Chapter 074
Chapter 74: Brown Sugar Mochi
The next day, Chen Shi burst into Xiao Man’s courtyard like a lit firecracker and shouted: “Miss Xiao Man! The Eldest Grandson Young Master says you’re going to make Brown Sugar Mochi. He sent me to ask what ingredients you need so I can go gather them!”
His voice was so loud that the Old Granny sweeping the yard craned her neck to look. Xiao Man had been staring off under the eaves; his shout pulled her back to herself. [So this Buddha’s Chosen might actually be a secret foodie? I only mentioned it in passing the other day, and he remembered. Fine, I can use this chance to get closer to the Old Madam.] She stood, brushed the dust from her clothes, and kept her face calm as she said: “Then I’ll trouble you, Big Brother Shi Tou.”
She listed the ingredients, speaking clearly: “I need top grade glutinous rice, the stickier the better. Also brown sugar, black sesame, peanuts, one jar of lard, and one jar of honey.” After a pause, she added: “If there’s fresh milk, that would be even better.”
Chen Shi scratched his head and grinned as he said: “No problem! All common things. I’ll get them right now!”
The supplies arrived fast and piled up over half the little kitchen. Xiao Man’s small kitchen had everything she needed, even a tiny stone mill that would come in handy. She rolled up her sleeves, washed the snowy glutinous rice clean, and soaked it in clear water for a full night.
At first light the next morning, she got up, scooped out the swollen rice, drained it well, and poured it into the big wooden steamer the household used. She set it over the stove and steamed it hard over a fierce flame. Steam swirled up, and soon a sweet rice scent filled the whole kitchen. When the rice was done, the grains looked clear and glossy.
While the heat still burned her fingers, she dumped all the sticky rice into a large stone mortar.
Thump. Thump. Thump.
She swung the heavy wooden mallet again and again, pounding with all her strength. This took muscle and skill. Each strike had to crush the grains completely without losing that chewy bite. Sweat beaded on her forehead, and the steam turned her cheeks pink. The thick rice mass was beaten over and over until it became fine and stretchy, shining with an inviting gloss.
On the side, she crushed the brown sugar and mixed it with toasted soybean flour and chopped sesame so the filling would thicken and not leak out during frying. When all was ready, she washed her hands, pinched off a warm lump of the rice dough, rolled it in her palms, and shaped it like a tiny bowl. She spooned in a bit of the sweet filling, pinched it closed, then pressed it gently into a smooth little cake.
Because she had no modern, extra-fine rice flour, these hand-pounded mochi had a natural, slightly rough feel, but the pure rice aroma was something nothing else could replace.
She greased a clay griddle with a thin layer of golden lard. When it sizzled, she set the mochi on it one by one. She used a gentle flame to pan-fry them. The even heat from the charcoal came up through the clay, toasting the surface to a light brown while the brown sugar inside melted into syrup.
For two full days, Xiao Man was almost glued to the kitchen. She made two kinds. One came straight from the steamer, plump and white, then rolled in soybean flour so it tasted soft, chewy, and sweet. The other was pan-fried in lard, crisp and fragrant on the outside, stretchy and tender inside; one bite was both rich and sweet.
Looking at the neatly arranged mochi on the plates, she thought of the Old Madam, who also loved sweets. She called Chen Shi over and chose the biggest, prettiest plate as she said: “Big Brother Chen Shi, please take this to the Old Madam and say it’s a small token from me, a humble servant.”
Chen Shi stared at the golden mochi until his mouth watered and nodded again and again as he said: “Got it! I’ll make sure it gets there!”
When he reached the Old Madam’s courtyard, the Third Miss happened to be there. She sniffed the air and asked eagerly: “Grandmother, what is that? It smells so good!” Still a child, she froze in place the moment she saw good food, her bright eyes fixed on the plate.
The maid Dong Chun took the plate with a smile and said: “Third Miss, these are from Miss Xiao Man of the Auspicious Cloud Residence for the Old Madam. They’re called Brown Sugar Mochi.” The Third Miss grabbed one right away and, not caring that it was hot, popped it into her mouth. Cheeks stuffed like a little hamster, she mumbled with delight: “Mmm! So good! Crispy and soft, and so sweet!”
She finished one in a few bites, then reached for a second, and a third. Dong Chun waved her hands in alarm as she said: “Oh my Little Ancestor, you can’t eat any more! This is made from glutinous rice. If you eat too much, you’ll get indigestion and your belly will hurt tonight!” Even as she scolded, she felt a pang of pity. Xiao Man’s skill with sweets was truly excellent. These mochi were golden and fragrant. At this rate, she might not even get a taste.
The Old Madam, amused by her granddaughter’s greedy little face, picked up one herself and took a slow bite with tea at hand. The crisp edge gave way to a center so soft it almost melted; warm brown sugar syrup flowed out, sweet but not cloying, filled with a strong rice aroma. She nodded in satisfaction and said: “Mm. The girl was thoughtful.”
That night, just as Lin Qing Xuan returned from the scripture room, Chen Shi came in behind him with a plate of pastries, talking non-stop as he set the food box down and opened it like a treasure as he said: “Young Master, you should have seen it! Miss Xiao Man’s mochi were amazing, better than anything under heaven. I ate three in one go! My dad ate two! My mom ate two!” Then he pushed the plate toward Lin Qing Xuan and added: “Don’t worry, these are for you. Miss Xiao Man told me you’re vegetarian, so these two were made just for you, with no milk and no lard. She also said they should still taste good, just maybe not as fragrant as the ones with lard.”
He kept saying “Xiao Man this, Xiao Man that,” without noticing how his Master’s face grew darker. At last Lin Qing Xuan lifted his eyes, calm and cool, and said: “Leave the pastries and go.”
Though his tone was even, it left no room to argue. Chen Shi’s words stuck in his throat. He hunched his neck, set the plate down, bowed, and backed out.
Silence returned to the study. Lin Qing Xuan stared at the two slightly plain-looking mochi for a long time. In the end he reached out with long fingers, picked one up, and put it in his mouth. It had no lard aroma, but it held a clean kind of sweetness. When he bit through the skin, warm black sesame filling rushed across his tongue, touched with honey’s special sweetness. It was very sweet, so sweet his chest tightened. That sweetness made him think of Xiao Man’s lips.
“Meow.” A sleek black cat had jumped onto the desk without his noticing and was watching him with bright green eyes. Its voice sounded straight in his mind as it asked: “Thinking about her again?”
The cat’s thoughts flowed on: “She’s in the courtyard next door. If you don’t act, she’ll really run. I’m telling you, that soul of hers from another world matches the Buddha Bone Relic in your body. You two can sense each other. Other women you cannot even touch. If you let her go, who will hold down your demonic nature? Think about it.”
Lin Qing Xuan did not answer. He only chewed the mochi quietly, while sweetness and bitterness mixed on his tongue. The black cat flicked its tail, gave him one last look, and slipped soundlessly back into the night.