The Qiao family got busy.
Some are husking corn, some are shelling peanuts, and some are stir-frying chili peppers.
They have to work for quite a while before these things become food to be sold to customers.
Other food stalls selling pancakes, steamed buns, twisted rolls, and roasted chestnuts were already bustling with activity, their aromas wafting through the streets and attracting many customers to stop and watch.
Bright charcoal fires blazed in the iron stove, flames licking the air. Qiao Yunni put dozens of ears of corn into a pot, added water, and placed it on the stove.
As for the other iron pot, Da Meng and Xiao Meng scooped in the washed peanuts, filling it to more than half full.
Qiao Lian added ingredients: salt, Sichuan peppercorns, dried chili peppers, star anise, cinnamon, ginger, scallions, dark soy sauce, and light soy sauce—nothing could be omitted.
The slightly charred chilies were left to cool for a while, becoming hard and crisp. Qiao Lian poured them into a stone mortar and pounded them, then poured them into a large iron bowl, poured in boiling oil, and added salt, scallions, and cilantro, then stirred.
A wok of oil was placed on the stove, and Qiao Yunni put the sliced potatoes into it to fry.
To enhance the salt flavor, some salt was also added to the oil.
"Lian'er, do you think this is okay?"
After frying for a while, Qiao Yunni asked.
Qiao Lian'er glanced at it: "Let it brown a little more, then scoop it all up with a slotted spoon and put it in this big basin."
She bought two grills, and Qiao Yuni started frying the potatoes and then began preparing to fry the peanuts.
"Lian'er, what are you going to do with the grill?" Qiao Dameng asked.
"Of course, it's roasted potatoes and sweet potatoes! They smell so good when they're roasted, especially the sweet potatoes. These are smoked sweet potatoes, and they ooze sugary oil when they're roasted."
Everyone swallowed hard upon hearing this.
Seeing that the fire under the fryer was getting too intense, Qiao Lian'er moved some charcoal under the pot.
Frying peanuts is a skill, so she took the task from Qiao Yunni and demonstrated it to her.
When it's at its crispiest and almost burnt, quickly scoop it out, put it on a plate, stir it, and coat it with salt.
Everyone's eyes lit up when we let them try it. It was so crispy, fragrant, and delicious!
Qiao Yunni tried three times. The first two times she burned the food, but the third time she finally got it right, and Qiao Lian'er then handed the job over to her.
The peanuts were cut in half; one half was used for frying, and the other half for boiling.
All the finished products were placed in basins; Qiao Lian'er brought almost all the basins from home.
I have earthenware pots, ceramic pots, wooden pots, and iron pots. I even borrowed a few from my neighbors, just so I could store things properly.
The corn is ripe, the boiled peanuts are cooked, the fried potatoes and peanuts are done, and the sweet potatoes and potatoes are on the rack to bake. We can start selling them now.
The work ahead was tiring and busy, but the real test is yet to come.
Before selling, Qiao Lian'er asked everyone to try the food so she could introduce the flavors to the customers.
Qiao Zhizhi held the glutinous corn and ate it, her eyes sparkling as she did so. It was so sticky, fragrant, and chewy.
Qiao Xiaomeng peeled peanuts and ate them, each one fragrant and delicious, peeling one after another.
Qiao Yunni picked up a piece of potato that had been seasoned. It was crispy on the outside and crumbly on the inside, fragrant and spicy. She felt that some hidden potential within her had been activated, making her unable to resist eating more spicy food.
As for Qiao Dameng, he put the fried peanuts into his mouth, crunching them one after another, and said as he ate, "They're perfect for having with drinks."
Seeing how engrossed they were in their meal, Qiao Lian'er couldn't help but smile, as if they had forgotten that they had come to the county town to sell things.
However, since this is the first time everyone has eaten these things, let them eat their fill.
After he had eaten his fill, Qiao Dameng suddenly realized, "Oh no, I forgot, I was about to sell snacks."
Qiao chuckled, "We ate them all, not all of them."
By noon, there's no need for dinner.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
