Chapter 14: Delicacy

After uploading, Alice got up and left her room. She planned to shoot another 2 or 3 videos, depending on the time available. This would also save her time as she could freeze the dishes for later.

Today, she planned to make a simple homemade sandwich, a hearty dinner dish, and another dessert. The ingredients were relatively simple.

Her goal was to cook elegant dishes using only a few ingredients, including homemade bread for the sandwich.

It was easy. In a bowl, she added one cup of all-purpose flour, one cup of yogurt, and a teaspoon of baking powder. Then she let it rest for one to two hours at room temperature. After it was done proofing, Alice set the dough in fridge so that she can make the dish for breakfast next morning.

While waiting for it to proof, Alice went ahead and prepared for the next dish, which was chicken claypot rice. The recipe might not have been special, but the way she cooked it was unconventional.

She first sautéed minced garlic, finely sliced ginger, a couple of tablespoons of chili flakes, and scallions with a couple of tablespoons of oil. Then she added washed, cubed chicken breast and let it simmer for 5 minutes. When the chicken was 40% cooked and there was liquid coming out of it, she added soy sauce, cooking caramel, and some oyster sauce. After stirring for a while and the sauce thickens, she turned off the gas and drizzled fragrant sesame oil to finish.

Alice pulled out three individual-sized clay pots and put washed rice in them. Then, she added water to the usual measurement and let it cook. Halfway through, Alice added a scoop of the chicken mixture to each pot and let it finish cooking. The smell of the dish made anyone's mouth water.

Seeing that this was once again a success, Alice began to feel confident. When the pot's lids were opened, fragrant, vibrant dishes could be seen. It was at this time that her father returned from work. Alice then called both of her parents for dinner.

"Hmph," snorted Ana when Alice called her to eat. Without uttering any words, Ana sat herself down at her usual spot. It was a normal scene in this house. They didn't talk much, or rather, they preferred not to talk to each other. But it didn't dampen Alice's spirit. She still looked forward to her creations.

Since the day was quite chilly, the dish was a perfect fit. The spicy, sticky, fragrant chicken paired with fluffy white rice whetted their appetite. The first bite was bliss. Only the sound of spoons colliding with the clay pots was heard. Alice was satisfied.

Alice had a bit of time before she went to her night job, so she decided to edit the dinner video she had taken earlier. Although she only managed to make one complete dish, she still felt content with herself.

"You're still not going to take the job I suggested?" Ana asked.

"Nope! I told you I have to work with Prof Yu."

"Suit yourself!" Ana scoffed. To her, it was a waste not to take the job at the mall. The pay was not comparable to others, as this was a high-end mall. Only the wealthiest of people shopped there, and even the attendants were carefully selected.

Ana was firm in her decision. She knew that giving up was inevitable if she wanted to lift herself out of their current life. Alice managed to post the video amidst the short argument. She then changed her clothes and headed to work.