Is the beginning of a catastrophe? The little farm cook is raising a family with a full warehouse.

While Cheng Yuntao was frying chestnuts, Cheng Jingzhu and Cheng Yueli had been standing around the stove staring at it. After smelling the sweet aroma, they couldn't help but take a deep breath.

"It's this sweet smell, the same one I smelled at the temple fair! It seems even more fragrant." Smelling this fragrance from the depths of his childhood memories again, Cheng Jingzhu danced with excitement.

"Okay, okay, don't worry, it will be ready soon."

Cheng Yuntao waved her hand, signaling them to step back a little, and then she used a few large shovels to scoop up all the chestnuts in the pot.

"It's a little hot, be careful not to burn your tongue."

Cheng Jingzhu took the initiative and picked up a chestnut. The heat from the inside that had not yet dissipated was transferred to his fingers along the thin shell, burning him so much that he had to let go and let out a sigh.

"Hahaha, Brother Xiaozhu, you idiot." Cheng Yueli laughed openly with her hands covering her mouth.

After being ridiculed by his sister, Cheng Jingzhu was still a little unconvinced, but he had no choice but to do so because he had just experienced the fiery temperature and he didn't dare to act rashly.

I could only pout, stare, and wait unwillingly.

"I told you not to rush. Be careful of the heat."

"You can't eat hot tofu in a hurry, and you can't eat hot chestnuts in a hurry either."

Cheng Yuntao shook her head helplessly, turned around and started cleaning the stove carefully. Because she had just used sugar, if she didn't clean it in time, it would harden and become more difficult to clean.

After waiting for a while, Cheng Jingzhu tentatively stretched out his finger and poked the chestnuts in the bowl. When he found that they were no longer hot, he happily peeled one and put it into his mouth.

The chestnut meat feels firm and elastic at first, but as you slowly apply pressure with your teeth, it gradually becomes soft and sticky, with a dense texture.

When chewing, the chestnut meat has a delicate texture and is evenly distributed in the mouth, fully blending with the saliva, allowing its natural sweet taste to be fully released. The sweetness is just right, without any greasy feeling.

As you continue chewing, the chestnut meat becomes more and more broken down, forming a delicate and uniform state, moving smoothly in your mouth, and its rich and mellow flavor constantly stimulates your taste buds.

Sugar-roasted chestnuts are a snack to kill time and satisfy your cravings, so naturally you eat them one after another and can't stop at all.

After eating a few, Cheng Yueli peeled one and happily put it into Zhou Xiufang's mouth.

"Grandma, come and try it too."

"Okay, thank you Xiaoli."

Zhou Xiufang had bad teeth, and she thought the chestnuts had a chewy skin so she would just try a few. However, she didn't expect to become addicted to them after just one bite.

Later, I simply moved a small stool and sat over, joining the army of people eating chestnuts. A pot of sugar-roasted chestnuts that had just been taken out of the pot was quickly eaten up.

"Everyone, don't eat too much at once. There will be delicious food at noon later."

"I picked so many chestnuts this time that I'm planning to make a dish of stewed lamb with golden chestnuts. It's autumn and winter now, so it's a good time for some nourishment."

After hearing what Cheng Yuntao said, everyone slowed down gradually, planning to save some space for mutton at noon.

"Sister, what does mutton taste like?"

Cheng Jingzhu tilted his head and asked curiously, saying that when their family was in the best condition in the past, they had only eaten ordinary pork.

As for mutton, I only know about it but don't know much about it.

"Well..."

This food has different tastes for different people, and if you ask her to describe it verbally, she really can't explain it clearly.

"Just hearing me say it won't be as good as tasting it yourself. You'll know later."

"What I can guarantee is that the taste will definitely not be bad, hehe."

……

The properties of chestnuts can restrain the mutton smell. Now that we have so many chestnuts, it would be a pity not to use them to cook mutton.

The loss of mutton is quite serious. Usually a live sheep weighs 100 kilograms, and about 50 kilograms are left after slaughtering, and about 35 kilograms after cooking.

However, compared with other meats, mutton is more likely to make people feel full. Every time you eat mutton, you may not feel full at first, but you will gradually feel full after eating.

For those who have to travel for half a day or are busy and worried about not having time to eat, eating mutton is most suitable.

If Shen Shulan had not left yet, Cheng Yuntao would have invited her to have some mutton so that she could set off with a full stomach.

I don’t know whether she has returned to Junhua City now, or whether she has encountered any difficult problems. Unconsciously, Cheng Yuntao began to worry about her.

But unfortunately, I am so far away from her now, and even if something really happens, I can't help. I can only pray that everything goes well for her.

After coming to his senses, Cheng Yuntao continued to busy himself with the work at hand.

Lamb is warm in nature, can protect against wind and cold, and replenish qi and blood. It is an excellent choice for nourishment in autumn and winter.

The best mutton is tender lamb belly or lamb shank, which have firm texture, clear texture and rich aroma of mutton fat. Chestnuts should be selected with shiny shells and plump fruits.

After the ingredients are prepared, wash the mutton first, cut it into pieces of appropriate size, put it into a pot with cold water, add ginger slices, green onion segments and cooking wine, and blanch it to remove the fishy smell.

This step is inevitable when cooking meat. Meat that has not been deodorized tastes disgusting and you cannot taste the delicious flavor of the meat.

When the water boils, skim off the foam, remove the mutton, rinse it with hot water, drain and set aside.

At this point, the mutton has already lost its smell of blood and is ready to release its rich flavor during subsequent cooking.

Pour an appropriate amount of cooking oil into the pot. When the oil is hot, add onion segments, ginger slices, garlic cloves, star anise, cinnamon and other spices, and stir-fry over low heat until fragrant.

Next, add the lamb cubes to the pot and stir-fry over high heat, ensuring each piece is evenly coated with the spices. Then, add light soy sauce, dark soy sauce, rock sugar, and a little vinegar, and stir-fry until the lamb takes on an alluring caramelized color.

The addition of vinegar can not only remove fishy smell and greasiness, but also make the mutton more tender and easy to break down. However, be careful not to add too much, just a little will be enough.

After stir-frying evenly, add enough hot water to cover the mutton. Bring to a boil over high heat, then reduce the heat to simmer. The stewing process requires patience and is also a process in which the mutton and various seasonings blend and transform.

Stew for about half an hour, until the mutton is about 70% cooked, then add the shelled and peeled chestnuts and continue stewing.

The chestnuts are slowly simmered in the mutton broth, absorbing the deliciousness of the mutton and the richness of the spices. Their own sweetness is also integrated into the broth, making the taste of the whole dish more rich and harmonious.

Stew for a while until the mutton is soft, the chestnuts are fragrant, and the soup is thick. Add a little salt and it is ready to serve.

"Xiao Zhu, the mutton is out of the pot. Come and have a taste first."

Cheng Yuntao picked up a piece of soft mutton and fed it to Cheng Jingzhu, who was eager to try, waiting for his feedback.

"Compared to ordinary chicken and duck, how does this mutton taste?"