Chapter 14: Eunuchs Taste-Testing Meat

Chapter 14: The Eunuchs Taste the Meat

The fatty aroma of the pork belly instantly filled the entire imperial kitchen, and the caramelized sauce had already evenly coated every piece of meat as the wok was flipped and tossed.

Sight, sound, and taste were all satisfied in that instant.

The eunuchs couldn't help but gather around, staring with eager longing at the delicacy in the pot before them.

This really opened their eyes!

How did the meat get so fragrant?

They studied it over and over every day, yet they had no idea such a method existed—it was really strange...

The pork belly kept bubbling away in the clay pot, and the eunuchs watched longingly as the emperor covered it with the lid.

"Turn the heat down and let it braise for a bit!"

"Got it."

Bai Chuan, who was tending the fire, turned around and answered the emperor, his face lit up with excitement, his heart swelling with joy.

Good thing I was quick on the draw and grabbed this job.

While waiting, Yun Ran went on describing, then found the condiment—doubanjiang—and made a twice-cooked pork.

The tender green garlic scapes paired with the golden-fried slices of pork belly, stir-fried with red chili oil, made even the young eunuchs cleaning around the imperial kitchen swallow hard.

Fugui'er and the others were itching with anticipation, their eyes glued to the dish.

Who would have thought His Majesty is a culinary genius! These are methods we've never even seen before...

"Did you learn it? You lot?"

The group quickly nodded.

"Yes, we've learned it, we've learned it! Your Majesty showed off that skill, and we're completely enlightened!"

Good, as long as you've learned.

Yun Ran reminded them again.

"These skills are all palace methods. You absolutely must not leak them, got it?"

The eunuchs nodded frantically again. This was a secret palace dish personally taught by the emperor—who would be bold enough to leak it?

Only after finishing his instructions did Yun Ran feel relieved.

I can't let this leak out early—I'm counting on this dish to open a restaurant and make money.

My private treasury is empty, and a man's gotta have his own little stash!

Meanwhile, the eunuchs had been staring at each other, at a loss, for nearly the time it takes to burn a stick of incense.

Fugui'er, waiting by the clay pot, didn't even blink, terrified something might go wrong.

Yun Ran figured the time was about right and nodded. Eunuch Bai Chuan quickly, being perceptive, put out the fire.

"Fugui'er, go lift the lid."

Fugui was thrilled. Ignoring the eye daggers from Chief Eunuch Lou, who stood by the emperor's side, he stuck his butt out, carefully wrapped his hand in gauze, and lifted the clay pot's lid.

The clay pot was sealed tight, with no smell at all, but the moment the lid came off—

A rich fragrance hit them in the face, instantly spreading through the entire imperial kitchen. The surrounding eunuchs' eyes were about to fall into the pot.

So good! So fragrant!

The eunuchs and maids outside crowded around, secretly crouching by the door cracks, sniffing like crazy.

"Scram, scram!"

Eunuch Yuanbao pushed the crowd aside with his butt,

Served the braised pork onto an exquisite carved porcelain plate, and carried it to Yun Ran.

He also picked out two pieces into a small bowl, paired with a cup of clear tea, and set it down, then, with a fawning smile, prepared to serve.

"My Lord."

Yun Ran waved a hand.

"Share some with those below. This should be eaten with rice—bring some white rice."

White rice, of course, was available. The plump eunuch Shun Cai was quick on the draw this time and took the job of fetching the rice.

This time, the plump eunuch had gained some face before the emperor.

The two young eunuchs with delicate features, chosen by Fugui'er, the Grand Steward of the imperial kitchen, hadn't managed to grab any task at all and were feeling bitter in the back.

I've got to eat more and get fat in the future!

"This—this rice is too fine. We dare not eat it!"

Seeing that the emperor intended for the eunuchs to eat rice with the meat, they were all scared and quickly knelt down.

They were eunuchs—on ordinary days, getting a steamed bun was already considered a top-notch meal. Most of the time, they ate coarse grains.

Rice was something only the emperor and the consorts could enjoy.

"This braised pork is only perfect when eaten with rice. If you don't taste it, how will you ever make a good dish to go with rice in the future? A cook must have tasted everything before he can cook."

After saying this, Yun Ran picked up the bowl of white rice before him and started eating it with the braised pork.

He also signaled for Xiao Yuanzi to eat too.

Hearing these words, the crowd was so grateful they shed tears. Not only did the emperor not disdain them, but he also shared the meat he had personally cooked.

Although being able to work in the imperial kitchen's eunuch department was already envied by everyone, privately, everyone still despised eunuchs.

The emperor has us eunuchs in his heart!

Crying.

A group of eunuchs, lined up by rank, took their bowls and queued up to get two pieces of meat each from Eunuch Yuanbao. Yuanbao had originally wanted to give just one piece, but the emperor's dragon eyes glared at him.

"Why so stingy? Give them another piece."

Eunuch Yuan, good at reading people, could only stingily and reluctantly add another piece, and only then did the emperor stop glaring at him.

The eunuchs waiting in line were super excited. If the emperor hadn't ordered them to taste it right there and give their feedback,

they'd have taken that meat home to worship it!

This was an imperial gift from the emperor—taking it home to worship would bring glory to their ancestors.

And yet here they were, scarfing it down with their useless mouths...

What a waste of a gift from heaven, a total travesty!

Yun Ran looked at the crowd below, confused, as they ate with grimaces on their faces, wondering to herself,

Could they really not handle food cooked with soy sauce?

"Delicious! Absolutely delicious! This is simply divine!"

Fugui'er suddenly blurted out with great enthusiasm,

and the eunuchs around him, who'd been quietly tasting their portions, all nodded eagerly, looking thrilled.

The meat was braised until it melted in your mouth, a deep, rich red.

The thick sauce was packed with flavor, and with a bite of white rice, it was so good it felt like you'd died and gone to heaven.

The folks of Yanchi, used to light, plain flavors, had never had anything like this—they were so hooked they wished they could swallow their own heads.

Yuanbao was crouched next to his master too, taking a bite of the piping-hot braised pork.

This taste! In all his decades in the palace, he'd never had anything like it!

Yuanbao's eyes went wide instantly.

"How is it?"

"It's truly..."

Before Yuanbao could finish, Fugui'er butted in,

"It's absolutely incredible—a rare delicacy fit for the gods!"

Heh heh, today's ass-kissing of the emperor has to be mine.

That damn Fugui'er!

Yuanbao shot daggers at him with his eyes, clenching his little fists under his sleeves.

Yun Ran was pleased. A dish really needed flavor to be good—though steaming had its own tricks too.

Yun Ran then went on to teach everyone how to steam river fish and seafood,

the key was to steam them with ginger slivers, then pour off the extra water and drizzle with sesame oil and a bit of dark soy sauce.

For stronger-tasting seafood and pork, you could also marinate them in yellow wine for a few minutes beforehand to get rid of the fishy smell.

These methods were completely unheard of to them. Usually, with fancy ingredients, everyone stuck to the idea that the original taste was best—at most, they'd sprinkle on some salt and serve it.

Steamed fish soy sauce wasn't available here yet.

Yun Ran planned to write down recipes for various seasonings and have the imperial kitchen figure them out before she taught them more cooking.

All this effort just for my own taste buds—what a pain in the ass.

Marinating, braising, and getting rid of fishy smells—different ingredients needed different methods. The emperor's lesson really opened everyone's eyes; so this was possible!

Yun Ran felt a little bitter inside. Seems Yanchi really was poor.

When the common folks weren't well-off, they naturally had less energy to put into figuring out food.