Chapter 52 Yogurt Hot Pot and Mushroom Broth Hot Pot
Yu Yan used a wooden spatula to extract the mutton fat, put it into a pot, first melted it over high heat, and then slowly refined it over low heat.
Throughout the entire process, he remained patient.
On the other side, he asked Xuefei and the others to boil water, then dilute it to warm water, and soak the chopped dried chilies and dried Sichuan peppercorns separately.
Xuefei asked curiously, "Why not just use it directly?"
Yu Yan: "Soaking it like this will make it less bitter when you stir-fry it later."
The surrounding sub-beastmen all had expressions that said, "I've learned something."
The beastmen weren't idle either; they gathered firewood, chopped wood, started fires, moved things, and washed vegetables...
The excitement of building the houses hadn't even died down when everyone was having a feast, so they were especially happy, and the altar square was bustling with activity.
While pickling chili peppers and simmering bone broth, Yu Yan rendered the mutton fat and filtered it several times to make it clear and fragrant.
Actually, if we had butter, it would be best to make a butter hot pot base, but unfortunately we didn't.
There's also the fermented soybean paste. He can't find the beans right now, so he can't make the paste, which will greatly affect the flavor of the base sauce.
He mixed the rendered mutton fat with the other animal fat and poured it back into the pot. He then gestured for Xin Yu to fry the shredded ginger and minced garlic until fragrant.
He kept a close eye on the seasonings the whole time, and as soon as they were fried to a golden brown, he scooped them out.
Xin Yu sniffed around the pot, her eyes shining, and said, "The muttony smell is getting less and less."
Yu Yan: "Yes."
In the final step, he added chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, and other seasonings and stirred them continuously. He then added salt, honey, and other seasonings to adjust the flavor of the base.
From the moment he put down the chili peppers, people in the square kept looking in his direction.
The people of the Peninsula Tribe and Mingyuan Tribe are doing well; influenced by Yu Yan, many of them have started to eat and even come to like the taste of chili peppers.
Others, such as Fan Su, were both curious and on high alert.
"Hiss... Brother, don't you think this smells delicious?" Mao Li poked his strong arm and asked incredulously.
Fan Su remained wary: "It smells very good... but don't forget how you bled from being poisoned before."
Mao Li guiltily looked away: "Of course I didn't forget! I was just asking, I didn't say I wanted to eat. I definitely won't eat!"
People from the Deep Lake tribe couldn't help but correct them: "The chili peppers aren't poisonous."
The people from the highland tribes seemed a bit out of place in the square.
They mainly listen, observe, and then discuss with their own people.
While Heng Qing was cleaning fish by the water, he asked Cheng Liu, who was beside him, "How are you feeling today?"
Cheng Liu: "I'm feeling a bit better."
Heng Qing smiled and said, "That's good."
Cheng Liu: "How's the seaweed drying going today?"
Heng Qing didn't mention the hardships of harvesting seaweed and being exposed to the scorching sun, but grinned and said, "It went very smoothly! We just need to dry it for another day tomorrow. By the way, when we came back, we saw the house that Yu Yan built. It's so special and beautiful! Will people live in it?"
Cheng Liu nodded emphatically and told them how good Yu Yan's house was, and how novel, convenient, and easy to use the cement and tools the people here used were, leaving them stunned.
Heng Qing stared blankly at Yu Yan, who was busy in the distance, and said, "We really made the right decision to come out this time. We would never have known that there were such powerful tribes in the Beast World if we hadn't come out."
It's no exaggeration to say that they are now completely convinced by Yu Yan.
Cheng Liu nodded: "Most importantly, he also saved the lives of our entire tribe."
For this reason alone, the peninsula tribes will always be friends of the highland tribes.
They returned carrying the cleaned fish and immediately smelled the aroma of spicy hot pot broth.
The smell alerted them. Heng Qing frowned and raised her hand to block Cheng Liu behind her.
He asked seriously, "Yu Yan, is this poison that needs to be thrown away? I sense danger. Let me throw it away; you all must not touch it."
