Transmigrated as an Unwanted Ugly Girl

Chapter 115: Chapter 68: Guozi Cakes

Juhua, however, was getting excited. She had always been most interested in these kinds of authentic, traditional foods. Now that she’d thought of it, she wanted to try it right away. ’It might be a bit of work, but don’t I have all this free labor right here?’

So, she smiled and said to them, ”It’s no trouble. Help me make a big batch. They’ll be perfect with porridge tonight, and it’ll save me from having to make something else later. I want to give it a try, too.”

So, she went to the vegetable garden and pulled some green garlic and Cong. Then she scooped a large amount of pickled vegetables from the pickling crock. ’I’ll make a big batch of the filling at once,’ she thought. ’It won’t spoil, and if I want to make more tomorrow, I won’t have to stir-fry the filling all over again.’

She then went to the kitchen to let the Yang Family know.

The Yang Family had long since gotten used to Juhua’s occasional culinary experiments. Seeing that her daughter was about to whip up a new treat, she quickly scooped the pig’s head meat out of the large pot, moved the pig’s offal from the small pot to the large one, and washed the small pot for them to use.

Meizi eagerly helped wash the vegetables, while Liu Xiaomei rolled up her sleeves to help chop them. Juhua ladled out a large basin of cornmeal, and Lanzi started helping knead the dough. Li Jinxiang also sat down by the stove’s opening, ready to help tend the fire.

Juhua noticed Li Jinxiang’s fairly new, purplish-red jacket and quickly said to her, ”Let me do it, you’ll get covered in ash. You can help make the cornmeal cakes later.”

The Yang Family laughed. ”Have your father tend the fire. Once the dough is kneaded, don’t you all still have to make the cakes? And Juhua needs to stir-fry the filling.” She was busy tearing the meat from the pig’s head and had no free time either.

So, Zheng Changhe came to help too, making the kitchen even more crowded and lively.

As Liu Xiaomei finely chopped the pickled vegetables, she said with a laugh, ”Why does this feel like the New Year?”

Meizi chuckled. ”You think so too? I feel the same way! We’ve been eating non-stop today. Isn’t that something you only get to do during the New Year? I love being busy with food like this. Juhua, you have to come over when my family makes candy. All of you should come. The whole house will be filled with a wonderful aroma then, too!”

While mixing the pickled vegetables Liu Xiaomei had chopped with the Cong and green garlic, Juhua thought to herself that she needed to add something else, or it would only taste sour and salty.

She thought for a moment, and then her eyes lit up. She took out half a bowl of the dried red chili flakes Meizi had given her and had Liu Xiaomei chop them finely as well, mixing them into the pickled vegetables. Instantly, the basin of filling brightened up. The yellow pickled vegetables, dotted with green garlic, Cong, and red chili, looked very tempting!

Liu Xiaomei said admiringly, ”Now I get how you can cook such amazing food. It’s just like you said, you have to put your heart into it! I just used some pickled vegetables and never thought to add anything else. At most, I might have put some Cong in the cornmeal.”

Juhua laughed. ”Now that you’ve seen me do it, you’ll know for next time, won’t you? Mom, give me some of the pig’s cheek meat—adding some meat will probably make it even more fragrant! I need a bit of the fatty part too, just lean meat won’t do.”

Meizi jumped up and exclaimed, ”I won’t believe it if these cakes don’t turn out delicious!”

Li Jinxiang and Lanzi’s eyes were also shining with excitement; they were certain today’s cakes would be fragrant.

Lanzi kneaded the dough so vigorously the basin clattered. Jinxiang asked anxiously, ”Is it kneaded yet? The filling is all chopped and ready!”

Lanzi couldn’t help but laugh. ”What’s your hurry? Even though the filling is chopped, Juhua still has to stir-fry it in the pot. We won’t be held up.”

’This is quite amusing,’ she thought. ’The few of us came to Juhua’s house today and have spent all our time busy with food; we’ve barely done any needlework. But Mom probably won’t scold me when I get home. I’ve learned so much!’

