Chapter 71 071 Braised Chicken in an Earthen Pot, Rice [Second Update]...
Not far away, a waterfall in the mountain stream stood out, its waters crashing against the rocks and creating white sprays, like a white belt hanging down in the green forest.
The mountain peaks on both sides stretch out from the high mountains behind, forming a barrier on one side and a deep pool on the other.
At this moment, the midday sun shines on the deep pool, making the dark green water look like a dazzling emerald.
Everyone immediately felt that the trip had been worthwhile.
"Come on, let's start a fire!"
After appreciating the beauty of the pool, they didn't forget the main quest and found traces left by their predecessors by the pool.
—Some dug pits for placing iron pots, a platform for putting barbecue grills on, and large rocks.
"That saves trouble."
The charcoal is piled in the barbecue grill, leaving space under the iron pot.
The squad leader clapped his hands: "Take out everything you brought."
When they went camping, everyone only roughly divided up what to bring, and the rest was up to them. So Wen Fan saw that in front of him, besides the usual chicken legs, chicken meatballs, drinks, and various vegetables and fruits, there were some strange things.
Two large bags of toast.
"I was just thinking that if we really had nothing to eat, we could use toast to tide us over, right?"
More than a dozen packs of spicy strips.
"How can you go out and have fun without spicy snacks!"
One pound of raw eggs.
"...It's better to be prepared, and if all else fails, we can always eat boiled eggs."
One fishing rod.
"Hehe, I stole my grandpa's fishing rod. You wait, I'll catch a big one for you in a bit!"
...
Wen Fan sighed and said, "Take the eggs away. I just ate persimmons, so I can't eat eggs. Skewer the toast and bake it later. Peel the spicy strips. I'll need them later... You can fish if you want. Anyway, I can't make it. Persimmons are also a bad match for this stuff."
Wen Fan issued instructions methodically, selecting a few people to wash vegetables and assigning others to skewer making.
The others were sent by her to find firewood.
Wen Fan didn't assign him anything for fishing, but he gave him a difficult task.
"Keep an eye on the water and don't let anyone get too close."
This pool looks deep; I'm afraid someone might slip and fall on the edge.
The squad leader nodded vigorously: "You must be careful."
He was taking a risk on this trip. Although it was getting cold and the water in the pool was freezing, so no one would go in, there was no guarantee that someone wouldn't have a moment of madness.
The squad leader's sharp eyes were watching everywhere, and Wen Fan already knew what he was going to do.
The pork that Grandma He Yuzhen gave him was clearly high-quality pork, at least the best pork Wen Fan had ever seen since his rebirth. It didn't have as much fat as the pork in the market, but the meat was of excellent quality, with a good balance of fat and lean.
Wen Fan cut off one half to skewer, and the other half into thin slices. He used the oil from the plastic bottle to heat the pan, then added the pork slices. After a quick stir-fry, the pork slices curled up, and Wen Fan scooped out the lard and pork slices.
Wen Fan processed the ribs and chicken legs one by one. After processing them, he stir-fried them in an iron pot with various spices, poured in some of the braising liquid he had brought, and then added water to simmer.
As soon as the aroma of the stew wafted out, everyone crowded around, their mouths watering.
"I'm so hungry, when can I eat?"
Wen Fan glanced at his phone: "About an hour."
As she spoke, she took out the flour that a certain gentleman had brought and began to knead the dough.
Han Lulu and several girls were eating skewers when their gazes shifted from the iron pot to Wen Fan, and all four of them gradually became dazed.
"Wen Fan's cooking... looks so good," Qin He murmured to herself.
Unlike when he was studying, Wen Fan's movements were crisp and clean at this moment, as if he had practiced a thousand times. There were no superfluous movements, and his calmness and confidence were a visual treat.
Wen Fan kneaded the dough, put it in a bag, and then started preparing the side dishes. He prepared chopped green onions, garlic, and ginger, and put them in different disposable plates. Then he found a basket to put the washed vegetables in.
Suddenly, Wen Fan noticed that half a carrot hadn't been washed properly, so she instinctively picked it up and rinsed it in the pond.
On the other side of the pool, there is a gentle slope. It's not deep here, and there are several large rocks scattered around. Everyone washes vegetables here, and even if someone falls in, the water isn't very deep.
Wen Fan arrived at an inopportune time; Fang Weiyue was the only one there washing vegetables.
Wen Fan nodded to Fang Weiyue and squatted down on his own.
Fang Weiyue bit her lower lip. She wasn't actually very close to anyone in her class. On the way here, she kept looking at Wen Fan. After looking at her so many times, Wen Fan's deskmate, Han Lulu, seemed afraid that she might do something, so she deliberately separated her from Wen Fan.
Fang Weiyue's mind was in complete chaos. She wanted to say something, but she couldn't open her mouth.
Suddenly, her feet lost their footing.
"careful!"
Wen Fan dropped the carrot and rushed forward to support her.
Fang Weiyue stepped into a puddle that soaked her pants, leaving half of her leg wet.
She was still dizzy, with a sense of bewilderment as if she had survived a disaster, her wet trousers clinging to her body.