Yu Yan was stunned for a moment, then laughed along with the people around her.
"No, Chief Hengqing, don't be nervous. These are ingredients for cooking."
Heng Qing's eyes widened: "Ingredients? The smell makes my nose hurt from my throat, how could I possibly eat them?"
Cheng Liu spent his days in the tribe and heard about the two seasonings: chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns.
Seeing Heng Qing make a fool of himself, he said helplessly, "Heng Qing, there are special seasonings in this, it's not poisonous. Yu Yan knows medicine, you can't not trust him no matter what. Besides... I think it smells pretty good."
He was too embarrassed to admit that he was drooling. He hadn't craved anything like this since he became pregnant.
Heng Qing hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.
Yu Yan said with a smile, "Come and try some later."
Heng Qing scratched his head: "Can Cheng Liu eat it too?"
Yu Yan: "Yes, just eat a little."
Cheng Liu's eyes widened with joy: "Great! I want to eat!"
Once the base ingredients are cooked well, the rest is easy.
Everyone washed the wild vegetables together, sliced the stems and tubers, and soaked dried wood ear mushrooms and other mountain products.
Fresh meat and fresh fish, sliced into pieces with a knife.
Apart from Yu Yan, everyone else used aluminum knives.
The highland tribesman stared at the knife in his hand and said uncertainly, "Why does this look like it's made of gray stone?"
Senbo turned his head and said, "It's made of gray stone, which we now call iron ore."
Heng Qing recognized him: "It's you, Senbo."
Senbo nodded reservedly.
Heng Qing: "Does your tribe also have gray... iron ore?"
Senbo grinned mischievously: "Yes, they are." How can we not include what they got in exchange from the highland tribes?
Heng Qing could not hide the shock on his face: The Beast God is showing far too much favor to the peninsula tribes!
After waiting for Yu Yan to finish chopping vegetables, Heng Qing went over and asked if they could borrow the iron knife to take a look.
Yu Yan generously handed it over, saying, "I'd also like to see your knife."
Heng Qingjun blushed slightly and took the knife out of his spatial storage.
The difference between the two knives is visible to the naked eye.
Yu Yan's weapon has been refined, resulting in a smoother surface and greater hardness and sharpness.
The weapon belonging to the Highland tribe appears to have been crafted from high-purity iron ore over many years.
Heng Qing said with great delight, "This is truly a fine knife. How long did it take you to forge it?"
Yu Yan: "From the start of the smelting process to the successful forging, it took about half a day."
Heng Qing: "Huh??" He thought he had misheard.
It should be about half a year, right?
Cheng Liu testified to Yu Yan: "The peninsula tribes now have a wonderful thing called white charcoal, which can melt metal ores!"
"The Beast God..." The word "shock" was no longer enough to describe Heng Qing's feelings.
No wonder almost everyone in the peninsula tribes carries a knife at their waist!
I really want to trade with them for charcoal!!! That way their tribe could have metal tools too!!!
Heng Qing was determined to cultivate a good relationship with Yu Yan and strive to establish long-term trade relations with the peninsula tribes!
After returning the iron knife, Heng Qing first found Sen Bai and humbly offered to exchange four animal hides for the two pieces of iron ore he had.
Animal hides that can be traded are not simply stripped from wild animals; they undergo a series of complex processes. Beautiful, large, and intact hides are still quite rare.
Senbo actually held no grudges against them, and now that the peninsula tribes were thriving, he had even less inclination to argue with others.
Heng Qing's attitude made his last bit of resentment disappear.
"Clan Chief Hengqing, no need. I changed it voluntarily back then."
Heng Qing insisted, "We should try to persuade you again."
Senbo smiled and said, "Once I've made up my mind, there's no point in trying to dissuade me. In short, our tribe won't stop trading with you because of this, so don't worry."
From Yu Yan to Sen Bai, Heng Qing gained a thorough understanding of the characteristics of the peninsula tribes.
