To make tofu
After coaxing his two children to sleep, Yang Xiucai lay down and saw Qin Wenli tossing and turning in the dark.
"The kang is so hot that you can't sleep?" Yang Xiu asked.
Qin Wenli lay on his stomach, and said in a low voice: "You ask even though you already know the answer..."
Yang Xiu elbowed him. She said, "You are not a smart person, how can you not figure this out?" Without waiting for Qin Wenli to respond, she continued:
"You just want to know what Mom is up to. Just tell me, do you want a chance to make money in a legitimate way?"
Qin Wenli answered obediently: "I want to..."
"Have you noticed that Mom has changed? I can't really put my finger on it, but I feel like she's changed a lot in the past six months. She's smiling to the two kids again. When I was in danger six months ago, she looked really worried."
Qin Wenli nodded.
"Besides, it was mom who came up with the idea of making money. Let's follow her and see how to do business."
"What if it happens? It's better to be prepared than to be kicked out in the dark one day."
Thinking of this, Yang Xiu felt a little depressed. Qin Wenli turned around and stroked her arm.
"Then give it a try, just for the sake of the child."
The two were speechless for a moment, and the road ahead was particularly confusing in the dark night.
Qin Wenli broke the depressed atmosphere and asked Yang Xiu:
"Mom suggested that you set up a stall, why don't you go?"
Yang Xiu rolled her eyes at him, "I don't know anything. If I make money, it's fine. But if I lose money, is it mine or Mom's?" She perked up again when she mentioned this, "Mom will definitely let you sell it when the time comes. You should keep an eye out at the market. I'll try again if I see something suitable."
"Hey..." Qin Wenli sighed, "You're really good. You've learned how to retreat in order to advance and plan ahead..."
Yang Xiu kicked him and said, "Go to sleep..."
Shangguan Town is a market on "March, Sixth and Nineth". The market is only held on the third, sixth and ninth days of every month.
Hu Yufeng and her friends go to the market on October 13th. This also means that the next market day will be in two days.
After the meeting, Hu Yufeng ordered Qin Shengtian and Qin Wenli to carry out the soybeans from the granary first.
The soybeans are all grown at home and have been harvested several times, but they are also mixed with small pods and shriveled beans.
The first step is to sort the beans.
This job was something that only Qin Shu could do, so the whole family joined in and quickly cleaned up two baskets.
"Mom, this is our first time selling. How many kilograms should we make?" Qin Wenli looked at Hu Yufeng who did what she said and rarely showed any fighting spirit.
"50 kilograms, if I can't sell all of them I can give them to relatives so they won't go bad." Hu Yufeng said after thinking for a while.
"One pound of beans makes two to three pounds of tofu, so we only need to soak about 25 pounds of beans." Qin Wenli calculated.
Qin Wenli quickly weighed out 25 kilograms of soybeans. The rest was put into snakeskin bags and put into the granary.
Yang Xiu soaked the soybeans neatly, and the family went to rest.
The next day, at dawn, Yang Xiu got up quickly and put on his clothes. She pushed the man who was still sleeping, "Get up quickly."
Qin Wenli agreed in a daze and turned over and sat up.
As soon as I put on the padded jacket that had been hanging on the kang all night, I shivered with coldness, and the grogginess I had just woken up was instantly gone.
Yang Xiu put her daughter's arms that were stretched out outside into the quilt and pressed down the corner of the quilt. Qin Wenli also got dressed and jumped off the kang, and the two of them hurried out to the yard.
Yang Xiu carried a bucket of water to clean the millstone, while Qin Wenli fed the donkey hay.
The Qin family's stone mill was placed in an open cave slightly lower to the west of their old courtyard.
This cave is therefore called "Moyao".
Yang Xiu came to the grinding kiln and skillfully picked up the broom on the innermost earthen platform. First, sweep the dust off the millstone carefully.
Then he scooped a ladle of water and poured it into the grinding hole to rinse it.
Finally, wipe both sides carefully with a damp cloth.
