Chapter 31: Handmade Beef Meatballs with Noodles

 

"Boom! Boom! Boom..."

Early in the morning, there was a huge "boom boom" noise from the kitchen downstairs, disturbing Shen Yue from his good night's sleep.

When he rushed downstairs angrily, he saw Tang Qiaoqiao, wearing a yellow apron, holding a sturdy rolling pin on her hand with a rolled bun on her. She is beating a piece of meat on the table with the rolling pin.

Tang Qiaoqiao gritted her teeth. Her hands were beating with fierce force as if she was beating her big enemy.

"What are you doing?" Shen Yue had just woken up and only has low energy.

Tang Qiaoqiao turned around when she heard his words and smiled brilliantly. "Good morning." But her hand movement did not stop.

Shen Yue lost his anger. "I asked you what you are doing? You made such a big move early in the morning. Are you dismantling the kitchen?"

"Can't you see? I'm beating the beef. I will make beef balls for you later," Tang Qiaoqiao turned the beef over and continue to beat it. "This is the freshest beef thigh just delivered in the morning. It's the most suitable for making beef balls. The best beef balls are made by hand, so they will be soft and flexible."

Although Tang Qiaoqiao was full of energy, just with one look, Shen Yue knew that she was a little strange.

"You go outside and wait. It will be done soon."

Shen Yue frowned and turned to leave.

Tang Qiaoqiao continued to beat the beef while muttering, "What's wrong with my strength? I beat you. I beat you."

Tang Qiaoqiao felt that most of the frustration in her heart had disappeared after she has completely beaten the beef into minced meat.

Normally people would need to chop the beef for at least one or two hours, but when it was in Tang Qiaoqiao's hands, she beat a large chunk of the beef thigh into minced meat in half an hour.

Then she sprinkled a small amount of cornstarch, high-quality fish sauce, fine salt, and MSG. In order to make the taste smoother, she also added some pork fat cut into small cubes and beat it repeatedly to make the seasoning completely blended together.

Tang Qiaoqiao took out some chilled shrimp paste from the refrigerator. The shrimp paste was made by chopping fresh mantis shrimp into a puree. Then, she refrigerated the shrimp paste and cut it into evenly sized cubes.

At this time, the beef has been beaten into a pulp. So she poured it into a basin and stirred in one direction until it formed a thick consistency. Then she grabbed the meat slurry with her hands, made a circle between her thumb and index finger, and squeeze the meatballs between the gap. Then she wrapped the shrimp paste inside the meatballs, put them in the boiling water, turned the heat low, and cooked them until the beef balls were firm.

Tang Qiaoqiao made a large bowl of beef balls and put most of them in the refrigerator, leaving enough for a bowl of noodles.

The noodles were just hand-pulled by Tang Qiaoqiao. After repeated kneading, stretching, pulling, throwing, and folding, the noodles were strong and smooth.

The soup base is a ready-made stock. Tang Qiaoqiao made stocks in the kitchen daily, using beef and pork bones to boil until it's milky white. Sometimes, she also adds some body-replenishing herbs.

After the noodles are boiled in boiling water, it is placed in the broth and boiled for a while. The soup base is delicious enough. She just needs to sprinkle a little salt to taste.

Then she went to her vegetable garden and picked up a handful of tender radish sprouts. It only takes a few seconds to scald them. Then she spread them on the noodles together with the beef balls and then sprinkled them with chopped green onion and a few red goji berries.

 

Shen Yue had been waiting at the dining table for a while, lost in thought.

"Handmade beef ball noodles are here!"

Tang Qiaoqiao shouted all the way like a little waiter in the food hall. She ran over with the dinner tray in small steps.

"Please try it." She put the porcelain bowl firmly in front of Shen Yue.

A big bowl of noodles.

There are bright white noodles, emerald green vegetables, and eight large round beef balls arranged neatly and beautifully in the huge porcelain bowl.

Those few red goji berries are just to look good, Shen Yue thought.

Shen Yue didn't move his chopsticks but looked up at Tang Qiaoqiao's face carefully.

'It's not right. Something seems wrong. She seems to be a little extra excited today.'

Tang Qiaoqiao didn't know his thoughts, so she urged him, "Hurry up."

She beat beef and chopped shrimp paste for the whole morning. She was really hungry and took the lead in picking up a mouthful of noodles and sending it to her mouth.

