While the group was talking, the braising liquid in the pot was already bubbling and emitting a rich aroma. Su Hua got up, picked up the chopsticks next to her, and poked a hole in the pig's stomach. The chopsticks could easily poke a hole, which meant that the braising time was enough.
The key to good offal soup is 30% braising and 70% soaking.
Su Hua told Qian to turn off the fire in the stove and let the braised food soak in the braising liquid.
He then smiled and pushed Su Bai out of the kitchen, for this birthday banquet was not a time for the birthday girl to be busy.
"Alright! My Hua'er is just being considerate of me!" Madam Su Bai cooperated perfectly as she walked out, her face full of smiles. After leaving the courtyard, she instructed Su Hua, "Jin Han will be returning to the cabin after delivering the goat and fish today. Remember to set aside a portion of each dish later."
Oh, and he especially loves eating pig liver from the offal, so that's a must.
And that fish and mutton stew—he's definitely never had it before, so get him a lot of that.
Su Hua found it amusing to look at her eager expression. "If people knew he was the son the Xiao family kicked out, they would think he was your own son!"
Whether Xiao Jinhan was socially awkward or simply impatient, he was never seen when the Su family was in large groups.
She had set aside a portion of each of the dishes she had cooked earlier.
After all, Yu Yang Xian is the supplier of the raw materials; we can't afford to mistreat him, no matter who else we're dealing with.
“From now on, he’ll be my own son.” Madam Su smiled at her silly daughter, then turned and slowly walked towards her old friends. “Everyone, please have some of these melon seeds and peanuts. Don’t be shy with this old woman…”
Su Hua shook her head and smiled, then walked back to the stove.
Zhao was a diligent and efficient person. She had prepared all the vegetables that needed to be blanched, chopped, and had their leaves removed, so Su Hua only needed to cook them.
The fire in the stove was reignited, and the kitchen bustled with activity.
A wave of spicy and savory aromas wafted into everyone's noses.
If it weren't for their age, they would probably be swallowing their saliva like the three little kids, Da Lang.
Since there wasn't enough room in the main room, two large wooden tables were set up in the courtyard. After all, the Su family alone had more than ten members, plus Zhao's parents, the old village chief and his group, making a total of more than ten people, and the Qian family who hadn't arrived yet. The two tables were a bit cramped.
"Hua'er, shall we serve the dishes now or wait a little longer?" Zhao glanced at the sky; it was almost noon.
But the Qian family hadn't arrived yet, while the guests outside had already drunk four or five cups of tea.
Qian got up from the stove, picked up two large plates of braised offal and walked out. "It's alright, let's serve the food! My mother and the others must be almost at the end of the village by now."
Seeing this, the remaining members of the Zhao family could only follow suit and have dishes served one after another.
In no time, both wooden tables were filled to the brim. In the very center of the table was a pot of stewed fish and mutton soup, which was milky white. Next to the fish and mutton soup was a plate of bright red braised offal, a large bowl of spicy mutton blood curd, a two-colored chopped chili fish head, a bowl of spicy fish offal, a large bowl of stir-fried pork with garlic leaves, and a steamed assortment of cured meats made with cured chicken, cured pork and cured fish.
Further to the side are stir-fried dried rabbit with garlic leaves, pan-fried eel slices with perilla, dry-fried small loach, a yin-yang symbol, and scrambled eggs with scallions.
The vegetarian dishes consist of a tofu and vegetable soup, a stir-fried bok choy, a pan-fried cucumber, and a bowl of stir-fried dried bracken.
Two soups, ten meat dishes, and four vegetable dishes—a total of sixteen dishes—plus a large bowl of overflowing white rice on each table, completely filling the large wooden table.
Looking at the dishes on the table, Zhao's mother was extremely surprised. Even an ordinary family wouldn't have such a treat for their eightieth birthday celebration.
After the initial surprise, I couldn't help but feel happy for my daughter. After all these years, she has finally made it through and no longer has to live the life of counting grains of rice while cooking porridge.
A hint of surprise flashed in Wang Chunfu's eyes. He had never seen these dishes before, even in Tianxianglou, the best restaurant in the county.
Aunt Zhou and the others felt their feet were about to give way and quietly shrank back towards the courtyard gate.
They originally thought they would only eat some stir-fried vegetables and meat slices, but to their surprise, each dish was a hearty meat dish.
They only brought a little bit of green vegetables; isn't that clearly taking advantage of the Su family?
Su Hua noticed Aunt Zhou and the others' actions and quietly pulled them back to the table to sit down. "It's rare for you ladies to come to my house, so you must help me taste these dishes. If there's anything that doesn't taste right, you must tell Hua'er."
“How could this dish not taste good…” Aunt Zhou sat at the table, her feet barely moving.
It's like being rooted to the ground on a stool.
Just then, a loud voice suddenly cut in from outside the courtyard, "Oh my, we've come at just the right time today, in-laws. Here are two eggs that our old hen just laid. Take them and make some steamed egg custard."
Su Hua turned around and saw a plump middle-aged woman leading a five- or six-year-old boy into the room.
A young couple followed behind her, the young woman holding a baby in her arms.
This...this whole Qian family has come?
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