I Have a Countryside Gourmet Restaurant

Chapter 267: Chapter 253: Do You Want Some Swamp Eels?

Li You smiled and told Ye Shengge there was no need to be so formal. Then he added, ”After I make you both some boiled eggs in fermented rice soup, I’m going to town to buy some glutinous rice.”

Ye Shengge said, ”Thank you for your trouble, Boss.”

Li You waved his hand, dismissing her thanks.

He then went into the kitchen. After making the boiled eggs in fermented rice soup for the two of them, he rode his motorcycle to the market in town.

He bought about eleven pounds of medium-quality glutinous rice from Wang Dongliang’s shop.

As for the yeast starter, Li You still had some in his Storage Pavilion from last time.

When he returned to the restaurant and had just parked his motorcycle, Ye Shengge and Ling Xiaoru both gathered around.

Ling Xiaoru had originally planned to go back to work today. But when Li You said he was making fermented rice, she decided to take one more day off and return to work tomorrow.

She didn’t have any urgent cases at the moment, so she could afford the delay.

Ye Shengge took the glutinous rice from the storage basket on the back of the motorcycle and examined it closely.

Its appearance was quite different from the regular rice they usually ate.

”We have the glutinous rice. What’s the next step?” Ye Shengge asked.

Li You said, ”Soaking. It needs to soak for a few hours. If we start now, we can move on to the next steps around two in the afternoon.”

Ye Shengge nodded. ”Okay. I’ll do it.”

”Alright!”

Following Li You’s instructions, Ye Shengge finished soaking the glutinous rice.

Ye Shengge was full of anticipation for the steps to come.

Time flew by, and soon it was two in the afternoon. The last of the lunch customers had left, and the glutinous rice was done soaking.

Next was the second step of making the fermented rice: cooking the soaked glutinous rice.

Steaming it would also work. It could either be boiled or steamed.

Li You chose to boil it.

Once again, Li You gave instructions while Ye Shengge did the work.

After the glutinous rice was cooked, they moved on to the next step.

Draining the glutinous rice with a bamboo sieve.

A bamboo sieve is a tool woven from bamboo strips. In the countryside, it’s an essential tool found in every household, perfect for draining water conveniently and effectively.

Li You continued to instruct, and Ye Shengge continued to work.

After all the glutinous rice was drained, they prepared for the next step.

Before proceeding, they had to wait for the rice’s temperature to drop to around 30 degrees Celsius.

This was because a temperature that was too high or too low would affect the fermentation of the yeast starter.

A short while later, the glutinous rice had cooled to about 30 degrees.

Time for the next step.

Li You took out a glass jar he had prepared earlier.

He poured the glutinous rice into the glass jar.

While pouring, he also evenly sprinkled the yeast starter into the rice.

Finally, he added a suitable amount of cooled, boiled water.

He mixed it all evenly.

After mixing, he packed the glutinous rice down firmly.

Finally, he sealed the lid. The job was done.

All that was left was to wait for the glutinous rice to ferment.

Once the fermentation was complete, it would become fermented rice.

The optimal temperature for fermenting glutinous rice is between 25 and 30 degrees Celsius.

In winter, it’s crucial to keep it warm, which can be done by wrapping it in a thick quilt.

But for now, simply leaving it indoors was enough.

Ye Shengge looked at the glutinous rice in the jar and said, ”And just like that, the rice inside will turn into fermented rice? It’s truly magical.”

Li You said, ”It’s the wisdom of our ancestors.”

Ye Shengge nodded. ”It certainly is the wisdom of our ancestors, and we’ve inherited it. By the way, Boss, how long does the fermentation take?”

Li You replied, ”Anywhere from two or three days to over ten. It depends on factors like the environment and ingredients. For this batch, I estimate it’ll take about three or four days.”

Ye Shengge said, ”Three or four days isn’t long. I used to think making fermented rice was very complicated, but based on what we just did, it doesn’t seem that complex.”

Li You nodded. ”It really isn’t complex; you could even call it simple. However, the texture and flavor of the fermented rice can vary greatly depending on who makes it. It’s not easy to achieve a good result.”

Ye Shengge said, ”That’s for sure. I hope ours turns out well.”

Li You smiled. ”Me too.”

Ye Shengge said, ”We’ll find out in three or four days.”

Li You nodded, then added, ”By the way, I’m going home tonight. You two will be staying here by yourselves.”

”Going home? To Changle Village?” Ye Shengge asked.

Li You nodded. ”I haven’t been back in many days. I’m going back tonight to make some Chopped Pepper Fish Head for my parents.”

”Oh, okay. Um... well...”

Ye Shengge actually wanted to say, ’How about I go back with you? I’d like to meet your parents, too.’

