Chapter 96 The Deng Family's Daughter Grows Up

Chapter 96 The Deng Family's Daughter Grows Up

After entering November, the wedding date for the eldest son was drawing nearer. By this time, Deng Shirong found himself with some free time, as all the necessary preparations had been completed.

Everything was now ready, and all that remained was waiting for the bride, Zhang Xiuping, to arrive.

With little else to do, Deng Shirong decided to spend time with his eldest daughter, making one of the most distinctive local pickles to accompany porridge—sour carambola.

In a fruit-related folk song from Bobai County, there is a line that goes, "Carambola is a good business all year round." This line highlights the fact that carambola is a fruit with an exceptionally long fruiting period, available almost throughout the year.

However, while many people have eaten carambola, few are aware that there is not only the common sweet variety but also a less common sour type.

The sour carambola, known locally as 'Wanderer's Carambola', is large and intensely sour. It is primarily grown in regions like Tiandong, Baise, Luchuan, Yongning, and Bobai in Guangxi, and is rarely found elsewhere.

The sourness of this fruit is so intense that eating it raw is unbearable for most. As a result, the locals in Bobai have developed a method to turn it into a pickle. The process involves slicing the sour carambola, squeezing out the sour juice, washing and crushing local mountain ginger, and then mixing it with an appropriate amount of salt. The result is a delicious pickle, perfect for eating with porridge.

In later years, some people used this sour carambola to create a drink called "carambola water." This drink, however, was largely unpalatable to anyone outside the local area, as it was both sour and salty to the point of being overwhelming.

Despite its strong taste, this drink became a lucrative product for one family, earning them millions, and even tens of millions, of yuan. They expanded their business from Bobai County.

The secret to its success? Its primary function reducing internal heat.

As mentioned earlier, southerners, especially those in Guangdong and Guangxi, struggle with internal heat year-round. This has led to the creation of numerous millionaires in the region, particularly through the sale of herbal teas.

In Thatchfield Village, sour carambola trees are abundant, and they yield a significant amount of fruit. A single tree can produce hundreds of kilograms.

As a result, the villagers have no shortage of sour carambola for making pickles. However, some families avoid it due to their inability to tolerate sour foods, so they don't bother picking the fruit.

Making sour carambola pickles requires no special skills, and it didn't take Deng Shirong and his daughter much time to prepare.

After sealing the jar, Deng Shirong smiled at his eldest daughter and said, "Ah Zhen, your birthday is coming up soon. This is your 18th birthday, marking your official adulthood. It's a milestone worth celebrating. Tell me what gift you'd like, and I'll get it for you."

Deng Yunzhen's birthday falls on the tenth day of the eleventh lunar month. In these days, rural families celebrated birthdays according to the lunar calendar, rarely using the Gregorian calendar.

Deng Yunzhen shook her head and smiled, "Dad, I don't need any gifts. Just prepare a couple of good dishes, and I'll have a drink with you."

Deng Shirong laughed and said, "Of course, we'll prepare some delicious dishes to celebrate. If you can't think of a gift, then I'll give you a birthday red envelope. You can buy whatever you like."

Deng Yunzhen smiled and replied, "Thank you, Dad!"

…

In the blink of an eye, Deng Yunzhen's birthday arrived.

Deng Shirong bought a whole sheep and slaughtered it. In these days, beef and mutton were cheaper than pork, with a sheep costing only about a dozen yuan.

Since the eldest son's wedding was just two days away, relatives and friends would be arriving the next afternoon. Therefore, Deng Shirong decided to keep the celebration for his daughter's birthday low-key, with just the family sharing a meal together.

Deng Shirong prepared the sheep in three different ways: roasted lamb chops, spicy lamb legs, and a soup made from the remaining parts.

As he cooked, Deng Shirong taught his eldest daughter the intricacies of each dish.

When it came to making the mutton soup, Deng Shirong explained, "Mutton has a strong smell, and most people find it hard to get used to. Of course, some enjoy it, but in our village, few people can appreciate this kind of soup. So, if you want to make a delicious mutton soup, you need to find a way to remove the strong smell."

Deng Yunzhen asked, "Dad, you taught me to use ginger and wine to remove the fishy smell. Is that the same method for mutton?"

Deng Shirong smiled and said, "Using ginger and wine alone isn't enough to remove the smell of mutton. The best way to do it is by using sweet potatoes."

"Sweet potatoes?" Deng Yunzhen was puzzled. She couldn't see the connection between sweet potatoes and removing the smell of mutton.

Deng Shirong nodded, "Yes, sweet potatoes. When stewing mutton soup, just add two peeled sweet potatoes to the pot. The sweet potatoes will absorb the mutton smell, leaving the soup with no trace of it."

Deng Yunzhen was amazed, "Really? That's incredible!"

Deng Shirong chuckled, "That's right. Once the soup is ready, you'll see for yourself."

With that, Deng Shirong got to work. He first blanched the mutton, washed it, and then added fresh water to the pot. He then added ingredients like astragalus, angelica, codonopsis, red dates, and later, wolfberries.

When the soup reached a boil, he reduced the heat to a simmer and said, "You don't need to add the sweet potatoes at the beginning. Wait until the soup has been simmering for about half an hour before adding them."

Deng Yunzhen carefully noted each step. Since she began learning to cook from her father, her skills had improved significantly, and she had grown to enjoy the process. The sense of fulfillment she felt when others praised her dishes was particularly rewarding.

…

By 6 p.m., Deng Yuntai returned home from work at the tile factory, and the family gathered for dinner.

Although the family had enjoyed many good meals over the past few months, this was the first time they had eaten mutton. When Deng Shirong's children saw the roasted lamb chops and spicy lamb legs on the table, their appetites were immediately whetted.

Deng Shirong handed each of his children a lamb chop and said, "Alright, stop staring. We need to eat these while they're hot."

At his words, the children dug in, and without fail, they were all amazed by the taste of the roasted lamb chops—crispy on the outside and tender on the inside. They couldn't stop praising the dish.

Next, the spicy lamb legs were equally irresistible. The texture was neither too tough nor overly soft. Instead, it was spicy and chewy, leaving everyone wanting more after the first bite.

As for the mutton stew, it was equally delicious when paired with Deng Shirong's secret dipping sauce.

But the real star of the meal was the mutton soup, which had no trace of the usual mutton smell. After taking a sip, it felt like the world had become a more beautiful place.

"Ah Zhen, happy birthday!" Deng Shirong raised his wine bowl.

Deng Yunzhen clinked her bowl with her father's and said, "Thank you, Dad!"

"Happy birthday, Zhen!"

"Happy birthday, sis!"

Deng Yuntai 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 earlier and handed it to his eldest daughter with a smile. "Ah Zhen, from today on, you're an adult. This is your adult red envelope from me."

Deng Yunzhen accepted the red envelope with a smile and thanked her father once more.

(End of this chapter)