounded. The kitchen of the First-class Pavilion was a real eye-opener.
There were a dozen or two stoves alone. In the center was an enormous worktable, piled high with all sorts of ingredients.
Several kitchen hands were busy chopping and washing vegetables. On some of the stoves, pots were stewing or steaming.
The Shopkeeper said to Head Chef Zhang, "The Young Master wants this young lady to make a few dishes. Let her have whatever she needs."
He then called over a teenage boy. "You, go help her."
Chef Zhang watched Gu Fei impassively. ’A little slip of a girl like her... what kind of dishes could she possibly make? Heh. We’ll just have to wait and see.’
Gu Fei walked up to the worktable, picked up a chicken that had already been gutted, and said to Lian’er, "I only need the breast meat." She gestured with her hands. "Dice it into cubes about this big."
Lian’er nodded, picked up a knife, and got to work.
Next, Gu Fei picked up a rabbit and handed it to the teenage boy. "Just chop this into chunks."
Then, Gu Fei took a fish to prepare herself.
She cut off the fish head and removed the bones, then sliced the fish meat into fillets. She then marinated them with salt, cooking wine, and starch.
She heated oil in a wok and tossed in chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns. Next, she added the fish head and bones, stir-frying them before adding ginger, garlic, and more chilies. In an instant, the kitchen filled with billowing, spicy smoke, causing many of the staff to choke and cough.
Gu Fei called out to one of the kitchen hands, "You have stock, right? Bring me a large bowl of it."
The kitchen hand quickly brought over a bowl of stock. Seeing that the fish head was about ready, Gu Fei poured the stock into the pot, covered it with a lid, and let it simmer.
She glanced around, then grabbed a handful of peanuts and had Lian’er shell them.
Then, she heated oil in another wok and fried the peanuts.
A few moments later, the peanuts were fried. She scooped them out and set them aside.
Then, she began to make the spicy diced chicken.