Shaobing finally came to his senses and quickly waved his hands, his tone sincere and anxious.

"No, no, no, Sister Yuntao, this soy sauce chicken is delicious! I...I'm just a little reluctant to leave, but I also know that I've caused you too much trouble."

After hearing this, Cheng Yuntao smiled gently and said softly, "If you want to stay, just stay. No one will chase you away. If you feel bad, just help out with what you can on a daily basis."

When Shaobing heard this, he was so excited that his eyes lit up instantly. He asked expectantly, "Is it really possible?!"

"Of course!" Cheng Yuntao nodded affirmatively.

At this moment, Cheng Yuntao suddenly remembered that Shaobing seemed to have never told anyone his real name, so she asked half-jokingly: "Shaobing, now that everyone is so familiar with each other, you should be able to tell me your real name, right?"

Shaobing finally realized what was happening, scratched his head a little embarrassedly, and said, "I... I think my name is quite ordinary."

Cheng Jingzhu and Cheng Yueli, who were standing nearby, also came over curiously, urging with anticipation, "Tell us quickly, we want to know too!"

When asked by everyone, Shaobing hesitated for a moment and whispered, "My name is He Hai. I remember my mother said that she hoped I could be as unrestrained and free as the sea."

Cheng Yuntao smiled and encouraged, "I think this name is very good!"

With everyone's encouragement, Shaobing gradually became more confident. However, he still said: "But I still hope that everyone will call me Shaobing, it feels closer. I haven't used the name He Hai for a long time, it's too unfamiliar."

Cheng Yuntao didn't force it, but nodded with a smile: "Okay, then we will still call you Shaobing from now on."

The dinner table was lively again. Everyone was chatting and laughing while enjoying the delicious soy sauce chicken, and the warm atmosphere became more and more intense.

After having a good meal and a good drink, Cheng Yuntao strolled leisurely in the yard. With nothing to do, he became interested and prepared to brew a jar of glutinous rice vinegar.

To make this glutinous rice vinegar, take two liters of wheat and grind it without sifting. Draw fresh well water and mix it with the wheat flour to make flatbreads. The dough should not be too wet when kneading, as this will cause the inside of the flatbread to turn green. If it is not firm enough when steaming, it will easily become infested with insects. Wrap the flatbread tightly in parchment paper and hang it in a well-ventilated area to ferment and dry naturally.

Prepare another dou of glutinous rice, wash it, soak it, and then steam it into rice. Crush the previously prepared dough and steamed rice together, mix thoroughly, and place them in a jar. Cool four dou of water used for steaming the rice and pour it into the jar. If the water level is insufficient, add raw water.

Seal the mouth of the jar with paper and poke a few small holes in the paper. After a month, squeeze out the juice and then cook the juice.

In addition, take one liter of early rice, pound it until it is half shell and half rice, fry it until it is burnt, add it to the vinegar while it is still hot, then put it into a clean container, seal it and store it in a cellar. In this way, the color of the vinegar will become black and the sour taste will be strong.

The first batch of vinegar should be properly stored after being decocted. For the second, third and fourth batches of vinegar, add malt and wait for it to boil and then cool.

Another method involves taking five dou of glutinous rice, pounding it until half cooked, then soaking it in water. After a few days, drain it and steam it until it becomes rice. The rice is then poured into jars and compacted. Two large bowls of boiling water are added to each jar, and the jar mouth is covered with cloth. After seven days, the contents of the jars are poured into a large vat, and five dou of cold well water is added, stirring evenly. The rice is then divided among seven jars.

Stir twice in the morning and evening in one direction. After fourteen days, stir once every morning. Once the vinegar is clear, there is no need to stir it again. After fifty days, check the vinegar. If white spots appear on the surface, add red-hot charcoal to the vinegar and stir until the white spots disappear.

After two months, the vinegar juice should be squeezed out and boiled immediately. The pot should be kept dry during boiling. Add half a cup of brine to each pot. If there is no brine, adding a pinch of salt will also do.

While the vinegar is still hot, it is poured into the jar and sealed with mud. The jar must first be rinsed clean with hot ash and then rinsed with hot vinegar before use. If any utensils come into contact with raw water, the vinegar will spoil. The jars are then arranged under the eaves to dry.

The warm sun gradually set in the west, and the afterglow filtered through the mottled leaves, scattering bits of gold on the ground and giving the entire yard a warm orange glow.

After an entire afternoon of hard work, Cheng Yuntao had only completed the initial preparation process. He straightened up and gently patted his aching back. The fine beads of sweat on his forehead gleamed in the setting sun.

Jiang Yu had been helping her all the time, and he felt so distressed when he saw her looking so tired.

He walked quickly to the well, drew a bucket of clean water, dipped his hands in the water, washed off the glutinous rice residue and dust, picked up the cloth towel hanging on the side, wiped them carefully, and came behind Cheng Yuntao. He carefully placed his palms along the curve of her waist and massaged with just the right strength.

Cheng Yuntao noticed the movement behind her and subconsciously looked up.

When their eyes met, she only saw deep heartache in Jiang Yu's eyes, without any ambiguity or tenderness at all.

A gentle breeze blew by, blowing their hair, and the flowers and plants in the yard swayed in the wind.

Jiang Yu lowered his head, leaned close to Cheng Yuntao's ear, and whispered softly, "It's not difficult to buy these seasonings directly on the street. There's no need to do everything yourself and tire yourself out."

"I just want to try and see if the seasoning I brewed myself would taste better." Cheng Yuntao turned around and snuggled in Jiang Yu's arms, quickly going through all kinds of sour and refreshing dishes in her mind.

To make this shredded potato with vinegar, peel and wash the potatoes, then cut them into thin strips of even thickness. Soak them in clean water to remove excess starch. Once the oil in the wok heats up, add the shredded potatoes and stir-fry for a moment. Then, drizzle the vinegar along the edge of the wok, instantly filling the kitchen with a tart aroma. The tartness of the vinegar and the crispness of the shredded potatoes combine perfectly, infusing each shred with the vinegar's aroma. Grab a chopstick and the crisp, tender shreds crunch between your teeth, while the tart aroma dances across your tongue, leaving a refreshing sensation.

To make sweet and sour spare ribs, wash and chop the ribs into small pieces. Blanch them in cold water and remove from the heat. Heat oil in a wok and add rock sugar to fry until the sugar color is achieved. Add the spare ribs and stir-fry evenly, coating each piece in the sugar color. Then, add appropriate amounts of light soy sauce, cooking wine, and balsamic vinegar, creating a sweet and sour aroma. Simmer over low heat to allow the ribs to fully absorb the flavors of the sauce, becoming bright red and offering a sweet and sour flavor. Sprinkle a handful of white sesame seeds before serving. The crispy, tender ribs are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with a perfect balance of sweet and sour, a perfect blend of meaty aroma and sweet and sour flavors.

To make a jellyfish head with aged vinegar, rinse the head repeatedly to remove impurities and salt, then soak it in clean water for several hours. Remove the soaked jellyfish head, drain, and cut into chunks of appropriate size. Combine appropriate amounts of aged vinegar, sugar, light soy sauce, sesame oil, and minced garlic, mixing them into a sauce. Stir well to allow the sugar to fully dissolve. Pour the sauce over the jellyfish head and sprinkle with chopped cilantro and shredded red pepper. The crispness of the jellyfish head meets the richness of the aged vinegar, creating a rich blend of sour, sweet, fresh, and spicy flavors.

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