The Yang Family also predicted the cakes would be delicious. Just based on such a meticulously prepared filling, it was clear this was something an ordinary person couldn’t make. Filled with joy, she brought over a large piece of pig’s cheek meat for Liu Xiaomei to chop.

Li Jinxiang said sheepishly to the Yang Family, ”Auntie, we’ve eaten quite a bit of the pig’s head meat today. You won’t have enough to sell tomorrow, will you?”

Hearing this, Meizi quickly glanced at the pig’s head meat in the basin—wasn’t there still a huge basinful? She was just blissfully enjoying herself and hadn’t thought that far ahead.

The Yang Family laughed. ”What are you talking about? It’s rare for you all to visit, and you’re worrying about a meal. You’re just young girls, how much can you eat? We only have it to eat right now anyway. Once other people stop selling pig’s heads and offal, I’ll stop this business, and then there won’t be any to eat at all.”

’She also felt that this business probably wouldn’t last long. But it doesn’t matter,’ she thought. ’Once we have farmland and can raise more pigs, we’ll be fine.’

Juhua poured the mixed filling into the pot and stir-fried it vigorously a few times. As soon as the air was filled with the tangy and spicy aroma of pickled vegetables and chili, the fresh fragrance of Cong and garlic, and the rich scent of meat, she immediately took it out of the pot.

At that moment, everyone who smelled it felt their mouths watering. Even Zheng Changhe craned his neck from his spot by the stove to take a look.

Meizi couldn’t stand it any longer and said to Juhua, ”Can I have a taste?”

Juhua saw her staring at the basin of filling without blinking and swallowing her saliva. Laughing, she handed her a pair of chopsticks. Meizi took a taste, savoring the flavor while sucking air through her teeth, and said, ”Wow, that’s packed with flavor! It’s not that hard to make, but you need to add meat, and we don’t often have meat at home.”

Juhua said to her, ”I was just about to tell Mei, if you don’t add meat, you can beat a couple of eggs, scramble them, and put them inside. Wouldn’t that be delicious too? It’s possible to spare a couple of eggs.”

’Her own family’s situation had just gotten a little better; she couldn’t get cocky and laugh at others.’

Liu Xiaomei nodded repeatedly. ”And it would look even prettier with eggs—you’d have red, yellow, and green colors then.”

Once Lanzi finished kneading the dough, all the young girls started making the cakes.

Regardless of their overall cooking skills, they were all adept at making these cakes. The Yang Family brought over a sieve, lined it with the gauze cloth used for steamers, and placed the finished ’guǒzi’ cakes in it.

After they had made a dozen or so, Juhua asked Zheng Changhe to set the fire to a medium heat. She brushed a layer of oil onto the pot to prevent sticking, then placed the cakes one by one onto the bottom. She fit over a dozen in one batch and began to pan-fry them slowly.

After pan-frying them for a while, she flipped the cakes, then covered the pot and let them steam for a short while. She then uncovered it and flipped them again—this was to prevent them from burning.

While shaping a cake in her hands, Meizi kept glancing into the pot with her wide eyes. She suddenly sniffed the air and said, ”They’re ready! I can smell them.”

Juhua burst out laughing. ”You’ve got a sharp nose! They really are just about done.”

Smelling the toasty fragrance, she flipped them two more times and patted them a few times. Seeing that both sides of the cakes were a glossy golden-brown, she found a clean bamboo basket, placed the cakes inside to cool, and said, ”They’ll be ready to eat in a moment. Be careful, they’re hot.” With that, she brushed on a little more oil and started pan-frying the second batch.

Meizi quickly found a basin, drew some water to wash her hands, shook off the droplets, and grabbed a cake, taking a huge bite. As expected, it was so hot it scalded her tongue, making her jump up and down.

Liu Xiaomei giggled. ”Sister Meizi, why do you always jump up and down every time you burn yourself?”

