22. Deep-fried Stuffed Eggplant and Crispy Fried Pork

A light rain fell quietly during the night. As the old poem says, "Spring rain is as precious as oil," and the flowers, plants, and trees, having drunk their fill of the sweet nectar, appeared even more fresh and vibrant. Swallows darted to and fro, butterflies fluttered about; it was truly the most beautiful time of the year, the fourth month.

In such a lovely season, Wen Zhongxia suddenly craved fried food.

Question: What is the connection between the two?
Answer: None. She was simply feeling greedy.

As long as there were no customers in the morning, she would always guide Dong'er through her studies for a while before busying herself with food.

It was the season for fresh eggplants. The dark purple ones were as thick as a forearm, their skin slick, glossy, and remarkably tender. She intended to make fried stuffed eggplant with them.

She mixed flour and starch into a batter that could form long, unbroken threads, adding a couple of spoons of oil to the mix to ensure the fried coating would be crispier and more vibrant in color.

She peeled the eggplants and cut them into double-layered slices, tucking seasoned minced meat between each pair. Not too much meat was needed; a quick press with her fingers to let just a sliver peek out was perfect.

Looking at the rows of pale, white-fleshed eggplant pockets on the tray, Wen Mengdong remarked, "Big Sister, these look just like little meat burgers."

Indeed, they did, though these miniature "meat burgers" had to be plunged into a vat of hot oil.

She rolled the eggplant pockets in the batter, and as she dropped them in, a few stray droplets of batter sizzled and quickly bobbed to the surface—the oil temperature was just right.

The oil bubbled rhythmically. Under the intense heat, the eggplant pockets rapidly changed color. Wen Zhongxia used her chopsticks to stir them constantly, preventing them from sticking together. Once they turned a deep golden brown, she scooped them out with a spider strainer, let them drain briefly, and then gave them a second quick fry to ensure extra crunch.

Since she was already frying, Wen Zhongxia couldn't stop there. She decided to make crispy fried pork strips as well. The process was much the same, only substituting the eggplant with strips of pork tenderloin.

The aroma of the frying food was incredibly bold. Carried by the gentle breeze, it reached the Wang family eatery across the way.

Shopkeeper Wang stood at his doorway, his brows furrowed so tightly a fly could be crushed between them.

His eatery had been open across from the Imperial Academy for over three years, and business had been neither good nor bad—it was passable. Ever since the Wen family’s small food stall had set up shop, it had truly attracted many students.

At first, he hadn't paid much mind to it; she sold snacks, while he sold hot meals and dishes, so they didn't conflict. The Imperial Academy had over two thousand students; a small stall could only serve so many, and his eatery still had plenty of patrons.

But lately, that young woman had started selling braised dishes, and quite a few students had begun bringing her braised food to his shop to eat with their rice, making his other customers envious.

Shopkeeper Wang had sent someone to buy some; the taste was truly excellent. The foul, pungent pig offal and mundane vegetables were somehow braised into something so fragrant.

The ingredients were cheap, the selling price was high, and with so many buyers, he didn't need to think twice to know how much profit was being made. He, too, felt the urge to sell braised dishes.

However, although his cook had managed to braise something, it always lacked that certain something. When displayed, it didn't sell well, and many customers complained of an off-putting smell.

He didn't know what secret recipe they used. He had sent his wife to probe Sister Xu, but despite her gentle and easygoing appearance, she was quite shrewd and hadn't let slip a single word.

And now, they were busy concocting something else, and that rich, intoxicating aroma made one's heart itch.

The cook walked over and asked, "Shopkeeper, are we still selling that braised offal?"

"Of course we are," Shopkeeper Wang snapped. "We've spent so much on spices; if we don't sell it, we'll lose everything. Sell as much as you can."

"You need to keep figuring out how to improve the braising liquid," Shopkeeper Wang grumbled discontentedly. "You've been in the kitchen for over twenty years, yet you can't even compare to a little girl."

The cook replied in agreement, but cursed under his breath. Braising recipes were infinitely varied; if they were so easy to figure out, wouldn't everyone on the street be getting rich selling braised food?

Wen Zhongxia was unaware that she had become the focus of others' gossip. Once the stuffed eggplant and crispy pork were fried, she sprinkled them with salt and pepper, the unique fragrance making mouths water uncontrollably.