Hearing this, Shen Yue picked up a ball and was about to bite it. Tang Qiaoqiao suddenly said, "Be careful. This beef ball might burst."

Shen Yue has already bitten the surface of the beef ball. After hearing her words, in order not to experience the terrible sight of the juice rushing from the ball, he immediately put the whole thing in his mouth.

Suddenly, the juice inside the beef balls exploded in his mouth, and the sweet smell of shrimp meat seemed to dance on his taste buds. The slightly hot taste made him close his eyes and savor it.

'It is too delicious.'

He chewed the beef ball again. The meat is firm, the texture is refreshing, and the more he chewed, the more enjoyable it is.

After he finished eating one, he couldn't help but pick up another one.

After eating the beef balls, he slurped the smooth noodles, bite through the tender and juicy radish sprouts, and took a sip of fragrant soup.

After a while, he ate a bowl of beef ball noodles cleanly, but he was still not satisfied.

Shen Yue put down his chopsticks contentedly, but saw Tang Qiaoqiao, who was opposite him, propped her chin on the table. She looked wilted, just like a balloon that was flying high and suddenly popped.

"Let's talk about it. What's the matter with you?" Shen Yue guessed that she had something in her mind. Anyway, he has some spare time.

Tang Qiaoqiao sighed slightly and said in frustration, "Shen Yue, I may be unemployed."

Shen Yue raised his eyebrows. "Why, the brokerage company finally found that you eat too much and want to cancel the contract with you?"

"Don't be joking," She shook her head. "There is no work for me. Brother Qian hasn't contacted me for a week."

It is rare to see Tang Qiaoqiao so bereaved, and Shen Yue feels amused inexplicably.

"No, aren't you brave and courageous?" The pennant was still hanging high in her bedroom, but he disliked her taste very much. The hanging position of the pennant completely destroyed the beauty of the room design.

"Oh, you don't understand," Tang Qiaoqiao put her hands on the table and explained to the "layman," Shen Yue, as if she was an expert in the industry, "Although the fans support me very much, but my image has changed too much. This problem is unavoidable. Producers and directors in the industry may not dare to use me."

Chapter 31: Handmade Beef Meatballs with Noodles

 

"Boom! Boom! Boom..."

Early in the morning, there was a huge "boom boom" noise from the kitchen downstairs, disturbing Shen Yue from his good night's sleep.

When he rushed downstairs angrily, he saw Tang Qiaoqiao, wearing a yellow apron, holding a sturdy rolling pin on her hand with a rolled bun on her. She is beating a piece of meat on the table with the rolling pin.

Tang Qiaoqiao gritted her teeth. Her hands were beating with fierce force as if she was beating her big enemy.

"What are you doing?" Shen Yue had just woken up and only has low energy.

Tang Qiaoqiao turned around when she heard his words and smiled brilliantly. "Good morning." But her hand movement did not stop.

Shen Yue lost his anger. "I asked you what you are doing? You made such a big move early in the morning. Are you dismantling the kitchen?"

"Can't you see? I'm beating the beef. I will make beef balls for you later," Tang Qiaoqiao turned the beef over and continue to beat it. "This is the freshest beef thigh just delivered in the morning. It's the most suitable for making beef balls. The best beef balls are made by hand, so they will be soft and flexible."

Although Tang Qiaoqiao was full of energy, just with one look, Shen Yue knew that she was a little strange.

"You go outside and wait. It will be done soon."

Shen Yue frowned and turned to leave.

Tang Qiaoqiao continued to beat the beef while muttering, "What's wrong with my strength? I beat you. I beat you."

Tang Qiaoqiao felt that most of the frustration in her heart had disappeared after she has completely beaten the beef into minced meat.

Normally people would need to chop the beef for at least one or two hours, but when it was in Tang Qiaoqiao's hands, she beat a large chunk of the beef thigh into minced meat in half an hour.

Then she sprinkled a small amount of cornstarch, high-quality fish sauce, fine salt, and MSG. In order to make the taste smoother, she also added some pork fat cut into small cubes and beat it repeatedly to make the seasoning completely blended together.

Tang Qiaoqiao took out some chilled shrimp paste from the refrigerator. The shrimp paste was made by chopping fresh mantis shrimp into a puree. Then, she refrigerated the shrimp paste and cut it into evenly sized cubes.

