Reborn in Dunhuang, I am farming and doing business in the desert

Chapter 16: Delicious Pork and Chive Dumplings

As Xiaoqing finished her report, two packages slowly condensed in front of Shen Zhao.

Carefully unpacking them, one was a tightly packed egg and the other was a bag of snow-white flour.

Shen Zhao picked up the flour in one hand and sixteen eggs in the other and went to the kitchen.

Zhang Shanyue, the mother, was picking the ribs of fat pork when she saw her daughter bringing in two strangely packaged things. She couldn't help but ask curiously, "What are you taking?"

"Flour and eggs." Shen Zhao put the eggs on the table and used scissors to pick out the threads on the flour bag.

Zhang Shanyue opened her eyes wide: "Where did you buy this from?" She also wanted to buy some eggs at the market today, but she didn't see any.

I never thought that my daughter could actually buy eggs and snow-white flour from that foreign country. It's really amazing.

"Yes." Shen Zhao took a ceramic bowl and scooped noodles into the yellow basin: "Mom, let's make noodles today. We have pork. I'll go to the field and cut some leeks to mix with it."

Zhang Shanyue nodded and couldn't help asking again: "A Zhao, what else can you buy?"

Shen Zhao smiled and said, "We can buy anything. It just depends on how much money we have."

"Can I buy everything?" Zhang Shanyue thought for a moment and asked, "Then, can I buy red candles, boxes, and cloth? After this month, my family will ask for a dowry from your eldest brother's fiancée. Pig heads and mutton are easy to get, but colorful candles, boxes, cloth, and bedding are not available at Caoji."

If you want to prepare everything, you have to go to the county town fifty or sixty miles away. The round trip requires hiring a car and takes two days of effort, which is really unaffordable.

"If I can buy it, I'll go and take a look later." Not to mention boxes and cloth, even houses can be bought ready-made.

Shen Zhao had seen a whole set of folding houses of that kind. When opened, the windows were bright and the house was very clean and elegant, not inferior to those of the wealthy families in the county town.

It’s a pity that you can’t buy that kind of thing even if you have money, otherwise you will be burned at the stake.

Zhang Shanyue immediately smiled: "Okay, I'll give you the money after dinner."

Shen Zhao nodded and added water to knead the dough.

This time she mixed a large bowl of flour and used up half a bag of white flour.

Because her father would definitely come home today, she wanted to make some extra dumplings for him to try.

After kneading the dough, Shen Zhao took the basket and went to the vegetable garden outside the yard to cut leeks.

At this time, the vegetable field is full of fine sand, and the leeks are crawling listlessly. If they are not cut, they will probably turn yellow soon.

Shen Zhao shook off the fine sand as he cut, and soon filled most of the basket.

Remove the rotten and yellow leaves, wash it several times, and then chop it into pieces for later use.

At this time, Zhang Shanyue had chopped the fatty pork into minced meat, added a little salt and stirred it for a while, then added chopped chives and mixed well.

Everyone knows how to make dough, also known as dumplings, but few are willing to put in the effort.

Only during the New Year or the La Festival do people do something to commemorate their ancestors and the gods of the country.

Of course, after the memorial service, these ingredients have to be taken home and eaten.

Afterwards, Zhang Shanyue took a round wooden stick to roll out the dough, while Shen Zhao sat on his heels and kneaded the dough.

In less than an hour, the five sieves were filled with dough.

Shen Heng also became diligent and took the initiative to boil water and cook the noodles.

It’s a pity that the ceramic jar at home is not big, so I can’t cook much at a time, and the soup will easily overflow.

A Niang simply put the dough into the steamer one by one to steam them to avoid the trouble.

When Shen Zhao saw this scene, his desire to shop rose again.

She had seen the iron pots and stoves in the mirror, which were more beautiful and easier to use than her own.

I really want to buy a complete set of large iron pots so that I can cook and make pancakes like the people in the mirror.

Soon, two earthenware jars of dumplings came out of the pot. Zhang Shanyue first filled a large bowl and handed it to his son: "Take this bowl to your aunt, and ask your cousin to come over for dinner."

