mijobooks Chapter 191 Another New Mission
Chapter 191 Another New Mission
All eyes in the shop were on the eight-treasure rice.
The outlines of the red dates and lotus seeds appeared crystal clear, delicate and smooth against the rough surface of the large bowl.
Aunt Li said, "This is eight-treasure rice pudding, it looks huge! Grandma, did you make this yourself?"
Xia Qing's maternal grandmother nodded gently.
She gently pushed the eight-treasure rice forward, her fingertips turning white from the force. Chen Yuan quickly took it upon seeing this.
"No, we don't have anything fancy at home. This is eight-treasure rice that we steamed overnight last night. The ingredients are simple and the appearance isn't great, so it can't compare to the ones in stores. Please don't be offended by its exquisite taste."
She paused, a grateful expression on her face.
"This rice was grown by my relatives, and the red bean paste is made from good beans bought from the countryside. I sifted it three times, so it's very smooth."
"The sugar used inside is all rock sugar, which is not too sweet and tastes better than white sugar."
"Qingqing, if it weren't for your help, we wouldn't have been able to make so much money. Thank you, young man, thank you for taking such good care of us."
Lu Xingye, who was standing to the side, smiled and immediately helped the old man sit down. She noticed the old man's unease and quickly said in an exaggerated tone.
"This eight-treasure rice pudding looks homemade; it's exactly the same as the one I ate when I was a kid. I haven't had eight-treasure rice pudding in years. Mr. Chen, what about you? You don't have a generation gap even in something like this, do you?"
Chen Yuan sensed Lu Xingye's goodwill and continued the conversation.
"When I was little, I loved to eat this when I went out to banquets with my parents. It's been so many years since I've seen it. If you hadn't sent it over, I would have completely forgotten about it. I wonder if it tastes the same as it did when I was a kid."
Xia Qing's maternal grandmother knew exactly what was going on.
These two children said it on purpose so that she wouldn't lose face.
She appreciated their kindness.
"It's an old-fashioned recipe. I'm just worried that you young people won't like it. It contains lard. What do you young people eat nowadays? Butter. I don't know if you still like the taste of lard."
"I like it. The aroma of lard when stir-frying vegetables makes it fragrant, and the desserts made with it also smell delicious," Chen Yuan said.
Chen Yuan didn't make the old man stand and wait.
He turned around and took a clean knife from the kitchen.
I cut off a piece in front of the old man.
This eight-treasure rice has been sitting for a morning and is no longer as hot as it was when it first came out of the pot. It's lukewarm now, just right to eat.
Not wanting to disappoint the other party, Chen Yuan cut off a large piece and stuffed it all into his mouth.
The moment it touches your tongue, the soft, sticky glutinous rice and the smooth, creamy red bean paste melt together.
It's sweet, but not to the point of being cloyingly sweet.
The walnuts retain a slightly grainy texture, and the raisins are soaked in oil, giving them a fragrant flavor when chewed.
Chen Yuan doesn't like overly sweet things, but he can have a bite occasionally.
After swallowing, he spoke in a gentle voice.
"Grandma, your cooking is really good. You can't buy this kind of thing anywhere else. This red bean paste is so fine, there's not a single grain in it, it melts in your mouth, it's so delicious."
"It tastes exactly the same as the food I ate at banquets when I was a child."
Xia Qing's maternal grandmother's tense shoulders and back instantly relaxed, and she waved her hands repeatedly.
"I'm glad you like it. I thought it would be perfect to bring it to you at this time. You haven't eaten yet, have some to tide you over, so you don't get too hungry."
Chen Yuan nodded and didn't say anything more polite.
He used a knife to cut the eight-treasure rice into small pieces, then turned around and beckoned to the people who had helped him.
"Come here, Aunt Li, give Hao Hao a piece. Everyone, come and try Grandma Xia Qing's cooking."
Lu Xingye didn't want to eat it at first; she was on a diet!
This eight-treasure rice is full of oil and sugar, it's practically a calorie bomb, one bite and you'll gain 10 pounds.
But seeing the expectant look in Xia Qing's grandmother's eyes, she still wavered.
Lu Xingye picked out the smallest piece and put it in her mouth. That old-fashioned taste instantly awakened her memories of her childhood.
"I must say, it's really delicious. The taste of it made with rock sugar is just different from that made with granulated sugar. It feels more mellow and soft."
Aunt Li also took a bite: "This red bean paste must have taken a long time to cook; it really shows skill. It's so fine and dense, just like the one my mom steamed when I was little!"
Hao Hao said, "So...delicious! Sweet!"
Xia Qing's maternal grandmother steamed too much eight-treasure rice; it was too dense, and the group of them couldn't possibly finish it.
What's more, this stuff is very filling, sweet and fragrant, and you'll get tired of it after just a few pieces.
Chen Yuan took the eight-treasure rice to the volunteer rest area and distributed it to the volunteers.
To be honest, in this hot weather, nobody wants to eat something so sweet and cloying.
After learning that the eight-treasure rice was made by Grandma Xia Qing, everyone, regardless of their own thoughts, rushed to take some and eat it.
Regardless of whether it suited their taste or not, it ultimately received unanimous praise.
Chen Yuan could tell that the older people in this group genuinely thought the food was delicious.
Teacher Zhou seemed to have a sweet tooth, eating one piece after another.
"I haven't had this kind of old-fashioned eight-treasure rice in years. It's delicious! It would be even better with some candied fruit and green onion! It's so satisfying to eat!"
A young man retorted.
"They even put candied fruit peel on it, how can you eat that? I think it's fine as it is. A sip of this with a sip of iced Americano, it's absolutely amazing."
"Don't even mention Xia Qing's grandma's cooking skills are pretty good; her red bean paste is better than mine."
"I remember when I was a child, we always ate this eight-treasure rice at banquets. I think it's not made as often now. It's a rare treat to eat this."
Amidst the constant praise from everyone, Xia Qing's grandmother's confidence was boosted to an unprecedented level.
She knew everyone was just flattering and pampering him, but this sentiment was simply too much to refuse or ignore.
Just then, the system voice suddenly sounded in Chen Yuan's mind again.
[Congratulations, host, on unlocking a new side quest: Cochlear Implant.]
Xia Qing's grandmother's wish was to have Xia Qing fitted with a cochlear implant before she passed away, but cochlear implants are expensive, and the subsequent training period is long. Given Xia Qing's grandmother's advanced age and frail health, it's unlikely this will be possible.
[Accept the mission?]
[Task Reward: Ten signature dishes from the new restaurant (random selection)]
Ten signature dishes?
Chen Yuan was tempted.
It's worth noting that even a typical restaurant might not be able to come up with 10 signature dishes. If they can really win this award, then the initial investment will be worthwhile.
Chen Yuan thought about it and then accepted the task.
He knew very little about this, and just then, he remembered someone.
Zhang Liping!
Known for her kind heart, you can't go wrong asking her for help!