He patted Senbo on the shoulder with deep emotion: "Thanks."
Senbo patted him on the shoulder.
Both of them were sociable and quickly became acquainted. Senbai even shared his metal-forging experience with Hengqing.
Heng Qing said admiringly, "If you have the chance in the future, could you make me a set of jewelry as well? I'd like to give it to my partner."
Senbo readily agreed, "No problem!"
Yu Yan's voice suddenly rang out: "Ready! Let's eat!"
Jiang Kuo and the others asked in surprise, "So fast?"
Isn't it supposed to involve a lot of preparation for a dinner party?
Yu Yan: "Yes! Come over here and get your bowls and chopsticks! I've prepared some dipping sauces, one sour and one garlicky. Add whichever you like!"
"This time, the base is missing a crucial seasoning, so it might not taste very good," he warned everyone.
Everyone gathered around, distributed the bowls and chopsticks, and also noticed the pot set up on the ground.
Half of the pot was filled with a bright red broth, with chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns bubbling inside.
The other half of the pot contained bone broth and mushrooms, which made the broth even more flavorful and refreshing.
Yu Yan picked up a slice of fish with her chopsticks and dipped it in the spicy broth.
The fish cooked quickly in the scalding water, and he put it into a bowl to show everyone.
"Just cook the ingredients until they're done, then you can eat them. Choose between the spicy broth and the mushroom broth, depending on your preference."
Many people were seeing this way of eating for the first time. Cangfeng took the lead and picked up a slice of meat, putting it into the spicy broth.
The fire crackled and burned, and the slices of meat quickly changed color.
Is this okay?
"Okay, that's fine."
Cangfeng scooped out a slice of meat, blew on it, and put it in his mouth.
"Mmm!! It smells so good!!" How could this not taste delicious! He exhaled, burning his mouth, "It's so good!!"
Seeing this, the others quickly picked out the ingredients they wanted to eat, put them into the pot, and then began to wait eagerly.
After tasting it, everyone kept praising it: "With so many chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns, I thought it would be very spicy! But it wasn't!"
"I just saw Yu Yan add animal milk to it, no wonder it smells milky."
"Yes, the vegetables after being cooked in the hot pot have many different flavors, and they taste even better with dipping sauce!"
"Don't just eat the spicy hot pot, try the mushroom hot pot too, it's especially delicious!"
"Isn't the most important thing that this way of eating is very convenient?"
"I can eat so many ingredients at once!"
"Yu Yan, as expected of you, you chose such a perfect dish for a gathering."
Having been here for so long, this was the first time Yu Yan had eaten spicy hot pot, and she couldn't even find the time to speak.
He would just mumble and nod repeatedly whatever others were saying.
Lan Xiu silently stayed by his side, helping him grab vegetables.
Seeing how happily he was eating, a smile appeared in Lanxiu's eyes.
Hot pot brought the atmosphere of the gathering to its peak, and people from all tribes began to address each other as brothers.
The highland tribes also integrated into it.
Everyone ate, chatted, sang, and talked about Yu Yan's new house.
Yin Qing led everyone in dancing.
The people from the Mingyuan and Peninsula tribes ate around the spicy hot pot for several rounds, and were still reluctant to leave.
Mao Li chewed on the mushroom in his mouth and muttered, "Is it really that delicious? No, I'm so curious, I have to try it!"
When Fan Su tried to stop him, Mao Li had already darted away.
He snatched a piece of meat, put it in his mouth, and then his eyes widened in surprise.
“Ah! My tongue! My mouth!!” he cried out.
Fan Su strode over and tapped him on the head: "Are you bleeding again? I told you not to eat it, but you insisted! Let me see!"
Mao Li opened his mouth; the meat had already been swallowed, and his mouth was perfectly fine.
He laughed and said, "Brother, I was just kidding. I didn't actually taste anything. Let me have a couple more bites."
Fan Su raised an eyebrow: "Want some more?"
Mao Li reached into the pot with his chopsticks and picked up a slice of tripe to eat.
