Ancient Foodie Survival Guide Chapter 44
Translated by Serena Love
Edited by Azure
Chapter 44: Zongzi
Jiang Shuyao thought that after going for a walk this time, she would have to stay inside Duke Xie's mansion for a long time. She didn't expect that when she went to the Shouning Hall for a morning greeting, the old madam would suddenly mention the Dragon Boat Festival in the next few days.
The Dragon Boat Festival was the ancient auspicious day to hold a sacrifice to the dragon, and the capital city would hold a dragon boat race. The people will come to the river on this day to watch the excitement. Even the emperor will go out to watch the game, and the winner will be rewarded.
Jiang Shuyao's eyes glowed when she heard it. Its lively sound made it very interesting to listen to.
Even Zhou-shi, who was usually very sarcastic, smiled from the bottom of her heart. She sighed that the years had passed, and it had been another year in the blink of an eye.
Naturally, the Duke Xie Mansion did not huddle with the common people on the shore to watch the excitement; instead, they booked the best restaurant to watch the occasion. The old madam discussed the matters with Xu-shi, and she responded individually.
Zhou-shi listened attentively from the side, but Jiang Shuyao couldn't sit still and listen to these boring arrangements. She moved quietly, but her movement was obvious, and the old madam quickly stared at her.
Jiang Shuyao immediately lowered her head to pretend to be modest.
The old lady had always been strict. Jiang Shuyao thought she was going to reprimand her again, but she didn't expect her to say, "What has my third daughter-in-law done recently?"
Jiang Shuyao usually nestled in her yard to eat, and the old madam wouldn't care too much. Xu-shi helped her, concealing that she and Xie Xun went out, and the old madam didn't hear any rumors.
Therefore, in the old madam's eyes, Jiang Shuyao was very obedient after she got married. She didn't like to go out and play pranks as before. She stayed in the yard honestly, as expected of a wife.
Jiang Shuyao bit her lips and replied, "I usually read books in the house, embroider, and occasionally ponder about food."
The old lady nodded in satisfaction, "Yes, it's good to read more books and cultivate one's mind."
It was unusual for the old madam to give verbal compliments. Jiang Shuyao was sullen and confused. As soon as she left Shouning Hall, Zhou-shi followed her.
She smiled and said weirdly, "Sister-in-law, didn't you go out with third brother a few days ago?"
"Huh?" Jiang Shuyao was stunned and looked at Zhou-shi.
Zhou-shi wholeheartedly wanted to contend for power with Xu-shi, so she had to arrange her own spies inside the Duke Xie's mansion, and she knew what Xu-shi concealed for Jiang Shuyao.
Anyone who saw Zhou-would say that she has a bad temper, and people can tell from the signs that she had been fighting with Xu-shi for so many years.
Jiang Shuyao listened to her weird tone and thought she was going to be annoying or threatening, but she just asked, "Did the third brother take you out?"
Jiang Shuyao couldn't figure out what she wanted to do and didn't answer.
Zhou-shi looked at her twice, frowned slightly, and said to herself, her tone was not as sharp as usual, "So it's really true."
After she said this, she snorted and left in a hurry.
Jiang Shuyao was confused, and it happened that Xu-shi came out, so she told Xu-shi about what happened just now.
Xu-shi was a little surprised, "She didn't say that she would tell the old madam?"
"No."
Xu-shi pondered for a moment and said, "Then it should be fine. She is just a person with a bad temper but not bad nature."
Jiang Shuyao was relieved, and she walked on the same road with Xu-shi. After asking about the Dragon Boat Festival, she went back to the Bamboo Courtyard.
There was no calendar in ancient times, and her days were casual. She had forgotten about the coming Dragon Boat Festival.
She thought for a while, put aside her messy thoughts, swept away her sadness, and rolled up her sleeves to get ready to work.
In any case, Zongzi was indispensable for the Dragon Boat Festival.
Tofu pudding was not the only food that divides its fans into sweet fans and salty fans. There was also Zongzi, stuffed rice dumplings wrapped in bamboo leaves. The sweet fillings included bean paste rice dumplings, candied date rice dumplings, rose rice dumplings, melon kernel rice dumplings, etc. The salty ones included pork rice dumplings, ham rice dumplings, egg yolk meat dumplings, etc., with a wide variety of flavors from various regions.
In any case, the production methods were very important. The processes of soaking glutinous rice, washing the leaves, and making the zongzi were indispensable. The process was not cumbersome, but it took a lot of time.
