Li Shimin led Empress Changsun to follow Zhao Chen and walked to the kitchen.
He asked Uncle Fu to bring a piece of cream cake for Lao Li's girl to eat, and they came to the kitchen.
The kitchen is very clean.
Although the variety of ingredients is far from comparable to that of Shangshi Bureau, the pots and pans in the kitchen and the clean walls of the stove are not inferior at all.
"I was planning to make some meat at noon today, but I didn't expect you guys, Lao Li, to come over. This saves time!" Zhao Chen said, taking out a piece of pork belly that Uncle Fu had just prepared from the plate on the side.
You still need to use pork belly for braised pork.
If it is too thin or too fat, the taste will be very different.
"Put the pork belly in a pot under cold water, add wine and bring to a boil, take it out, let it cool and then cut into pieces. Put a little oil in the wok, add the pork belly, turn on low heat and stir out the lard."
Zhao Chen explained to the two of them that the pork would be cooked soon.
After letting it sit for a while, Zhao Chen raised his knife and cut the cooked pork into evenly sized pieces.
Zhao Chen's cooking skills have reached the top level.
Li Shimin was dazzled by his skilled knife skills.
What is certain is that even the top chefs in his palace's food bureau cannot do it so smoothly.
Why does this kid seem to know everything?
Li Shimin felt at ease.
Empress Changsun was in a confused mood at the moment.
When passing by the yard, she clearly saw Fritillaria fritillaris drying in the dustpan in the yard.
There are also some medicinal herbs planted in the yard, including loquat leaves, pinellia ternata, schisandra chinensis, and sun-dried platycodon.
Empress Chang Sun is very familiar with these medicinal materials, and they are all used to treat qi diseases!
Before coming here, I had heard from Li Shimin that the young shopkeeper of this tavern seemed to be suffering from a hidden illness.
But Empress Changsun never thought that the hidden disease that the young man suffered from would be a gas disease like hers.
"The braised pork is ready, have you remembered everything?"
"cough--"
Zhao Chen suddenly turned around and ran towards the yard, where a violent coughing sound came from the yard.
"Zhao Chen, how are you?" Before Li Shimin could speak, he saw Queen Changsun going out first.
"I'm fine, I just got choked..."
"cough--"
"Sir, why did you come into the kitchen yourself again? Your health has just improved a little bit..." Uncle Fu ran over from the tavern in front, his reproachful look mixed with deep worry.
"It's someone's fault. I didn't know that Zhao Chen was suffering from qi disease. I'm really sorry." Li Shimin said, looking at Empress Changsun beside her.
Qi disease has troubled Empress Changsun for more than ten years, and it has also become a knot in Li Shimin's mind.
Unexpectedly, Zhao Chen, who was extremely curious, was actually suffering from qi disease.
…
After a short rest, everyone returned to the tavern ahead.
His breathing gradually calmed down, and except for a sickly blush on his face, Zhao Chen was no different from ordinary people at this moment.
"I'm sorry for being so rude to you just now. The braised pork is ready. Mrs. Li, Miss Li, try it. It's to your liking." Zhao Chen sat on a stool and said to Empress Changsun and Li Lizhi.
Li Lizhi's mouth watered when she smelled the meaty aroma that filled her nose.
She was holding the chopsticks tightly in her hands, but Li Shimin and Empress Changsun didn't hold out their chopsticks. How could she dare to do it?
This little girl was well disciplined by Mrs. Li.
Zhao Chen thought to himself.
"Madam, girl, last time Lao Zhang and I tasted only the braised pork cooked by Uncle Fu. According to Uncle Fu, he only learned 10% of Zhao Chen's skills."
"Zhao Chen personally cooked today. You two must try it." Li Shimin picked up the chopsticks with a smile and picked up a piece of braised pork for Empress Changsun and Li Lizhi.
"Brother Zhao Chen, you have worked hard today, you should eat a piece first!" What Queen Changsun couldn't believe was that Li Shimin actually gave Zhao Chen another piece of braised pork.
Li Shimin's identity, even if he was just patrolling incognito, he should not pick up food for a commoner.
Among all the civil and military ministers of the Tang Dynasty, who could win such an honor?
His Majesty the Emperor actually thinks so highly of Zhao Chen?
Queen Changsun was secretly shocked.
"Mrs. Li, use your chopsticks. This braised pork will definitely satisfy you." Zhao Chen said to Empress Changsun with a smile.
This Mrs. Li is really a little strange.
Ever since he saw himself, he has been staring at his face.
Before coming out just now, Zhao Chen went to look in the mirror.
It's still obvious that he's handsome.
Zhao Chen couldn't figure it out, so he simply stopped thinking about it.
"Well——"
Empress Changsun took a bite of the braised pork in the bowl.
The mouth is full of fluids and the aroma of meat overflows.
Seeing that Queen Changsun was already using her chopsticks, Li Lizhi, who could no longer hold back, immediately lowered her head and bit into the braised pork in the bowl.
"Wow, this is so delicious." Li Lizhi took a bite and, like a little girl, couldn't hold back her words.
I couldn't hide the joy and excitement in my heart, so I shouted out at that time.
Looking at Zhao Chen, his eyes were full of admiration.
"Sure enough, Zhao Chen, your cooking skills are even better than Uncle Fu's. Compared with the day before, this braised pork is even more fragrant." Li Shimin did not fall behind. He swallowed a piece of braised pork and his whole body suddenly lit up.
Zhao Chen smiled and said nothing.
In terms of cooking skills, he dares to say that he is second, and no one dares to say that he is first.
"By the way, Zhao Chen, why is your pork different from the ones we have eaten before? This pork is delicious and does not have that disgusting taste at all?" Li Shimin put down his chopsticks and looked at Zhao Chen.
This is the most important thing for him to come here today.
Queen Changsun also put down her chopsticks, raised her ears, and waited for Zhao Chen to speak.
She knew why Li Shimin came today.
Now that she had eaten the fragrant, soft and glutinous pork, she knew that Zhao Chen really had a way to solve the strange smell of pork.
If such a miraculous method could be implemented in the Tang Dynasty, it would definitely change the habit of eating cows.
The answer to a difficult problem that neither civil or military officials in the dynasty could solve will be revealed here today.
Li Lizhi actually enjoyed her meal and didn't care what others said.
After a while, two pieces of braised pork were eaten.
"The way to get rid of the strange smell of pork is very simple. Just castrate them when they are still little piglets."
"What?"
Li Shimin thought Zhao Chen had something to say, but he didn't expect that he just said this and kept silent.
Could it be that the strange smell of pork that has plagued it for thousands of years only requires such a simple knife?
Li Shimin and everyone were deceived.
"A year ago, I accidentally bought a castrated piglet. Half a year ago, the piglet weighed more than 200 kilograms, far more than the piglets of the same period."
"Three months ago, for my birthday party, I invited people from my hometown to the banquet, but because I was short of money, Uncle Fu and I slaughtered the piglets."
"Who knew that pork tastes so delicious?" Zhao Chen explained simply.
In fact, the real reason is not like this at all.
I just made up such an excuse to make Li Shimin believe it.
Li Shimin opened his mouth.
How could he have imagined that the problem that had troubled them for so long would be so simple.
Li Shimin couldn't wait to return to the palace and asked people to find hundreds of piglets to see if it was true as Zhao Chen said.
"Zhao..."
"Master Zhao Chen, is your birthday three months ago? I wonder how old the master is this year?" Empress Changsun suddenly said something without any hesitation, causing Li Shimin to swallow his words of farewell.