"Hmm... it was a little overcooked, but it tasted pretty good... I can't quite describe it, but it didn't cause that unbearable pain in my mouth."
Even those who normally don't eat spicy food looked at him and asked, "Is it really delicious?"
Mao Li nodded: "Really, I'm absolutely not lying."
They finally overcame their psychological resistance and tried the meat and vegetables in the spicy hot pot.
It was the first time eating spicy food. Although some people coughed from the spiciness and others hissed and searched for water, they were all amazed by the hot pot.
Except for a few people who particularly dislike spicy food, everyone else praised it as fragrant and delicious.
Fan Su's opinion on chili peppers completely changed. He exclaimed, "No wonder Jiang Kuo and the others kept urging us to pick more chili peppers. If we dry them, we can use them to cook in the winter. They'll definitely make us feel warm."
Mao Li: "Sigh! We had no idea chili peppers were so delicious. We've really missed out!!"
Fan Su turned to look and saw that the highland tribes had accepted it even faster than they had.
From the very beginning, Cheng Liu had his eye on the spicy hot pot, where he cooked sliced meat and seaweed!
He kept telling his companions, "It's super delicious! Trust me!!"
After Heng Qing and his group tried it, they couldn't stop.
Later, they ate around the pot themselves, but they wouldn't let Cheng Liu eat too much.
Yu Yan also said, "Cheng Liu, eat less since it's your first time, don't hurt your stomach from the spiciness."
Cheng Liu wiped his rosy lips and said, "Okay." He then turned and ran off to eat the mushroom hot pot.
After finishing his meal, he sat under a tree, leaning on Heng Qing's shoulder to aid digestion.
Seeing the young people singing and dancing, he smiled and applauded them.
Suddenly, his expression changed, and he looked down at his stomach.
Heng Qing immediately asked, "What's wrong?"
Cheng Liu turned his head, his pupils trembling with joy, and said, "Heng Qing, I can feel the baby."
"real?!"
"Yes! He's more energetic than before!"
Heng Qing's eyes suddenly reddened, and she reached out to hug him, rubbing her cheek against his face.
"That's great, that's really great."
Cheng Liu sniffed: "Coming to the Peninsula Tribe was truly the best decision we've ever made."
...
As night completely enveloped the forest, everyone finished their meal and drinks, and the gathering came to an end.
After seeing off the people from Mingyuan, Shenhu, and Qingqing tribes, Yu Yan asked Cangfeng to settle the people from the Gaodi tribe, and then returned to the ginkgo tree with the wind.
He looked at the thatched hut he had built, filled with the things he had saved up over the past few months, and a strong sense of accomplishment welled up inside him.
Lan Xiu sensed that they had something to talk about, so he took his things and went to take a shower.
"Father, come sit here." Yu Yan pulled out a long bench.
The moon is bright tonight, and we can see each other's expressions clearly without needing torches.
Feng Gui sat down, sensed something, and smiled silently.
Yu Yan said, "Our house is almost finished. Next, I'm going to try firing clay tiles and making cement tiles to see which type of tile is better."
"I still need to install windows, make doors, and build furniture... and if you factor in the time it takes for the cement to cure, it will probably be late summer by the time we move in."
Feng Gui listened attentively and said, "It won't take long."
Yu Yan smiled and said, "Yes, then we'll have two places to stay. You can stay wherever you want. But I think once you've experienced a house, you won't miss a bird's nest."
Feng Gui chuckled: "I haven't thought about it yet."
Yu Yan was taken aback, "Then what happened today was because..."
Feng Gui was also taken aback. It turned out that Yu Yan had noticed.
Yes, he was such a gentle and caring sub-beastman, my good little darling.
"I feel so sorry for you..." Feng Gui said guiltily, "I couldn't give you a healthy body, I really..."
"Father, why would you think that?" Yu Yan understood; he was thinking of her because of Cheng Liu.
“If it weren’t for the years of hard work you put into raising me, I would have died long ago. You are clearly the best and greatest adoptive father. Don’t feel sorry for me.”
