Zheng Ruqian nodded to indicate that he understood.
But for the sake of his goal, he would try anything, no matter how small the possibility.
Since there were still some days before the results of the prefectural examination were announced, Zheng Ruqian took Changyan to the landlady's place and bought twenty catties of pork. He also asked Xu Mo to look through ancient books for guidance and began to make cured pork.
First, wash the meat with high-proof liquor, then stir-fry salt and Sichuan peppercorns until fragrant and rub them onto the meat. Marinate until the meat releases water, then take it out and hang it in a breezy place.
The salt used for proper meat curing was low-priced salt obtained from the government and could only be used for curing items; it could not be used for cooking or for private sale.
However, they only tried it in small quantities, and they used expensive salt. Zheng Ruqian either felt too bad about the price or lacked culinary talent, and ended up spoiling three pounds of pork.
Xu Mo couldn't bear it any longer and was about to carry his wounds to help.
Pang Dashan, who had been silent all along, rolled up his sleeves and said, "I'll do it."
The burly young man was quite meticulous when curing bacon; he even tasted the raw meat and its blood to check if it was properly cured.
Finally, all the cured meats were hung up to dry until the skin was crisp. The next step was to smoke them.
This work is more meticulous and requires more human intervention. It involves burning fruit trees to repeatedly smoke the flesh from white to dark brown, after which it can be hung for preservation.
When it came time to taste the food, the group encountered a problem.
If you eat it raw, the pork is still raw; if you slice it and stir-fry it, it's too salty and unpleasant.
Helpless, Xu Mo searched through ancient books, but they only recorded how to make it, not how to eat it.
Just when the siblings were at their wits' end, Pang Dashan said quietly, "How about we try boiling it?"
Boiling the dried cured pork in hot water and then slicing it reduced its saltiness, but it also made it taste different from pork, giving it a unique flavor.
Zheng Ruqian was both surprised and delighted. Holding the glistening slice of meat, he asked in surprise, "Dashan, how do you know all this?"
Pang Dashan pursed his lips, looking slightly forlorn, and said, "I used to have a mother who married into the Sichuan region."
Later, his mother passed away, and his home was gone. Pang Dashan wandered for more than ten years, almost forgetting all his past.
He could still remember most of the cured meat his mother made.
“This is definitely not authentic enough. If we can go to the Sichuan region someday, I’ll take you to try some genuine cured pork.” Zheng Ruqian patted Pang Dashan on the shoulder.
The two exchanged a smile and then began to work on the new pork.
Once all twenty catties of meat have been air-dried to a point where they can be preserved for a long time, the results of the prefectural examination should be released.
This time, none of the siblings checked the list of successful applicants.
Instead, they all huddled in the small woodshed, patiently waiting while guarding the piles of cured meat.
Until, a gong sounded...
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