Chop the peeled sea shrimps into small pieces. Add only sea salt and stir and knead them vigorously. When the shrimp grains no longer feel smooth to the touch, add a little potato starch and continue to knead and pound them until they become sticky.
Take another basin. Cut the pork fatback and bamboo shoots into fine dices. Blanch them in boiling water and then mix them well.
The pork fatback adds a hint of oiliness to the filling. After boiling, the excess fat is removed, making it fat but not greasy. The bamboo shoot dices bring a crisp and delicious taste. Together with the shrimps, add sugar, pepper powder and lard in turn, and then stir them extremely quickly. The movement must be as swift as possible to avoid any strange flavors.
Then use sesame oil to lock in the moisture of the filling. When the lard has slightly solidified, you can start to make the crescent comb shrimp dumplings.
As the name suggests, crescent comb shrimp dumplings are shaped like a crescent moon. The neat folds on them are just like the delicate teeth of a comb in a woman's dressing case. They are small and cute in shape, with smooth and almost translucent wrappers. The filling is moderately salty and sweet, making them a very delicate dim - sum.
Su Buchi is a man who pursues perfection in food. Li Ying was sure that he would like these dumplings.
Add a cup of potato starch to the gluten - free wheat starch. After mixing well, pour in boiling water to make the dough.
Her fingers were delicate. While kneading the remaining potato starch into the dough, her hands were soon scalded red.
Granny Sun couldn't bear to watch and wanted to come and help, but Li Ying gently but firmly refused.
Su Buchi had taken good care of her. She must make these shrimp dumplings by herself and not rely on others.
Finally, after much effort, the dough was kneaded until it was as smooth and soft as an earlobe. She let it rest on one side. Granny Sun knew she was going to make dumplings and quickly brought a rolling pin.
Li Ying shook her head and picked up a heavy kitchen knife instead.
Evenly spread some thin oil on the back of the knife. Gently flatten the prepared dough balls and use the back of the knife to push and smear, pressing out wrappers as thin as cicada wings. Then wrap them with the well - prepared filling. Use her left index finger to carefully make folds and shape them into the cute "crescent comb" dumplings.
The shrimp dumplings steamed over high heat have thin wrappers and large fillings. Under the elegant jade - like patterns, the faint red shrimp grains are faintly visible. Lying quietly in the steamer, they look more like precious jewels than food.
Although Su Buchi couldn't tell how these shrimp dumplings were made, he knew just from one bite that the process must be very complicated and Li Ying must have spent a great deal of effort on them. He was deeply touched.
She also prepared a lot of other delicate dim - sums, all of which were Su Buchi's favorite flavors, to be his dry rations on the road.
Even if you accompany a friend a thousand miles, there must be a parting. Li Ying and Lu Xunguang watched as Su Buchi boarded the shrimp - catching boat. His figure on the deck gradually moved further and further away and finally turned into a small black dot. Only then did they reluctantly return to the fishing village.
Read thousands of books and travel thousands of miles. Su Buchi was a man of outstanding grace. He came to the fishing village to look for his master who had been missing for many days. It was already very rare that he had stayed for several months.
The next day, Li Ying taught the recipe for the crescent comb shrimp dumplings to Bao Guiyou.
The business of Yufengxiang was booming. Bao Guiyou was also getting closer to Li Ying. His once - timid heart had now grown bolder. He was eager to open his first branch store in the neighboring town.
Li Ying carefully explained the business model of "franchise chain stores" to him. Especially in the cold winter days, the ice and snow were like a natural freezer. Dumplings and buns were very easy to store. It was just the right opportunity to expand the business.
Li Ying privately thought that if Bao Guiyou really opened the chain stores, even if Su Buchi had no time to return to the village, no matter where he went in the world, he could still taste his favorite shrimp dumplings.
The hot - pot restaurant had recently launched a spicy and delicious "Shrimp - Eating and Shrimp - Boiling" spicy shrimp hot - pot. After diners had eaten the big shrimps soaked in the delicious flavor of the hot - pot base while they were still hot, they could choose their favorite vegetables and meats to boil.
The business of the night market and the canning factory was also booming. Many new employees had been recruited. Although Li Ying didn't have to do everything herself, she was still extremely busy.
Lu Xunguang was also extremely busy.
The old master's health had been in decline for many years. Once he fell ill, his condition got worse and worse. Although he had taken all kinds of tonics like running water, there was still no sign of improvement.
As his son, Lu Xunguang had to take care of him every day.
In his spare time, he spent all his time in the coffee shop.
The scholars who had studied hard for ten years were now at the most critical moment. Each of them seemed to be risking their lives, studying late into the night. When they were sleepy, they drank coffee as if it were free.
This coffee shop was built by him and Li Ying together. Lu Xunguang regarded it very highly, even more so than the Ping'an Bank.
He was determined to make it a success, take over the Lu family with honor, meet Li Ying at the peak, and give her a magnificent wedding.
Li Ying knew his intention and was deeply touched.
Fortunately, Granny Sun was there to take care of the family affairs, look after Mianmian and Maomao, and handle everything properly.
Thinking of this, Li Ying checked the progress of the pearl farm. She took the time to go to Yan Island to pick up a batch of high - quality bird's nests and then returned to the village.
"Ah Ying! Ah Ying!"
As soon as she got off the boat, she saw several fisherwomen who were usually close to Granny Sun running towards her in a hurry.
Li Ying looked around the crowd but didn't see Granny Sun. She couldn't help raising her eyebrows and felt a pang of unease in her heart.
Normally, Granny Sun would hold Mianmian and wait for her at the dock.
"Look, mother is back! Your mother has suffered a lot to take care of us. Mianmian must grow up quickly. Later, you should learn skills from your mother and let her have a good rest!"
At such times, Mianmian would always babble and her bright eyes would roll around.
But today, Granny Sun was not there.
"Aunts, what happened?"
Although these fisherwomen were usually forthright, they had kind hearts. Now they were at a loss. When Li Ying asked, they quickly told her everything.
"Granny Sun saw a boat in the distance and thought it was you coming back. She carried Mianmian to greet you."
"Who would have thought that a huge wave more than a person's height suddenly rose. We were busy dodging the splashes. When we came to our senses, Granny Sun was gone!"
"We guessed that Granny Sun and Mianmian were swept into the sea by the huge wave. The men in the village have already gone into the sea to look for them, but..."
Li Ying felt as if the world was spinning before her eyes.
Even though she was usually calm and composed in the face of difficulties, when she suddenly heard this tragic news, she couldn't help feeling dazed.
Had something happened to Granny Sun and Mianmian?
"Ah Ying, don't be too anxious. Granny Sun was very good at swimming when she was young!"
Two fisherwomen quickly comforted her. Li Ying took a deep breath and managed to steady herself. She silently said to herself in her heart.
She must see them alive or find their bodies. Since Granny Sun and Mianmian were missing, it might not be a bad sign.