My nephew was very tired today. He carried a load of food back for his family, so he had to invite people over for a meal.

Shen Heng agreed and went out carrying a large steaming ceramic bowl.

Zhang Shanyue filled another large bowl for his nephew, and then poured the noodle soup from the jar into another large bowl, and took it to the main hall together with the bowl of dumplings. Then he refilled the jar with water and continued to cook the dumplings.

After a while, Shen Heng came back with his cousin.

Shen De felt a little embarrassed and sat down in the hall hesitantly.

Shen Heng brought chopsticks, two baskets of dumplings, and two plates of soybean paste, and the two brothers sat opposite each other and started eating.

It was the first time that Shen De ate such soft and delicate dough, and with the fresh aroma of pork and leeks, he was immediately amazed.

I have made noodles at home and eaten them both steamed and boiled. I thought they were delicious.

Unexpectedly, the food cooked by my aunt was even more delicious. The dough was tender and smooth, not rough at all.

"Aunt's cooking skills are getting better and better." Shen De praised sincerely.

Shen Heng smiled proudly and didn't tell his cousin that the flour used to make the dough actually did not contain bran.

After the two brothers finished their dumplings, they each drank a large bowl of dumpling soup, and then left with their empty bowls.

At this time, Zhang Shanyue called his son again: "Ah Heng, take this bowl of noodles to Mr. Dong."

Shen Heng agreed and came over reluctantly.

It’s not that he didn’t want to honor Mr. Dong, but he was afraid that he would ask him about his homework again after meeting him.

My elder brother and I were both disciples of Mr. Dong and learned to read from him.

Later, Mr. Dong went to the border to serve in the military, and only then was he able to escape from this sea of suffering.

However, Mr. Dong Yi returned from the border a month ago. It was said that he was in poor health and retired early.

"Hurry up! The bait will get cold if you wait." Zhang Shanyue urged.

"Got it!" Shen Heng picked up the bowl and left.

When I reached the gate of the courtyard, I suddenly met my father who had just returned from a journey.

"Huh? Dad, you came back just in time. The bait is cooked." Shen Heng blinked and smiled at his father. For a moment, he wanted to hand the pottery bowl to his father.

Shen Ang glanced at him unhappily and said, "Is it for your teacher? I'll go visit him later."

Shen Heng's smile instantly fell, he responded muffledly, and left quickly.

When Shen Zhao heard his father coming back, he jumped up: "Dad! You're back!"

He reached out and took the bag from his back.

Shen Ang walked into the kitchen with a smile, took off the sword at his waist and handed it to his daughter.

"There are no guests visiting today, how can we make dumplings?" He sat down next to his wife and was about to reach for the dumplings in the steamer when his wife patted the back of his hand and said, "Wash off the dust first before eating."

Zhang Shanyue scooped out hot water from the steamer pottery jar, added some cold water and handed it to her husband, smiling, "We sold all the winter clothes today, how about the ones you brought?"

Shen Ang washed his hands and face, pointing to the bag taken by his daughter: "I have sold everything I took away, but there are two items on credit, which I will return after they receive their salary."

At this time, Shen Zhao had already untied the bundle and took out two thousand and fifty coins from it. "Dad, let me keep all this money. Can I leave fifty coins for you for pocket money?"

"Yes!" Shen Ang wiped his hands and face, took the chopsticks handed to him by his wife, and sat at the low table to eat dumplings: "Then you have to keep it well."

Shen Zhao nodded his head: "Of course."

"Huh? The wheat flour today is good. Did you sift it with a sieve?" Shen Ang ate a dumpling and found it delicate and refreshing.

Zhang Shanyue didn't know how to answer, so she just nodded: "Yes."

At this moment, someone entered the yard and called out loudly, "Is Shen Tingjun at home?"

Shen Zhao hurriedly gathered his bag and ran out to check.

There were several soldiers with swords standing in the yard. Two of them were wearing old women's cotton-padded jackets that they had sold, one red and one purple, which were very eye-catching.

(End of this chapter)