Chapter 201 Pumpkin Stew with Potatoes
Children's world is more innocent and imaginative. In addition, Mancang has hardly watched any cartoons, so the brightly colored world in anime excites him.
After watching the entire anime with complete absorption, Mancang was clearly still not satisfied. However, I put away my notebook at the right time, as entertainment should be enjoyed in moderation.
I watched a movie for a long time, and my eyes are a little sore. It's still early, and I just had some sweet pancakes to fill my stomach, so I can take a nap before having lunch.
I suggested, "How about we take a nap before having lunch?"
"Okay, I'll do as you say, Aunt Cheng."
Mancang was very sensible and agreed without hesitation, stretching his arms and legs as he climbed onto the kang (a heated brick bed).
On either side of the curtain, Mancang and I each slept on one side. I had just closed my eyes to go to sleep when Mancang's voice came over.
"Aunt Cheng, I'm so happy today!"
"Um."
"The little thief is so cute. Do you think there are really people that small in the real world?"
"Um."
"Aunt Cheng drove away Uncle San, so I have nothing to worry about anymore!"
"Um……"
I was so sleepy, and listening to Mancang's rambling, I drifted off to sleep without even realizing it.
When I woke up again, it was already dark, and Mancang on the other side had fallen asleep sometime earlier.
I tiptoed out of the house and added more coal to the stove; it was time to cook dinner.
Dried vegetables at home can be stored for a long time. In addition to the vegetables in the vegetable basin, there are also a lot of fresh vegetables with a shorter shelf life than dried vegetables, such as potatoes, pumpkins, cabbages, winter melons and radishes.
Previously, we cooked whatever we wanted, which resulted in a large stockpile of undehydrated vegetables.
Take pumpkins for example. The big pumpkins I stocked up on in the fall have been sitting there, and I've only seen them occasionally without ever thinking of eating them.
I don't know how long the extreme cold will last. From now on, I need to eat according to plan, and eat the foods with short shelf lives first, and save the dried vegetables with long shelf lives to eat slowly later.
With that plan in mind, he casually picked up a large pumpkin and placed it on the ground.
Cut the pumpkin open, hollow out the inside, peel off the hard outer skin, and cut it into small pieces. Peel the potatoes and cut them into small pieces as well. Today, I'm going to stew a sticky pumpkin and potato dish.
Cut a dozen or so slices of pork belly, heat oil in a wok, stir-fry the pork belly slices, then add scallions, ginger, and garlic and stir-fry until fragrant. Pour in pumpkin, potatoes, and fermented bean paste and stir-fry in a large wok.
Stir-fry until a rich aroma is released, then add water to cover the ingredients, and add some seasonings.
Place a steamer basket on top of the stew, steam a pot of rice on it, cover the pot, and wait to eat.
"Aunt Cheng, why didn't you wake me up?"
I was just imagining how sticky the pumpkin and potatoes would be when I suddenly heard Mancang's voice behind me, which startled me.
Seeing that I was startled, Mancang chuckled sheepishly, "Hehe, I was thinking of helping you start the fire!"
"It's alright. Are you hungry? The food will be ready in a bit."
As she spoke, she took off her apron and washed the greasy residue off her hands.
When Mancang heard that it was time to eat, he quickly grabbed the bowls and chopsticks and carried them to the east room.
I picked out some delicious pickled vegetables from the pickle jar and chopped them into small pieces. The pumpkin and potatoes will be very fragrant and greasy in a while, and eating some pickled vegetables will help to cut through the greasiness.
When the food was served, it was basically as I had imagined: soft, orange-yellow pumpkin and potatoes intertwined, emitting an enticing aroma.
I told Mancang not to be polite, and we each took a spoon and scooped the pumpkin and potatoes into our bowls, mixing them with the rice.
Eating it in big bites is so delicious and satisfying. When it gets a little greasy, just pick up a piece of crisp cucumber or scallion and throw it into your mouth. It's absolutely delicious.
The little hamster's mouth was full of bulging cheeks, and it moved its cheeks as it chewed its food, just like a little hamster.
The bowl of pumpkin and potato stew was huge. Mancang and I ate most of it, and we mixed the remaining portion with more rice and fed it directly to the dog. The bowl and plate were completely empty, just the right amount.
I slept too much at noon and was a bit bored after lunch. I saw Mancang go out, and his clothes were too big and loose, so I figured he'd get drafty. I should make him some clothes that fit him better, since he still has to chop wood for me every day.
After measuring Mancang's dimensions, find two pairs of cotton pants and cut the shorts, but make sure they are slightly larger than Mancang's dimensions.
Boys grow fast, especially those who eat with me; they probably grow even faster. If the cotton pants fit too well, they won't last long.
I was busy until evening, and I trimmed two pairs of well-fitting cotton pants, three pairs of outer pants, two cotton-padded jackets, three vests to wear underneath, three pairs of underwear, and three sweaters for Mancang.
While I was making clothes for him, Mancang was instructed by me to read a book on the sofa. He would come over from time to time to pour me a cup of tea, and he was quite well-behaved.
He threw a huge pile of clothes in front of the bed in Mancang: "Come and try them on to see if they fit."
Looking at the pile, Mancang asked me incredulously, "All of it, it's all mine?"
"Yes, they're all yours, try them out."
After saying that, I turned and left the east room. It's best to avoid such private matters as trying on clothes.
Not long after, Mancang's voice came from inside the house, and I turned around and went back to the east room.
The sweater and pants fit well, maybe a little big, but they should last a year or two without any problem.
He picked up a cotton-padded coat from the side and handed it to Mancang: "Try this cotton-padded coat on."
The cotton-padded jacket is a bit bigger than the sweater and pants underneath, but it should be very windproof and allow for easy movement.
"Are these clothes brand new? They're so clean, and there aren't any patches."
Mancang raised his arm and carefully examined the clothes, his eyes filled with obvious delight.
I patted the wrinkles on the cotton coat with a smile: "It's brand new."
"This is the first time I've worn new clothes! They're all my own clothes, hahaha!"
Mancang was so happy he almost jumped up.
"Don't jump, don't break the kang (heated brick bed)."
I quickly stopped Mancang's behavior, fearing he might ruin my precious heated kang (traditional heated bed).
The next morning, the sky looked a bit strange; it looked like it was going to snow.
With a grave expression, I said to Mancang, "It looks like a huge blizzard is coming; we need to make some preparations."
Upon hearing the news that it was going to snow, Mancang couldn't help but worry: "What are we supposed to do? Should we chop more firewood?"
I thought for a moment: "Let's move some of the firewood into the back room first, just in case."
Mancang may look small, but he works efficiently. He carried the firewood into the east side of the back room, one load at a time.
I transported the honeycomb briquettes to the western corner in trip after trip. Once we had enough, I joined Mancang in carrying firewood to the back wing.
The back room was stocked with a lot of food, but it was large enough to store a large amount of firewood.
Looking at the fully occupied back rooms, I finally felt a sense of security.
The sky was overcast, but it hadn't snowed yet. Mancang and I discussed going up the mountain to chop more firewood, because it would be more troublesome to travel if there was a blizzard.
They loaded up a cart, grabbed axes and saws, and headed up the mountain.
I don't know if it was just psychological, but with Mancang's help, I chopped wood much faster.
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