After Yang Xiu finished cleaning, Qin Wenli came over carrying the soaked soybeans, and Hu Yufeng came over behind leading a donkey.
The two men helped put the mill on the donkey, blindfolded it, and left.
The rest was Yang Xiu's job.
Yang Xiu scooped a spoonful of soybeans and poured it onto the millstone. As the donkey turned the millstone, the soybeans sank into the millstone eye little by little. Yang Xiu quickly used a broom to sweep the surrounding soybeans into piles on the grinding hole.
The slightly yellowish bean curd and soy milk flow from around the stone mill into the cement trough below. When it was almost full, Yang Xiu quickly poured the bean dregs into the bucket.
Grind both sides repeatedly like this until the bean dregs are broken into pieces, and the second step of the tofu is ready.
Yang Xiu followed the donkey in circles, sweeping the food from above and serving it from below, and also had to deal with the donkey that wanted to steal a bite. He was so busy that he was sweating all over.
Wait till all are finished. Yang Xiu asked the old lady to clean the millstone, and he led the donkey back.
After breakfast.
Old man Qin was smoking and herding sheep as usual.
Qin Wenli brought the soy milk ground in the morning to the grinding kiln, ready to start making tofu.
Yes, Lao Qin’s family also has a special grinding kiln. There was a tofu pot with a sloppy edge in the kiln. There are also utensils needed for making tofu.
This goes back two years. Hu Yufeng had a quarrel with her sister-in-law over making tofu, and in a fit of rage she bought a set.
Use once a year.
This is also the main reason why Qin Wenli proposed selling tofu. After all, why don't you buy some belongings first?
No need to make tofu!
Qin Wenli first found the filter gauze and hung it on the cross wooden frame above the pot.
Hu Yufeng had already poured the ground beans into a basin and boiled them with boiling water. Yang Xiu was responsible for scooping the boiled soybeans from the basin into the gauze with a spoon. Qin Wenli held the wooden frame tightly with both hands and swayed back and forth rhythmically.
The thick white bean juice then seeps out from the tiny holes and flows into the pot.
After several times, until no more soy juice can be squeezed out of the gauze that has been squeezed hard, the separation of soy milk and soy dregs is completed.
Yang Xiu pours the separated bean dregs on a drying cloth, and after they are dried, they can be used as a delicacy for livestock.
Hu Yufeng built a fire. Soon the rich aroma of soy milk spread along with the hot steam from the fruit.
Qin Yu and Qin Shu were peeking at the door.
Hu Yufeng found it funny and said with a smile: "Don't worry, your father will order some tofu pudding for you guys later. It's more delicious, and you can eat as much as you want."
The soy milk rolled in the pot like white waves as it continued to burn.
Qin Wenli saw that the cooking was almost done and reminded his mother to stop the work. Use the brine that you prepared earlier and pour it evenly into the bubbling soy milk, spoonful by spoonful.
After a while, the soy milk solidified into tofu pudding like egg soup, floating on the yellow-green soy water.
Hu Yufeng scooped two bowls and handed them to Yang Xiu, saying, "Hurry up and mix some for the two kids. Look, Shushu is drooling."
Qin Shu was not shy at all and followed his mother closely to eat the delicious food.
Qin Wenli had already assembled the tofu box. There is a large iron basin underneath. At this point, use a spoon to gently scoop the tofu pudding into the box covered with the wrapping cloth.
When the box was full, Qin Wenli would wrap it with cloth, cover it with a suitable wooden lid, and press it down with a large stone. The excess water would flow through the gap at the bottom of the box into the large iron basin below.
After one night, the tofu is shaped and pressed firmly, and it is done.
Qin Wenli let out a long sigh and was full of anticipation for this pot of tofu.
The water in the pot cannot be wasted.
People in Xiaogou Village said that tofu water could cure cracked heels, so every household made tofu and soaked their feet on the day.
Lao Qin's family is no exception. Every one of them is hot and steamy, and this winter is full of hope.
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