Chapter 91 Let's Help Each Other
In Lu Mingyue's courtyard, the dining table was polished to a shine.
The prepared ingredients were laid out on the stove, and Lu Mingyue stood by with her sleeves rolled up, while Xia Xiaofang and her three children washed canning jars in the corner of the yard.
"Alright, kids, go play. We'll have beef sauce ready in a bit."
After cleaning up the jars, Xia Xiaofang told the children to play in the yard and not to run outside.
"First, put the soaked soybeans into a pot and cook them thoroughly."
As soon as Lu Mingyue finished speaking, Xia Xiaofang deftly picked up the soaked soybeans and poured them into the iron pot of boiling water.
The firewood was already laid out, and the flames in the stove crackled and popped. Soon, steam rose from the pot.
As soon as the soybeans started cooking, Lu Mingyue picked up a cleaver and began processing the beef, slicing it thinly along the grain and then mincing it into fine pieces.
Lu Mingyue: "Fortunately, we had them treat the fascia in advance, otherwise we would have had to spend some time picking it out."
She picked up a cleaver to chop the filling, then turned to Xia Xiaofang beside her and said with a smile.
“Look, this is how it should be done, with men doing the rough work. We women should be in charge of cooking and seasoning, while we should let them do the strenuous tasks of removing tendons and chopping meat. It’s better to divide the work and work together.”
Xia Xiaofang added some firewood to the stove and nodded in agreement: "That's right! I used to chop bones by myself, and my fingers would get red from all the work. Later, I learned from you and delegated the work. Although Qin Lie was clumsy at first, he was able to do it skillfully after practicing a couple of times."
"Life isn't something we women have to do alone. The more physical labor they do, the less we suffer. That's only fair."
“You’ve hit the nail on the head. Men should lend a hand. How can we be expected to both manage the stove and do the heavy work?”
Once the soybeans were cooked until they were soft enough to be easily crushed, Lu Mingyue pulled the fire out of the stove and scooped out the soybeans to drain.
Heat a wok, add oil and sauté minced scallions and ginger until fragrant. Then add minced beef and stir-fry quickly over high heat until the beef changes color. Skim off any surface oil.
"Don't waste this oil, keep it to make stir-fries more fragrant." Zhu Xiaofang quickly grabbed a small bowl to take it.
She had already laid out the soy sauce she brought, and even took out half a packet of dried chili peppers from her pocket: "My husband loves spicy food, adding some of this will make it even more fragrant."
He then cut the chili peppers into small pieces and put them together with minced scallions and ginger.
Make half of the non-spicy version first, and make the spicy version later.
The children washed the canning jars and squatted by the stove, staring at the soybeans in the pot.
Leilei would reach out to touch the stove every now and then, but Lu Mingyue would slap his hand away with a smile: "Don't touch it, you'll get burned."
Pour the cooked soybeans into a pot, add various seasonings, stir-fry evenly, then add half a bowl of water, bring to a boil over high heat, then simmer over low heat.
Lu Mingyue picked up a spatula and stirred it continuously to prevent it from burning: "Making sauce requires patience; you have to let the meat and soybeans absorb the flavor fully."
Xia Xiaofang took the spatula and said, "You take a break, I'll stir it. It'll be a good opportunity to practice."
The fire in the stove burned slowly, and the broth in the pot gradually thickened, filling the courtyard with a rich aroma of soy sauce mixed with the scent of meat.
The children moved even closer together.
Yao Yao tugged at Lu Mingyue's clothes: "Mommy, when can we eat?"
Lu Mingyue smiled and scraped a little sauce into her mouth: "Try it first, it will taste better when it cools down and is then jarred."
Once the sauce has thickened and become glossy, turn off the heat.
Once the beef sauce had completely cooled, Lu Mingyue picked up a spoon and scooped it into the jar. Zhu Xiaofang quickly handed her clean chopsticks to help scoop it from the sides of the jar, afraid of wasting a single drop of sauce.
