Chapter 120. Plump Rabbit
When Zhou Qing Bai returned from work in the evening, he saw his wife's eyes were completely red.
Only when he asked, did he know she was making chili sauce.
This made Zhou Qing Bai, the big man feel touched and distressed.
"Why are you looking at me like this? It's just these two or three days of hard work. And I like chili sauce." Lin Qing He remarked.
Then she got the children to wash their hands and prepare to eat.
Because the autumn harvest has begun, Lin Qing He's cooking was aligned with nourishing Zhou Qing Bai.
Tonight was a scrambled egg with cucumber, a minced pork with beans, and a steamed taro with pork ribs. The soup was shrimp skin and seaweed soup.
The main was cornmeal mantou. (T/N: I don't think I ever touch on this. In Chinese culture, carbohydrates were seen as a main dish like rice or noodle or something made from flour (like dumplings, mantou). In Ireland, boiled/fried rice and noodles are like sides here and the meaty dishes are the main. I assume it's the same in American or European side of the world. Not sure about the rest.
After Lin Qing He finished eating, she continued to make her homemade chili sauce. The bowls and chopsticks were left for Da Wa to clean up.
Zhou Qing Bai wanted to help but was sent away by Lin Qing He: "Take advantage while it's still early and go back to grab some loach and ricefield eel."
She had cleaned all the pigsty and chickenpens and also fed them.
When it was summer harvest or autumn harvest, she will handle these works. If Zhou Qing Bai was idle and didn't want to rest, then he can go catch some wild meat.
If he can get some, it will be added to a meal the next day.
Zhou Qing Bai went to catch loach and eel. He headed out at half past six and didn't come back until after seven. At this time, daylight hadn't ended that quick. So it wasn't too dark, but it did start to get dark.
He didn't capture that many, only seven or eight loach. As for eels, none.
"Raise in water first. Once more is accumulated and it'll be cooked together." Lin Qing He said after a quick scan. Then directed him to take a shower and prepare for sleep.
Lin Qing He had finished today's chili sauce and was about to put it into a clean jar.
Chili sauce was very easy to make. Mince the chili, mince the garlic, and then add the appropriate salt. Stir these three things well and it's chili sauce.
More garlic should be chopped up.
As long as it is fermented in the jar for half a month, it truly became chili sauce.
Lin Qing He was confident in her culinary skill. One jar was definitely not enough for the whole family to consume, so this time she brought back a lot of peppers and planned to make a few jars to keep and use slowly.
Lin Qing He continued to make chili sauce the next day.
At noon, when she came to deliver food to Zhou Qing Bai and her three sons, her eyes were red again.
"No need to make so much." Zhou Qing Bai urged.
"It's fine." Lin Qing He didn't mind.
Da Wa, Er Wa, and San Wa were obviously very starving. They knew that their mother was like this due to making chili sauce, so they only worried about eating.
For lunch, Lin Qing He made some simple spring pancakes and a shrimp skin soup.
The spring pancakes had two meat filling, egg, and diced meat. There was more veg, like tomatoes, cucumbers, and greens.
Eating the spring pancakes with shrimp skin soup, both father and sons were satisfied.
"San Wa, do you want to go back with Mother?" Lin Qing He asked San Wa.
"I will go back with my father." San Wa shook her head.
Lin Qing He let him be. This mischievous kid had long wanted to participate in the autumn harvest with his eldest brother and second brother. Before he was too young. Now he was three years old and was more sturdy, so she let him stay.
Lin Qing He went back by herself. She contemplated killing a hen from the backyard tomorrow.
This time she planned to grab an old hen and leave the new chicken for laying eggs.
But when Zhou Qing Bai returned in the evening, he brought a particularly plump rabbit back.
"Plump rabbit? Where did that come from?" Lin Qing He's eyes lit up.
"Mother, it was caught by Dad!" Da Wa excitedly exclaimed.
It wasn't just Da Wa, Er Wa and San Wa were even more excited: "The rabbit had cried out and dashed over. Everyone had yet to respond when Father caught it!"
"Gang Tie and the guys were envious to death, but it's useless. Their father isn't as great as our father!" Er Wa declared with extreme pride.
"Yes, not as great as our father!" San Wa bobbed his head.
Lin Qing He beamed at Zhou Qing Bai. Zhou Qing Bai was also looking at her, Lin Qing He didn't skimp on her own praise: "His father, I'll make braised rabbit meat for you tonight?"
"Alright." Zhou Qing Bai grinned.
Then he went to deal with this rabbit.
Lin Qing He prepared all the seasoning. At this time, it wasn't too late, just only after six o'clock. Zhou Qing Bai had taken care of the rabbit for her and passed it over to his wife to cook it. The backyard's work was already handled by his wife, so Zhou Qing Bai grabbed a bucket and headed to the door.
