Taro in winter is at its most powdery and glutinous. After peeling and washing it, grate it into fine shreds, add sea salt and pepper, mix well, and finally sprinkle in a couple of handfuls of sweet potato starch to make a thick batter.
The super - thin oil bean curd sheets are freshly made in the bean curd workshop. Cut them into appropriate sizes and place them in half - cut bamboo tubes, spreading them evenly and snugly.
Then tightly stuff the prepared taro shreds into the tubes and wrap them firmly with the oil bean curd sheets. Thus, a solid taro roll is formed.
After being steamed in a pot, the taro roll solidifies firmly. Cut it into diagonal slices and then fry them in a pan.
Although the fried taro roll is just a vegetarian dish, it has a crispy exterior and a tender interior. The rich, oily, salty aroma makes one's mouth water. It's delicious whether served as a snack or a staple food.
Another tea snack is the cured - meat radish cake.
Peel the winter - season white radishes and grate them into fine shreds. Add fine salt to draw out the excess water.
Meanwhile, the dried shrimps and scallops brought from the fishing village and the dried mushrooms sent by the caravan have already been soaked and softened. Cut them into small dices, add some Chinese sausage and cured meat, and stir - fry them until fragrant.
The mushrooms absorb the oil and become fragrant and glutinous. Add the wrung - out radish shreds and stir - fry them until soft. Season with sugar, salt, and pepper. Then mix with rice flour and the mushroom - soaking water to form a thick and proper batter. Level it out, steam it, sprinkle with scallions and sesame seeds. After cooling slightly, cut it into small square pieces.
The fried radish cake has a golden color, a crispy exterior, and a tender interior. With each bite, one can taste the dry fragrance of the cured meat, the freshness of the mushrooms, and the richness of the scallops. Although it seems like an ordinary and inexpensive tea snack, only those who have tasted it know that the ingredients are actually carefully selected.
Many of the diners who came out of curiosity may not be connoisseurs of tea, but they can still taste the clear after - taste of the coastal tea. Paired with the tea snacks, it's a very relaxing experience.
Li Ying's dance was coming to an end. As she had instructed, Shi Hu shone a warm light on her and the A Man sisters. The three girls stood hand in hand, with a dazzling golden outline around their bodies, looking somewhat noble and inviolable.
She was satisfied to see that the common folks below all had a look of respect on their faces. There were originally a few idle people leering at her with silly grins, but now they had put away all their disrespect. Only then did she finally breathe a sigh of relief.
Her plan had worked, just as she'd hoped.
Li Ying bowed to the audience below and loudly told them to enjoy themselves today. She also vowed that Li's Restaurant would treat all customers equally and make everyone feel at home.
With her eloquence and open - hearted nature, she naturally won a round of applause.
The diners rushed to find suitable seats. Ru Yi changed into a neat outfit and led a group of "waiters" personally trained by Li Ying. They skillfully served up a variety of seasonal dishes, which earned another round of praise from the crowd.
With no more worries on her mind, Li Ying quietly slipped into the backyard. She was about to close the door and change out of her gauzy Flying Apsara dance costume when she suddenly heard a soft tap on the window lattice.
Her heart skipped a beat. She quickly wrapped herself tightly in a cloak.
Another soft sound.
Li Ying took a deep breath and finally asked in a low voice, "Who is it?"
After a long while, a hoarse male voice finally came from outside the window.
"A Ying, it's me."
This voice had haunted Li Ying's dreams. Who else could it be but Lu Xunguang?
She pulled the fur collar of her cloak closer. For some reason, for the first time in her life when facing Lu Xunguang, she felt a kind of uneasiness.
With a creak, the man pushed open the window. Standing in front of her, he was covered in the cold air and looked travel - worn.
She didn't rush towards him as usual. Instead, she just stood there with a complicated expression. Lu Xunguang seemed to sense something. He raised his right hand as if to pull her into his arms, but then put it down awkwardly.
"A Ying... I've heard those gossips in the capital... I didn't mean to stay away from you on purpose, nor did I abandon you as the rumors said..."
There was a look of anxiety on his face. This eager look softened Li Ying's heart a bit.
Just as she was about to speak, the door suddenly burst open. A Man stormed in angrily and blocked Li Ying behind her.
"Lu Xunguang, you're finally back!"
"Your servants have loose tongues. They've been slandering my elder sister's reputation, making it hard for her to hold her head up in front of the common folks. Do you know what kind of days my elder sister has been through these days?"
"You let those evil servants humiliate my elder sister. Now you just casually say you didn't mean it and expect to wipe out all the harm? My elder sister's identity already has many taboos. She's been sincere to you, willing to share weal and woe with you, start from scratch with you, and follow you without a proper title, always thinking about you. If you really want to be like the heartless man in the play, then stay away from my elder sister as soon as possible and stop hurting her!"
Although A Man was not very old, she was extremely intelligent. As a Hu girl, she didn't care about the many formalities in the capital. But Ru Yi and Granny Sun had patiently explained things to her and advised her not to act rashly on the street, lest it put Li Ying in an even more difficult situation.
She finally understood how hard her elder sister had it, and couldn't help but feel more indignant for her. When she heard that Lu Xunguang had come to "meet Li Ying at night" regardless of the etiquette, she immediately rushed over angrily to seek justice for Li Ying.
Lu Xunguang was caught off - guard by this scolding. After a long while, he nodded honestly and said, "A Man, you're right to scold me."
He turned to look at Li Ying with his cold - pool - like eyes and said softly, "A Ying, I was really thoughtless this time and made you suffer. But even if you want to condemn me to immediate execution in your heart, you should at least give me a chance to defend myself."
Li Ying gently patted A Man's hand and finally nodded.
Granny Sun and the others had also rushed over upon hearing the news. Shi Hu quickly pulled A Man aside and carefully closed the door.
In the room, with only a dim lamp, Li Ying and Lu Xunguang were left alone. He composed himself and then said apologetically, "A Ying, it's my fault."
"I'm not trying to make excuses for myself. I really haven't been in the capital these days."
"Didn't you go around looking for suitable tea - making masters? I left the capital in a hurry this time to invite these tea masters out of seclusion."
"A Ying, I didn't mean to overstep and interfere in your business. I just thought that the delivery date of the bamboo - sealed tea was approaching, and most of these tea masters have rather eccentric personalities and live in scattered and remote places. I didn't want you to be tired..."
He spoke earnestly, and at the end, he added another sentence.
"A Ying, even if you're angry with me, please go and meet these tea masters first. They're currently staying at the inn under the Lu family's name."