Chapter 525: Good Food Must Be Savored
"You can definitely do it, Jim! You got a 68 this time, just two points shy of seventy. If you just work a little harder, you’ll make it for sure!" Tang Xiaonan said, beaming at Jim Thorne. ’Even a little rascal like him needs encouragement.’
’She had a lot of faith in her big, goofy brother!’
Jim Thorne’s frantic heart instantly settled. He perked up, practically wagging his tail. ’My sister is a good luck charm. Everything she says comes true. I’ve totally got this.’
"That’s right. I almost made it this time. Seventy points is nothing."
Rosalind Green smiled as well. "I’m sure you can do it, Jim. Why don’t you all stay for dinner? I’ve made squirrelfish, a blanched dish, and red-braised pork."
Jim Thorne gulped. ’Even though I think Rosalind Green is as ugly as a toad, I have to admit her cooking is way better than my mom’s. She knows so many new recipes, and she’s really improved lately.’
It turned out that Rosalind Green had asked Adrian Hawthorne to get her a few cookbooks. Whenever she had free time, she would study new recipes. On top of that, their circumstances had improved, so she could use more oil, and the dishes naturally tasted better.
"I want the squirrelfish! Aunt Green, can you make sweet and sour fish next time? And red-braised carp! Deep-fried little fish are also delicious... and shrimp coated in egg and fried is yummy too..."
Tang Xiaonan got carried away and blurted out several dishes she had loved in her past life. Only after she finished did she realize something was amiss. She gave a sheepish laugh and tried to cover her tracks. "Grandpa Tate told me about them..."
Adrian Hawthorne couldn’t resist pinching her cheeks. "Eat any more fried food and you’ll turn into a fat pig. Even the pigs my mom is raising aren’t as heavy as you."
Furious, Tang Xiaonan slapped his "paw" away and shot him a vicious glare. ’I hate being called fat! I don’t care if it’s true, no one’s allowed to say it!’
"Xiaonan isn’t fat. She’s actually lost a bit of weight recently. Little girls are supposed to be chubby and round; that’s what makes them cute. I’ll go look for some small fish tomorrow," Rosalind Green said with a gentle smile. She gave her son a reproachful look. ’No wonder Xiaonan’s mad. He’s always calling the poor girl fat.’
Adrian Hawthorne just laughed and gave one of her pigtails a tug. Before Tang Xiaonan could truly blow her top, he hopped onto a stool and took down the basket. He wanted to taste the *tangyang*. In all his years living on Millstone Peak, this would be his first time eating it.
"Here!"
Adrian Hawthorne first cut the *tangyang* in half, then in half again, making eight small pieces. He handed a piece to Clayton Xavier. Jim Thorne came over and took a piece as well. Tang Xiaonan didn’t want any; she was saving room for the fish.
"It’s a bit like red bean cake," Adrian Hawthorne commented after a bite. He wasn’t a huge fan; it was too sweet, but the texture was quite nice.
"It *is* made with red beans. It’s delicious!"
Jim Thorne wolfed it down in big bites. *Tangyang* was his absolute favorite. He could eat an entire block by himself—a block that could weigh two or three pounds, more than even an adult could finish.
The ingredients for *tangyang* were actually very simple: white sugar, rice, and red beans. The rice was soaked until swollen and then ground into a slurry. The red beans were soaked, boiled until mushy, and then mixed with white sugar. After the mixture cooled, the steaming process would begin.
It had to be made on a large, rural stove with a roaring wood fire to taste good. You’d use a woven bamboo basket lined with cheesecloth. First, you’d ladle the rice slurry onto the cheesecloth, spreading it evenly like you would for steamed rice noodle rolls. You’d steam it in a wok for a while, then take it out and pour on a thick layer of red bean paste—about an inch thick. Then it went back into the wok to steam further. Once the red bean layer solidified, you’d take it out again, pour on more rice slurry, and steam it once more. This three-step process was incredibly tedious, but it was the only way to make the perfect *tangyang*.
The outer rice skin was pure white and springy, enclosing a red bean filling that was sweet with a pleasant, grainy texture and a rich aroma. Practically every kid loved it. This dessert was originally used for ancestral worship, though in the future, it would become a traditional breakfast item you could get any day.
Clayton Xavier didn’t much care for sweets either, so he gave half of his piece to Jim Thorne. Adrian Hawthorne did the same. Jim Thorne, ever the willing recipient, ate both halves. Adrian arranged the rest on a plate for Grandpa Tate, who had a sweet tooth.