Wen Fan frowned: "What are you thinking!"
If someone gets distracted while washing vegetables by the water and something really happens, the squad leader will be devastated.
Fang Weiyue lowered her head and said, "I'm sorry."
Wen Fan asked irritably, "Did you bring any clothes?"
Fang Weiyue shook her head; she hadn't even brought her bag today.
Wen Fan called out to Han Lulu, and Han Lulu came running over excitedly.
"What the hell... Holy crap!"
Han Lulu couldn't help but swear, her eyes darting between the two of them.
Did they fight?
So, is she on Wen Fan's side, or on Wen Fan's side?
Wen Fan: "Ask who brought a change of clothes, a dress is fine too, bring it over if you find one."
Fang Weiyue's face turned bright red: "I don't need it..."
"No need, no need, are you planning to do this all afternoon?"
Han Lulu said "Oh" and ran away quickly.
Now only Fang Weiyue and Wen Fan were left. Wen Fan picked up the vegetables that Fang Weiyue had dropped on the ground and washed them clean little by little.
Fang Weiyue finally mustered up her courage.
"Wen Fan... are your parents... really restaurant owners?"
Wen Fan hummed in agreement, finding Fang Weiyue's question quite puzzling.
"Are you having a very hard time?"
Wen Fan tossed the dishes aside: "What do you want?"
She didn't think her relationship with Fang Weiyue was close enough to be casual conversation.
Fang Weiyue hesitated for a long time, but in the end, she still didn't know what to say.
Han Lulu brought a dress and a few coats as well.
Wen Fan was impressed by Han Lulu. The two of them used their coats to create a space for Fang Weiyue to go in and change her clothes.
Soon, Fang Weiyue came out after changing, blushing as she thanked him.
Wen Fan handed her her clothes: "Find a place to hang them up, they'll be dry in half an hour."
After saying that, she hurriedly left with the dishes, while something was still simmering on her stove!
Fang Weiyue was still on the verge of tears, looking like a delicate flower. Han Lulu, not understanding why, left with a "call me if you need anything" and ran off.
When Wen Fan returned to the camp, he saw his classmates scattering and the iron pot that had just been covered.
"...It's not cooked yet!"
These people are unbelievable; they'd eat something even when it wasn't fully cooked!
Wen Fan dared not leave the pot now, for fear that if he went too far, the pot would be empty when he came back.
When the ribs and chicken were stewing, Wen Fan lifted the lid and added various side dishes: meatballs, potatoes, corn, cabbage, glass noodles...
The gathered firewood was thrown into the fire, and the intense flames licked the bottom of the pot.
More and more people came to ask "When is dinner?", and the aroma of the earthen pot spread powerfully through the mountains and forests.
Wen Fan pressed the risen dough against the side of the pot with his hands, added a little scallion oil to the remaining dough, rolled it into a scallion roll, placed it on the vegetables, and then covered the pot with the lid.
At that moment, the person who made the skewers finished, and Wen Fan went over to demonstrate to them how to grill them.
The barbecue wasn't difficult, and the group quickly achieved the goal of "the food was not bad but cooked through," with everyone eagerly vying for a spot on the barbecue grill.
Grandma He stood in front of the campsite, holding a bowl of rice.
“…Yuzhen!”
He Yuzhen skipped over: "Grandma, what brings you here?"
Grandma He handed her some rice: "I steamed some rice."
I was initially worried that these kids wouldn't do a good job, but as soon as I got close, I smelled the aroma of meat.
"...What did you do?"
He Yuzhen: "Stewed Chicken in a Clay Pot!"
When Wen Fan opened the pot, she saw it was full of meat and vegetables, and it looked delicious.
He Yuzhen, holding a bowl of rice, led her grandmother to see their harvest.
"We also had a barbecue!"
Everyone was given a few skewers of grilled meat and vegetables. Grandma He was surprised to find that although some parts were slightly overcooked, the result was obviously much better than that of He Yuzhen's father. At least the meat was cooked and the vegetables were coated with sauce.
A pot of rice was served, and Wen Fan asked Grandma He to eat with him.
"There's plenty of food. After I cook the rice, I'll stir-fry some vegetables."
Grandma He waved her hands repeatedly to refuse, but the enthusiastic children insisted that she stay.
"Our Wen Xiaofan has excellent cooking skills."
Wen Fan, expressionless, fried rice: "Call me by my name properly."
Why is everyone adding the character "小" (xiao) to the middle of her name now?
Han Lulu laughed and said, "Our Wen Xiaofan's cooking skills are unmatched!"
Grandma He steamed the rice on the stove, and Wen Fan thought about it and decided that it could be used to make braised rice.
Cut the pork slices into smaller pieces, put lard and some minced pork in the bottom of the pot, stir-fry diced carrots, diced ham, diced potatoes, and green beans picked by Grandma He. Wen Fan poured all the rice in, spread the rice on top of the vegetables, covered the pot and started to simmer.
After a while, Wen Fan began to rotate the iron pot to ensure that the bottom was heated evenly.
Soon, the pot began to smell delicious.
The stewed chicken was almost ready. Wen Fan lifted both pots and stirred the rice evenly. Both the dish and the rice were glistening with oil.