At this time, the beef has been beaten into a pulp. So she poured it into a basin and stirred in one direction until it formed a thick consistency. Then she grabbed the meat slurry with her hands, made a circle between her thumb and index finger, and squeeze the meatballs between the gap. Then she wrapped the shrimp paste inside the meatballs, put them in the boiling water, turned the heat low, and cooked them until the beef balls were firm.

Tang Qiaoqiao made a large bowl of beef balls and put most of them in the refrigerator, leaving enough for a bowl of noodles.

The noodles were just hand-pulled by Tang Qiaoqiao. After repeated kneading, stretching, pulling, throwing, and folding, the noodles were strong and smooth.

The soup base is a ready-made stock. Tang Qiaoqiao made stocks in the kitchen daily, using beef and pork bones to boil until it's milky white. Sometimes, she also adds some body-replenishing herbs.

After the noodles are boiled in boiling water, it is placed in the broth and boiled for a while. The soup base is delicious enough. She just needs to sprinkle a little salt to taste.

Then she went to her vegetable garden and picked up a handful of tender radish sprouts. It only takes a few seconds to scald them. Then she spread them on the noodles together with the beef balls and then sprinkled them with chopped green onion and a few red goji berries.

 

Shen Yue had been waiting at the dining table for a while, lost in thought.

"Handmade beef ball noodles are here!"

Tang Qiaoqiao shouted all the way like a little waiter in the food hall. She ran over with the dinner tray in small steps.

"Please try it." She put the porcelain bowl firmly in front of Shen Yue.

A big bowl of noodles.

There are bright white noodles, emerald green vegetables, and eight large round beef balls arranged neatly and beautifully in the huge porcelain bowl.

Those few red goji berries are just to look good, Shen Yue thought.

Shen Yue didn't move his chopsticks but looked up at Tang Qiaoqiao's face carefully.

'It's not right. Something seems wrong. She seems to be a little extra excited today.'

Tang Qiaoqiao didn't know his thoughts, so she urged him, "Hurry up."

She beat beef and chopped shrimp paste for the whole morning. She was really hungry and took the lead in picking up a mouthful of noodles and sending it to her mouth.

Hearing this, Shen Yue picked up a ball and was about to bite it. Tang Qiaoqiao suddenly said, "Be careful. This beef ball might burst."

Shen Yue has already bitten the surface of the beef ball. After hearing her words, in order not to experience the terrible sight of the juice rushing from the ball, he immediately put the whole thing in his mouth.

Suddenly, the juice inside the beef balls exploded in his mouth, and the sweet smell of shrimp meat seemed to dance on his taste buds. The slightly hot taste made him close his eyes and savor it.

'It is too delicious.'

He chewed the beef ball again. The meat is firm, the texture is refreshing, and the more he chewed, the more enjoyable it is.

After he finished eating one, he couldn't help but pick up another one.

After eating the beef balls, he slurped the smooth noodles, bite through the tender and juicy radish sprouts, and took a sip of fragrant soup.

After a while, he ate a bowl of beef ball noodles cleanly, but he was still not satisfied.

Shen Yue put down his chopsticks contentedly, but saw Tang Qiaoqiao, who was opposite him, propped her chin on the table. She looked wilted, just like a balloon that was flying high and suddenly popped.

"Let's talk about it. What's the matter with you?" Shen Yue guessed that she had something in her mind. Anyway, he has some spare time.

Tang Qiaoqiao sighed slightly and said in frustration, "Shen Yue, I may be unemployed."

Shen Yue raised his eyebrows. "Why, the brokerage company finally found that you eat too much and want to cancel the contract with you?"

"Don't be joking," She shook her head. "There is no work for me. Brother Qian hasn't contacted me for a week."

It is rare to see Tang Qiaoqiao so bereaved, and Shen Yue feels amused inexplicably.

"No, aren't you brave and courageous?" The pennant was still hanging high in her bedroom, but he disliked her taste very much. The hanging position of the pennant completely destroyed the beauty of the room design.

"Oh, you don't understand," Tang Qiaoqiao put her hands on the table and explained to the "layman," Shen Yue, as if she was an expert in the industry, "Although the fans support me very much, but my image has changed too much. This problem is unavoidable. Producers and directors in the industry may not dare to use me."