Chapter 21: Braised Pork
Chapter 21: Braised Pork
Deng Yunsong and Deng Yunhua exchanged a knowing glance, both grinning at each other before they started chattering excitedly.
"Second Brother, we’ve all had them, of course we know how delicious fried bee larvae are!"
"Second Brother, let me tell you, those fried bee larvae are so fragrant and crispy. Once you take the first bite, you can’t stop at just one. The flavor is absolutely amazing!"
"Second Brother, you have no idea. Dad’s fried bee larvae are so tender and sweet, I don’t even remember how many I ate that day. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water."
"Second Brother, you should know, Dad is a fantastic cook. It’s not just the fried bee larvae; his stir-fried eggs with green peppers and braised pork are also incredibly delicious."
"Second Brother, let me tell you..."
"Second Brother..."
Listening to his younger brothers’ enthusiastic descriptions, Deng Yunheng was truly amazed. He had only been away for a week, yet so much had changed at home.
In just a few days, they had not only enjoyed stir-fried eggs with green peppers but also had meat twice and fried bee larvae. The meals were simply out of this world.
Especially his father, who had never cooked before, had transformed into a master chef. It was almost unbelievable.
Initially, Deng Yunheng thought his week at school was like living in paradise, with braised pork being served three times. He had planned to share the deliciousness of the school meals with his brothers when he returned.
But now, after hearing about the meals at home, he had no interest in talking about school food anymore.
No wonder the third and fourth brothers had been so enthusiastic about his return; they were just eager to show off.
Deng Yunheng grumbled, "Third Brother, Fourth Brother, are you two just trying to annoy me?"
Deng Yunsong chuckled, "Second Brother, you’ve misunderstood. Why would we deliberately annoy you? Dad gave you two yuan last week, so you should have had good meals at school too. We’re just telling you about what’s been happening at home."
Deng Yunheng couldn’t help but pout. After all, they had been brothers for over a decade; who didn’t know who?
As they spoke, the three brothers arrived back home.
Seeing his father smoking a water pipe, Deng Yunheng greeted him, "Dad, I’m back!"
Deng Shirong grunted in acknowledgment, then said, "You must be tired from carrying all that luggage for such a long journey. Take a towel and wipe the sweat off. Tonight, I’ll make braised pork for you."
Deng Yunheng’s spirits lifted instantly. He hadn’t expected such a treat upon his return, and the gloom from his brothers’ teasing vanished in an instant.
Seeing his second son rush in to grab a towel, Deng Shirong couldn’t help but smile. He had high hopes for this clever son and was determined not to let him follow the same path as in his past life.
In the rural countryside, whether cooking porridge or stir-frying dishes, they always used the large iron pot. So, Deng Shirong waited until his eldest daughter finished cooking the rice before he started on the braised pork.
In recent days, his exceptional cooking skills had won over his children’s taste buds. Whenever he cooked, his idle children would gather around the stove to watch.
Today, his second son, who had just returned from school, joined them.
Even though the kitchen was large, with so many people gathered around the stove, some of them were bound to be blocked from view. Therefore, Yunsong, Yunhua, and Yunheng, the three little ones, didn’t join in the crowd.
After heating the pot, Deng Shirong added a bit of lard and instructed his eldest daughter, "Ahzhen, I’m going to make a caramel color. Be careful with the fire; it shouldn’t be too high, or it will burn easily."
"Dad, what’s caramel color?" Deng Yunzhen asked as she controlled the fire.
Deng Shirong smiled, "Caramel color is made by caramelizing sugar. It gives the braised pork a bright, reddish hue and a sweet, rich flavor without being greasy. Pay attention, you might learn something."
In the countryside, people rarely ate meat throughout the year and even hesitated to use oil when stir-frying vegetables. Therefore, most villagers had no culinary skills to speak of.
Some novels portray characters from poverty-stricken families, where meat is a once-a-year luxury, yet these characters (often a female lead) possess exceptional culinary skills. They can effortlessly whip up a feast that rivals that of a professional chef, no matter the ingredients—chicken, duck, fish, or seafood.
This is just too far-fetched!
When their father mentioned this, Deng Yuntao and Deng Yunheng were merely curious but had no intention of delving into cooking. In their era, cooking was primarily a woman's job, and men rarely ventured into the kitchen.
Deng Yunzhen and Deng Yunzhu, however, were more enthusiastic, watching their father's every move with rapt attention.
Once the lard in the pot had melted, Deng Shirong added an appropriate amount of sugar. The sugar was freshly bought and had taken him considerable effort to acquire. Besides sugar, he had also purchased spices like star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, and dried chilies, along with condiments like soy sauce and oyster sauce.
While stirring with a spatula, Deng Shirong explained, "When caramelizing sugar, use low heat and stir continuously to prevent it from burning."
Soon, the sugar melted and began to bubble up in small yellow bubbles.
Deng Shirong continued stirring and elaborated, "Now it's starting to form small bubbles. Next, it will form larger golden bubbles. Once these golden bubbles disappear and the sugar turns a deep red like chicken blood, the caramel is ready."
The children held their breath, watching as the sugar in the pot indeed formed small bubbles and then larger ones, just as their father had described.
When the sugar turned the deep red color, Deng Shirong quickly added the sliced pork belly and stirred it evenly. He then instructed his eldest daughter, "You can increase the heat slightly now!"
Deng Yunzhen complied, slightly increasing the heat, and watched with curiosity as the pork belly changed color in the iron pot.
After a while, Deng Shirong saw the pork belly starting to release oil and continued, "Use medium-low heat to render the fat from the pork belly. Now, you can add ginger, garlic, star anise, cinnamon, bay leaves, and dried chilies. If you don't like spicy, you can skip the chilies.
Once the spices are fragrant, add an appropriate amount of soy sauce, stir well, and then add enough boiling water. Cover the pot, bring it to a boil, and then simmer over low heat for about forty minutes. After that, add a little salt and finish by reducing the sauce over high heat. And there you have it—a delicious braised pork belly!"
After covering the pot, Deng Shirong looked at his daughters and asked, "Got it? Do you remember the steps?"
Deng Yunzhen was unsure and replied, "Dad, I remember the steps, but I'm not sure if I'll make any mistakes when I try it myself."
Deng Yunzhu, who rarely cooked, shook her head. "I can't quite remember. I'll learn it step by step when I have the chance."
Deng Shirong smiled. "Next time, I'll guide you through it, and you can try it yourself. The more you practice, the better you'll get!"
Deng Yunheng couldn't help but ask, "Dad, where did you learn to make braised pork belly? I don't think we've ever had this dish at home!"
"We couldn't afford it back then. As for who taught me, that person is no longer around, so it's best not to mention it." With that, Deng Shirong smoothly changed the subject. "Alright, the braised pork belly needs to simmer for a while. We're out of wine, so Xiao Song, take some money and go get two bottles from the village store."
"Sure, I'll go right away."
Firstly, thank you to all the generous supporters for your donations. This book is a slow burner, and the current promotion isn't as effective as we hoped, putting it at risk of being discontinued. I'm so worried that I can't even focus on writing, because if it gets discontinued, the book will be doomed. This is a new week, and the rankings are being reset. I hope you will all support me—vote if you can, or leave a comment if you can't. Most importantly, keep reading every day. I hope you will stay with me through these tough times. Thank you!
(End of Chapter)
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