A few days before the Dragon Boat Festival, Jiang Shuyao slowly prepared a few ingredients for the stuffing of rice dumplings. She waited until the day before the Dragon Boat Festival to cook the leaves, waited until the leaves' color became dark, and washed them with cold water. Finally, she wrapped rice dumplings on the fillings. These steps looked interesting, so the little maids in her yard all fought to do it.
It was not difficult to wrap the zongzi. She placed three or four straight and flat leaves in the palm, put in the soaked glutinous rice, placed two or three candied dates, slowly wrapped the long leaves, and firmly used the horse lotus grass to tie it up. A simple zongzi was made.
Jiang Shuyao made red bean paste zongzi, egg yolk zongzi, pork zongzi, and candied date zongzi, which are the most common flavors.
After wrapping a large number of triangular and angular zongzi, she put them in a pot and cook them slowly. After a while, the fragrance of bamboo leaves filled the entire yard.
Perhaps it was due to the Dragon Boat Festival. Xu-shi was a bit busy and didn't have time to take care of the two little guys. The day before, they ran to Jiang Shuyao's yard to see her making rice dumplings, and today they ran over again happily, ready to eat rice dumplings.
They came just in time. The sweet rice dumplings that Jiang Shuyao experimented with had just come out of the pot.
When the rice dumplings were slightly cooler, Jiang Shuyao handed them one each and preached, "glutinous rice was hard to digest, so you couldn’t eat too much."
Xie Zhao was quite regretful, but when he saw that the zongzi was big enough for him, he smiled again.
The outer skin of the zongzi had cooled slightly, but the inside was still hot. After he peeled off the leaves layer by layer, the inside was a little sticky. When the last layer of leaf attached to the glutinous rice was torn, the heat mixed with the sweet fragrance rushes out.
The glutinous rice dumpling was crystal clear and white, with a firm horn-like shape, and had a delicate fragrance.
Xie Zhao took a big bite. The glutinous rice stuck together and stuck to his teeth. Moreover, the temperature inside was slightly hot.
The dumpling had both the fragrance of rice and the fragrance of bamboo. The bean paste inside was extremely sweet and soft, delicate but dense. It melted in the mouth, and the strong sweetness blended into the sticky glutinous rice, which had a refreshing sweetness.
Rice dumplings that just came out of the pot are the most delicious. Xie Zhao was so excited that he took two or three mouthfuls at once.
Jiang Shuyao naturally asked him to chew it carefully before swallowing.
Xie Zhao responded but his movements did not slow down; with glutinous rice on his face, it looked very funny and cute.
Xie Yao was much more quiet and elegant than him. He sat on the high stool, which who knows where to find and chewed the rice dumplings.
Jiang Shuyao looked at Xie Zhao, who was devouring his dumpling and looked at the elegant Xie Yao. She felt that if she combined them together, they would become their third uncle, Xie Xun.
When you spoke about Cao Cao, Cao Cao arrived. [T/N: It's a common Chinese phrase that has the same meaning as "speak of the devil."] Xie Xun appeared at the kitchen door as soon as she thought about this.
"Why are you so early today?"
Xie Xun walked in and replied casually, "Isn't tomorrow the Dragon Boat Festival? Anyway, there is nothing at work, so everyone left early."
Then he couldn't wait to ask, "What did you make?" He glanced at the rice dumplings on the plate, "Small rice dumplings?"
Jiang Shuyao helped Xie Zhao wipe off the sticky glutinous rice on his face and said, "Zongzi."
"Hmm." Xie Xun nodded, but because of his two nephews' presence, he was too ashamed to ask to have a taste.
He stood with his hands on his back, waiting for Jiang Shuyao to invite him to taste the rice dumplings, but she only helped Xie Zhao wipe his face and completely ignored him.
Xie Xun stood quietly and waited. When Jiang Shuyao finished wiping Xie Zhao's face, he thought she would think about him. He didn't expect her to turn around and take care of Xie Yao. "Is the taste okay? Don't be anxious; eat freely. You can eat more red bean paste and candied date stuffing just to have a taste."
She turned around and helped Xie Yao take a candied fruit dumpling, opened it for him, picked up the candied dates from the dumpling using chopsticks, and fed him. Xie Yao thanked him sweetly.
Xie Xun was ignored. But looking at this warm picture, it could not be interrupted.
After Jiang Shuyao fed Xie Yao, she turned around and saw Xie Xun was there. She was very puzzled, "Why are you standing here? Is something wrong?"
Xie Xun: ...
