The flour and soybeans left in the room had nearly finished fermenting, their surfaces covered in a layer of yellow-green mold.
Eric took the flour mixture out to dry under the harsh autumn sun. As for the soybeans, he washed off the mold, soaked them until they were soft, and then put them into his new grinder.
He added salt and cooled boiled water, grinding until it became a thick paste. Soybean paste is better with a bit of texture, he thought.
The thick, ground soybean mixture already resembled paste, but it wasn't ready to be eaten yet.
Eric put it all into a large basin, found a piece of linen cloth to cover it, and then carried it outside to dry in the sun. In about a month, his first batch of paste would be ready.
The flour mixture for the soy sauce had also dried hard, the mold on its surface turning black. He crushed it into small pieces with his hands, then mixed it with saltwater in a large jar, which he also placed in a sunny spot to ferment.
Just then, a thick, foul stench assaulted his nostrils, a smell so horrible it nearly made Eric keel over. In the distance, he could see Max and Kevin carrying a load of organs toward him.
He hurriedly pointed towards the riverbank, an absolute gesture that they were not to bring that stuff anywhere near his house.
The two men quickly transported the pile of organs to the riverbank and then couldn't wait to jump into the water for a bath. For the Snow Wolves with their keen sense of smell, this odor was truly a form of torture.
Eric was no exception. He pinched his nose with one hand while frowning, trying to figure out how to deal with them.
He was afraid that if he washed them directly in the river, they would be snatched away by large fish, and he didn't know how to swim. He couldn't just let Max and Kevin stand guard for him in the river; all the dirty water would flow right over them.
Using the largest iron pot for washing would risk stinking up the pot itself. After some thought, Eric decided to dig a large pit in the ground, line the bottom with stones and bricks, and then dig a small channel to lead water in from the river.
Among the pile of organs, the heart, liver, and lungs were easy to wash. The most difficult were the intestines and the stomach. They were always covered in a slimy membrane, which was the hardest part to handle.
Back when he was at home, he used to use flour and salt to scrub them, which was both clean and fast. But now, those items were far too precious to waste.
Fortunately, he was much stronger now, and he had Max and Kevin to help. After changing the water five or six times, the slimy membrane was finally washed clean.
Eric then turned the intestines inside out and meticulously cleaned the interior. Once everything was done, all three of them instinctively jumped back into the river for another bath.
"Eric, what are you thinking, eating this stuff?" Kevin asked from the riverbank, the foul smell still clinging to him, his expression complicated: "We have enough magical beast meat to eat now. You don't need to worry about having nothing to eat in the winter."
He thought Eric had started being frugal because he was haunted by the memories of past hungry winters.
Eric laughed: "When this is cooked, it tastes completely different from magical beast meat. Don't you worry, Kevin, have I ever tricked you?"
That was true. Every time, Eric managed to create dishes that were delicious beyond imagination. Kevin thought about the fish that the entire tribe had once detested, which had now become a sought-after dish. The heavy feeling in his heart lightened a little.
The pile of organs Max had brought must have weighed over a ton. After being cleaned, they no longer looked so frightening. The heart was bright red, the lungs and liver were a deep crimson, and the intestines and stomach had turned a pinkish-white.
Max asked Eric if he needed more, but he quickly shook his head. This was more than enough.
Eric brought over the two large iron pots from the communal kitchen. One pot was used to stew the heart and lungs, and he added some meat to sweeten the broth. The other pot was used to cook the intestines and stomach; their flavor was quite strong, so cooking them separately would prevent the smells from mixing.
Everything was blanched once in boiling water to remove most of the odor, and only then did he add spices, garlic, and onions to the stew.
Next, he took out his large cutting board and his fish-scale knife and sliced the liver thinly. Some people liked their liver boiled until soft, but Eric preferred the crisp and tender texture of stir-fried liver.
He heated oil in the iron pot, stir-fried wild onions, garlic, and chili until fragrant, then added the thinly sliced liver and began to stir-fry with the large iron spatula.
Fresh, thinly sliced liver cooked very quickly. After the slices darkened in color, he seasoned them with fine salt and fish bone powder. A pot of fragrant stir-fried liver was ready. He scooped some out onto a plate and told Max and Kevin to try it.
Max picked up a piece and put it in his mouth first, chewing a few times before nodding: "It doesn't taste bad."
Kevin shot Max a skeptical glance, but the aroma wafting from under his nose was too tempting. He hesitated before picking up a piece and putting it in his mouth.
"Mmm, this tastes really unique. The more you chew, the more fragrant it gets!" Kevin's brow unfurrowed as he praised it in surprise. He should have known; Eric was always this amazing.
Eric placed his hands on his hips, pleased with himself. With ingredients this fresh, cleaned so thoroughly, and stir-fried in an iron wok over a large fire, all the buffs were stacked. If it still wasn't delicious, he would walk backward.
While the other organs were still stewing in the pots, Eric planned to go find Leo. To get his new house built sooner, that little cub had been waking up early and staying up late by the brick kiln every day, even inspiring a whole group of other cubs to work hard.
Max stood up, intending to go with him.
"Max, I'm just going to call Leo for dinner. This liver is best eaten while it's hot. You and Kevin should stay here and eat first." Eric said, a little confused.
"You've made so much, the few of us can't finish it all." Max approached, his tall figure casting a shadow over him: "Let's call the others to eat together."
A spark lit up in Eric's mind. That's right! Michael wasn't here today! He wanted to call Michael over to eat with Kevin!
My ship, my ship is about to set sail!
He was so excited he almost jumped for joy.
Kevin happily took a plate of stir-fried liver to find Michael.
He had finally succeeded in launching the ship. Now, he could eat alone.