Good recipes. I just need to work on the execution a little. Especially the 家常豆腐. I’m not used to going from deep-frying to regular frying in one wok, and so I wound up with far too much oil. And I was in too much of a hurry, so the plan I had all carefully set out in my mind got thoroughly buggered. Never mind, it still tasted good, and with a little more practice I’ll get it right. And the chicken could’ve used a little more ginger and a dash of vinegar.
Anyway, the air is finally starting to look clear after two straight days and nights of wind. And judging by the smoke coming from the neighbourhood chimneys, there’s still a bit of a northerly breeze, so hopefully the weather will stay good and we’ll get a few days of breathable air. There’s still a smidgen of haze in the distance, though, just to remind us how bad the pollution was.
And clear air is excellent and most timely not just because of how bad the pollution got this week, but because today is the first day of the New Year break and we’ll be heading up to the village soon. I’m looking forward to it. I just hope the queue isn’t too long at Deshengmen. Nevermind, as long as it may be, it won’t take too long to get on a bus. The 919s are managed very well.