"I'll go with Father." Da Wa tagged along.
"Give this to your father as well to fill his stomach first," Lin Qing He called after him.
Da Wa munched on one in his mouth, while he took another tomato for his father. Zhou Qing Bai ate the tomato on his way to loach catching.
Lin Qing He stewed potatoes and braised rabbit meat.
Zhou Qing Bai and Da Wa punctually returned. When they came back, they brought more than a dozen loach with them. Including yesterday's ones, they can make a dish tomorrow.
When the father and son came back, Er Wa and San Wa were close to weeping from the temptation. The scent was really unbearably delicious.
"Came back at the perfect time. I don't know if your grandparents have eaten over there yet. Da Wa, deliver this plate to your grandparents." Lin Qing He came out with a small plate.
Although it was a small dish, the portion wasn't little. It was definitely enough for Father Zhou and Mother Zhou to eat.
Da Wa speedily sent it over. On the way, those children were about to burst into tears from gluttony.
Father Zhou and Mother Zhou were in the midst of dining. There was pickle veg on the table. When this dish of stewed potatoes and braised rabbit meat was brought over, Father Zhou was about to swallow his tongue.
Mother Zhou too.
"Can't praise Fourth's wife's cooking enough. I think her cooking skill can be comparable to the old chef of the past." Giving a very high evaluation, Father Zhou said.
Mother Zhou smiled, but did not say anything about Lin Qing He, the fourth daughter-in-law.
Speaking of these four daughters-in-law, the other daughters-in-law can't be compared to Fourth Daughter-in-law on the matter of filial piety, even though she was the most disobedient one.
Whatever good stuff they have, she will send a plate of it over.
Today, old Fourth caught a rabbit and will definitely cook it. She estimated that she would send a plate so she didn't cook any dishes. As expected, it was delivered.
Da Wa delivered the meat and immediately returned home.
"You didn't wait for me!" Da Wa saw that Er Wa and San Wa were eating and exclaimed with a glare.
"What didn't wait for you? Your braised rabbit head is reserved for you." Lin Qing He said.
Da Wa looked at the untouched rabbit head and grinned: "It's still Mother who loves me the most."
"Stop chattering. Wash your hands quickly. Your rice is in the pot, it's ready." Lin Qing He ushered.
Da Wa went in, took out his own rice, and then began to eat the braised rabbit meat.
The stewed potatoes and braised rabbit tasted the best when eaten with rice.
The soup can be sprinkled on the rice, not to mention that it was more fragrant.
There was no other side dish tonight, just this dish of braised rabbit meat as well as a tomato and egg drop soup.
This was enough. It had everyone satisfied after eating.
Lin Qing He planned to kill a chicken to nourish the father and sons.
PreviousWhen Zhou Qing Bai returned from work in the evening, he saw his wife's eyes were completely red.
Only when he asked, did he know she was making chili sauce.
This made Zhou Qing Bai, the big man feel touched and distressed.
"Why are you looking at me like this? It's just these two or three days of hard work. And I like chili sauce." Lin Qing He remarked.
Then she got the children to wash their hands and prepare to eat.
Because the autumn harvest has begun, Lin Qing He's cooking was aligned with nourishing Zhou Qing Bai.
Tonight was a scrambled egg with cucumber, a minced pork with beans, and a steamed taro with pork ribs. The soup was shrimp skin and seaweed soup.
The main was cornmeal mantou. (T/N: I don't think I ever touch on this. In Chinese culture, carbohydrates were seen as a main dish like rice or noodle or something made from flour (like dumplings, mantou). In Ireland, boiled/fried rice and noodles are like sides here and the meaty dishes are the main. I assume it's the same in American or European side of the world. Not sure about the rest.
After Lin Qing He finished eating, she continued to make her homemade chili sauce. The bowls and chopsticks were left for Da Wa to clean up.
Zhou Qing Bai wanted to help but was sent away by Lin Qing He: "Take advantage while it's still early and go back to grab some loach and ricefield eel."
She had cleaned all the pigsty and chickenpens and also fed them.
When it was summer harvest or autumn harvest, she will handle these works. If Zhou Qing Bai was idle and didn't want to rest, then he can go catch some wild meat.
If he can get some, it will be added to a meal the next day.
Zhou Qing Bai went to catch loach and eel. He headed out at half past six and didn't come back until after seven. At this time, daylight hadn't ended that quick. So it wasn't too dark, but it did start to get dark.
He didn't capture that many, only seven or eight loach. As for eels, none.
"Raise in water first. Once more is accumulated and it'll be cooked together." Lin Qing He said after a quick scan. Then directed him to take a shower and prepare for sleep.
Lin Qing He had finished today's chili sauce and was about to put it into a clean jar.