"The food is ready, serve it."
The cooked rice is somewhat similar to the method of making rice with rice, and the bottom of the pot still has crispy rice crust.
A group of people rushed forward and served the rice in portions.
Wen Fan used the spare pot and stove to cook a few quick dishes.
Grandma He's eyelids twitched as she looked at him, and she whispered to He Yuzhen, "Your classmate... does her family own a restaurant?"
He Yuzhen gave a thumbs up: "You guessed right!"
Grandma He: "I knew it."
Nowadays, few children are not spoiled. Not to mention in the city, even in the countryside, not many people know how to cook.
Not to mention that this is the kind of person who can cook a whole table of dishes.
"It smells so good."
The rice was cooked to perfection, the potatoes and green beans were stewed to perfection, and the pork belly slices were so crispy they looked like fried potato chips. Perhaps because they were cooking outdoors today, Wen Fan didn't use many seasonings. This pot of rice was simple, salty and fragrant, without any other unnecessary ingredients.
Grandma He loves this kind of food. She finishes one bowl and then has another.
"How can I make it taste like this myself?"
She occasionally cooks rice and vegetables, but none of them compare to this one. The rice is savory and oily, the vegetables are fresh and crispy, and the pork slices are not greasy at all.
"Grandma, stop talking, try the braised chicken in a clay pot!"
He Yuzhen, biting into a spare rib, tried to snatch spare ribs and chicken pieces for her grandmother from under a hail of chopsticks.
The pork ribs and chicken were stewed until tender and falling off the bone, the chicken skin was crispy and chewy, and the pork ribs had a bit of fat, even the cartilage was fragrant. The broth was thick and rich, the potatoes were stewed until soft and fluffy, and the vegetables inside each had their own unique flavor.
He Yuzhen grabbed a flatbread, dipped it in the sauce, and ate it. One side was crispy, while the other side was chewy and soft. The part soaked in the soup tasted like a fragrant sponge. The air pockets of the leavened flatbread were filled with soup, and the crispiness and softness could be perceived at the same time.
"Wow! This is so delicious!"
"Waaaaah, I'm begging you to open a shop... no, you already have a shop, please cook for me every day!"
"I would call you the Goddess of Stewed Chicken in a Clay Pot!"
"I'm so reluctant to part with it, sob, this is the last pancake!"
After the group had finished grabbing the rice, they grabbed the meat, and only then did they start dividing up the vegetables.
Even the vegetarian dishes are delicious!
"God, is there anything you cannot do?"
After eating for a while, Wen Fan went to get some grilled skewers. The grilled toast with a little sugar syrup was surprisingly good.
Although everyone still wanted to eat, they were all so full that their bellies were round.
Ignoring the fact that he would get dirty, he sat down on the spot, supported himself with his hands, and looked up at the sky at a 45-degree angle. What he shed was not tears, but physiological tears from yawning.
Grandma He was also stuffed, and her mouth was full of praise.
"Much better than your dad's group."
A group of grown men are no match for children when it comes to cooking.
Grandma He breathed a sigh of relief, took the bowl and went home first. Before leaving, she held Wen Fan's hand and told him to be sure to come home later.
“I picked some winter melons a few days ago. Take them home and make some soup.”
Wen Fan wasn't very interested in the winter melon, but after thanking Grandma He, he asked about the persimmon grove.
"I see the persimmons are almost ripe, why aren't you picking them?"
Grandma He sighed, "Nobody buys them. That couple now carries their persimmons to the foot of Qingtang Mountain every day to set up a stall, hoping to sell them to tourists. But no matter how many tourists there are, how many can they actually sell? They said if things don't go well this year and they can't pay off their debts, they won't care about these persimmons anymore next year and will go out to work."
Wen Fan: "Pay back the debt?"
Grandma He: "The couple was in a car accident a few years ago. The man became deaf in one ear. If it weren't for the medical expenses, they wouldn't be in debt and worrying every day."
Wen Fan pondered for a moment and then asked, "What price do they sell these persimmons for?"
“They carry it to the foot of Qingtang Mountain for five yuan a pound. If they take it directly from here, it will probably cost less than one yuan a pound.”
"So cheap?"
Grandma He sighed, "What can we do? He has two students to support at home."
The older one is in junior high school this year, and the younger one is in fifth grade. They are both studying in town and usually live at school.
Wen Fan weighed the price of one yuan and felt that it was still a good deal.
"Grandma, could you take me to see those persimmons later?"
Grandma He was surprised: "You want to buy it?"
Wen Fan nodded: "I want to buy some for cooking."
"They probably won't need much. They'll have some when they get back. You can pick some out, and I'll find you a basket. How many do you need?"
Wen Fan: "Give me two hundred catties first."
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Author's note: Two updates today, sorry it's a bit late.
And one more thing: this article is participating in the Mid-Autumn Festival Poetry Contest. Just by participating, you'll have a chance to win Jinjiang Coins! Simply leave a comment or poem in any chapter, and include "Mid-Autumn Festival Poetry Contest" in the first line to participate. Come join us! Love you!
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