For half an hour of busy work, there was a dish of braised fish, a dish of braised ribs, and a dish of braised crystal pork knuckle. The soup was cucumber and shredded tofu soup, with shredded tofu and cucumber shreds in white and green, with pearl-like meatballs floating in the middle. A dish of sesame oil three shredded vegetables and a plate of matcha cakes were also served.
“Second Miss, are these truly all vegetarian?” Fang Momo couldn’t help but ask again as she carried the food box back.
“Oh, Momo, you’ve asked that several times. Weren’t you watching from the side? Does anyone know better than you whether it is or isn’t?” Qi Zhenzhen was very helpless.
“I watched the entire time, but after the dishes were made, they looked no different from the usual braised fish, braised ribs, and especially the crystal pork knuckle. I see the Old Madam eating it every day, and the chef’s version looks just like this. Second Miss, is this some kind of illusion you’ve used?” Fang Momo truly found it hard to believe that vegetarian food could be made to look and taste exactly like meat.
“Fang Momo, I’m not hiding my intentions from you. My thinking behind asking the Old Madam to recuperate is to find a pillar of support for myself, my aunt, and my younger brother. If it were fake, wouldn’t all my efforts be in vain? You know the Old Madam’s health best; if it continues like this, she’ll surely fall ill in two to three months.”
“That is true.”
When the dishes were presented to the Old Madam, she was, as expected, a little shocked.
“Is this Zhenzhen’s cooking? It looks quite good, at least in appearance, it’s on par with my usual cooks.” The Old Madam picked up her chopsticks and poked at the crystal pork knuckle. “Look, the elasticity is very good.”
Qi Zhenzhen smiled faintly and remained silent, while Fang Momo watched the Old Madam with a tense expression. Seeing her take the first bite, then the second, soon most of the dishes on the table were gone, she drank two bowls of soup, and ate two matcha cakes.
“Zhenzhen, Fang Momo told me your cooking skills were very good, and today’s meal proves it. It’s truly excellent,” the Old Madam said with satisfaction. “Your skills are no worse than the cooks my grandmother keeps.”
Qi Zhenzhen’s lips curved into a smile. Her vegetarian dishes were a great success.
“Old Madam, compared to the usual taste, do you find any difference?” Fang Momo’s eyes were filled with unconcealed joy.
“Strictly speaking, the texture is even better. What Zhenzhen made is more tender than usual. Take the crystal pork knuckle, for example. When I eat it normally, even though the meat is steamed until it’s soft, there’s still a slight hardness. But today, it’s very tender,” the Old Madam said slowly, taking a sip of tea.
“Old Madam, would you believe me if I told you all these dishes are vegetarian?” Fang Momo asked.
“I wouldn’t believe it. How could this be vegetarian? That fish looks just like ordinary fish; you can see the texture of the fish meat with every bite. And those braised ribs, aren’t those all selected ribs, piece by piece? Look, the bones are still on the plate,” the Old Madam said, shaking her head.
Qi Zhenzhen took another pair of chopsticks, picked up a piece of rib, and took a gentle bite. A section of the bone broke off.
The Old Madam was very surprised. She also picked up a piece of rib and tried to bite the bone gently. As a result, a section of the bone also broke off.
“The bones are made from yam wrapped in specially made gluten, then deep-fried and steamed,” Qi Zhenzhen said with a smile. “And the bones of the crystal pork knuckle, Grandmother, you can try them too.”
The Old Madam tasted the dishes carefully again. They had the exact flavor of meat, yet they were also slightly different from the meat she usually ate.
“Are these truly all vegetarian?” the Old Madam asked.
Qi Zhenzhen nodded. Fang Momo also said, “I was watching from the side, and Second Miss didn’t use any meat at all.”
The Old Madam suddenly stood up. “I didn’t eat meat with this meal? I really didn’t eat meat? These are all vegetarian dishes?”
Fang Momo’s eyes also turned red, and she began to cry with sobs.
Fang Momo’s eyes also turned red. The mistress and servant embraced each other, crying from soft whimpers to loud wails.
During this time, Qi Zhenzhen quietly withdrew from the room and signaled to Zisu, who was waiting outside, telling them not to disturb them. After the crying stopped, they were to send in hot water and handkerchiefs.
With the Old Madam’s heart problem resolved, she could now be considered a pillar of support.
Returning to Tinglan Courtyard, Qi Zhenzhen accompanied Yun Shi for a short while before returning to her room.
Feixu spread out paper and ground ink. Qi Zhenzhen sat at the desk and began writing down the recipes, detailing each step meticulously. Any cook with a solid foundation could follow them.
As for this skill in vegetarian cooking, she had learned it during a mission. That mission had taken a full three years. She had been disguised as a monk in a temple, and the master she followed was not only profound in Buddhist teachings but also possessed exceptional skill in preparing vegetarian meals. It was no exaggeration to say that he could transform vegetarian ingredients into any kind of meat dish, looking identical, tasting the same, but with an even better texture.
At the time, Qi Zhenzhen not only enjoyed it but also used it to pass the time. Coupled with a bit of talent, she learned this skill. Because making meat dishes from vegetarian ingredients was quite troublesome, Qi Zhenzhen had never done it since coming here. However, doing it now could bring her significant benefits. Thus, it’s true that having more skills is never a burden; one never knows when they might be useful. If she hadn’t had this skill, she would surely still be racking her brains trying to figure out how to please the Old Madam.
She wrote recipes until late into the night, completing sixty-six dishes.
After the ink on the last few pages had dried, Feixu bound the recipe papers into a booklet.
The next day, Qi Zhenzhen went to pay her respects to the Old Madam as usual.
“Second Miss, you’ve finally arrived.” Fang Momo breathed a sigh of relief upon seeing her. “If you hadn’t come any sooner, I would have gone to Tinglan Courtyard to find you.”
“What’s wrong?”
“The Old Madam can eat the vegetarian dishes you make, but she still can’t eat anything made by others. Last night, she only had a little minced meat congee,” Fang Momo said with a frown.
It seemed the Old Madam’s psychological trauma was deeper than imagined. She could eat meat-like dishes made from vegetarian ingredients, but she couldn’t eat normally cooked vegetarian dishes.
“Then I’ll go to the kitchen and make breakfast for Grandmother first.”
Breakfast was simple. The pastry kitchen had already prepared the dough, so she only needed to make two dishes.
A plate of braised vegetarian ‘meat’ and a plate of stir-fried vegetarian ‘meat’ slices.
The dishes were quickly sent into the room. Qi Zhenzhen washed her hands and followed them in.
The Old Madam was already eating, and Fang Momo’s expression had eased considerably.
After the meal, Qi Zhenzhen sat with the Old Madam for a short while before pestering her to go for a walk in the courtyard. “Grandmother, as the saying goes, a hundred steps after a meal lead to ninety-nine years of life. Whether you eat vegetarian or meat, you can’t just eat and not move.”