"No need, Mom. You've been working hard at home all day, and as your son, I can't help you much. Let me cook today's meal, so you can take a good rest and enjoy a bit of your son's filial piety," Dahu said.
Gu Nian chimed in, "Yes, Mom, big brother is right. You should take a good rest. Big brother and I will cook for you."
She had already discussed with her big brother that she would instruct and he would do the work; the two of them would collaborate.
If Mrs. Jiang joined in, she'd definitely worry about them ruining the meat and wouldn't follow her methods.
Initially, Mrs. Jiang wanted to say, "What can you two kids cook?" But then she thought again, her eldest had been working at Qinglin Restaurant for more than a year. After all, they are professionals there, and he might actually show her some skills.
"Alright, alright, you two go ahead and cook. Mom will enjoy the good fortune of her children today," Mrs. Jiang said with a smile as she left.
Gu Nian swiftly turned her head and said, "Big brother, first put the pork intestines in the pot and blanch them with hot water. I'll start the fire, and then you can cut the pork belly into cubes two fingers wide. Let me know when you're done; be sure to do it exactly as I say!"
"Got it, quickly get the fire going," Dahu responded with a smile.
Recently, Gu Nian had learned to start a fire, but the flint wasn't easy to use. It took her some effort to get the fire going.
After blanching the pork intestines, Gu Nian directed Dahu to caramelize sugar before adding water and putting the pork intestines back in. She took out chili peppers, star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves that she had prepared in advance, added them along with salt and soy sauce, covered the lid, and let it boil.
Dahu was taken aback at this sight, "Little sister, why did you put medicine into the pot?"
"Medicine?" Gu Nian didn't immediately react.
"It's what you put in there - the bark and leaves and fruit of the cinnamon tree. The pharmacy in town sometimes buys them." They used to sell them but it wasn't in high demand and wasn't worth much, so they stopped.
Gu Nian then understood that he was referring to the star anise, cinnamon, and bay leaves.
The general store didn't sell these spices, and Gu Nian suddenly wondered, could it be that in this world, these things haven't been used for cooking yet?
Gu Nian lowered her eyelids to hide her thoughts and said, "Big brother, I once cooked these with meat and found that the meat was very fragrant. So when I recently went into the mountains, I happened to see some and brought them back. Don't worry, they're not poisonous."
"Really?" Dahu didn't doubt it either, since the doctor at the clinic had said that these things could ward off cold and relieve pain.
And so, Gu Nian smoothly fooled him.
Once the pork belly was cut, Dahu added it to the pot as Gu Nian instructed.
The Lin Family's kitchen had only two pots, and at this moment, both were steaming, sending out a delicious aroma that was making everyone salivate.
Sanhu and Little Hu, after playing outside, returned and smelled the delicious fragrance as soon as they entered the yard.
"Wow, it smells so good!" Little Hu's eyes lit up, and he ran over to hug Mrs. Jiang, "Mom, I smell meat. Are we cooking meat at home?"
Mrs. Jiang laughed and gently tapped his little nose with her index finger, "What a sharp nose, there's no escaping you when there's food at home!"
"I guessed right!" Little Hu immediately jumped up, "Third brother, we can eat meat today!"
He had been eyeing that rabbit, but unfortunately, he never got to eat it as his dad took it away to sell.
Although he was initially upset, the thought of eating meat instantly revived his spirits.