Now, thanks to fans and air conditioners, life is much easier. But a decade or two ago, summer was not as comfortable as it is now, and the way to cool down was more traditional. But fortunately, at that time, the countryside was beautiful and there were many trees. Most of them lived in adobe houses, and it was cool in summer.
At that time, in summer, people would walk the streets selling popsicles and bean jelly, which were children's favorite snacks, especially bean jelly, and they were a must-eat dessert in summer. In fact, there is a kind of wild fruit that specializes in bean jelly in the mountains. In my hometown of Hunan, it is called "bean jelly fruit". It is necessary to make bean jelly by hand. Dear friends, do you still remember?
Bean jelly fruit is not unusual in the mountains in the south, but it can also be seen on the walls of some families in the city. This is a vine, which often climbs on other plants, rocks or walls to grow. Its leaves are not big, and its fruit is like steamed bread, green and as big as a baby's fist. If you see such a plant, yes, it is jelly fruit.
When I was a child, I always called it jelly fruit, but I didn't know its scientific name. Later, when I grew up, I knew it was called Ficus pumila. Some places are also called green steamed bread, ghost steamed bread, or fruit, five leaves, pulling, weaving and throwing. Because this plant is so widely distributed, different places have different names according to its characteristics.
In that era of lack of clothes and food, jelly fruit was a very appetizing wild fruit. Not only children are drooling over it, but also many adults like it. Because it is a very rare summer product in hot summer, it is necessary to make hand-rubbed jelly, which was a more delicious dessert than ice cream at that time.
Ten years ago, in our town, some people sold bean jelly in summer. The price of a bowl was not high, usually 50 cents, but we could eat several bowls at a time. However, most parents don't want to spend money on it, but what if children love to eat? So I worked hard and went to the mountains to pick jelly fruit.
It is called hand-rubbing bean jelly because it is very simple to make bean jelly with this wild fruit, and it needs to be rubbed as hard as clothes. Moreover, it is pure natural bean jelly, without adding water or any other substances.
From an early age, I clearly remember that jelly fruits are divided into "male and female" and picked most clearly. Generally, the male jelly fruit can be eaten, and the female often throws it away or does not pick it. It is also very simple to distinguish the male and female of jelly fruit. That is to look at the "belly button" at the bottom, which is a saying in our hometown, that is, the small protrusion at the bottom.
If it sinks inward, it is a female, and there are generally no seeds or even bugs in it. And if the navel is prominent, it is male. This kind of jelly has many seeds and is very suitable for making jelly. The reason is that jelly is not made from pulp or leaves, but from its tiny sesame seeds.
Many people think jelly is a fig when they see it for the first time. In fact, the two are indeed related, or close relatives. After cutting, you will see that there are red or white seeds like millet, which is also very similar to figs.
Take out its seeds, then dry them in the sun, and then use them to make jelly. If you can't eat it all at once, you can save it and take it out later when you want to eat it.
The bean jelly sold in the market was made by vendors picking jelly fruits, so the price was not expensive at that time, and they all earned some labor costs. And its production method is also very simple, basically very easy to learn.
After drying, wrap it in gauze. Go to the well and get a basin of cold water. At that time, many families used thermos bottles to draw water from old wells, which was very cold. Pour it into the basin and soak it for a while, so that it is completely soaked, just like washing clothes, rubbing your hands with gauze. Knead mechanically until pectin can no longer be squeezed out, and then you can throw it away. Let the bowl stand for 2-3 hours, and it will condense into delicious jelly.
At that time, many people were greedy, and before the jelly was formed, they would take a spoon and scoop it out of the basin to eat. But when it turns into jelly, I prefer to dig it with a spoon, put a little brown sugar water on it, and even someone puts a few spoonfuls of vinegar on it, so that you can cook jelly with sour and sweet hands.
Although kneading bean jelly by hand is simple and the raw materials are single, it tastes really delicious. At that time, many people would eat a bowl of bean jelly and vinegar first when they came back from working outside. Some people don't put brown sugar and water, but only vinegar, saying that it is clearing away heat and relieving summer heat. Indeed, such jelly is cold and crystal clear, tender and refreshing, full of saliva, and can be cooled from the mouth to the heart after eating. Even if the heat is unbearable, eating a bowl will immediately eliminate calories and make you feel much better.
At that time, under such conditions, a bowl on the market only sold for 50 cents, but it was not enough. And if you do it yourself, you can make a big pot at a time, and the whole family can eat enough, which is very enjoyable.
Now is the ripe season of bean jelly fruit, but now many people don't know bean jelly fruit, many people know but don't know how to do it. What a pity.
In fact, bean jelly fruit can not only be used as bean jelly, but also has high medicinal value. The whole plant can be used as medicine, especially the leaves can be picked all year round, and some people use it to make tea. Moreover, in recent years, some people have discovered the ornamental value of jelly fruit, and it is really beautiful to plant it as a green plant around the courtyard wall and house.
If you are lucky enough to meet this kind of fruit that climbs on a tree and looks like figs and green steamed buns, you should pay attention. It is the best raw material for making hand-rubbed jelly, and it is also your blessing. Remember to pick a few more, not too many. Use about ten at a time. According to my above method, you can make several bowls of delicious and refreshing hand-rubbed jelly, which is cool, moist and smooth, and will definitely bring back your childhood memories.
Dear friends, did you eat jelly when you were young? Because I am a rural person, I basically eat several times a year!