Traveling Through Those Years Of Farming (Quick Transmigration) - Chapter 8

For a long time, the pattern in ancient farming novels had been quite uniform: the female protagonist traveled back in time, used secret recipes and more advanced techniques and ingenuity to lead her family to wealth. Along the way, there were usually annoying and troublesome relatives who faced a tragic end by the story’s conclusion. The protagonist was never a pushover.

Lu Baobao recalled the events that had transpired since her eldest cousin had woken up from her injury, and her head ached from thinking about it. She had finally confirmed that this eldest cousin seemed to have some issues.

But Lu Baobao couldn’t yet determine whether her cousin was experiencing rebirth, time travel, or some other strange encounter.

Lu Xiuyu was unaware that she had been exposed and remained focused on processing the pig offal in her hands.

Pig hearts had always been a sought-after item. There was a saying in the community: “to remedy the dirty with the dirty” and “to remedy the heart with the heart.” Everyone considered pig hearts to be a tonic. Occasionally, people from the apothecary would come to the meat stall to order pig hearts. It was said that after preparation, pig hearts could treat ailments like palpitations and dizziness. Since only one pig heart could be obtained from each pig, pig hearts were always among the first to sell out at the meat stall.

Although the pig heart was missing, this offal was still rich in content. Apart from the pig’s large and small intestines, there were also the lungs, liver, esophagus, trachea, and other parts. Lu Xiuyu had already decided to make a spicy and sour pig offal dish.

In fact, when Lu Xiuyu first saw the offal, her initial thought was to make braised large intestines. But after some careful consideration, she decided against it.

Firstly, she lacked some seasonings, and to make the braised large intestines tender and tasty, timing and heat control were crucial. The old lady was so frugal; she would surely disapprove of wasting firewood.

Spicy and sour pig offal was different. In the local area, every household had the habit of making pickled vegetables like sour pickled beans and bamboo shoots, so sour broth was readily available. Additionally, cooking spicy and sour pig offal was relatively easier and could be ready in time for lunch that day.

After watching for a while, the women in the house lost interest. It was just pig offal, after all, and it didn’t produce the savory aroma of meat. The children also got bored, laughing and dispersing. Only Lu Baobao, due to her curiosity, stayed behind and occasionally helped out.

This made Lu Xiuyu feel that her younger cousin was thoughtful.

“When I’m done, I’ll sneak you a taste. It’ll be much better than reed roots,” Lu Xiuyu whispered in her younger cousin’s ear. Unfortunately, her hands were busy scrubbing the pig offal, so she couldn’t pat her little cousin’s head.

A special meal!

Lu Baobao’s eyes immediately brightened. She no longer cared about the possibility that her eldest cousin might be involved in something strange. Instead, her mind started to fantasize about the taste of pig offal she had enjoyed in her previous life.

Braised large intestines, spicy and sour pig offal powder, large intestines wrapped around small intestines, grilled sausages, cured sausages, and pig esophagus braised with a secret recipe…

The delicious possibilities with pig offal were countless. Unfortunately, people of this era hadn’t yet discovered its charm, and Lu Baobao herself had never been much involved with cooking in her previous life. She had yearned for good food for many years but had never imagined she could replicate it.

Seeing her eldest cousin’s confident demeanor, Lu Baobao was also filled with anticipation for that day’s pig offal dish.

Lu Xiuyu cut the pig offal into pieces and began preparing the ingredients.

She had a bowl of sour water, with the beans cut into small cubes, and the sour bamboo shoots sliced into strips about the size of a child’s pinky. She then began working with the spices she had gathered from the mountain.

Wild scallions were washed and cut into segments, ginger was sliced, and five or six cloves of garlic were peeled. Although she hadn’t found star anise at the foot of the mountain, she had discovered a green pepper tree and a patch of chili peppers.

The variety of plants in this era was quite rich. Potatoes and tomatoes, which were foreign imports in Lu Xiuyu’s time, were actually native to this land according to the memories of her current self. As for spices like chili peppers and ginger, although their effects weren’t widely known, they did exist.

“What are these? Why did you even pick these poisonous fiery chilies?”

Lu Miao had appeared beside her granddaughters at some point, picking out the red-hot chilies with an unhappy expression.

“Fiery chilies” was the name for hot peppers in this era. Some people had once been tempted by their bright red color and appealing appearance, but after chewing a few bites, they were repelled by the intense burning sensation in their mouths. Those who swallowed them whole ended up crying out in pain, with sore throats and stomachaches. Clearly, fiery chilies weren’t something to be taken lightly.

Fortunately, the “toxicity” of fiery chilies wasn’t very strong. The pain would subside after a short while, and drinking cold water would help alleviate the discomfort more quickly without causing significant harm to the body.

Seeing her granddaughter prepare to use these fiery chilies in the dish, Lu Miao was immediately alarmed.

“Grandma, trust me. This fiery chili is actually a good thing. The deity in my dream said that while fiery chilies can’t be eaten directly, adding a little to the dish can enhance its flavor.” Lu Xiuyu directly pushed everything to the old immortal from her dream. “If you don’t believe me, we can let the ducks taste it first once the dish is done.”

Her attitude was resolute, clearly insistent on including the fiery chilies.

