Zhang smiled and said, "Okay, there are so many hawthorns, you will eventually have enough."
Third Brother Yun was not convinced, "Mom, more hawthorns are better. If there are fewer, I'm afraid there won't be enough to eat."
"Third brother, do you think hawthorn is food? You can't eat too much of it at once."
Third Brother Yun smiled embarrassedly.
"Wife, this hawthorn is easy to handle. Keep some fresh so you can eat it normally. And just dry the rest."
"However, it's not easy to handle so many chestnuts."
Zhang looked up at Yun the butcher and knew that he didn't know how to process chestnuts.
"Boss, leave a few fresh chestnuts for us to try. Put the rest in the pot and boil them. After they're done, pick out the kernels."
"Then, we crush the chestnut kernels with a rolling pin and dry them in the sun. The dried chestnut flour can be stored for a long time."
"When eating, you can mix it with cornmeal or flour. It tastes great and can be used as a food."
Butcher Yun was surprised. "Wife, I know chestnuts can be eaten as food, but this is the first time I know that chestnuts can be ground and dried for preservation."
"Wife, you know so much."
Yun Yiyi looked curious, "Mom, how do you preserve chestnuts?"
Zhang replied softly, "Mom learned it from your grandma. She cooks delicious food and knows a lot. I learned it by following your grandma around without even realizing it."
Zhang felt a little sad after she finished speaking. She didn't know where her family was now, or whether they had escaped the famine.
As soon as Yun the butcher saw Zhang's somewhat sad expression, he knew she was missing her family. However, at this time, he really couldn't get any news about Zhang's family.
"Wife, how about we boil and peel the chestnuts tonight, and then dry them tomorrow?"
"Okay, since we have nothing to do tonight, let's get started."
"Third brother, go wash the wild vegetables in the wooden basin first, and then put them in the basket to control the water."
"Second brother, go wash the pot and boil some water."
"Boss, can you help me chop the chestnuts?
Yun Yiyi asked hurriedly, "Mom, don't Brother Zirui and I need help?"
Zhang flatly refused, "There's no need for you two little kids to help. Just watch from the side. If you're tired, go to sleep."
"Okay, Mom."
"Thank you, Auntie."
At this time, Yun the butcher brought over the dining table and the chopping board.
Zhang picked up a chestnut, placed it on the chopping board, and then chopped it lightly with a knife, creating a cut in the chestnut.
She picked up the chestnuts and showed them to Butcher Yun and Big Brother Yun. "Just like this, make a small slit in the middle of the chestnut. Don't make the slit too big, or the chestnuts will fall out when you cook them."
Brother Yun nodded, "Mom, I understand."
Butcher Yun also nodded and said, "Wife, I know how to do it too."
So Zhang placed the oil lamp on the dining table, and then gave each person a kitchen knife and started cutting the chestnuts.
"Mom, why do you have to cut a hole in the chestnut before cooking it? Can't you cook it without cutting it?"
Zhang shook her head. "Yiyi, it's okay to leave the chestnuts unshelled before cooking. But it's hard to peel them once they're cooked."
"But if you cut a slit in the chestnut before cooking, it will be easier to shell it once it's cooked."
Yun Yiyi was surprised. "Mom, you know so much."
"What's the big deal? Your grandma taught me all this."
At the beginning, Yun the Butcher and Brother Yun used too much force and chopped the chestnuts in half.
So, Yun Yiyi took it aside and ate the chestnuts with Xie Zirui. Needless to say, raw chestnuts tasted crunchy, sweet, and delicious.
Butcher Yun and Brother Yun, after chopping more than ten chestnuts, were able to control their strength and make small cuts in the chestnuts.
After more than 20 minutes, Brother Yun came over and said, "Mom, the water in the pot is boiling. Can we put the chestnuts in now?"
Zhang immediately said, "Second brother, take all the chestnuts in the basket that have opened and cook them. Watch them carefully. When the chestnuts are ripe, take them out immediately and don't overcook them."
"Okay, Mom." Second Brother Yun picked up the basket, which was already half full of chestnuts.
He poured all the chestnuts in the basket into the large iron pot, then covered the pot and continued to burn.
After a while, Yun Yiyi sat next to Second Brother Yun and said, "Second Brother, I can smell the aroma of chestnuts. They must be ripe."
Second Brother Yun looked skeptical, "Yiyi, is this true? Do chestnuts ripen so quickly?"
"Brother, why don't you take out three chestnuts and try them? Didn't mother say they shouldn't be overcooked?"
Brother Yun quickly scooped out three chestnuts with a spoon. As soon as the chestnuts came out of the pot, the sweet aroma immediately hit us.
Second Brother Yun rinsed the chestnuts in cold water and then handed two to Yun Yiyi.
"Yiyi, you can try it now. Are the chestnuts ripe?"
Yun Yiyi took the chestnut and handed one to Xie Zirui beside her. Then, she took one for herself?
She carefully peeled off the hard shell of the chestnut and ate a chestnut kernel in one bite. Wow, so sweet and delicious.
"Brother, the chestnuts are ripe and very sweet. They are especially delicious. You should try some too."
Second Brother Yun peeled the chestnuts in his hand and ate them. They were indeed delicious.
So, he scooped a plate of chestnuts with a spoon and asked Yun Yiyi to bring it to Zhang's side so that everyone could taste it.
Brother Yun used a spoon to scoop out all the chestnuts from the pot, put them in a clean basket to drain the water, and waited until they cooled down before peeling them.
Yun Yiyi came to Zhang with chestnuts in her hand. "Mom, the chestnuts are ripe. Come and try some. They're delicious."
"Dad, big brother, second brother, you all come and eat chestnuts too."
"Okay, I'll try some too. It's been ages since I've had boiled chestnuts."
After Zhang finished speaking, she picked up a chestnut, peeled it and started eating it.
"Yiyi, this chestnut is so sweet."
"Yes, Mom. I loved it from the first bite. It's so delicious."
After hearing this, Yun the Butcher also quickened his pace, chopped all the chestnuts at hand, and then started eating them.
"Dad, Mom, I think chestnuts are delicious cooked like this. They can be eaten as a meal."
"Yeah, eating this chestnut makes me feel full."
"Chestnuts cooked this way are delicious, but it's a bit wasteful. It would be more economical to crush them into powder and mix them with grain."
"Wife, you're right. But it does require more steps. It has to be boiled, peeled, and then dried."
Zhang gave Yun the butcher a look and said, "Boss, this is free grain. I didn't spend any money on it."
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