The eggplant pockets were golden and incredibly crispy. One bite released a puff of white steam, slightly hot to the tongue. The meat filling was savory and perfectly seasoned, and the eggplant had absorbed the juices, making it tender without feeling greasy.

Xu Xiu immediately polished off two pockets and said, "I never liked eggplant, but after tasting these, I won't turn my nose up at them again."

"Sister-in-law, in the future I'll make you fish-flavored eggplant, minced meat eggplant, and that sweet-and-sour candied eggplant. You'll appreciate the wonders of eggplant even more," Wen Zhongxia laughed.

Xu Xiu replied, "With you saying that, I have to eat two more."

Wen Mengdong was the first to reach for the crispy pork. The strips were longer than a finger. He put one in his mouth, bit down, and with a satisfying "crunch-crunch," the entire piece vanished in the blink of an eye.

"Delicious, delicious!"

In a child's eyes, meat was perhaps the most attractive thing of all.

Wen Zhongxia added an extra step for herself: whether for the eggplant or the pork, she sprinkled on an extra layer of chili powder. Only then, with that spicy kick, was it truly flavorful.

"Mistress Wen, Sister Xu, what delicious thing have you made again?"

Lü Tianchuan, Qin Qian, and several other classmates stood by the counter, watching them with wide, expectant eyes.

Wen Zhongxia set down her chopsticks. "Oh, I haven't heard the bell yet. Why have you come so early?"

"The professor was in a good mood today and showed mercy by letting us out early."

There wasn't much left of the eggplant pockets or the pork, but she picked out a few pieces for them to taste.

"So crispy, so tender!" Qin Qian's eyes lit up as he ate the eggplant, not forgetting to lick the salt and pepper off his fingers.

"Mistress Wen, why don't you sell something this delicious?"

"Exactly! Sell it, add it to the menu, and we will definitely buy it."

The few who had tasted it had their appetites thoroughly whetted.

Wen Zhongxia curled her lips into a smile. "You act as if I have three heads and six arms."

At this, the students' faces fell instantly.

"But I will consider your suggestions. I'll definitely introduce new items in the future." Wen Zhongxia couldn't bear to see them so dejected.

The students' expressions transformed instantly, as if they had been injected with adrenaline.

They ordered their food one by one. When it was Lü Tianchuan's turn, he said excitedly, "Mistress Wen, I heard from my mother that you've already agreed to cook for my grandmother's birthday banquet."

Wen Zhongxia nodded with a smile.

"That's wonderful," Lü Tianchuan clapped his hands in delight. "Mistress Wen, my family is very easy to get along with. I can help look after Dong'er when you're there, so you don't have to worry about anything."

Wen Zhongxia's smile deepened. "Then I thank you in advance."

His classmates were shocked. "Class monitor, Mistress Wen is going to your house to cook? Doesn't that mean we won't be able to eat her food that day?"

"My apologies, everyone, but I won't be able to set up my stall that day," Wen Zhongxia explained.

Qin Qian grabbed Lü Tianchuan by the shoulder, gritting his teeth. "Well, you really are a piece of work, Class Monitor. That's very unkind of you. You're satisfying yourself while smashing our rice bowls!"

Lü Tianchuan quickly begged for mercy.

"Unless you invite us all to the banquet, we won't let you off," a classmate joked.

Lü Tianchuan generously replied, "Fine, I'll mention it to my grandmother. She should agree."

Wen Zhongxia watched them bickering and shook her head with a chuckle; the vitality of youth was truly something else.

Wait, wasn't she just a young girl herself?

The midday rush was as busy as ever. She and Xu Xiu handled it with ease, and little Dong'er sometimes helped by delivering meals or clearing dishes.

Just as the peak period finally passed and Wen Zhongxia was stretching her muscles and tapping her back, she heard a voice from not far away.

"Which one is the stall selling braised food? Which one is the Wen family?"

A plump woman kept asking the various stall owners at the entrance of the academy. When someone pointed her in the right direction, she marched straight toward Wen Zhongxia’s stall.

The woman’s brows were arched and her eyes were fierce, her demeanor aggressive; she didn't seem to be here with good intentions.