"Remember not to let it come into contact with any raw water after bottling. It can be stored in the cellar for more than ten days," Lu Mingyue instructed as she scooped the food.
"Next time you make it, cook the soybeans a little longer, don't use too high a heat when making the sauce, and stir it frequently."
Zhu Xiaofang listened attentively and nodded, "I'll remember. I'll buy some beef and try it later, so my husband can have a taste too."
Together, the two divided the beef sauce into clean, dried jars, filling each jar to the brim.
Xia Xiaofang held the jar, her eyes crinkling with laughter: "This sauce goes well with cornbread, I can eat two more!"
"Mom, can we eat now?" Lei Lei stood on tiptoe and peered at the edge of the table.
Lu Mingyue smiled and scooped a small spoonful of sauce into the dish in his hand: "You can only dip a little bit, the freshly made sauce is salty."
Yao Yao also reached out for some, and Lu Mingyue added half a spoonful for her. The two children held the steamed buns, dipped them in the sauce, and chewed them in small bites, their faces full of satisfaction.
"They're freshly steamed. Let's share a taste of the sauce, but don't eat too much. We need to save room for dumplings tonight."
She broke off a piece of steamed bun and handed it to Xia Xiaofang, then pinched off a small piece for herself and scooped a spoonful of beef sauce onto it.
"Mmm, the saltiness is just right!" Xia Xiaofang took a bite and squinted her eyes in satisfaction. "This sauce is so delicious with steamed buns. It will be even more satisfying to dip the dumplings in it later."
Lu Mingyue nodded repeatedly, finishing her steamed bun in just a couple of bites, but deliberately slowed down: "I have to take it easy, I can't fill my stomach up, the beef dumplings tonight are the main event."
In no time, the two steamed buns were eaten together, and everyone wiped their hands.
Xia Xiaofang volunteered to wash the cutting board: "I'll clean it up. You two hurry up and prepare the filling and knead the dough. If we divide the work quickly, we can wrap them up sooner and eat them sooner."
Lu Mingyue smiled and agreed, then turned and headed towards the stove.
She first poured the minced beef that Huo Zheng had chopped in advance into a bowl, then put the scallions in the bowl and stirred vigorously in one direction.
Beside the cutting board, Leilei was standing on tiptoe helping his mother hold the flour bag, while Yaoyao and Mingming stood aside, glancing up at the minced meat in the basin from time to time, swallowing their saliva.
"Mom, when can we make dumplings?" Lei Lei shook the bag of flour in his hand, flour covering his face.
Lu Mingyue freed one hand to wipe him clean, and then poured warm water into the basin with a smile: "After the dough has rested, we'll start making dumplings. You and your younger siblings can be little helpers and be in charge of rolling the dough into small pieces, okay?"
The three children immediately straightened their backs and nodded, with Mingming even patting his chest to assure them, "Aunt Lu, the dough I rolled was the roundest!"
Xia Xiaofang heard this from the well and called out with a smile, "Don't just talk the talk, walk the walk. If you don't roll them well later, I won't make you dumplings with lots of meat filling."
After a while, the dough had risen.
Lu Mingyue placed the dough on the cutting board, pinched off a small piece, rolled it into a long strip, and then cut it into even small pieces.
"Come on, kids, try rolling these little pieces of dough into balls, just like playing with mud."
The two boys immediately came over and each grabbed a piece of dough and kneaded it in their palms.
Leilei learned very well, kneading the dough into a round shape with his fingertips.
Mingming was eager to perform, so he squeezed the dough hard, but ended up shaping it into a flat little pancake, which made Lu Mingyue laugh and pat his head.
"Gently massage, take your time."
Yao Yao wanted to help, so Lu Mingyue handed her the smallest piece of dough.
The little girl held the dough and carefully rubbed it between her palms, looking earnest and adorable.
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