Looking at his niece's satisfied expression, like a kitten that had just stolen some dried fish, Qin Tian felt the last trace of gloom in his heart dissipate. He burst into laughter, his loud laughter shaking his chest.
"Eat more if you like it! This stuff takes a lot of time and effort, but it's filling and keeps well." He grabbed a handful of still-warm beef jerky, carefully wrapped it in oil paper, and stuffed it into Su Wantang's luggage. "I made a lot extra. You and Lin Chuan can take it with you. When you get to the island and crave something sweet, take it out and chew on it, and also think of your uncle."
This seemingly ordinary instruction brought tears to Su Wantang's eyes. She nodded vigorously, her voice carrying a barely perceptible nasal tone: "Mmm!"
As Lu Linchuan watched this scene, a gentle light appeared in his deep eyes. He took a piece of beef jerky and chewed it slowly. The rich meaty aroma seemed to be mixed with a warm feeling called "home".
Beef jerky is just an appetizer.
At noon, Su Wantang took the initiative to take over the head chef's duties.
"Uncle, you rest. Watch me at noon today." She smiled mysteriously and pushed Qin Tian and Lu Linchuan out of the kitchen.
Today's main dishes are hearty meals—lamb spine hot pot and charcoal-grilled lamb chops.
Su Wantang first dealt with the large lamb spine. She chopped it into large pieces and soaked it in water, which quickly turned bloody. She patiently changed the water three or four times until it was clear before taking it out.
In a separate pot of cold water, add the lamb spine, ginger slices, and a few peppercorns, and bring to a boil over high heat. A layer of grayish-brown blood foam quickly rises to the surface, which Su Wantang skims off with a large spoon until there are no more impurities in the broth. Only then does she remove the lamb spine and rinse off the remaining foam with warm water.
Next comes the preparation of the spices. Heat oil in a wok, add large chunks of scallions, ginger, and garlic to sauté until fragrant, then add dried chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves... more than a dozen spices are added to the wok. With a sizzling sound, the rich aroma explodes instantly, dominating the entire kitchen.
She poured the blanched lamb spine back into the pot and stir-fried it over high heat, ensuring that each bone was evenly coated with the spice oil. Then she added enough boiling water to cover the lamb spine, poured in soy sauce and Shaoxing wine, and then took out a small piece of rock sugar that Qin Tian had treasured from the cupboard and threw it in.
The broth in the pot bubbled and boiled, the dark red soup swirling and releasing a complex aroma of meat and spices that made one's stomach rumble.
While the stew was simmering, Su Wantang turned to the lamb chops on the other side. She cut the lamb chops and carefully rubbed and massaged them with shredded onions, ginger slices, salt, cumin, and chili powder, allowing the flavors of the seasonings to penetrate into every fiber of the meat.
After doing all this, she glanced at the door and saw Qin Tian and Lu Linchuan talking in the courtyard. She then quickly took out an inconspicuous small porcelain bottle from her small cloth bag.
She unscrewed the bottle and secretly dripped a small half-bowl of crystal-clear spiritual spring water into the stewing lamb spine pot. The liquid vanished instantly upon entering the boiling soup.
Then, she added two more drops to the bowl of marinated lamb chops.
Finally, she rinsed the rice and cooked a pot of pumpkin porridge. When the porridge was almost done, she added a drop to it.
After doing all this, she casually put the lid on the pot, as if nothing had happened. The aroma of the spiritual spring water was perfectly masked by the rich smell of meat and the sweet fragrance of pumpkin.
In the courtyard, Qin Tian had already set up a charcoal brazier.
When Su Wantang brought out the marinated lamb chops, the charcoal fire was already glowing red-hot, with not a single spark.
Lu Linchuan naturally took the grill and laid the lamb chops on it one by one.
"Sizzle—"
As the lamb chops touched the scorching grill, the fat inside the meat was instantly rendered, producing a delightful sizzle. A wisp of smoke rose, carrying the fragrant aroma of charred meat that wafted straight into one's nostrils.
Lu Linchuan flicked his wrist with practiced ease, and the lamb chops were heated evenly under his control, quickly turning into an enticing golden brown. The oil dripped onto the charcoal fire, igniting a small flame that was then quickly extinguished.
Su Wantang then brought out a large pot of steaming hot lamb spine and a bowl of golden, soft pumpkin porridge from the kitchen.
"Dinner's ready!"
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