What was with this feeling of arrows in his heart?
He glanced over the two nephews that he loved the most in the past, silently thinking that he must not have children too soon...
No, have children? What kind of child do you want? Wait, have children with Jiang Shuyao...? How could I think of these things? What is going on!
His face flushed rapidly, and the heat rushed to the top of his head. He didn't want to think about this and moved his steps to escape.
Unexpectedly, Jiang Shuyao thought of him at this time and stopped his movement. "Do you want to try the rice dumplings?"
Xie Xun paused. He was struggling for a few seconds, then turned back. He pretended to be calm and said, "Well, let's try it." As if he was not greedy at all.
Jiang Shuyao asked, "Sweet or salty?"
Xie Xun wanted to say "all of them," but two huge light bulbs were present. Xie Xun didn't want to lose face in front of them, so he could only vaguely say, "Whatever."
Alas, it's really uncomfortable. It's best to be alone with Jiang Shuyao.
Jiang Shuyao picked a flavor for him and said, "See if you like this flavor."
Xie Xun took the plate and stood in a row in front of the long wooden table with the two little dots.
After peeling off the leaves gracefully, the aroma was overflowing. Xie Xun looked at how his two nephews were eating and felt that it was childish to hold the dumplings with hands, so he chose to use chopsticks to eat the dumplings.
The one Jiang Shuyao picked for him is an egg yolk meat dumpling. When he clipped the soft and creamy white glutinous rice, the stuffing was exposed. The egg yolk was red and thick orange. It seemed that there was a layer of clear and fragrant red oil that had been steamed and was soaked in the white glutinous rice. The soft pork belly was sandwiched around the egg yolk, smelling salty and sweet.
Generally, people who liked sweet rice dumplings could hardly bear the sweet and salty taste of salty rice dumplings, but Xie Xun had no big reaction. As long as he ate delicious food, he could eat whatever tasted good.
After the dumplings had been boiled, the fat and oil from the pork belly were soaked into the glutinous rice. The outer layer of glutinous rice had firmly locked the aroma. The fragrance of meat and rice was mixed together, fatty but not greasy, and fresh.
The egg yolk has a dense taste and a mellow, salty fragrance. Together with the bamboo leaves' delicate aroma, it overshadowed the oily taste, enhancing the flavor of the glutinous rice while removing the greasiness, making it fresher.
After eating a zongzi, Xie Xun gave up elegance and reservedness and followed his nephews to eat the zongzi with his hands.
Jiang Shuyao told Xie Zhao and Xie Yao to chew and swallow slowly, and they could only eat one, so they ate very carefully and very reluctantly.
Xie Xun is different. He could eat as much as he wanted.
He bit the bean paste dumpling. The bean paste was sweet, delicate, and had a light sweet bean aroma of red beans, which would leave his mouth full after eating.
Then he ate the candied dates dumpling. The glutinous rice on the outer layer was less, with only a light fragrance, until you bite into the candied dates inside. The candied dates were extremely soft and juicy. The skin could be broken with a light touch, and then the candied fruit fragrant explodes in the mouth, replacing the previous faint flavor in one fell swoop.
The brown leaves were quite long, and Xie Xun was afraid of getting it on his clothes, so he stretched his neck to eat dumplings one by one, completely unable to stop.
"Okay, don't eat too much and waste food." Jiang Shuyao took care of the small guys and then took care of the big ones.
Xie Xun stopped obediently, and the leaves swept across his cheeks when he put down the zongzi. It felt itchy, and he wanted to rub it with his fingers, but his hands were sticky, and he could only pause in the air.
He was about to rub his face with his sleeves, but suddenly a gentle touch came to his face.
Jiang Shuyao wiped his face with a handkerchief and said helplessly, "How old are you? How come you are still like Ah Zhao? It's gone now."
Xie Xun stiffened and didn't dare to move. Letting her wipe his face, he weakly said, "No, it was accidental."
Jiang Shuyao took back her handkerchief and turned around to the stove to fish for more zongzi.
Xie Xun stood stupidly on the spot. The place she rubbed earlier felt hot and numb, making him feel at a loss on how to react.
A blush slowly climbed up to his white jade cheeks. The color gradually thickened, and finally, it looked like his head was about to bleed.
Xie Zhao was so frightened that he couldn't care about his sticky hands. He vigorously grabbed the corner of his uncle's clothes, and said with horror, "Third uncle, what's wrong with you! Is your face burnt?!"
Zongzi (粽子) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OG8aq2zhcHs
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