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Chapter 96: Deng's Daughter Comes of Age
Chapter 96: Deng's Daughter Comes of Age
As November rolled in, the wedding of Deng Shirong's eldest son was drawing ever closer. At this point, Deng Shirong found himself with more free time, as all the necessary preparations had been completed.
Everything was set, and now they only awaited the arrival of Zhang Xiuping, the bride.
With nothing else to do, Deng Shirong decided to spend some quality time with his eldest daughter, teaching her how to make a local specialty—pickled starfruit, known for its tangy flavor.
In the folk songs of Bobai County, there is a line that goes, "Starfruit brings good business all year round." This line highlights that starfruit is a fruit with a long harvest season, available almost year-round.
While many people are familiar with the sweet variety of starfruit, few know that there is also a tart variety, known locally as "sanren." This tart starfruit is primarily found in specific regions of Guangxi, such as Tiandong, Baise, Luchuan, Yongning, and Bobai, and is quite rare elsewhere.
The tart starfruit is incredibly sour, and few can handle its raw flavor. To make it more palatable, the locals in Bobai developed a method to turn it into pickled vegetables. They slice the starfruit, squeeze out the sour juice, wash and crush local mountain ginger, and mix it with a bit of salt to create a delicious pickled dish that pairs perfectly with congee.
In the future, some entrepreneurs even turned this tart starfruit into a drink called "starfruit water." This drink, with its intensely sour and salty flavor, is almost unbearable for anyone not from the region. However, it became so popular that it brought in millions of yuan in revenue for the families who produced it, with franchises spreading from Bobai County to YL City.
The primary appeal of starfruit water is its ability to clear heat, a common issue for people in the southern regions, especially in Guangdong and Guangxi. The sale of cooling teas in these areas has made many millionaires and even billionaires.
The village of Naye has a fair number of tart starfruit trees, and each tree can produce hundreds of pounds of fruit. Therefore, the villagers have no shortage of tart starfruit to make pickled dishes, though some families avoid it due to its sourness.
Making pickled tart starfruit is a straightforward process, and Deng Shirong and his daughter completed it with ease.
Sealing the pickled starfruit in a jar, Deng Shirong smiled at his eldest daughter and said, "Azhen, your birthday is coming up soon. It's your 18th birthday, marking your true adulthood. We should celebrate it properly. What gift would you like? Dad will get it for you."
Azhen, whose birthday falls on the 10th day of the 11th lunar month, smiled and shook her head. "Dad, I don't want any gifts. Just make a few good dishes, and we can celebrate with a drink together."
Deng Shirong chuckled. "Making a few good dishes is a must for the celebration. If you can't think of a gift, I'll give you a birthday red envelope. You can use it to buy whatever you want."
Azhen beamed. "Thank you, Dad!"
...
Before they knew it, Azhen's birthday arrived.
Deng Shirong bought a sheep and had it slaughtered. In those days, mutton and beef were cheaper than pork, and a sheep cost only a dozen yuan or so.
Since his eldest son's wedding was just two days away, and their relatives and friends would arrive the next afternoon, Deng Shirong decided not to invite anyone else for his daughter's birthday. Instead, they would celebrate with just the family, enjoying a quiet meal together.
From the sheep, Deng Shirong prepared three different dishes: grilled ribs, spicy leg, and a hearty stew.
He took the time to teach Azhen how to prepare each dish. When they reached the stew, he explained, "The mutton has a strong gamey flavor, which most people find hard to get used to. Some people enjoy it, but in our village, very few can handle such a strong flavor."
To make a delicious lamb soup, you have to find a way to remove the strong gamey flavor from the broth."
Deng Yunzhen asked, "Dad, you taught me to use ginger and wine to get rid of fishy flavors. Would the same method work for the gamey taste?"
Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Using just ginger and wine isn’t enough. The best way to remove the gamey flavor from lamb soup is to use sweet potatoes."
"Sweet potatoes?" Deng Yunzhen was puzzled, unable to see how sweet potatoes could help with the gamey taste.
Deng Shirong nodded. "Yes, sweet potatoes. When you’re making the soup, just add two peeled sweet potatoes to the broth. They will absorb all the gamey flavor, leaving the soup completely free of that taste."
Deng Yunzhen was amazed. "Really? That’s so incredible!"
Deng Shirong chuckled. "It’s that incredible. Just wait and see when I finish making the soup. You’ll taste it and know for sure."
With that, Deng Shirong began the process. He first blanched the lamb, then washed and cleaned it. He added fresh water and a variety of ingredients like astragalus, angelica, codonopsis, and jujubes. Goji berries would be added later.
When the soup was boiling, he turned the heat down to a simmer and said, "You don’t need to add the sweet potatoes right away. Wait until the soup has been simmering for about half an hour."
Deng Yunzhen carefully noted down each crucial step. Ever since she started learning to cook from her father, her culinary skills had improved, and she had grown to love the feeling of creating dishes that others enjoyed and praised, giving her a great sense of accomplishment.
...
6:00 PM.
When Deng Yuntao returned from the brick factory, the family gathered for dinner.
Although the family had been eating well over the past few months, this was the first time they were having lamb. Deng Shirong’s children were all excited to see the roasted lamb chops and spicy lamb legs on the table.
Deng Shirong tore a lamb chop for each of his children and said, "Alright, no more staring. The roasted lamb chops are best eaten hot."
The children didn’t hesitate, eagerly digging into their chops.
As expected, the crispy exterior and tender interior of the lamb chops left everyone amazed. They all praised the dish, unable to stop eating.
The spicy lamb legs were equally fantastic, with a perfect balance of flavor and texture. They were neither too tough nor too mushy, but rather spicy and chewy, making it impossible to stop after just one bite.
The lamb used for the soup, when dipped in Deng Shirong’s secret all-purpose sauce, was equally delicious.
But the real marvel was the lamb soup itself. It had no trace of gamey flavor, and each sip made everyone feel as if the world was a wonderful place!
"Yunzhen, happy birthday!" Deng Shirong raised his wine bowl.
Deng Yunzhen raised her bowl and clinked it against her father’s. "Thank you, Dad!"
"Yunzhen, happy birthday!"
"Big Sister, happy birthday!"
Deng Yuntao and the other siblings also offered their birthday wishes to Deng Yunzhen.
After taking a sip of wine, Deng Shirong pulled out a red envelope he had prepared and handed it to his eldest daughter with a smile. "Yunzhen, from today on, you’re an adult. This is your coming-of-age red envelope from Dad."
Deng Yunzhen took the envelope with a beaming smile and thanked her father once more.
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(End of Chapter)
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