usatvline Chapter 40 Bunnies are so cute
Chapter 40 Bunnies are so cute
"Much better!" Sizi nodded vigorously, her little face full of joy. "Mommy can hold Sizi for much longer now. Before, she would cough after holding me for a short while, but now she almost never does! Daddy praised Guoguo for being amazing, and Sizi thinks Guoguo is the most amazing too!"
No sooner had the words left his mouth than Si Zi suddenly let out a low gasp, darted under the stone table, squatted down, and stared wide-eyed at the wild rabbit.
"Brother, what's this?" Little Fatty pointed at the rabbit, full of surprise.
"I caught this wild rabbit while I was gathering herbs in the mountains," Wang Zhihuan said, moving the bamboo basket aside to reveal the rabbit.
The hare huddled up in a ball, its long ears pressed tightly against its back, its nose twitching incessantly, its eyes filled with fear, and its bound limbs occasionally twitching slightly.
"It's so tiny... its ears are so long, its fur is so soft, why isn't it moving? Is it scared?"
Sizi was practically lying on the ground, her face very close to the rabbit's, staring intently at it.
"With his body bound, he was naturally afraid."
Does it bite?
"They'll bite if they're cornered."
Sizi immediately withdrew her little hand, but her gaze remained fixed on the rabbit. After watching for a moment, she turned to Chang Le and called out, "Big sister, come and see! What an adorable rabbit!"
Chang Le approached and bent down to look at him, a hint of gentleness appearing in her eyes.
The wild rabbit was lively and graceful. Although it was tied up, it did not look disheveled and had the spirit of a wild mountain creature.
She squatted down and gently touched the rabbit fur with her fingertips; it felt soft and warm.
"Young master is so lucky, to find such wild game while gathering herbs," Chang Le said, raising her eyes.
"It would be a waste not to accept something that's come to us like this," Wang Zhihuan said with a smile. "Since you're here, let's add an extra dish tonight and have you stay for dinner."
Chang Le was slightly taken aback and was about to decline when Si Zi clapped her hands and jumped up and down, "Great! Great! Si Zi wants to eat the food cooked by the pot!"
Having said that, Chang Le could only smile slightly, bow slightly, and say, "Then I will trouble you, my lord."
"It's not a bother at all. I cook for myself anyway, so it's just a matter of adding a couple more sets of bowls and chopsticks."
Wang Zhi picked up the wild rabbit, covered it with an old burlap sack, and headed towards the kitchen.
Sizi was about to follow them in when Changle stopped her: "There's fire and knives in the kitchen. Don't go and cause trouble. Play with Ah Huang and the others for a while."
Sizi pouted reluctantly, but was quickly amused by Ah Huang rubbing against her legs. She chased after the cats and dogs, running and playing in the yard, and the small yard suddenly became lively.
Chang Le sat down on the stone bench, his gaze sweeping over the remaining rice soup and half a fried bread on the table, his brows furrowing slightly.
This person is meticulous in everything he does with medicinal herbs, yet he is so careless and perfunctory when it comes to his own diet.
In the kitchen, Wang Zhi worked swiftly and efficiently.
The rabbit was still struggling gently under the burlap sack when he swiftly and decisively ended its life. He then bled it, skinned it, gutted it, and removed its internal organs. The whole process was fluid and skillful.
Chop the rabbit meat into chunks, and split the rabbit head open to remove the blood. Take out the dried chili peppers, Sichuan peppercorns, ginger, and garlic cloves that I had stored at home. I'm usually too lazy to cook when I'm eating alone, but they'll come in handy today.
The firewood in the stove was burning brightly. The iron pot was heated and vegetable oil was poured in. After the oil temperature rose, ginger slices and garlic cloves were added and sautéed until fragrant. Then, rabbit meat chunks were added and stir-fried over high heat until the skin and meat tightened and turned slightly yellow. Shaoxing wine was poured in to remove the fishy smell, soy sauce was added for color, dried bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms were added, water was added to cover the ingredients, the pot was covered and simmered slowly.
The braised rabbit meat was bubbling away in the pot, and the aroma of the sauce wafted out through the gaps in the lid, gradually filling the entire courtyard.
Leave the other pot empty for later use; drain the rabbit heads and set them aside.
Spicy rabbit heads are best made fresh. You have to wait until the braised rabbit meat is about 70-80% cooked before stir-frying it in a separate pot. The timing is perfect for when it's ready to be eaten.
