Chapter 88: Delicious Fried Squid
Chapter 88: Delicious Fried Squid
In the kitchen.
Deng Shirong was teaching his eldest daughter how to fry squid. As he demonstrated, he explained, "Frying squid requires more attention to the heat than frying peanuts. If you overdo it, the squid becomes tough and develops a bitter taste. On the other hand, if the heat isn't enough, you won't bring out the natural sweetness of the squid."
With that, Deng Shirong felt the oil was at the right temperature and picked up a squid that had been drained of water, dropping it into the oil.
The squid immediately started to curl upon hitting the hot oil.
Deng Shirong used a spatula to hold the squid flat, saying, "When you put the squid in, it will curl up right away. You need to use the spatula or another tool to keep it flat, preventing it from curling. Otherwise, you'll only fry one side, and the curled part won't cook evenly, affecting the texture."
Deng Yunzhen watched her father intently. After he held the squid flat for a few seconds, the side facing the oil turned a golden brown. He then flipped it over to fry the other side for a few more seconds until both sides were golden. He then used chopsticks to transfer the squid to a clean bowl.
"The squid should be this color when it's done!"
Deng Shirong repeated the process, effortlessly frying three more squids. When it came to the last one, he handed the spatula to his eldest daughter, saying, "Ahzhen, why don't you try the last one?"
Thanks to her father's cooking lessons, Deng Yunzhen's understanding of cooking had improved significantly.
She took the spatula without hesitation, saying, "Alright, I'll give it a try."
Deng Yunzhen followed her father's steps, though it wasn't as smooth as his. However, her control of the heat was spot-on, and the fried squid looked just as golden as her father's.
Deng Shirong nodded in approval, saying, "Not bad. Keep this in mind for future reference. You can pour the remaining oil into another container. I’ll tear the squid into strips while it’s still hot."
"Got it, Dad!"
...
Two minutes later.
Deng Shirong had torn all four squids into strips about the size of a pencil. He then turned to his curious children and said, "Okay, it's ready to eat. You can enjoy it just like this, but it’s even more delicious with a bit of salt. Of course, you can also dip it in soy sauce or vinegar. Too bad we don’t have any wasabi; it would make a perfect pairing!"
Deng Yuntao picked up a strip, sprinkled some salt on it, and took a bite, slowly chewing. The more he chewed, the more delicious it became, and he couldn't help but praise, "This is really fantastic! No wonder you said it’s one of the best dishes to have with a drink. This squid is just as good as fried bee larvae!"
Deng Shirong smiled, "Fried squid is indeed as good as fried bee larvae, but bee larvae have the advantage of never getting old. Squid is delicious when you have it occasionally, but if you eat it too often, it won’t be as impressive."
Deng Yunzhen also fell in love with the dish immediately. She added, "The flavor of the fried squid is really good, with a sweet and aromatic taste that makes you want to have another strip. But as Dad said, eating too much can cause heatiness."
Deng Yunzhu swallowed her squid and said, "This is better than a lot of snacks. As for heatiness, it’s simple—just drink some bamboo water!"
For most people in the south, heatiness is a common and unavoidable issue. It’s not just foods like fried squid, peanuts, or dough sticks that can cause it; even foods like dog meat, chicken, or lychees can lead to heatiness if you’re not careful.
Either your gums swell, your tongue blisters, or your throat hurts. Once you’re suffering from internal heat, even the most delicious dragon meat loses its appeal.
In contrast, northerners can indulge in fried foods daily without such concerns, enjoying much more freedom in their diet.
This difference is primarily due to the varying climates between the north and south.
Some southerners experience internal heat quickly when they eat spicy or fried foods in their hometowns. However, after living in the north for a year or two, they can eat whatever they want without worrying about internal heat.
Similarly, when northerners move to the south, although they have a stronger resistance to internal heat compared to most southerners, they can no longer eat as freely as they did at home. Eating too many spicy or fried foods will still cause them to suffer from internal heat.
Because southerners are constantly plagued by internal heat, the famous Guangdong herbal tea was born.
The Danzhu water that Deng Yunzhu mentioned is the most common method used in rural Baise County to treat and prevent internal heat.
Danzhu water, as the name suggests, is the juice that flows from the Danzhu bamboo.
To obtain it, you need to pull down a Danzhu bamboo, cut off the tail, and secure it with a rope or other tool. Soon, water will slowly drip from the cut end, and that's the Danzhu water.
Its effectiveness in reducing internal heat is truly top-notch.
So, when his youngest daughter said this, Deng Shirong nodded and said, "Eat with peace of mind. I'll go and collect Danzhu water. By midnight, you'll all drink a few sips, and you won't have to worry about internal heat."
Hearing this, his children no longer held back and enjoyed the delicious fried squid.
Deng Shirong and his eldest son, Deng Yuntai, each poured half a bowl of rice wine and sat in the spacious living room, chatting about family matters while enjoying their meal. This kind of contented life, surrounded by his children, was exactly what Deng Shirong had always sought in his previous life.
...
The next day, Deng Shirong stayed at home, not going anywhere. He needed to list all the guests for his eldest son’s wedding.
In the modern world, many newlyweds, due to their extensive social circles, find the most challenging part of their wedding preparations to be creating the guest list. They have to go over their list multiple times to ensure they don’t miss any friends.
Missing a friend isn’t just about losing a gift; it can mean losing a friend altogether.
In the eyes of the friend, if you invite everyone else to your wedding but forget them, it shows that they are as insignificant as a passerby to you. Even if they don’t break ties with you, their relationship with you will gradually fade.
Some newlyweds only realize they’ve forgotten a friend after sending out the invitations, just before the wedding. At that point, unless you make a sincere effort to rectify the mistake, personally visiting the friend no matter where they live, you will likely lose that friend.
Simply calling to inform them won’t be enough.
Therefore, the wedding guest list must be reviewed multiple times to ensure no friends are overlooked.
(End of Chapter)
Chapter end
Report
