Chapter 759
Su Yuanzheng put away his hoe and said with a smile:
"You loved eating snakes when you were little. One New Year, your uncle caught one and made a bowl of snake soup just for you. You licked the bowl clean."
"Is it true? Why don't I remember it?" Su Miao widened his eyes.
Second uncle took over:
"When you were five, you came back less often after that, so you probably don't remember it."
When the big snake was brought back to the village, it attracted the attention of the villagers who were taking shelter under the trees.
"Wow! Where did you kill such a big snake?"
"We got to the river at the foot of the mountain. We scared Miaomiao and brought her back directly."
An aunt came over to watch and cursed, "Well done! I don't know how many eggs you've stolen from my house. Two months ago, you even strangled two of my hens to death."
"This snake is quite ferocious, but it's delicious. Your family will have a great meal tonight."
When I got home, my second uncle was squatting on the bluestone slab in the yard, and the knife in his hand was moving flexibly on the snake's body.
The snake skin was peeled off completely and hung on the clothesline like a yellow and black silk ribbon, shining glossy in the sunset.
Su Miao and Xiao Bao gathered around to watch as their second uncle prepared the snake meat and explained to them:
"This king snake has many names. Many people call it the Rape Snake, while others call it the Elaphe King or the Stinking King Snake. Look at the pattern on its head. Doesn't it look like the Chinese character 'king'?"
Xiaobao took a look and nodded obediently: "Grandpa, there really are words on it."
"This snake is very ferocious, even venomous snakes are afraid of it. There's an old saying that if you see a king cobra within a mile, there are no venomous snakes within ten miles. However, its meat is very delicious."
As my second uncle spoke, he skillfully cut open the snake's belly, took out the internal organs, and left the snake gallbladder to soak in wine. The snake liver could also be eaten.
"When your grandfather was in school, he learned a saying from some book: 'One mile of royal brocade, ten miles of fragrant flowers.' It was referring to this kind of snake."
Zhige had already boiled a pot of water, and his second uncle brought the processed snake segments over to the pot and put them in. After blanching them slightly, they were taken out. The snow-white snake meat was slightly curled up and had no special taste.
"The snake skin can be peeled or not. It's best not to peel it, just remove the scales. But I was afraid you might be afraid to eat it after seeing it, so I just peeled it all and scraped it off so it can be fried.
Tonight we are making three kinds of snake dishes: stewed dragon and phoenix soup, fried snake segments, and braised. This big snake is enough for our whole family to eat."
Xiaobao asked, "Grandpa, why is it called Dragon and Phoenix Soup?"
Second aunt came in, holding a processed old hen in her hand, and answered:
"The dragon is the snake, and the phoenix is the chicken. Boiling the two together makes dragon and phoenix soup. Our home-raised chicken paired with this wild snake is the most nourishing."
The fire crackled in the stove, and the water in the large iron pot had already boiled. Second Aunt blanched the chicken and snake segments in the pot, skimmed off the foam, and added ginger slices and a little bit of soup ingredients.
The rich aroma soon filled the entire kitchen, and the next step was slow cooking.
In fact, it is better to stew soup in a clay pot, but the quantity I want to make today is large, and I don’t have such a big clay pot at home, so I can only use a big pot.
Second uncle handed Su Miao a few heads of garlic and said:
"Miao Miao, help Uncle Er peel some garlic. Fried snake slices need some garlic to make them more flavorful."
Su Miao sat on a small stool peeling garlic and listening to his second uncle telling stories about his grandfather catching snakes.
"Your grandfather didn't need many tools to catch snakes, just a stick and his hands. He could spot a snake in the grass at a glance, and he was very quick. Once, in a sugarcane field..."
My second aunt had already started frying the snake segments.
The snake meat is marinated with cooking wine, salt, pepper and other seasonings, then coated with a thin layer of sweet potato starch.
When the oil pan is heated to 70% hot, the snake pieces are put into the pan, making a "sizzling" sound and changing color in a short while.
Xiaobao couldn't help but move closer to the pot, watching the snake segments rolling in the hot oil, the aroma wafting into his nose.
Second Aunt used her long chopsticks to pick up two pieces, put them in a small bowl and handed it to him: "Try it with your aunt, be careful of the heat."
Xiao Bao came to Su Miao and held out the bowl to her: "Aunt, share."
Su Miao picked up a piece and took a look. The snake segment was not so scary after being peeled. The curved arc looked a bit like a duck neck.
She tried taking a bite. It was a big snake, and the meat was much thicker than that of a small snake. The skin was crispy, and the inside was tender and juicy, with a garlic aroma and a slight spicy taste. It was surprisingly delicious.
Su Miao said in surprise:
"It's really delicious! Uncle, you didn't lie to me. If it's this delicious, I would have loved it as a child."
"Hahahaha!! You didn't eat anything hot like this when you were a kid. You ate snake soup. Try it when the soup is ready. It's probably the same taste."
These words aroused Su Miao's appetite, and she squatted in the kitchen and refused to leave. If her second aunt had not been afraid that she would get too hot and sent her to the main room to rest, she would have squatted by the stove for two hours.
By the time the soup is done, it's almost dinner time.
A large round table was set up in the yard, and several farm dishes accompanied by fragrant snake meat dishes made everyone's appetites whetted.
The whole family sits together, and the first bowl of soup is served to the third grandmother. She has to take a sip first before the younger generations can start eating.
Second Aunt also filled Su Miao's bowl with soup and meat. The soup was slightly red and clear.
"Miao Miao, eat more meat and drink more soup. This soup is the best for replenishing qi and blood. You scholars use your brains a lot, so you need it."
Su Miao took a sip carefully, and the delicious taste instantly bloomed in his mouth.
The perfect blend of the sweetness of the snake meat and the mellowness of the chicken, coupled with the light fragrance of the soup ingredients, made her unable to help but drink half a bowl in one breath.
Su Miao suddenly remembered something and asked, "Uncle, have you learned Grandpa's snake-catching skills?"
The second uncle shook his head and said, "I've only learned the basics. Your father was quite good at it, but there probably aren't any snakes to catch in your city."
Su Yuanzheng put down his wine glass and said softly:
"When I was little, I would come back to the village every now and then. It was so fun to be with my brothers and sisters back then. After I got married, I came back less often, and then I didn't have the chance to learn more from my grandfather. It's a pity to think about it."
The setting sun gradually dyed everything golden, and laughter continued in the yard.
Su Miao looked at his father's slightly drunk profile and suddenly understood why he was so obsessed with Grandpa Qin giving him chess - it was not only a promise to his father, but also a remembrance of the days that had passed.
Not only Su Miao ate the snake meat, but the fat boy in Yongcheng also ate it.
Today, Wang Dachui hosted a table of delicious dishes at the big restaurant, including this dragon and phoenix soup.
Wang Dachui stood up and personally served soup to Little Fatty, with a smile on his face:
"Mr. Pan, don't be fooled by the ordinary environment of this restaurant. The dragon and phoenix soup is a must-try. We have a special channel to buy snakes, and you have to make a reservation to eat it. Try it, it's very sweet."
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