Chili sauce was very easy to make. Mince the chili, mince the garlic, and then add the appropriate salt. Stir these three things well and it's chili sauce.
More garlic should be chopped up.
As long as it is fermented in the jar for half a month, it truly became chili sauce.
Lin Qing He was confident in her culinary skill. One jar was definitely not enough for the whole family to consume, so this time she brought back a lot of peppers and planned to make a few jars to keep and use slowly.
Lin Qing He continued to make chili sauce the next day.
At noon, when she came to deliver food to Zhou Qing Bai and her three sons, her eyes were red again.
"No need to make so much." Zhou Qing Bai urged.
"It's fine." Lin Qing He didn't mind.
Da Wa, Er Wa, and San Wa were obviously very starving. They knew that their mother was like this due to making chili sauce, so they only worried about eating.
For lunch, Lin Qing He made some simple spring pancakes and a shrimp skin soup.
The spring pancakes had two meat filling, egg, and diced meat. There was more veg, like tomatoes, cucumbers, and greens.
Eating the spring pancakes with shrimp skin soup, both father and sons were satisfied.
"San Wa, do you want to go back with Mother?" Lin Qing He asked San Wa.
"I will go back with my father." San Wa shook her head.
Lin Qing He let him be. This mischievous kid had long wanted to participate in the autumn harvest with his eldest brother and second brother. Before he was too young. Now he was three years old and was more sturdy, so she let him stay.
Lin Qing He went back by herself. She contemplated killing a hen from the backyard tomorrow.
This time she planned to grab an old hen and leave the new chicken for laying eggs.
But when Zhou Qing Bai returned in the evening, he brought a particularly plump rabbit back.
"Plump rabbit? Where did that come from?" Lin Qing He's eyes lit up.
"Mother, it was caught by Dad!" Da Wa excitedly exclaimed.
It wasn't just Da Wa, Er Wa and San Wa were even more excited: "The rabbit had cried out and dashed over. Everyone had yet to respond when Father caught it!"
"Gang Tie and the guys were envious to death, but it's useless. Their father isn't as great as our father!" Er Wa declared with extreme pride.
"Yes, not as great as our father!" San Wa bobbed his head.
Lin Qing He beamed at Zhou Qing Bai. Zhou Qing Bai was also looking at her, Lin Qing He didn't skimp on her own praise: "His father, I'll make braised rabbit meat for you tonight?"
"Alright." Zhou Qing Bai grinned.
Then he went to deal with this rabbit.
Lin Qing He prepared all the seasoning. At this time, it wasn't too late, just only after six o'clock. Zhou Qing Bai had taken care of the rabbit for her and passed it over to his wife to cook it. The backyard's work was already handled by his wife, so Zhou Qing Bai grabbed a bucket and headed to the door.
"I'll go with Father." Da Wa tagged along.
"Give this to your father as well to fill his stomach first," Lin Qing He called after him.
Da Wa munched on one in his mouth, while he took another tomato for his father. Zhou Qing Bai ate the tomato on his way to loach catching.
Lin Qing He stewed potatoes and braised rabbit meat.
Zhou Qing Bai and Da Wa punctually returned. When they came back, they brought more than a dozen loach with them. Including yesterday's ones, they can make a dish tomorrow.
When the father and son came back, Er Wa and San Wa were close to weeping from the temptation. The scent was really unbearably delicious.
"Came back at the perfect time. I don't know if your grandparents have eaten over there yet. Da Wa, deliver this plate to your grandparents." Lin Qing He came out with a small plate.
Although it was a small dish, the portion wasn't little. It was definitely enough for Father Zhou and Mother Zhou to eat.
Da Wa speedily sent it over. On the way, those children were about to burst into tears from gluttony.
Father Zhou and Mother Zhou were in the midst of dining. There was pickle veg on the table. When this dish of stewed potatoes and braised rabbit meat was brought over, Father Zhou was about to swallow his tongue.
Mother Zhou too.
"Can't praise Fourth's wife's cooking enough. I think her cooking skill can be comparable to the old chef of the past." Giving a very high evaluation, Father Zhou said.
Mother Zhou smiled, but did not say anything about Lin Qing He, the fourth daughter-in-law.
Speaking of these four daughters-in-law, the other daughters-in-law can't be compared to Fourth Daughter-in-law on the matter of filial piety, even though she was the most disobedient one.
Whatever good stuff they have, she will send a plate of it over.
Today, old Fourth caught a rabbit and will definitely cook it. She estimated that she would send a plate so she didn't cook any dishes. As expected, it was delivered.
Da Wa delivered the meat and immediately returned home.
"You didn't wait for me!" Da Wa saw that Er Wa and San Wa were eating and exclaimed with a glare.
"What didn't wait for you? Your braised rabbit head is reserved for you." Lin Qing He said.
