I remember when I was a child, in early winter, my mother came back from the production team at dusk and cooked porridge on the stove first. When the pot was cooked for three times, she added a pinch of grass ash to the stove and let it smolder. Then she picked up a shovel and carried a bamboo basket to harvest wild vegetables in the field. Mother squatted in the ground, with the stem and leaf of potherb on her left hand, shoveled the rhizome from the right, lifted potherb and shook it a few times, removed the mud and put it in the basket. Mustard can be used as a side dish for the whole family in winter after pickling. The mother, who is in charge of the food for the whole family, not only gains the mustard seed, but also is a part of the family's livelihood. The mother at work is the most beautiful, only to see the sweat on her forehead reflected by the sunset glow as if painted with a layer of oil paint, and her slightly gaunt face suddenly became ruddy.
Father picked a river from the collapse and poured it into the pottery jar in the patio. After dinner, mother scooped water from the jar in a small wooden bucket by moonlight. First, she dipped the potherb seeds in water and beat them up and down a few times, then lifted them up, split the stems and leaves, and hung them on the lead wire rope under the eaves to drain. Busy and tired mother sometimes complains a few times: "Xiaolong, you debt collector, eat two at a time and disappear when you are busy!" " What homework do you pretend to do? I haven't come out yet. "Hearing my mother's call, I immediately blew out the kerosene lamp and ran out of the back room:" Mom, I'm coming. What do you think I can do? Mother was very satisfied: "That's more like it." Just chop the mustard seeds on the rope, and it will be done soon. "The division of labor between mother and child is very clear, one is responsible for washing and the other is responsible for hanging. Pickling wild vegetables, just washing and drying will be busy all night. My mother and I are busy in the yard, and the smell of wild vegetables lingers in the whole yard.
The next night, my mother took down a door panel and piled all the wild vegetables on it. Mother held a kitchen knife in her right hand and pressed the wild vegetables in her left hand to cut them into thin pieces. There was a lot of fine debris piled up. My mother blew it backhand with a kitchen knife, and the wild vegetables fell on the bamboo plaque on the ground without pulling a piece. When all the mustard seeds were chopped, my mother brought a tray with several casseroles filled with spices such as salt, monosodium glutamate, pepper, star anise and pepper slices. Put the potherb mustard seed in a clay pot, sprinkle some seasoning on a layer of fine crumbs, and then press it hard with your fist to ensure that all potherb mustard seeds can be tasted. Finally, lay a layer of straw on the cylinder mouth and paste it with clay. The next day, when I saw my mother's right hand wrapped in an old handkerchief, I knew there were blood bubbles on her hand.
The earthenware pot full of mustard seeds is placed under the grape trellis in the yard. At this time, the vines have all fallen leaves, and the temperature is high only when there is plenty of sunshine, so that the potherb mustard in the jar can be completely fermented. Tired of playing under the grape trellis, we often touch the clay pot, expecting the fragrance of fried broad bean petals with mustard seeds. Seeing her mother passing by, she grabbed her skirt and asked, "This wild vegetable has been here for many days. When can I eat? " My mother scraped my nose and said, "You greedy little bastard, you are lazy at work and want to eat all day." You know, in that era of extreme material shortage, eating pickles, drinking rice porridge with clear soup and boiled water, and propping up a bulging belly are the greatest pleasures in winter.
A month later, near the winter solstice, potherb mustard finally opened the altar. Dark green kimchi is full of our greedy little thoughts. As soon as my mother brought the mustard fried watercress to the table, my sister and I immediately waved chopsticks like sticks on the ancient battlefield. In order not to let my sister be wronged, my mother specially drew a line on the plate and designated my vegetable picking area. I wolfed down my food and my plate soon bottomed out. Shredded mustard leaves swam around like tadpoles in porridge soup, and my appetite was immediately aroused. I quickly looked up and drank, and sometimes I was choked to tears. I have to watch my sister chew slowly and enjoy it My sister is very sensible. She often chooses one chopstick and puts it in my bowl. Suddenly, tears blurred my eyes. I looked up at her gratefully and thought, when I grow up, I want to earn more money so that the whole family can eat wild vegetables every day and eat as much as they want.
One of the most home-cooked dishes that my mother cooked for us all winter was fried broad bean petals with wild vegetables. Broad beans are easy to store and can be eaten all year round. Usually contract broad beans to peel: I saw a groove on a bench, fixed with a kitchen knife, holding beans in one hand and a wooden stick in the other, aiming at the broad beans and knocking hard, only to hear a "chop", the broad beans cracked; Soak watercress in warm water for a while, peel it off, drain it, and you can cook. Mother cooks with a big stove, and the flame in the stove is big and bright, which is the fire of straw; The oil in the pot is authentic vegetable oil. Rotating and rolling for a while, an attractive fragrance rises. Pour mustard into a boiling oil pan, gently stir, stir, add broad bean petals, stir fry, and finally put some water to simmer for a few minutes. As soon as the pot opened, the unique pickle flavor of wild vegetables immediately filled the kitchen, making us salivate.
My uncle came to my house as a guest, and my mother asked me to go to the supply and marketing cooperative to exchange eggs for tofu and cook tofu with wild vegetables. I was careful all the way, afraid to break the egg when I went; I'm afraid of knocking over tofu when I come back. Despite the long distance, I still dare not walk on the path. When I got home, I saw my mother holding tofu in her hand and chopping it horizontally and vertically with a kitchen knife. The whole piece of tofu became a small piece of tofu. First, soak the tofu block in boiling water to remove water, so it is not easy to be damaged. Boil the vegetable oil, pour it into the tofu, immediately pour in the mustard seeds, add salt and water, cover the pot and cook for five minutes. A bowl of mustard seeds can be served with tofu. My mother saw that I was burnt by tofu, so she scolded me and said, "Look at your greedy appearance, like a hungry ghost!" " Can't you eat slowly? "My uncle smiled and said nothing.
Only during the Chinese New Year, will my mother cook pickled mustard tuber and shredded pork for us to eat. Years ago, the production team killed pigs, and each family got three pounds of meat. Everyone is fighting for fat. Burn the fire with a pod stick, and the pot will be hotter. Cut the fat into thin strips and fry in a hot pan. Soon the fat will spit out white oil foam. Scoop the lard into a clay pot with a copper spoon, cool it until it freezes, and then eat it slowly. When the fried fat is cooked, add mustard and fry for a while. Sauté ed shredded pork with potherb mustard not only smells delicious, but also feels oily when eaten in your mouth. Usually eat vegetarian food, and there is a serious shortage of oil and water in your stomach. Only during the Spring Festival can I make up for my long-lost stomach. Usually we eat all the dishes on the plate and spread a layer of rice on the plate until it is clean.
Later, I went to school and stayed in the city after graduation. Every time I go back to my hometown, when I leave, my mother will bring a can of wild vegetables. Now that the living standard has improved, potherb is not only used for home cooking, but also for high-end banquets. Used for frying bamboo shoots, aloe vera, braised turtle, Anggong, barbecued pheasant, rabbit ... My wife is a northerner and is good at making pasta. In winter, she mixed meat with her mother's mustard seed and made steamed buns for my breakfast. The steamed stuffed bun made by my wife smells good. As soon as I bite the steamed stuffed bun, I think of my mother's busy figure pickling wild vegetables and the delicious food she cooked with wild vegetables.
Snow mustard, in my menu, there is no need to be the main course, just like my mother never makes the decision at home. Mother's snow, with her silent dedication.