Li Jinxiang smiled, pressing her lips together. ”Why are you in such a rush? It’s not like we’re running out—this is only the first batch. Wouldn’t it be a joke if you were so greedy you burned the skin off your mouth?”

With that, they stopped making cakes, washed their hands, and started eating. The aroma was probably just too irresistible; even Zheng Changhe and the Yang Family couldn’t help themselves and quickly grabbed one each to eat.

The Yang Family took a large bite of a cake and said to Juhua, ”Oh my, this is delicious! Juhua, you go eat. Mom will take over the pan-frying. I still know how to do this.”

Juhua flipped the cakes a few more times before picking one up. She said to Zheng Changhe, ”Dad, just add a handful of straw, that’ll be enough.”

Saying that, she took a big bite. The cornmeal on the outside of the cake was toasted and fragrant. With one bite, the filling inside was sour, spicy, and savory—a full spectrum of flavors. It was truly delicious. Juhua felt it was even tastier than any ’guǒzi’ cake she had eaten in her past life.

Food is always best enjoyed with lots of people in a lively atmosphere; it gives you an exceptionally good appetite. Juhua, despite the salty and spicy flavors, ate two in one go. Meizi and the others ate three each, finishing the entire first batch.

Once the Yang Family had eaten her fill, she said to the young girls, ”You all have fun. I’m going to the vegetable garden to take a look. Don’t leave tonight, just stay here for dinner. I’ll cut some green vegetables and we can cook some tofu.”

Meizi laughed happily. ”Auntie, you go on with your work. If you’re always this welcoming, I’ll never want to leave!”

The Yang Family chuckled. ”Then be my daughter, too! I think one daughter isn’t enough!” She walked out, still laughing.

The group laughed continuously as they kept making cakes, while Juhua continued to pan-fry them. Every now and then, when a new batch came out of the pot, someone would be unable to resist the alluring aroma and force another one into their stomach, drawing a round of laughter from everyone else. But a moment later, when the next batch was ready, the very people who had been laughing would themselves be unable to resist stuffing one more down, only stopping when they were so full they absolutely couldn’t eat another bite.

The kitchen was roaring with activity, smoke wafting out and the fragrance drifting far and wide. Zhao San, on his way back from gathering acorns on the mountain, caught the scent. He set down his carrying pole at the courtyard gate and ran in, asking, ”Juhua, what are you cooking? Why does it smell so good? Your Third Uncle came as soon as he smelled it. Oh my! Why are there so many girls here?”

Meizi blinked her large eyes and said, ”Third Uncle, you should be thanking me. If it weren’t for us messing around and deciding to make these on a whim, you wouldn’t be able to eat these delicious ’guǒzi’ cakes.”

Zheng Changhe poked his head out from behind the stove and called, ”Third Brother, you sure have good timing for a treat—you showed up just as they were ready. Come have some, they’re delicious. These girls really know how to come up with ideas.”

The kitchen was crowded, so Zhao San took a ’guǒzi’ cake and sat in the courtyard to eat while chatting with Zheng Changhe.

Zheng Changhe asked him how many acorns he had gathered.

Zhao San took a big bite of the cake and said indistinctly, ”Quite a lot. There are plenty on the mountain up ahead. But a lot of them are spoiled, so you have to pick through them. I’ll have to sort them again when I shell them.”

Just as they were speaking, someone else came over and asked loudly, ”Third Brother, what are you eating? Oh my, it smells so good!”

Zheng Changhe, being an honest man, quickly invited him in to have a cake.

As a result, more and more people coming down the mountain passed by the gate, and Zheng Changhe would enthusiastically invite them in. He couldn’t not invite them; they all smelled the aroma and asked what it was. Calling out to this person and that, the number of people coming into the courtyard to eat grew and grew until the small yard was packed. Everyone had a pickled vegetable cake in hand, munching away happily, and the fragrance in the courtyard grew even stronger.

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