Lin Er said smugly, "This was a trap that Feng Yaodongzi and I made together. Those silly rabbits kept crawling into it."
Sister-in-law Lin couldn't help but laugh at her daughter's smug look: "Then our family can only take one. The other four will go to your second aunt's family. If it weren't for your second aunt's method, where would you get the rabbits? You might have spent half a day on the mountain and only managed to pick up a rabbit hair."
Lin Erxi and Lin Dongzi had no objections; without their aunt's method, they would hardly catch a rabbit in a year.
"But my second aunt said she's going to make us a different kind of rabbit tonight. I'm going to eat at my second aunt's house tonight, so I'm going to give this rabbit in my hand to her," Lin Dongzi said, blinking.
Lin Ersao felt embarrassed to eat at Song Anxin's house again, but considering that her sister-in-law's rabbit meat cooking skills were indeed better than hers, she agreed.
He said, "Then, sister-in-law, I'll shamelessly have to eat with your family again tonight."
Song Anxin enjoyed the lively family meal and said with a smile, "It's alright. My vegetable garden was just planted and we don't have much to eat yet. It just so happens that you have some vegetables, sister-in-law, so I can have a good meal too."
"Oh my, those few green vegetables I made are just enough to fill my stomach, they're not really satisfying. The rabbit meat you made is what truly satisfies the palate."
Despite saying that, she couldn't hide her joy at what Song Anxin said, and hurriedly went home to pick a few more vegetables from the garden.
Song Anxin and the younger ones also went off to help. She didn't want the rabbit from Sister-in-law Lin's house; she already felt bad about getting four out of her five rabbits.
Although it was her method, Lin Erxi and Lin Dongzi also put in a lot of effort. But Lin Dasao insisted on sending it over to make, and she couldn't refuse, so she made two rabbits.
Zhang Mei volunteered to cook a braised rabbit and a radish that Sister-in-law Lin had brought. Song Anxin entrusted the task to her with the task. Zhang Mei had a great talent for cooking. Every time Song Anxin finished cooking, Zhang Mei could learn nine-tenths of the recipe. The other one-tenth was because she was reluctant to add any seasonings.
Song Anxin knew that this kind of frugal habit couldn't be changed overnight, so she could only remind Zhang Mei to add more oil and salt each time, and to buy more when they ran out. Fortunately, Zhang Mei was an obedient person.
However, there was only one pot at home, so she had to braise the rabbit meat herself before she could cook it. During this time, Zhang Mei helped Song Anxin in the kitchen.
Song Anxin started making a new dish for today: braised and roasted rabbit!
First, blanch the cleaned rabbit with some ginger. Then, prepare the braising liquid by sautéing ginger and garlic in a little oil, then adding water. Add spices such as star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, and fennel seeds, and then add some white sugar to enhance the flavor. Bring it to a boil over high heat.
Rinse the blanched rabbit thoroughly and drain it. Place it in the braising liquid and simmer over medium-low heat for about half an hour before removing it from the braising liquid.
The next step is the most crucial one: grilling. Song Anxin had already had a few of the younger ones make a simple grill with firewood burning underneath.
The rabbit meat is first brushed with a layer of cumin chili oil, which is made from wild fennel seeds that Song Anxin picked on the mountain. It is actually the modern equivalent of cumin.
He had Lin Fenghe and Lin Fengyao, the two younger ones, grind them into powder and sprinkle it evenly on the surface.
Then skewer the whole rabbit and put it on the grill. The grilling temperature is very important, and it needs to be turned over from time to time. Since it was the first time making it, Song Anxin did not trust the younger children to do it, but watched it herself.
The boys were very interested and followed her around, occasionally sprinkling some cumin on their hands.
As Song Anxin turned the food over and over, she explained it to them. Zhang Mei prepared some wild vegetables and millet rice, and after stewing rabbit meat and radish in a pot, she also came to learn.
The rabbit meat sizzled and smelled delicious as it roasted over the fire, the aroma growing stronger with each passing moment.
The villagers passing by couldn't help but take a deep sniff, wondering what delicious food Lin Ersao was making that smelled so good!
However, I felt embarrassed to go into someone's house during mealtime, so I hurried home, hoping that there would be such delicious food waiting for me there.
Lin Erxi and Lin Dongzi couldn't resist running over. As soon as they entered the courtyard, they joined everyone around the roasted rabbit, taking a deep breath of its aroma.
"Second Aunt, I've never seen this way of cooking before, it smells so good!" Lin Erxi said.
"Mom, it feels like it's been roasting for a long time. When can we eat it?" Lin Fengyao had been drooling ever since the rabbit was put on the shelf.
Lin Fengyao asked the question that the others had wanted to ask for a long time, and immediately several pairs of eyes turned to Song Anxin.
Looking at the hungry faces of these kids, Song Anxin chuckled and said, "It's ready now. Erxi, hurry up and call your parents over."
Lin Erxi immediately responded and ran off in a flash.
On one table, there was a whole braised rabbit, a large pot of stewed rabbit meat with radish, and some vegetables such as green beans, eggplant, cabbage, and celery. All the dishes were served in large platters, and Sister-in-law Lin had prepared a very generous amount.
Sister-in-law Lin looked at the rabbit in the middle and asked, "Sister-in-law, how are we going to eat this?"
Song Anxin had already taken out the prepared cleaver and cut the rabbit meat into pieces, placing them in a large empty plate on the side.
"Alright, let's eat!" Song Anxin said.
The younger ones, like hungry wolves pouncing on their prey, abandoned their chopsticks and started eating the braised rabbit meat directly with their hands.
The rabbit meat is braised and then roasted, locking in the aroma of the braising liquid. The surface of the rabbit meat is roasted until it is crispy and tender inside. When you bite into it, the skin is crispy but bursts with juice.
"Wow, this is so delicious! Auntie, you're amazing!"
"Mom, your cooking is absolutely amazing!"
"Mmm, this is the most delicious thing I've ever eaten in my life!"
"Delicious, Mom!" Even the usually shy Lin Fenghe exclaimed loudly.
Song Anxin couldn't help but praise her own skills, amazed that she could make such delicious food in ancient times.
Brother Lin and his wife, unlike their usual composed selves, didn't say much. They were focused on showing off their braised and roasted rabbit meat, because the younger ones were eating too much, and they were afraid that if they stopped talking, the younger ones would snatch it all away.
A plate of braised rabbit meat was quickly devoured, while yesterday's favorite, rabbit meat with radish, was left untouched, with only half a bowl remaining.
Brother Lin and his wife then realized that they had been fighting over the food with the children, and immediately felt embarrassed.
Brother Lin cleared his throat and said, "Ahem, Fengnian's mother, your roasted rabbit is really good. I made three more bowls this afternoon, I'll go get them for you now."
He then hurriedly went back to get the basin, somewhat implying that he was offering the basin in lieu of rabbit meat.
Sister-in-law Lin couldn't help but laugh. She had never seen her husband like this before. Then she thought that she wasn't much better herself and said, "I'm sorry to have made you laugh, sister-in-law. Look at us, we're like children who have never seen food before."
Song Anxin said nonchalantly, "It's nothing, sister-in-law. Your and brother's words are a full affirmation of my skills."
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