Ningxia thought for a moment and decided what dish to make. She decided to stir-fry bacon with cowpeas. Seeing that the cucumber would be inedible if left in for a while longer, she decided to make egg and cucumber soup and it would be done.
Some of the processed bacon was taken out and put into the pot. The bacon was fatty and no one knew what kind of meat it was made of. It was shiny golden and had the unique color of oil. It looked like pork, but Ningxia was not sure.
Add a little water into the pot and turn on high heat. Soon the meat in the pot will boil, the meat slices will gradually turn white, and the unique aroma of bacon will float in the air.
Ningxia nodded in satisfaction. The heat was just right. There was no need to worry about burning the pot. After a while, the water dried up and the oil began to come out, and the meat slices would turn from milky white to crystal clear. That was beautiful.
While the water was being boiled, Ningxia grabbed a handful of cowpeas. She noticed the group had merely washed them, not even removing the heads or tails. She smiled and quickly cleaned and sorted them into sections.
The cooking table that Xiaojie made for her was also ready. It was actually just a stone slab with a few layers of calla lily leaves spread on it.
The bacon in the pot was almost moist, and it began to release some oil. The sound changed from "gulp, gulp" to "sizzle." Ningxia didn't simmer it for long, figuring these grown men would prefer something fattier. When it was almost done, she removed the slices and placed them on the side table.
She looked through her bag of chili peppers again, but there was nothing else, but she had plenty of chili peppers. She looked up and asked, "Can everyone else handle spicy food?"
Several people nodded in unison, some even brightening their eyes. Ningxia smiled, pleased by the expectant gazes. She confidently threw a handful of dried chilies into the wok, the oil crackling as it heated. When the chilies were almost done, Ningxia added the carefully selected cowpeas.
Because the bacon itself is salty enough, Ningxia did not add salt. After the cowpeas were cooked, the bacon that had just been taken out was put back in and stir-fried together.
Ningxia tossed in a handful of wild garlic from her bag. Some had already sprouted, but that didn't affect their edibility. The aroma grew stronger, the tang of bacon-wrapped garlic mingling with the spice of spiciness filling everyone's nostrils. Even Ningxia felt a little greedy. Only Sangsang, who hadn't heard a sweet dream, slept soundly.
After a few stir-fries to coat the food evenly, Ningxia was ready to remove it from the wok, but there were too many dishes for her to lift. An old soldier quickly stepped forward to help with the wok, tilting it over the edge to make it easier for Ningxia to shovel it out. When the wok was tilted, hot steam rose directly into the old soldier's face. He took a few deep sips, looking intoxicated and lewd.
Ningxia quickly held herself back and tried not to laugh out loud.
The people nearby also saw it, and Li Gang laughed at him mercilessly, "Hey, look at this old Liao, Zhu Bajie has appeared in the world."
The old soldier carrying the pot turned around and gave him a hateful look, "That's because Ningxia cooks delicious food. I'm supporting Ningxia!"
Ningxia chuckled, "Thank you, Brother Liao, for your kindness."
"You know what, this is really delicious. It makes me think of the bacon we usually eat in the camp." Li Gang replied casually.
"It's just the most common method, nothing special." Ningxia felt a little embarrassed because of so many admiring looks.
Li Gang shook his head in disapproval. "Sister, you don't understand. There are so many people eating in the camp, and those rough cooks don't want to cook carefully. All the dishes taste the same: salty and watery. We can't not eat them, but we don't know how to cook. With our meager allowance, we don't dare to go out for a bite. I don't know how long we've been craving them."
Ningxia smiled brightly, "I'll cook a few good meals for you guys in the next few days. Just don't think it's too much trouble for me to cook."
Naturally, several people responded and cheered.
After some banter, Ningxia used the little oil left in the pot. The soldiers' bowls were large enough, so Ningxia asked for one. He cracked four eggs into the pot, adding a little salt and beating them. The oil in the pot was almost hot. Ningxia deftly poured the eggs in, turning the heat high. Bubbles formed on the four eggs at the bottom of the pot, gradually expanding.
The aroma of fried egg skin woke Sangsang up. He sat up dazed. Lin Yi considerately handed him the kettle. Sangsang took two big gulps before he woke up.
Ningxia chopped a large piece of fried egg skin into pieces in the pan, then poured water into it. The hot pan hit the cold water, making a sizzling sound.
After the soup boiled, Ningxia threw in the freshly cut cucumber slices, added salt, and cooked it for a while before serving.
Lin Yi also handed over a bunch of wild onions at the right time. Ningxia took it and didn't even bother cutting it. She just pinched it into several pieces with her hands and threw it in. The meal was ready.
The soldiers at the front were already sitting in a row, waiting for dinner. Xiaojie had taken advantage of Ningxia's cooking break to carve two spoons. One large spoon was for scooping soup from the pot, and the other, a small spoon, was naturally Sangsang's. The carving was even and beautiful, and the wood pattern was so large it would have been a work of art. Sangsang wouldn't let go, calling him "Brother Xiaojie" sweetly.
"Xiaojie's cooking skills are pretty good." Ningxia exclaimed while holding the smooth big spoon.
Xiao Jie smiled but said nothing. Li Gang took over the conversation and said, "That's right, that's all his father knows."
When Li Gang mentioned Xiaojie's father, the older boy was visibly depressed for a moment. Ningxia tactfully avoided asking further questions. Life was too hard and too heavy for everyone in this age group. A sixteen-year-old boy could carry so much on his mind.
A group of people began to get ready. After Ningxia handed the steamed buns to everyone, several men started eating without caring about their image.
Lao Liao was a middle-aged man, the oldest of the group. He ate voraciously, his chopsticks leaving shadows. "Hmm~ Authentic Bluebird flavor! Absolutely amazing!"
Li Gang, not wanting to be left behind, mocked him for eating the ginseng fruit while stuffing his mouth full as well. Only Xiao Jie was a bit more polite and took over Lin Yi's job of serving Sang Sang.
Ningxia was very happy to see that the food he cooked was so popular.
Sangsang especially loved the pot of egg soup. She only ate half of the steamed bun dipped in the soup, but she kept drinking the soup with the new spoon. Occasionally, she would dance with joy when she ate an egg. She also happily accepted all the eggs in Xiaojie's soup. Ningxia couldn't tell whether she loved the eggs or the new spoon.
Half the pot of fried bacon was gone in a flash. The remaining oil was used by Lao Liao to dip his steamed buns in, and the soup was gone too. Ningxia counted the buns. Wow, with all the dishes, he could finish thirteen of them in one meal.
After dinner, the soldiers refused to let Ningxia clean up the mess and let her rest for a while. After eating, the grown men cleaned up the mess in no time, without any trace of the ferocious look they had just shown when they were fighting over the meat.
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