After the soup base is ready, it's time to prepare the side dishes. You can't just eat meat when cooking hot pot; a combination of meat and vegetables is the key to a balanced diet.
Tian An's family planted a lot of soybeans this year, and a few days ago, they sprouted some bean sprouts, perfect for hot pot. They also cut up some winter bamboo shoots from the previous harvest. They also bought some tofu and fried it until golden brown. They also brought in some of the various vegetables from the greenhouse. They prepared a large table full of all sorts of things.
Tian An had the venison cleaned and frozen in the snow. Frozen meat is easier to slice thinly, as thick slices are not good for hot pot. When he thought the meat was almost frozen, Tian An had it taken out and sliced.
Then he picked out some fat and lean meat and chopped them up and made them into venison meatballs.
The last step is to make the soul dipping sauce. Prepare the onion, ginger, garlic, coriander, chili, pepper, peanuts and other condiments, and then you can mix them according to your personal preferences.
After everything is ready, we wait for Zhao Yiming to come back.
Time passed slowly, and the aroma of the deer bone broth in the pot had drifted out of the kitchen and spread throughout the yard.
Xiaokang's appetite had been aroused, and he couldn't concentrate on reading, so he simply ran to the door and squatted, and by the way, saw when Zhao Yiming would come back.
When Xiaokang was almost reaching his goal, he finally saw Chen Qiang driving his donkey cart coming from afar.
Xiaokang ran into the house excitedly and shouted, "Sister, brother-in-law Yiming is back. Let's get ready and have dinner right away! He must be hungry after a hard day."
"Is he hungry, or are you greedy?" Tian An exposed him without hesitation.
Xiaokang laughed and said, "Brother-in-law Yiming must be hungry. I'm craving it too!"
"Little greedy cat," Tian An doted on his forehead and smiled as he went to ask someone to prepare it.
Since there was only one copper pot for cooking hot pot, Tian An asked someone to bring a clay stove for Chunxi and the others to use later.
After adding the pre-burned charcoal, pour the boiled deer bone soup into the copper pot and serve it directly.
The clay stove was placed on the ground, with a small iron pot placed on it and broth poured in. Chunxi and the others would sit in a circle around the stove on small stools and then they could start eating.
After Zhao Yiming came back, Tian An asked someone to pour hot water and asked him to go back to the house to take off his muddy shoes, soak his feet again, and change into a pair of clean shoes before going to the main room to eat.
When he arrived, everyone was seated and waiting for him alone.
Seeing him coming, Tian An put in a plate of venison slices. In the pot, the venison bone broth was bubbling, and the thin slices of venison were cooked in a few seconds.
"Everyone, hurry up and pick up the meat. It won't taste good if it gets too old." Tian An asked everyone to eat the meat, and he first picked up a piece of meat with chopsticks, dipped it in water and put it into Zhao Yiming's bowl.
"Brother Yiming, try it quickly. I made the dipping sauce for you. See if there's anything missing and I'll add more for you."
Zhao Yiming picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of meat. He savored it carefully before commenting, "The meat is tender and not dry, and there's no strong smell of mutton. The dipping sauce is just the right amount of saltiness and spiciness. There's no need to add anything else."
Tian An poured him a bowl of the deer bone soup that he had reserved in advance: "It's cold outside. You just came back and you are very cold. Drink a bowl of this soup to warm yourself up."
Zhao Yiming took the bowl and took a sip. Seeing that Tian An was busy taking care of him, he hadn't even had a bite of meat yet!
He took the serving chopsticks and scooped a piece of meat from the copper pot and put it in her bowl: "You should eat quickly! You are weak, and venison is nutritious. Eat more."
Granny Qin, who was standing by, saw the two of them taking care of each other and joked, "You two have such a good relationship. You two have been inseparable since childhood. It's the most enviable thing."
Mr. Han also said: "A harmonious family governs a country and brings peace to the world. Yiming's family is well-organized."
Zhao Yiming bowed and said, "Thank you for your recognition, sir. I am lucky to have peace and security in this life."
Is this a disguised confession? Before Tian An could react, Xiaokang interrupted her thoughts.
"Sister, hurry up and bring another plate of meat. This meat is so delicious."
"Oh! Okay!" Tian An responded and lifted the meat aside and poured it into the pot.
Another round of meat was cooked, and everyone started to feel hot while eating the hot venison.
"This venison hotpot is really good. After eating it, I feel warm all over and my hands and feet are no longer cold." Grandma Qin sighed.
She was old, and her hands and feet became cold when the weather got cold. Even if she sat around the fire all day, she still felt very cold. Once she ate the venison, her whole body warmed up.
"Winter and hotpot are a perfect match. I should have arranged it earlier." Tian An said while eating.
Seeing that there was not much meat left in the pot, he poured the venison meatballs in.
"You have so many things to do, how can you think of everything?" Seeing that Tian An was busy cooking the meat and there was not much in her own bowl, Grandma Qin helped her pick up a large piece with chopsticks.
When Xiaokang saw this, he also scooped up a chopstick for her. The meat in her bowl was piled up to the top.
"Don't just pick up the food for me, eat it too!"
Several people agreed verbally, but when they saw that Tian An's bowl was empty, they rushed to pick up food for her.
Tian An ate the dishes picked by everyone, and felt warm in his body and even warmer in his heart.
Seeing that the meat was almost finished, Tian An added some vegetables.
"Xiaokang, don't just eat meat, eat some vegetables too."
"Okay, sister." Xiaokang agreed, and then he picked up a big piece of meat with his chopsticks before he was willing to give up.
After finishing the meat in the bowl, he picked up some vegetables. He blew hard on his cheeks a few times, and then ate the fried tofu on his chopsticks in one bite.
"Sister, the tofu cooked in this hot pot is also delicious! It absorbs the broth and tastes just as good as meat."
Tian An picked up some bean sprouts and cabbage and gave them to him.
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