Da Wa looked at the untouched rabbit head and grinned: "It's still Mother who loves me the most."
"Stop chattering. Wash your hands quickly. Your rice is in the pot, it's ready." Lin Qing He ushered.
Da Wa went in, took out his own rice, and then began to eat the braised rabbit meat.
The stewed potatoes and braised rabbit tasted the best when eaten with rice.
The soup can be sprinkled on the rice, not to mention that it was more fragrant.
There was no other side dish tonight, just this dish of braised rabbit meat as well as a tomato and egg drop soup.
This was enough. It had everyone satisfied after eating.
Lin Qing He planned to kill a chicken to nourish the father and sons.
I just find it so odd he is worried about her red eyes. Like sure the first time its startling cause you don't know what's wrong. The second time though, it's just chili paste. She's not dying and gasping for life. The kids are chill, why can't you be chill?
ReplyDeleteMaybe he thinks she is crying over him trying to get that daughter every night. Thanks for the chapter.
DeleteI think it's pretty obvious why, though. He realised that she never really ate a lot of chili sauce even when she served it on the table, so it was clear that she's making it for him (and maybe the kids).
DeleteHe likes chili sauce, sure, but he also has a soft spot for his wife and didn't think that her suffering is worth him getting chili sauce to eat. Even if she didn't think of it as suffering.
Because it shows that she is doing work that is slightly unpleasant for the family. He doesn't want her to be uncomfortable, which is why he has never fussed on her working outside like the other women or spending money on things that provide comfort and are luxuries. It's just him not wanting her to be put out, even if it is her choice.
Deletewhen you care about someone, you don't want them to suffer anything all, even if it's a minor hardship. he knows she's doing it all for him, so he wants her to take it easy. that's why he's so concerned about her eyes.
DeleteIdk about the rest of the world but in SEA is mostly same with China. Carbohydrates are the most important thing. And eating rice 3 times a day is normal
ReplyDeleteGuh, eating the heads of animals or sea critters all gives me the shivers. I’ll never understand how people can eat something that's looking at them. Ugh!
ReplyDeletehonestly i can understand it for chicken heads since lowkey it's hard for me to different it, esp in soup. but I've never had rabbit or other animal heads outside of that so i also find it kinda weird
DeleteI like to eat roasted chicken heads! and also heads of fish! ahahahaha
ReplyDeleteI love goat head.
ReplyDeleteMost ASEAN place eat carbohydrates like rice as their main menu.
ReplyDeleteLet me tell you, if you aren't eating rice here, you're way below poverty line. Not entirely serious though but still, when people are struggling their priority is still to eat rice. Afterall, if you are tight in budget, you could still add more water and make congee with the rice.
ReplyDeleteI heard pre communist china and pre-evo koreas era white rice was luxury (if meat was 1st tier, white rice is tier below but still luxury) and gov do whole country campaign about foods then it become common food (its what i heard, yes im sure propaganda is included but may still some truth). In my country we have small population and and mostly focused on stock animals so rice no commons food till late 20 century.
DeleteIn Nigeria (Africa), carbohydrates is the main dish. Honestly, our culture and customs here are very very similar to that of the Chinese. Especially in the respect and filial piety area. It's just so sad that westernisation has almost eradicated some of our culture and traditions. There are some western teachings I don't mind but I believe we shouldn't just forget our traditions, especially the humane and beautiful ones just because our western counterparts see them as "archaic". That's one of the reasons I'm a fan of these type of stories. So yeah, we here also have carbohydrates as our staples. Especially rice and cassava. We don't really do lots of side dishes. But we do meat. Lots of them ��
ReplyDeletewhen it said grandpa and grandma only had pickled veg on the table i almost teared up but then it said that grandma expected an incoming dish and i was like 'oh....'
ReplyDeletehahaha granma got good in optimizing
No Brasil carboidratos como arroz e feijão são os principais
ReplyDeleteMost of the asian countries I knew, food that contains carbohydrate are the main dish..especially my home country..PHILIPPINES. We ate rice 3 to 4 times a day if not more. Of course, bread and starch noodles are included especially instant noodles. We are used to it. Rootcrops are also included. Either for breakfast, snacks and merienda.
ReplyDeleteIf I don't eat rice, I don't consider it as a meal, just a snack
ReplyDeleteIdk about others but RICE IS LIFE!!!
In India, rice is pretty much the staple food in the South. In the North they use wheat flour to make rotis (kinda like pancakes I guess) which is the staple there. Nevertheless, carbs are considered the main food and the rest are side dishes. I am probably the only vegetarian who would enjoy these types of stories. Irl never would eat meat but in these stories watching them make the most of their life is fun. Also, if I ever transmigrated to a place like that, my vegetarianism might end up starving a family like that who are obsessed with meat lol.
ReplyDelete