Xiao Kai had heard the head chef talk about the legendary skill of butcher Ding in carving up an ox, but in Nanxian County, not many people could afford to eat pork.
The island is hot, and pork is not easy to preserve. The islanders do not have the habit of eating cured pork. Therefore, the number of pigs slaughtered in Nanxian County each day is limited, and Xiao Kai has never seen it.
Even if there were, Xiao Kai believed that none could be more meticulous than Meng Gu Niang.
He couldn't help but ask:
"Miss Meng, weren't you from a wealthy family before? How do you know so much?"
No butcher in the entire South Island could probably cut the meat more meticulously than Miss Meng.
Ruan Meng thought to herself that in her previous life, she was skilled in acupuncture and often helped the chefs at the garrison to treat their occupational diseases, such as backache, shoulder pain, and arm pain. They forcibly taught Ruan Meng all their best skills.
You have no choice but to learn!
But Ruan Meng could only explain, "When I used to go shopping, I would hear butchers explaining to customers at meat stalls what kind of meat came from which place and how to cook it to make it taste good..."
"After visiting and eating there many times, I became very familiar with it."
Xiao Kai had no doubts; the high-ranking officials and nobles from the other side of the river certainly ate the finest food.
The young master often accompanies his master to the other side of the river, and his requirements for ingredients and details are clearly higher than those of ordinary people.
The third brother looked at Ruan Meng, nodded to her, and showed a knowing expression.
Ruan Meng realized that her third brother was trying to reveal that he knew the real reason: it was Mazu...
Ruan Meng got up and asked the others to help her clean the cut meat and offal.
Although the third brother was extremely disgusted, when Ruan Meng was about to rinse the large intestine, small intestine, pig stomach, etc., the third brother went straight over them and scrubbed them carefully without saying a word.
It was as if if he opened his mouth, he would vomit again.
Ruan Meng learned from Xiao Kai that in this era, let alone the South Island, even on the other side of the strait, no one ate pig offal. Some poor people would buy pig head meat to eat, but it was mostly bought by wealthy families and high-ranking officials for sacrificial purposes.
Pig ears and pig tongues are even less likely to be eaten.
Needless to say, pork kidneys, pork stomach, pork intestines...
"Girl, are these really edible?"
Xiao Kai, with a restrained expression, asked the same question that Lao San had.
Ruan Meng patiently explained, "Have I ever made anything that tasted bad?"
The two adults and the child all shook their heads at the same time.
"That'll do! Just wait! If you do this right, it'll taste even better than pork!"
Hearing Ruan Meng's explanation, Xiao Kai and Lao San's expressions softened slightly, and a glimmer of hope arose in their hearts...
But he still looked wary.
Ruan Meng was both amused and exasperated, and then thought about how to arrange the ingredients.
The weather is hot and humid, and there are many people eating. I have to provide late-night snacks tonight, so I definitely won't be able to keep anyone.
Ruan Meng showed Xiao Kai his catch from beachcombing and asked her third brother to help her call Feng Erge back.
Xiao Kai dug up a lot of oysters, and found a few abalone, shellfish, a few mantis shrimp, and a few small miscellaneous fish.
Ruan Meng and Xiao Kai discussed, "I'll make you a seafood feast, and then braise some pork ribs with bamboo shoots. We can take it back and eat it. Is that enough?"
Ruan Meng didn't mention the pig offal, and since there was no finished product, she guessed Xiao Kai's reaction.
Fresh wild boar ribs!
Newly dug bamboo shoots!
Seafood feast? I've never tried it, but it sounds like something to look forward to!
As long as he doesn't have to eat that damned pig stomach and intestines, or the ribs of wild boars, isn't that delicious enough?
Xiao Kai nodded repeatedly, showing a grateful expression.
"Don't worry, I've eaten my fill. I'll go back and report to you and arrange what you asked for. If I can get it done today, I'll send it over tomorrow. It'll be perfect time to congratulate you and your family on your new home!"
Ruan Meng thanked them in advance and got busy.
Upon arriving in the kitchen, she found that Song and Fan's wives had already chopped black fungus, shiitake mushrooms, and bamboo shoots, waiting for Ruan Meng to cook them.
When they were slaughtering the pig, the Song and Fan family sisters-in-law, seeing that there were enough people, couldn't get over their unease and hid in the kitchen, too afraid to watch.
The eldest sister-in-law originally wanted to help, but she happened to run into Ruan Meng, who vividly described how the third brother cut open the pork. The eldest sister-in-law took a breath and retreated back into the house.
Ruan Meng asked her sister-in-law, "Sister-in-law, are you sure you dare to cut the pork?"
Upon hearing that it was pork, the woman immediately nodded.
Ruan Meng planned to make stir-fried pork with wood ear mushrooms and braised pork with bamboo shoots for lunch, as well as stir-fried pork liver, pork heart, and pork lungs, and stir-fried pork blood with wild leeks...
The pig offal is not served to each person's bowl; this is something that can be tried, respecting the villagers' wishes.
But Ruan Meng believes that as long as they are prepared properly, these are all excellent dishes.
Continue read on readnovelmtl.com