“You’ve gotten quite bold after being ill,” Lu Miao said, looking at her granddaughter who was arguing with her.

She found herself somewhat fond of this newfound assertiveness. She had previously thought that this granddaughter was too weak and timid, with many thoughts but only complaining behind people’s backs like her mother. If she married into a family with a dominant mother-in-law, she would likely be bullied.

Now that she had the courage to argue with her, it was clear her character had truly changed.

“Do as you like,” Lu Miao said, giving in. It was just a matter of pig intestines, after all.

With Lu Miao, the head of the household, not raising any objections, everyone else dared not criticize either.

The method of making spicy and sour pig offal wasn’t very complicated. Lu Xiuyu got the fire going well, instructed her cousin to keep an eye on it, and then brought the ingredients to the stove.

The stove had the usual condiments: oil, salt, sugar, and a seasoning liquid known locally as brown sauce. The Lu family usually kept lard because, due to less refined pressing techniques, peanut oil and rapeseed oil were relatively expensive, and sesame oil was even rarer, often locked away by the old lady and seldom used by the rest of the family.

Originally, Lu Xiuyu had planned to use a large spoonful of lard to add flavor. However, just as she was about to do so, the ever-watchful Lu Miao appeared behind her, eyeing her hand that was scooping out the lard with a scrutinizing gaze.

Feeling uncomfortable under her grandmother’s intense scrutiny, Lu Xiuyu realized that the thrifty old lady would surely disapprove of her using so much lard. So, she paused her action and ended up using only a small piece, about the size of a fingernail, in the pot.

The pot was already hot, and the white, solid fat melted instantly upon contact with the iron, filling the room with the rich aroma of lard. Lu Xiuyu took an oil cloth nearby and spread the melted lard evenly over the bottom of the pot, then added the scallions, ginger, and chili peppers to sauté.

“Sizzle—”

The scallions, ginger, garlic, and chili peppers, still damp from washing, crackled and sizzled as they hit the hot oil, releasing a burst of their distinctive aroma.

The scent was something the Lu family had never experienced before, and even Lu Baobao, who had not smelled such an exciting aroma in three or four years, felt moved to the point of tears.

“Cough, cough, cough.”

After the chili peppers released their fragrance, the smell became quite pungent. Lu Miao, standing behind Lu Xiuyu, was the first to be affected. The spicy fumes surged towards her eyes and nose, causing her to wipe away tears and cough repeatedly.

Yet strangely, despite the discomfort, she remained captivated by the aroma, as if her feet were glued to the floor. Even after several coughs, she was reluctant to leave the room.

Could this fiery chili really have such an effect?

For a moment, Lu Miao wavered, beginning to believe her granddaughter’s earlier claims. Perhaps the fiery chili, as a seasoning, could indeed enhance the flavor of the dish.

After sautéing the spices, Lu Xiuyu added the pig offal to the pot according to the characteristics of each ingredient. Once the pig offal had released its moisture and developed a crispy, aromatic texture, she removed it from the pot. She then added a small piece of lard to the pot, and once it melted, she added the pickled beans, pickled bamboo shoots, and half a bowl of vinegar.

After these ingredients released their fragrance, she poured the previously cooked pig offal back into the pot and stir-fried everything together to blend the flavors.

“Grandma, taste it.”

Lu Xiuyu added a bit of salt and a small amount of sugar to enhance the taste, then picked out a piece of the pig offal, blew on it to cool it slightly, and offered it to her grandmother to let her taste it.

All these ingredients, except for the fiery chili, were recognized as non-toxic plants. Although wild onions, ginger, and garlic had never been used in cooking before, they had been tested by ancestors and confirmed to be non-toxic, though their flavors were somewhat unusual.

The only ingredient considered potentially harmful was the fiery chili, but its toxicity was very mild and posed no real harm. Lu Miao, enticed by the tangy and spicy aroma, instinctively opened her mouth when Lu Xiuyu offered the piece of pig offal and took a bite.

“Mmm—”

It was still a bit hot, and the fiery chili’s “toxicity” made her mouth tingle, but strangely enough, the spicy and numbing sensation felt quite pleasant.

“Come here, sweetheart.” Lu Xiuyu called her little cousin over with a smile, holding out a large piece of pig esophagus and offering it to her. “Help me taste it and see if it’s a bit bland.”

Lu Xiuyu had found a perfectly legitimate excuse for giving her cousin a special treat, and Lu Miao, who had often used this excuse herself, didn’t say anything.

Indeed, the eldest daughter had changed a lot. Not only had she become more confident, but she also displayed a growing sense of responsibility and kindness toward her younger cousin.

The stir-fried pig esophagus was both chewy and crispy, an unusual combination of textures for a single ingredient. It was spicy and aromatic, with a tangy flavor that made the mouth water, an indescribably delightful taste.

The piece of pig esophagus Lu Xiuyu had given Lu Baobao was quite large, which made it a bit challenging for the little cousin to chew. However, the sensation of such a flavorful food filling her entire mouth was immensely enjoyable.

The more she chewed, the more flavorful the pig esophagus became, with no trace of the usual gaminess. The flavor of the ingredient was fully brought out.

Wuwuwu, tasting delicious food—that’s what made life meaningful!