In fact, Li Shimin was also looking forward to eating more delicacies. Because he drank wine in the residence every day, there was nothing special about it. The problem was that he had never eaten such delicious dishes before.
Li Shimin nodded with a smile. "Erlang, let's go to the cafeteria. For tonight's banquet, we'll start with the dishes. As for the drinking, please help yourselves. "
"Yes!"
Du Qi responded and immediately gave the order.
As Du Qi made the arrangements, the third dish was served.
It was stewed pork knuckle.
The raw material for stewed pork knuckle was pork knuckle. Although pork was available in this era, it was not very common. Because to the rich and powerful, pork had a rank odor, which was different from mutton and beef.
After all, the suckling pigs of this era were not castrated, so the pork that grew up would have a unique taste. To the common people, it was edible, but to the rich and powerful, it was rarely eaten except for sacrificial offerings. They mainly ate mutton and beef that had died of various diseases.
However, Du Qi still chose pork knuckle. Even so, when the pork knuckle was blanched, Du Qi used ginger, pepper, and green onions to remove the impurities, minimizing the smell of the pork knuckle.
When it was stewed, it was supplemented with honey, dried orange peel, and bay leaves, so that the pork knuckle would not have any impurities.
Just the stewing alone took close to three hours, causing the entire pig knuckle to become incomparably soft and glutinous. Especially after adding honey and caramel sugar, the entire pig knuckle no longer had the slightest bit of fat. Instead, it was glutinous and very comfortable.
Compared to beef and mutton, once the rank odor of pork was removed, the fatty but not greasy taste was irreplaceable. When the servants brought it in, it was very different.
However, there were only four pork knuckles in total.
In front of Li Shimin was a complete pork knuckle. The other three pork knuckles had been distributed according to Liu Jian's knife skills before they were taken out. In front of everyone was only a small portion.
After the pork knuckles were placed in front of everyone, Du Qi introduced, "Everyone, the third dish is called Stewed Pork Knuckles. In front of His Highness is a complete stewed pork knuckle. Because of the limited ingredients, what you see in front of you is only a part. Uncles, please! "
With a wave of his hand, everyone began to move their chopsticks.
Originally, when this smell spread out, it was already unbearable.
Especially after the foreshadowing of the first two dishes, everyone was looking forward to it. Because there wasn't much to begin with, and it was divided into nearly 50 portions, there wasn't much in front of each person. Therefore, after a few bites, they finished it in a few bites.
Li Shimin also ate a piece. When the fat but not greasy pork shoulder skin entered his mouth, it melted in his mouth and was incomparably soft. Li Shimin's eyes lit up as the smell spread through his taste buds.
"Wonderful, truly wonderful!"
Li Shimin nodded repeatedly. However, he had only taken two bites when he noticed that everyone from the Duke of Qin's Mansion was looking at him. Because each of them didn't eat much, they finished their food in two or three bites.
That made Li Shimin feel a little uncomfortable.
Li Shimin didn't continue eating. He looked at Du Qi and said, "Erlang, what ingredient is this pork knuckle made from? It doesn't taste like beef or mutton. "
Du Qi said, "It's made from pork. It's the hoof of a pig's thigh."
Pork?
When Li Shimin heard that, he was very surprised. He said seriously, "How can pork be so delicious?"
The main hall was also in an uproar.
Everyone's faces were full of surprise. That was because everyone present knew that pork didn't taste good, but they didn't expect the pork knuckle to taste so delicious.
It was simply too delicious.
Du Qi looked at the people who were talking about it and said, "This pork knuckle has been stewed through many processes. That's why it tastes so good. Uncles, if you like it, you're welcome to have a meal at my restaurant in the future. "
Li Shimin wanted to laugh when he heard that.
Du Qi, this brat, really made use of every opportunity. No matter what, he would not let go of any opportunity to advertise.
Li Shimin looked at everyone's expectant faces and asked, "Erlang, how many more dishes are there after this?"
Du Qi replied, "Your Highness, there are nine more dishes."
Li Shimin said, "Everyone is impatient. There's no need to serve the dishes one by one. Ask the kitchen to arrange for the remaining dishes to be served when they're ready. There's no need to waste time."
"Yes, Your Highness!"
Du Qi got up and went to the kitchen in person to make the arrangements.
Liu Jian had to be busy if all the dishes were to be served one by one. But that was good. He didn't have to serve them one by one.
After Du Qi returned to the main hall, he saw that the servants had already filed in.
The next dishes to be served in the main hall were braised pork with soybeans, sweet and sour pork ribs, steamed fish, poached chicken, braised beef, steamed eggs with minced meat, mapo tofu, braised goose, and duck soup. A total of nine dishes were served one by one.
Du Qi even explained at the beginning.
But in the end, he didn't explain at all. Because no one would listen to him even if he explained. Everyone worked hard and ate happily. No one drank any wine. They were all eating quickly.
After a long time, a burp suddenly came from the main hall.
It was Cheng Yaojin who was full first. His strong body leaned back slightly. With a satisfied expression, he said, "Your Highness, today's banquet is really too comfortable. This general has never tasted such a delicious dish in my entire life. Amazing! Erlang's dishes are really amazing. "
Although Zhangsun Wuji had some opinions about Du Qi, he had finished eating. Although there were still many dishes in front of him, he really couldn't eat anymore. He also sighed in his heart. Du Qi was not simple.
The rest of the people also spoke.
When they looked at Du Qi, their eyes were as if they wished that Du Qi was their son.
Many people even praised Du Ruhui.
In the face of everyone's congratulations, Du Ruhui looked very humble, but he was very happy inside. Although Du Qi was working in the kitchen, the effect was simply too good.
Li Shimin was also full now. He suddenly said, "Erlang, have all the dishes been brought here?"
Du Qi said, "Your Highness, there are still some left. After all, the princess and the others didn't attend the banquet. So, when the kitchen was busy, we prepared more. "
"Good, good!"
Li Shimin's face was full of praise.
Du Qi, this kid, knew how to deal with things.
Du Qi changed the topic and continued, "In addition, there are actually some dishes that are soft and delicious, suitable for the elderly. These dishes are even more exquisite. They were specially prepared for Your Highness to send to the palace. "
As soon as he said this, the main hall suddenly became quiet. There was no more sound.
Everyone looked at Du Qi.
Their eyes were full of surprise.
Du Qi, a twelve or thirteen-year-old child, could figure out such delicious food. He was still a monster. Putting aside other things, in terms of cooking skills alone, throughout thousands of years of history, no one could compare with Du Qi.
However, Du Qi's monster was that before doing things, he had already considered Li Shimin's family members, such as the Dean Sun Wugou, and had already arranged it properly. This was Du Qi's meticulousness.
This was no longer limited to the kitchen.
Looking at the leopard through a tube, it could be seen that Du Qi's thought was meticulous.
However, the most monstrous thing was that when Du Qi made this dish, he could still consider letting Li Shimin enter the palace with the food box and ask for Li Yuan's favor.
A cooking skill evolved to compete for the emperor's favor and evolved to compete for the court's favor. Such a breakthrough showed that Du Qi was young, but his skills were incomparably skillful.
Fang Xuanling suddenly said, "Your Highness once said that a child should be like Erlang. Today, I finally understand. "
The rest of the people echoed.
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