Chapter 60 Stone Rice, Ginger Tea and Salted Vegetable Rice

After listening to Mrs. Huang's story, Mingdai opened a sack and rummaged through it, and sure enough, she saw a lot of stones.

She frowned. How could she eat this? She didn't want to become a gap-toothed person.

After thinking about it, she poured out the amount to be cooked for lunch today and handed it to Mrs. Huang.

"Sister-in-law, you don't have to do anything later. Can you just pick up the food for lunch today?"

Before Mrs. Huang came, Aunt Huang had already told her that all matters concerning the kitchen should be handled by the educated youth Xiao Ming.

So she nodded happily, took the basin, pulled Liu Guoqiang, who was doing the accounts nearby, requisitioned his table, and the two of them started looking for stones.

Mingdai looked at the pot that Zhou Sinian was cooking and saw it was already boiling.

She walked to her backpack, pulled out a pack of oil paper, came to the pot, poured the contents of the oil paper into the pot, and covered the pot.

"Zhou Sinian, add another piece of wood, and then come with me to wash the vegetables."

Zhou Sinian did as he was told, but he looked at the big pot with a frown on his face, looking unhappy, and it was obvious that he was not satisfied with what Mingdai put in it.

Each of them took a basket, picked up two baskets of cabbage and walked towards the river.

On the way, I saw a shed where people had started cooking, also stewing Chinese cabbage.

Mingdai was instantly disgusted when she saw that he had thrown the cabbage into the pot, not only without removing the yellow leaves, but also with mud on the roots.

The other party also saw them, was stunned for a moment, then guessed that they were going to the river to wash vegetables. He snorted coldly and scolded them for being pretentious.

This person probably has never met Zhou Sinian, otherwise he wouldn't be so mean. Fortunately, Zhou Sinian didn't understand what he said.

Soon, the two people who had washed the vegetables came back, and Mingdai began to cut the vegetables. She chopped all the cabbages and put them in a large basin for later use.

Mrs. Huang also picked out the stones from the food.

Asking Huang Saozi to wash the food, Mingdai scooped up the water boiled with dried ginger from the big pot and put it into a clay pot to keep it warm.

I quickly washed the pot and started cooking.

Zhou Sinian saw that the water from boiling dried ginger had been scooped out, so he sat back by the stove and started to make a fire. He also grabbed a handful of chestnuts and put them on the stove to roast them, eating them while they were roasting. He was so happy that he had a circle of black beard on his face.

Mingdai ignored him and just went about her own business.

Heat some oil in a pan, scoop out a large piece of pork fat, and put it into the pan. The moment it’s put in, the aroma fills the air.

Mrs. Huang looked very distressed and wanted to remind Mingdai that the oil should be used until at least the end of the month!

Considering her mother-in-law's instructions, she finally chose to keep silent.

Take out the dried ginger from the clay pot and reuse it. Sauté it in soy sauce until fragrant. Add some cabbage leaves, add water, pour in the washed grains and start cooking.

Mrs. Huang didn’t expect that she could cook in this way. She was a little surprised, but she was also happy to think that she could save a step of washing the wok and cooking.

Mingdai found the rice bowls for her and Zhou Sinian, and asked for bowls for Huang Dasao and Liu Guoqiang. She put a pinch of brown sugar at the bottom of each bowl, added dried ginger tea from the clay pot, and let the two drink first.

Zhou Sinian put a large spoonful of it in his teacup before he was satisfied. He stopped complaining and enjoyed himself by taking a sip of brown sugar ginger tea and a bite of sugar-roasted chestnuts.

Liu Guoqiang also squatted beside the stove with Mrs. Huang, sipping brown sugar ginger tea.

This stuff is very expensive, and only young wives who have just given birth can drink a few sips of it. As one of the old men, Liu Guoqiang is drinking it for the first time.

After a while, the porridge in the pot gave off a unique aroma of grains mixed with oil. Mingdai lifted the heavy wooden lid, picked up a spatula to stir it, and poured all the cabbage groves in the large iron basin into the pot.

Stir well and simmer again.

Ten minutes later, the gong sounded, signaling the end of work.

Mingdai opened the lid of the pot, poured the cabbage leaves in, added a handful of salt and stirred evenly, then put the lid back on.