About half an hour later, the braised rabbit meat was ready.
When the lid is lifted, steam rises, revealing chunks of meat glistening with a deep brown color, and dried bamboo shoots and shiitake mushrooms soaked in the meat juices, releasing a rich and enticing aroma.
Wang Zhi also brought out a large earthenware bowl, along with some cold wild vegetables and steaming white rice, and arranged them on the stone table.
Ah Huang and Xiao Hei squatted under the table, looking up and waiting, their tails wagging incessantly. The other cats also came over, squeezing in and out between people's legs.
Drawn back by the aroma, Si Zi leaned over the table and inhaled deeply, exclaiming, "It smells so good! It's so fragrant, my nose is about to fall off!"
Chang Le got up and walked closer, looking at the rabbit meat in the bowl, and suddenly felt empty and hungry.
She had only eaten a few pastries at noon, but the rich aroma made her hungry. She glanced around and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.
"You guys eat first, there's one more dish." Wang Zhi also served Si Zi rice and put a piece of rabbit meat into her bowl. "Try it."
Sizi stared at the rabbit meat in the bowl and swallowed hard. He picked up his chopsticks first, clumsily picked up a piece of meat, put it in Chang Le's bowl, then put a piece in Wang Zhihuan's bowl, and finally left a piece for himself.
After blowing on it to cool it down, take a bite. The meat is firm and chewy, the sauce flavor permeates the meat, it's salty and savory with a sweet aftertaste, and the meat juice fills your mouth.
She chewed with relish, her cheeks puffed out, and mumbled, "So delicious! Much better than the meat at home!"
Chang Le smiled and wiped the sauce from the corner of her mouth, then picked up a piece herself and put it in her mouth, her eyes brightening slightly.
The meat is neither dry nor greasy, with a rich, savory sauce that permeates the bones, and the side dishes are fresh and delicious. A bite of the cold wild vegetable salad is crisp and refreshing, perfectly balanced in flavor.
"Young master's cooking skills are superb, even better than the chefs in the manor," Chang Le exclaimed sincerely.
"It's just a simple home-style cooking method from the mountains, just to make it flavorful." Wang Zhihuan stood up. "I'll go and finish making the last dish."
Back in the kitchen, the fire was still raging. The wok was heated, oil was added, ginger and garlic were sautéed until fragrant, and then a generous amount of chili peppers and Sichuan peppercorns were sprinkled on top. As soon as the hot oil hit the wok, the spicy and numbing aroma exploded instantly.
After stir-frying until fragrant, add the rabbit heads and stir-fry until golden brown. Add water to taste, along with rock sugar and soy sauce. Cover the pot and simmer over low heat.
Spicy rabbit heads need to be simmered slowly to absorb the flavor. While they were enjoying their meal in the yard, the two people ate in peace.
After a stick of incense had burned, the broth had thickened. Wang Zhi also lifted the lid to check the cooking time; the rabbit heads were tender and flavorful, just right.
The soup and ingredients are poured into an earthenware bowl, the red oil floating with the aroma of pepper, and the fragrance wafts all the way as you carry it.
Sizi looked up at the bowl, which was bright red and glistening with oil. The rabbit head was soaking in the oil, its dark eye sockets staring at her.
She slowly put down her chopsticks, her expression shifting from curiosity to bewilderment, and then to a hint of timidity.
"Brother, what's this?"
Spicy rabbit head.
"Rabbit...head?" Si Zi's lips trembled slightly. She looked at the bowl, then at the empty corner under the stone table, and her little brain suddenly realized.
Her voice trembled slightly: "Was it that rabbit from earlier?"
Wang Zhihuan nodded frankly: "Yes."
The courtyard fell silent instantly.
Sizi looked down at the unfinished rabbit meat in her bowl, then at the rabbit head in the chili oil. Remembering how she had squatted on the ground watching the rabbit, her eyes suddenly reddened, her lower lip trembled, and she was about to burst into tears.
Chang Le quickly reached out and hugged her: "Si Zi, don't cry..."
"Wow--"
The crying suddenly erupted.
But the scene suddenly reversed the next moment.
Sizi cried with tears streaming down her face as she picked up the rabbit meat from the bowl with trembling hands. Tears fell onto the table, but she kept chewing.
"Bunny... Waaah... So cute..."
He kept chewing.
"But...it's so delicious...sob sob..."
She cried as she picked up another piece.