After washing the ingredients clean, Jiang Ning carried them back to the kitchen and set them aside.
Having added fuel to the stove several times, Jiang Ning scooped up a few grains of rice with a spatula. Seeing that only the center of the rice was slightly undercooked, she took a sieve hanging on the wall, placed it over a wooden basin, and poured the contents of the pot into the sieve, separating the rice from the broth.
She quickly washed the pot, poured in a few bowls of water, and swiftly cut the bitter greens into finger-length pieces before adding them to the pot. She placed a steamer insert on top, poured the rice from the sieve into it, stirred and spread it evenly with chopsticks, then placed a few eggplants directly on top of the rice to steam together. Finally, she covered the pot with a lid, completing the process of draining and steaming the rice.
Jiang Ning sat in front of the stove, added two handfuls of firewood to stoke the flames, then used fire tongs to rake the ashes, burying a few washed chili peppers in the hot embers.
Two minutes later, Jiang Ning retrieved the peppers with the tongs. The green skin of the peppers had been scorched to a tiger-stripe pattern, and the aroma of roasted peppers filled the air. Once they had cooled enough to handle, Jiang Ning carefully brushed off the wood ash and peeled away the charred outer skin bit by bit, revealing the clean, green flesh inside.
After roughly chopping the roasted peppers and placing them in a bowl, Jiang Ning finely chopped some green onions and crushed a few cloves of garlic, mincing them before adding them to the bowl. She added a spoonful of salt, two spoonfuls of vinegar, and five spoonfuls of soy sauce, then stirred, creating a simple sauce.
In truth, Jiang Ning would have liked to add some oyster sauce, chicken bouillon powder, and sesame oil, but in this era, such seasonings were merely a luxury to dream of.
With the sauce prepared and the rice steamed, Jiang Ning lifted the pot lid, releasing a wave of steam fragrant with the aroma of cooked rice that momentarily blurred her vision.
Using a damp cloth to protect her hands, Jiang Ning lifted the steamer insert out of the pot and placed it on the stove top. She used chopsticks to remove the eggplants from atop the rice. The eggplants had been steamed until soft and tender. Using a chopstick in each hand, Jiang Ning separated the eggplants into strips, then drizzled them with the prepared roasted pepper sauce, creating a simple dish of roasted pepper eggplant.
There were still cooked greens in the pot. Jiang Ning scooped them out and rinsed them once with cold water to remove the bitterness, then squeezed out the excess water. She heated oil in a wok until it was about 60% hot, then stir-fried the greens for two minutes. Next, Jiang Ning picked up the wooden basin and poured the leftover rice water into the wok. She brought it to a boil over high heat, added a spoonful of salt, and the rice porridge with greens was complete. She removed it from the heat and plated it.
After nearly half an hour of bustling about, Jiang Ning looked at the two dishes and the pot of pristine white rice before her with great satisfaction.
Jiang Ning lifted the kitchen curtain and, seeing Liu Ming'an reading a book, called out, "Dinner's ready."
Liu Ming'an looked up at the sound, put down his book, and asked with some surprise, "So quickly?"
Jiang Ning turned back into the kitchen, first bringing out the steamer insert and placing it on the table, then setting out the two prepared dishes. Liu Ming'an quickly stood up to help: "I'll get the bowls and chopsticks."
As the two sat down at the table and Jiang Ning handed him a bowl of rice she had scooped for him, Liu Ming'an held his chopsticks in a daze.
How long had it been since he'd had a proper meal like this?
It seemed that after his parents had passed away, he had been cooking for himself haphazardly, just eating to fill his stomach. After all, he was alone. Yet on this morning, he unexpectedly felt, for the first time in a long while, that this was a home.
Seeing Liu Ming'an motionless, just staring at the dishes with chopsticks in hand, Jiang Ning couldn't help but ask, "Do you not like these dishes?"
Liu Ming'an snapped out of his reverie and, not wanting to seem ungrateful, hastily explained, "No, it's not that. I was just reminded of my parents."
Jiang Ning understood. The pile of kitchen tools - how could someone who only knew how to make porridge use them all? They must have been acquired when Liu Ming'an's parents were still alive. After they passed away, with no one to use them, the tools were just left there.
"Try my cooking. I wonder if it suits your taste?" Jiang Ning spoke again. Although her words were humble, she was quite confident in her culinary skills.
Liu Ming'an nodded, reached out with his chopsticks to pick up a strip of eggplant, placed it in his bowl, then added a clump of rice, and put it all in his mouth.
The rice grains were distinct, neither too soft nor too hard. The eggplant was tender, having absorbed the flavors of the sauce. The aroma of green onions and garlic, along with the unique fragrance of roasted peppers, spread through his mouth. In one bite, the combination of rice and vegetable flavors instantly awakened Liu Ming'an's appetite.
Jiang Ning discreetly observed him, noticing that he clearly enjoyed the roasted pepper eggplant. She pushed the rice porridge with greens towards him: "Try these greens too."
Liu Ming'an took another bite, this time of the greens. This vegetable was in season and at its best, and he had been eating it for quite a while. However, as soon as he tasted Jiang Ning's preparation, he was filled with deep suspicion.
Was this really the same vegetable? Why wasn't it bitter? Why had he never known it could taste so good?
The greens that had always been bitter and astringent in his memory now had no trace of bitterness, only a light, fresh vegetable flavor. The once-tough stems had become soft, and together with the leaves, they were coated in the freshly cooked rice porridge. Combined with the savory aroma from the stir-frying, the entire dish was light and refreshing, absolutely delicious.
"Miss Jiang Ning, why aren't these greens bitter?" Liu Ming'an couldn't help but ask curiously.
Jiang Ning, holding her bowl of rice and picking up some vegetables, replied, "Just blanch them in water first."
The studious Liu Ming'an pressed further, "Why does blanching make such a big difference in taste? It's like two completely different dishes."
"..." Jiang Ning fell silent.
She had indeed impressed Liu Ming'an with her preparation of the greens, but this scholar seemed to have quite a strong desire for knowledge.
She could hardly tell him that the bitterness came from glucosinolate compounds in the greens, and that blanching could break down these substances, thus removing the bitterness, could she?
After a moment of thought, Jiang Ning said, "Hmm... don't worry about it too much. Just enjoy the food."
With that, Jiang Ning turned her attention back to her meal. She hadn't eaten her fill in the past few meals of vegetable porridge, so she was determined to thoroughly enjoy this meal she had prepared herself.
Seeing her focused on eating, Liu Ming'an felt it would be impolite to disturb her further. His appetite had been thoroughly piqued, so he picked up his bowl and began to eat with gusto.
Liu Ming'an typically ate with refinement, usually chewing slowly and savoring each bite. But it had been so long since he had eaten such delicious food that he now ate with some urgency. After finishing one bowl, he still felt unsatisfied and helped himself to another large portion.
Jiang Ning had dined in high-end restaurants and eaten at roadside food stalls. She'd even experienced eating compressed biscuits with river water in the wilderness. She could adapt to any dining environment. Now, she ate slowly and steadily from her bowl, matching Liu Ming'an's pace.
By the time Jiang Ning and Liu Ming'an finished their meal and set down their chopsticks, the two dishes on the table had been completely devoured.
Finishing every last morsel was the highest compliment to the chef. Jiang Ning glanced at the table, her mood improving slightly.
"You rest. I'll wash the dishes," Liu Ming'an said.
He stood up, efficiently cleared the table, and headed to the kitchen.
He's quite considerate, Jiang Ning thought.
As she watched his retreating figure, Jiang Ning, who disliked washing dishes, felt her mood lift even more.