Chapter 393: Even Stewed Chicken Can Be So Extraordinary!
Translator: Atlas Studios Editor: Atlas Studios
Auntie Yang had never seen such a strange mushroom. Driven by curiosity, she reached out to touch it. The eldest daughter-in-law beside her immediately stopped her. “Mother, don’t touch it. Beware of some poisonous mushrooms.”
Many of the food in the forest was poisonous. Some of them would feel extremely itchy when they touched it. Although the mushroom looked harmless, it was better to be careful.
Auntie Yang nodded and carefully put on her gloves. She carefully wrapped them in a large leaf and prepared to go back and ask Doctor Gu if this thing could be eaten.
The primitive forest was extremely rich in resources. Mushrooms were discovered one after another. Not long after, Auntie Yang’s basket was filled with a lot of them.
Apart from mushrooms, Auntie Yang also picked a type of wild fruit. They had seen locals selling it at the market, so they picked a lot.
On the way back, Auntie Yang happened to find a good-colored Lingzhi. She had also picked a lot of herbs, and the entire basket was already filled.
Everyone had a fruitful harvest and returned to the camp happily.
Auntie Yang wanted to give the herbs to Gu Zhongxun, but Gu Zhongxun insisted on giving Auntie Yang money.
Auntie Yang could only send some wild fruits to Gu Zhongxun and take out the mushrooms for Gu Zhongxun to appraise.
“This is a type of mushroom I picked in the forest. Doctor Gu, can you help me see if it’s edible?”
The snow-white mushroom looked like a monkey. This was the first time Gu Zhongxun had seen it. He split open the mushroom and looked at it. He sniffed it and inserted a silver needle.
The silver needle test did not show any form of poison. It was still unknown if it was suitable for everyone to eat. Gu Zhongxun said, “This mushroom is not poisonous. Auntie, you can eat a small amount first. If you feel uncomfortable, don’t eat it.”
Auntie Yang was relieved to hear Gu Zhongxun’s words.
She picked some good wild fruits for Bai Wutong.
Bai Wutong had been poisoned previously, so she had to be careful so that the child would not be born weak. She had to look for Gu Zhongxun regularly to take her pulse.
As soon as Auntie Yang left the tent, she happened to meet Bai Wutong.
Auntie Yang happily took out the fruit and said to Bai Wutong, “Great Empress, this is a fruit I just picked from the forest. I’ve tried it and it’s very delicious. The locals call it a white dumpling. I wonder if it suits your taste.”
Cui Lingyi was also following beside Bai Wutong. When she saw the fruit in Auntie Yang’s hand, she couldn’t help but feel a little strange. It was clearly black and red. How could it be called a white dumpling?
However, Bai Wutong recognized at a glance that Auntie Yang was holding a common tropical fruit, mangosteen.
The flesh inside the mangosteen was fair and tender, very similar to a cat’s claws. It had the effects of relieving heat, stopping cough, vomiting, regulating one’s weak body, improving one’s skin, and other effects. In modern times, it was also an extremely popular fruit.
Bai Wutong took it personally. “Thank you, Auntie Yang. Sorry to trouble you.” She quite liked the sour and sweet taste of the mangosteen, especially when she was pregnant. She liked to eat something appetizing.
Bai Wutong had become the Great Empress and was still so approachable. Auntie Yang hurriedly placed the basket on the ground and wanted to give Bai Wutong fresh mushrooms.
She did not dare to let Bai Wutong try the mushrooms that looked like monkeys, so she put them aside and took out a mushroom that the locals liked. “Great Empress, this mushroom is especially delicious. Take these back and try them.”
The mushroom she gave was like a fat umbrella. The cap was light brown, and the stalk was white. Because it was especially fresh, one could even see the fibrous fluff on it.
When Bai Wutong was struggling to survive in the apocalypse, because of the lack of food, she had taken the risk to enter the mountains to find food and discovered this mushroom.
This mushroom was called pine mushroom. It was a rare and expensive edible fungus that grew under banyan trees and other trees. It was also a natural medicinal fungus and had a unique rich fragrance. It had a different texture and had the effect of nourishing and promoting stomach absorption. In the modern world, it had once sold for a high price of a few hundred yuan a catty.
Bai Wutong looked at Auntie Yang’s basket. It weighed about 500 grams. It seemed that the forest conditions here were very suitable for the growth of pine mushrooms. The yield was actually so high.
Bai Wutong smiled and said, “What’s the name of this mushroom? It looks delicious.”
Auntie Yang immediately said, “The locals call it pine mushroom because it can often be found under pine trees.”
Bai Wutong nodded. “I just want some. I won’t be able to finish too much.”
Auntie Yang thought for a moment and said, “These mushrooms are really delicious. I’ll make dried mushrooms when I get back and send them to the Great Empress so that you can still eat them in winter.”
Bai Wutong remembered that the pine mushroom growing season could last from June to December. She smiled and said, “Auntie, keep it for yourself and let the children eat more.”
Auntie Yang listened to Bai Wutong and only filled a basket with pine mushrooms.
When Auntie Yang was packing the mushrooms, Bai Wutong saw the monkey head mushroom on the ground and deliberately asked, “What mushroom is this?”
In ancient China, the Monkey Head Mushroom was a very expensive dish. Its body was in a lumpy shape, and the meat would be white only if it was fresh. When it was dry, it would turn brown, and had the shape of a monkey, so it was called the Monkey Head Mushroom.
The meat of the monkey head mushroom was fresh and tender, mellow and delicious. It was known as a “vegetarian meat” and had the effect of lowering cholesterol and resisting aging.
The medicinal value of the Monkey Head Mushroom was as high as the pine mushroom. There were even nutritional biscuits made from the Monkey Head Mushroom that had once become popular on the Internet.
During the new year, at least nine out of ten people would give out Monkey Head Mushroom biscuits.
When Bai Wutong was still a child, she really ate a lot.
Thinking about it, she missed it.
Auntie Yang smiled and said, “I don’t know what mushroom it is either. I asked Doctor Gu and he said that it can be eaten. Why don’t the Great Empress give it a name?”
Bai Wutong said, “It looks like a little monkey. Let’s call it Monkey Head Mushroom.”
Auntie Yang immediately said, “This name is good. It’s easy to remember because of its look. As expected of the Great Empress.”
Auntie Yang had only discovered a few clumps of monkey head mushrooms and was afraid that there would be a problem if Bai Wutong ate them, so she said, “I’ll take them back to test the poison first. If it’s fine and tastes good, I’ll order a pot of chicken soup for the Great Empress and send it over.”
Bai Wutong smiled. “Thank you, Auntie.” She really wanted to try Auntie Yang’s cooking.
After hearing Bai Wutong’s words, Auntie Yang immediately went home to cook the monkey head mushrooms and pine mushrooms.
There were many ways to cook pine mushrooms and monkey head mushrooms. Auntie Yang used pine mushrooms and garlic sprouts to stir-fry the pork belly, then stewed a pot full of monkey head mushrooms and mountain hens.
An alluring and delicious fragrance spread from the kitchen. Little Peach jumped in and asked enviously, “Grandma, what are you making? It smells so good!”
Auntie Yang smiled and said, “Grandma is making something delicious. Little Peach, help Grandma set up the bowls and chopsticks, okay? When your parents and the others come back, we can eat.”
Little Peach immediately nodded and said, “Okay!” Then she went to prepare.
The moment Auntie Yang lifted the lid of the chicken soup pot, the fragrance increased by dozens of times.
Auntie Yang tasted the monkey head mushroom yam chicken soup and immediately felt a strong sense of pride.
As expected of her, even a chicken stew could be so extraordinary!