After Zhu Yuanzhang ascended the throne, he specially ordered people to open up all the open space in the Forbidden City as a royal vegetable garden to plant seasonal vegetables to supply the royal kitchen.
When Zhu Yuanzhang was not reviewing memorials, he would often go to the vegetable gardens in the Forbidden City and watch the workers watering and fertilizing the vegetable fields with great interest.
Sometimes, Zhu Yuanzhang would give some personal guidance.
During the autumn harvest season every year, Zhu Yuanzhang would even go to the fields to harvest crops in person.
This is also one of the few entertainments he has.
Seeing the three farmers busy, Zhu Yuanzhang felt itchy in his heart, and he immediately joined the labor team.
When the three farmers saw Zhu Yuanzhang, who was wearing a yellow robe, going to the fields in person, they were a little scared at first.
However, seeing that the eunuchs and maids around them all seemed not surprised, the three farmers calmed down and continued to concentrate on the work at hand.
Originally, they thought Zhu Yuanzhang was just here for fun.
But after a while, facts taught them how to behave.
Zhu Yuanzhang's movements were no slower than those of the three old farmers, and he dug out a huge bunch of potatoes in no time.
While digging, Zhu Yuanzhang was humming an unknown tune softly in his mouth, and it seemed that he was enjoying himself.
When the three farmers saw this, they couldn't help but be surprised.
It turns out that His Majesty really likes to do farm work!
After a while, the three farmers and Zhu Yuanzhang got into a fight.
Everyone was working leisurely and leisurely, which was very unpleasant.
On the other side, Hu Changan is also preparing his potato dinner.
For this potato feast, he resorted to all kinds of tricks.
If Zhu Yuanzhang dislikes potatoes, a precious potato, just because his food is not delicious, he will suffer a big loss!
Fortunately, in his previous life, Hu Changan was a social animal who lived alone and developed good cooking skills.
To be on the safe side, Hu Changan redeemed another cookbook in the system.
Momoly, he turned the recipe to the page of mashed potatoes in his mind. Hu Changan rolled up his sleeves and got ready to start.
When they saw a noble man wearing a brocade robe in the imperial dining room, they were all shocked.
As the saying goes, a gentleman is far away from the kitchen.
Noble people would not like to come to a dirty place like the kitchen.
How come today, a young man actually wants to come here to cook? I'm afraid it's just for show, right?
Upon seeing this, the manager of the imperial kitchen hurriedly approached and asked cautiously: "Sir, I wonder if you need us to help?"
It's said that it's done by someone, but actually it's done on your behalf.
The ladies in the palace would occasionally come here to cook in order to show their virtuousness.
After all, Zhu Yuanzhang admired simple and hard-working people the most. Even if they complained, they had to pretend on the surface.
Of course, this cooking is definitely not real cooking.
Those ladies would often only stay three meters away from the stove, and command the servants in the imperial kitchen to cook from a high position.
With them watching from the side, isn't it equivalent to cooking with their own hands?
The person in charge of the Imperial Kitchen is naturally very familiar with such twists and turns.
He felt that Hu Changan must be like those concubines, just to please Zhu Yuanzhang and come here to show off.
Hu Changan thought for a while, nodded and said: "Okay, you can ask a few people to help me cut vegetables."
The people in the imperial kitchen specialize in cooking, and their knife skills are definitely better than Hu Changan's, so it's not for nothing.
After a while, the manager of the imperial kitchen transferred several experienced chefs to help Hu Changan cook.
What surprised the manager of the imperial kitchen was that he did not expect that the assassin was a real assassin.
Hu Changan just asked the chefs to wash the lumps in their hands and cut them into pieces, then he rolled up his sleeves and started drying them.
I didn’t expect this young man to actually know how to cook!
The chefs were also extremely puzzled when they washed the dirt lumps from their hands.
What on earth is this thing, and why haven’t any of them seen it?
Let's just say it's a fruit. It's so dirty and doesn't look like it.
Let’s call it a vegetable. It’s so solid and doesn’t even have a hint of green. It doesn’t look like it.
However, Hu Changan ignored the psychological activities of everyone in the imperial dining room.
Seeing that the potatoes had been washed, Hu Changan ordered the chef to peel off the skins of the potatoes, then cut them into slices and steam them directly in the pot.
After a while, the soft and waxy potato slices came out of the oven.
Hu Changan picked up the chopsticks on the side to test the softness and hardness, and smiled with satisfaction.
Not bad, just right.
Then, Hu Changan put the steamed potato slices into a stone pound and mashed them.
During the grinding process, Hu Changan ordered the chefs to put some ghee into the mashed potatoes. After stirring evenly, a bowl of mashed potatoes was born.
Butter was not brought to the Ming Dynasty by Western missionaries until the late Ming Dynasty.
So Hu Changan could only replace the butter with ghee.
Fortunately, the imperial dining room is the royal kitchen after all, and everything is available, even a mere piece of butter.
However, while these chefs were helping Hu Changan find butter, they didn't think so.
Does this young man know how to cook with alcohol?
If you don't know how to cook, let them do it professionally, but don't mess around with the ingredients.
This butter is specially shipped from Uzang (Tibet), so it is very valuable!
Ghee is specially added to tea, so how can it be put in vegetables?
This is simply a waste!
Will this thing taste delicious?
The chef shook his head, puzzled.
At this time, Hu Changan's mashed potatoes had been freshly baked and were about to be put on the plate.
Hu Changan thought for a while, picked up a few small spoons and handed them to the chefs: "You guys come and try first, is the mashed potato I made delicious?"
This thing must be sent to Zhu Yuanzhang!
It’s better to try insurance first.
There are specialties in the art. After all, these chefs are old people who have been immersed in the imperial kitchen for many years. It is right to listen to their opinions.
If it doesn't taste good, Hu Changan can still make some changes now.
Several chefs held spoons and looked quite disapproving.
If this food tastes good, they will stand on their heads and dance immediately!
However, if they dislike it, they have no choice but to follow the orders given by the people above.
Several chefs each scooped a small spoonful of mashed potatoes, put it into their mouths and tasted it carefully.
However, just this small bite shocked them.
What on earth is this?
Why is it so delicious!
It melts in your mouth, is soft and sweet, and has a rich milky flavor. You can't stop taking one sip!
Several chefs couldn't wait to ask Hu Changan for advice before even putting down their spoons.
"Sir, what on earth is this and why is it so delicious?"
"I have been working in the imperial dining room for more than ten years, and I have never eaten food with such a unique flavor!"
"Sir, do you have any cooking secrets? Please teach them to us. We promise to only spread them within the imperial kitchen and never to anyone else!"
Looking into the sparkling eyes of several chefs.
Hu Changan smiled slightly.
Okay, this bowl of mashed potatoes is ready. This chapter has been completed!