But after hemming and hawing for a long time, she was too shy to say it out loud.

Ling Xiaoru guessed what Ye Shengge wanted to say, which was actually what she was thinking as well.

But she was also too embarrassed to say it.

’I’ll just let it go this time. Maybe there’ll be a chance next time?’

’Anyway, Ye Shengge isn’t going this time either, so we’re in the same boat.’

Li You had no idea what the two girls were thinking. He was just wondering what ingredients he should take home tonight.

Although all the ingredients were stored in his Storage Pavilion, he had to take them out and put them in the storage basket on the back of his motorcycle before leaving.

...

「7:00 PM.」

Because he was going home, the restaurant closed early.

Li You was getting ready to leave.

He had already prepared dinner for Ye Shengge and Ling Xiaoru: five and a half pounds of spicy crayfish, two servings of Chopped Pepper Fish Head, and one serving of Mapo Tofu.

The two of them could go upstairs later to eat slowly while watching TV.

This time, Ling Xiaoru paid for the meal.

Li You packed up all the ingredients he was taking home and placed them in the storage compartment on the back of his motorcycle.

He got on his motorcycle and said to Ye Shengge and Ling Xiaoru, who were standing nearby, ”After I leave, lock up the shop and go upstairs to eat.”

”Okay,” Ye Shengge and Ling Xiaoru said in unison.

Li You nodded, started the engine, and rode off.

Both Ye Shengge and Ling Xiaoru watched until Li You’s figure disappeared on his motorcycle.

After he was gone, Ling Xiaoru said, ”You wanted to go with him, didn’t you?”

Ye Shengge retorted, ”Didn’t you?”

Neither of them spoke again. They turned, went back into the shop, and closed the door.

...

「Changle Village.」

After entering the village from its entrance, Li You greeted the villagers he met along the way, occasionally stopping to chat for a bit.

The villagers were all very happy to see Li You back.

Li You was just as happy to see them.

Up ahead, someone was walking down the road, carrying a bucket in one hand with a bamboo creel hanging from his waist.

It was Liu Zhanghong. He had probably been to the fields to catch crayfish and was now on his way home.

Just then, Liu Zhanghong heard the sound of a motorcycle engine and turned around. Seeing it was Li You, his face lit up with a pleasant surprise. He smiled and said, ”Xiaoyou, you’re back!”

Li You rode his motorcycle up to Liu Zhanghong and stopped, smiling back. ”Looks like you had another good harvest today, Uncle Zhanghong!”

By this point, Li You could see that the bucket Liu Zhanghong was carrying was indeed full of crayfish.

It was about half full. At least twenty-two pounds’ worth.

Liu Zhanghong smiled again. ”It’s alright. By the way, Xiaoyou, do you like to eat eel? I also happened to catch some today. Over four pounds’ worth. If you like them, take them.”

As he spoke, Liu Zhanghong untied the bamboo creel from his waist.

The creel was filled with eels.

Li You realized. ’No wonder,’ he thought. ’Why else would Uncle Zhanghong have a creel hanging from his waist?’

’So he caught some eels on the side.’

A bamboo creel is a cage-like tool woven from bamboo strips. Its specially designed opening makes it nearly impossible for the eels inside to climb out, making it the most common container used by villagers when catching eels.

Eels can be caught by hand or with tools.

Right now, most of the fields in the village were planted with rice paddies, which weren’t suitable conditions for catching them by hand.

So, if the villagers wanted to eat eel at this time of year, they would have to fish for them.

Liu Zhanghong held the creel out to Li You.

Li You looked down through the opening and saw dozens of eels of various sizes inside.

They were all wild eels—definitely a high-quality catch.

However, Li You didn’t like to eat them.

Or rather, he didn’t quite dare to eat them.

It wasn’t because he was afraid of parasites, but because the creatures looked like snakes. The mere thought of it made his skin crawl, so how could he possibly dare to eat one?

So, Li You quickly waved his hands, expressing his thanks while saying, ”Thank you, Uncle Zhanghong. But I don’t really like these, and I don’t know how to prepare them. I’ll pass.”

...

The new year is finally here.

Happy New Year, everyone!

I’m here again to wish everyone a prosperous Year of the Rabbit, good health, a happy family, and may all your wishes come true!

This is the Year of the Rabbit, so I hope everyone makes a lot of money.

And for all my friends who aren’t dating or married yet but want to be, I hope you can all find a partner and get married this year.

...

A huge thank you to the reader ’Stunning Passerby’ for the 5,000 coin donation!

Thank you, big shot! Happy New Year, big shot!

I wish you good health and that you make a fortune in the Year of the Rabbit!

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