Feng Gui gazed at him for a long time, looking into his clear and earnest eyes, his slightly plumper cheeks, and his gentle expression. She finally understood that being able to accompany and care for each other was already the most beautiful day of her dreams.
Yu Yan understood him; he felt indebted because he loved her.
After a while, Feng Gui smiled gently.
"I really look forward to late summer."
Yu Yan smiled and said, "Same."
...
Yu Yan remained very busy for the next few days.
He managed to fire the ceramic tiles, but perhaps because the air-drying time was insufficient or the process was incorrect, they didn't achieve the quality he wanted.
Cement tiles, on the other hand, are easier to make and have more consistent quality.
So he and his team made molds and produced a batch of cement tiles, ready to be installed once they were completely dry.
During this time, Heng Qing and his group dried the seaweed and sent two orcs to transport it to the highland tribe. They also instructed them to have someone mine iron ore from the tribe and send it over as a form of exchange for the seaweed.
The remaining people stayed in the peninsula tribe, continuing to supplement their iodine intake while actively helping Yu Yan with various tasks.
Soon everyone discovered that iodine supplementation really works!
Their drowsiness, hair loss, and fatigue have all significantly improved, and their necks are noticeably thinner than before! With improved health, their appearance has naturally improved dramatically!
Cheng Liu also said he could feel the baby in his belly getting more and more energetic every day.
The couple were overjoyed and extremely grateful to Yu Yan.
That day, when Cang Feng brought Heng Qing and Cheng Liu to find Yu Yan, Yu Yan was fiddling with his yogurt.
Yes, he hasn't given up yet.
After the jar was covered with animal hide, the fermentation temperature was high enough, but fermentation just wouldn't succeed.
After much thought, Yu Yan concluded that the problem stemmed from a lack of lactic acid bacteria.
He didn't know where to get this stuff, so he simply moved the jar around in several different places, trying his luck.
As the saying goes, perseverance pays off, and he actually stumbled upon it!
Upon hearing Cheng Liu say, "Yu Yan, my baby's condition is better than yesterday," Yu Yan was removing the bowl from the jar.
He smelled yogurt!
“That’s great,” Yu Yan replied, emptying the contents of the jar.
After natural fermentation, goat milk turns a pale yellow color, becomes thicker, and emits a rich yogurt aroma.
Yu Yan was overjoyed, "Haha, double happiness! My yogurt has finally fermented successfully!"
Cheng Liu is now radiant and walks with a brisk pace, completely different from when he first arrived.
He strode forward and sincerely congratulated her, "That's wonderful!! Congratulations, Yu Yan!"
"Congratulations! Now that you're doing much better, are you getting ready to leave?"
Heng Qing nodded: "Yes, we came here to talk to you about the supplies."
"Come, sit down and talk."
Yu Yan tasted the yogurt and, after confirming it was okay, poured a bowl for each of them.
Heng Qing found it too sour and couldn't drink it, but Cheng Liu drank it with relish, so Heng Qing gave him her bowl.
Also, Cheng Liu can eat a lot of spicy food now, even more than Yu Yan.
"Eat slowly," Heng Qing said softly. "I feel like you've been eating a lot these past few days, so you've gained a little weight."
Cheng Liu looked up in shock: "No way? You've gained weight?"
He didn't know whether to drink the yogurt in the bowl or not.
Heng Qing immediately added, "You're doing really well now, so the baby will grow up healthy too. Eat up!"
She secretly wished she could exchange yogurt fermentation methods with Yu Yan.
He looked at Yu Yan and said earnestly, "Yu Yan, you have done so much for us, we really don't know how to repay you."
“Our tribe is not as wealthy as yours. After thinking about it, the only thing we have to offer is our iron ore mine.”
"Look, how about we trade half of our iron ore mine for seaweed with you on a long-term basis?"
Yu Yan and Cang Feng exchanged glances, both seeing surprise in each other's eyes.
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