Chapter 016 Rice Vinegar and Tofu

Tofu made from Physalis has a stronger tofu flavor and a long-lasting taste compared to tofu made from brine. It also avoids the potential burden that sodium chloride might impose on the body. Therefore, it is a kind of tofu that never bores even after eating a lot of it.

This is precisely why the tofu initially made by Mrs. Wen tasted so good and therefore did good business.

But now, they neither had fermented Physalis available or brine.

Zhuang Qingsui was clearly aware of this, her brows furrowed: "Sister, does this mean we can't make tofu...?"

As she spoke, a hint of a sob choked her voice.

From grinding the beans last night until now, when the moon had already set, the two had worked for almost an entire night. They have finished boiling the soy milk, after adding the tofu pudding it would be the final step to mold the tofu, but unfortunately, they lacked the starter...

In other words, all their efforts might have gone to waste. They couldn't rent the tofu shop and if they wanted to earn money, they would have to find another way.

All of their plans and hard work were in vain...

It was really disappointing to have wasted all this time and effort, and all the hope that had filled them suddenly vanished. This sense of loss was indescribable.

No wonder Zhuang Qingsui suddenly felt like an eggplant beaten by frost.

"Don't worry, I have a solution." Zhuang Qingning ruffled Zhuang Qingsui's hair, smiling.

"Sister has a solution?" Zhuang Qingsui sniffed, glancing at her with disbelief, with her voice choked up: "The old saying is true, 'a crafty cook cannot make something out of nothing.' We don't have Physalis or brine, how would you make tofu...?"

Despite how much Zhuang Qingsui trusted her sister Zhuang Qingning, she also felt that there was no solution at this moment.

"We may not have Physalis and brine, but we have this."

Zhuang Qingning brought over a big bowl with a smile.

"What is this...?"

Zhuang Qingsui looked at the transparent liquid in the bowl, after squinting at it for quite a while, she sniffed it and was incredibly surprised: "Is this rice vinegar?"

"Yes, it's rice vinegar." Zhuang Qingning nodded.

"Sister, do you plan to make tofu with rice vinegar?"

Zhuang Qingsui raised her voice in surprise: "But... I've never heard of making tofu with rice vinegar before, will it work?"

"Whether it works or not, let's try it out first." Zhuang Qingning smiled: "Anyway, we have no better options right now."

"That's true..." Zhuang Qingsui nodded somewhat dazedly: "Let's try, then."

Success or failure, at least they will get a result, which is better than just sitting around doing nothing.

Zhuang Qingning diluted the rice vinegar with water in a nearby bowl. While Zhuang Qingsui was not paying attention, she added a drop of the basic tofu-making secret formula into it, then slowly stirred the diluted rice vinegar in a circular motion into the cool soy milk in the tank.

"That's it." Zhuang Qingning put away the bowl and washbasin that had been used to hold the vinegar.

Meanwhile, Zhuang Qingsui's eyes never left the tank, praying in her heart that this method would work.

The soy milk that had the rice vinegar added was still not entirely calm due to the stirring, and it was creating ripples. As the ripples gradually settled, the originally pure white soy milk began to change.

Transparent and green-yellow liquid gradually emerged, and floc-like substances gradually solidified together, slowly sinking to the bottom.

"Sister, the rice vinegar really works to thicken the tofu!" Zhuang Qingsui exclaimed, hugging Zhuang Qingning who was beside her, pointing excitedly at the tank: "Look, tofu pudding, there's so much tofu pudding."

"See, my solution works right?" Zhuang Qingning raised her eyebrows high.

This method of making tofu with rice vinegar, she only knew about it but hadn't had to use it in her previous life as she always had enough materials when making tofu. Therefore, before making this tofu pudding, Zhuang Qingning's firmness was just to comfort Zhuang Qingsui; she was not completely sure of success.

Having a good result on the first try, Zhuang Qingning let out a long sigh of relief.

"Sister is really amazing!"

It was wrong not to believe in her sister and to doubt her earlier.

Everything her sister says she can do, she can do!

Zhuang Qingsui's mouth curved into a wide smile.

"Come help me start the fire. We need to stoke the stove so that the tofu pudding turns out even better," Zhuang Qingning, after inspecting the tofu pudding in the pot, smiled.

"Alright." Zhuang Qingsui happily went to start the fire.

The stove was relit, and the big pot gradually began to steam, and more and more tofu pudding solidified inside it, getting bigger and bigger.

Once the tofu pudding had almost solidified, Zhuang Qingning moved over the equipment used to mold the tofu, laid out a fine cloth that could drain the soy milk but prevent the tofu pudding from leaking out, and ladled in the tofu pudding.

The tofu pudding was all packed into the mold, the fine cloth was tied up, and the pressing board was put in place, followed by the placement of the heavy objects used for pressing.

The soy milk flowed out like a small stream. Zhuang Qingning collected several buckets and put them into a nearby cleaned tank for fermenting into Physalis for next time, and the rest was allowed to flow out along the water gutter paved with bluestone in the tofu shop.

In winter, some people would come to the entrance of the tofu shop to wash their clothes with the warm soy milk because they disliked the cold well water. Now that the weather was warm, no one came for the soy milk, which flowed along the water gutter and into the wild grass at the entrance of the village.

Slowly, no more soy milk was seeping out of the mold, indicating that the tofu was almost pressed well.

The sisters removed the heavy objects used to press the tofu, lifted the fine cloth, and the soft and tender tofu appeared before their eyes.

[Ding, congratulations to the host for triggering the Tofu Making Task, successfully making their first piece of tofu, reward: two bottles of Basic Tofu Making Secret Recipe, Tofu Making Proficiency +1. Once the accumulated proficiency reaches 166, you can upgrade to the Intermediate Tofu Making Recipe and unlock the Intermediate Tofu Making Secret Recipe.]

Excellent, excellent, free upgrade, and there are rewards.

Xiaowu, this system is not bad, the tasks given are easy and can be completed conveniently.

[Xiaowu is a premium system!] (Proud face)

The premium system should maintain its status, keep up the good work.

Zhuang Qingning had a big smile on her face.

Praises can be used as food, and it's no exception for the system.

"It smells so good." Zhuang Qingsui took a deep breath of the hot steam rising from the tofu and smacked her lips.

"One night's work must have made you hungry." Zhuang Qingning smiled, wielded the long and thin tofu knife nearby and skillfully sliced off a piece of tofu. She gently picked it up in her hand and cut it into one-inch square pieces in her hand and placed it in a bowl.