"Zhou Sinian, no need to add more firewood!"

Zhou Sinian nodded, sorted the firewood at the stove door and put it on the firewood pile at the back.

Soon, the villagers who had finished work in Liujiawan came over. There were more than 60 of them this time. They had traveled all night and worked for a whole morning, and they were very hungry.

Ming Dai called Huang's wife, "Sister-in-law, please find two people to help you. Take the ginger tea and scoop a bowl of it for each person in the queue outside. Let's get rid of the cold first. I'll serve the rice right away."

Aunt Huang nodded, and immediately called her husband and third brother to come over, carrying the jars and following her to distribute the ginger tea.

We were so happy that we could drink ginger tea. The hot tea went into our stomachs and our tired and cold bodies finally stood up straight.

There was no such treatment in previous years. As expected, the team leader made the right choice to choose Xiao Ming, the educated youth, to cook!

In the shed, Mingdai scooped all the rice into an iron basin. Zhou Sinian carried the basin to the table at the door. Everyone stretched their necks to watch, but no one dared to squeeze in.

In the big iron basin filled with pits and depressions, there were tender green cabbage leaves, crispy cabbage husks, and greasy mixed-grain rice, which was extremely tempting.

"Okay, everyone, finish your ginger tea and come over to get your rice."

Ming Dai stood in front holding a large shovel, and Zhou Sinian followed behind holding chestnuts. People at the scene came to receive their meals obediently, and no one dared to question whether Xiao Ming, the educated youth, gave more or less.

After all, there is Zhou Sinian who is eyeing him covetously from behind.

Looking at the half-full cup of rice, with vegetables, rice and oil, it is even better than what we eat at home!

When someone was eating, they carefully passed the food in their mouths several times, but did not find any pebbles. They were immediately surprised.

"Oh my god! Is this still pebble rice? Why isn't there even a single pebble?!"

Others who had eaten also echoed the sentiment, while those who had not gotten a turn stretched their necks to listen, extremely curious.

Mrs. Huang, who was carrying a clay pot, raised her chin proudly and said, "It was the educated youth Xiao Ming who asked us to pick out the stones! Otherwise, you would have had gaps in your teeth!"

There was laughter at the scene, and more of it was gratitude towards Mrs. Huang and the educated youth Xiao Ming.

Being in charge of cooking for the reservoir repair is a lucrative job. In previous years, it was always done by relatives of the village leaders, and they never took it so seriously.

Both the villagers and the educated youth were extremely satisfied with the lunch. Song Lanlan, who had been making sarcastic remarks, shut up after the meal.

Only Liu Yan, who was crying while eating, cursed Ming Dai in her heart for being a bootlicker who clung to the captain's thigh and only then got the job of cooking.

If she were to come, she would definitely cook even better food than this. With oil and salt, how could it not be delicious!

After everyone had received their share of rice, Mingdai called Mrs. Huang and the two brothers from the Liu family to serve the rice. She left enough food in the pot for several people to share.

Mrs. Huang looked at the obviously extra rice in the bowls of her husband and her third brother, and smiled more sincerely at Mingdai.

"Okay, girls, you guys go eat too, and take a rest after you finish eating. I'll wash the rest of the dishes!"

Mingdai didn't bother to be polite with her. She took her rice bowl and sat in the shed with Zhou Sinian to eat.

Although Zhou Sinian disliked this simple version of rice, he did not have the habit of wasting it, so he ate it a little bit fiercely.

Mingdai rummaged in his backpack, took out five vegetable dumplings and stuffed them into his rice bowl.

"Warm it up later. Eat this first."

Then he took out a piece of brown sugar steamed cake.

Zhou Sinian immediately put down the teacup and ate the brown sugar steamed cake happily.

Mingdai deliberately controlled the amount of food she gave him because she found that no matter how much she gave him, he would finish it and would never leave any food.

Mingdai opened her kimchi jar, picked up a few pieces and put them in the two people's teacups, then slowly began to eat.

Compared with rice, mixed-grain rice is really harsh on the throat, but fortunately the grains at this time have a strong aroma, and with the stimulation of oil, it tastes delicious and not bad.