Harvesting rice in my hometown - Photo: NGUYEN PHONG CHAU
"This season, the countryside is preparing to harvest the winter-spring rice crop. I remember when my father carried the bags of rice to the yard to dry, the aroma of ripe rice and straw is an unforgettable memory," she said. Then she showed me a picture of a golden rice field, with mountains in the distance.
"My hometown is in the mountains. It's only been over ten years since we had irrigation canals leading to the fields. Before, farmers only looked to the sky and the land to do their farming..."
Perhaps that is why I love simple country dishes and appreciate every fragrant grain of rice on the pot. Every time we eat together, I still use the broth to rinse every grain of rice left in the communal bowl.
"In the past, when my grandmother was still alive, she often told me not to throw away any grain of rice because it was a "pearl from heaven". My grandmother lived through war and rationing, many hardships, many times of hunger and lack of clothes, so she treasured every grain of rice and every bite of rice.
Listening to you talk makes me feel sorry. I feel even more sorry for your craving for your mother's cooking. "For me, home-cooked meals are never boring." I also like home-cooked meals like you. Maybe that's why I have feelings. And then love!
I remember the last time I visited my hometown, my mother cooked simple dishes for guests. The Central region's seasoning is a bit salty, perhaps because of saving food?
She didn't explain, but agreed. I said I liked my mother's braised young jackfruit, she said it was a dish that many people liked. Peel the young jackfruit, cut it into large pieces, put it on the stove, add a little cooking oil, season to taste, then add water to braise, simmer until it's dry. The spices seep into every piece of jackfruit, the fatty, fragrant, salty, sweet flavors blend together very well with rice.
Homegrown morning glory cooked with fried shrimp makes an irresistible soup. In the lazy afternoon, after the first summer thunderstorm, everyone gathered together.
The sound of chopsticks lightly clattering in the bowl, then my mother reminded: "Eat your fill, next time your uncle goes to Saigon, invite him to go eat there". The whole family laughed happily. "You say that, but it's not easy for you to go there", said your sister-in-law.
Heritage from… home-cooked mealsSource
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