The smoke curls, and the first fragrance of the morning in the countryside is the fragrance of firewood and rice. Looking at the churning rice grains in the pot, it seems that you can hear the story of the years. Chai He rice is not only a bowl of rice, but also a piece of history and an emotion.
Chai He rice, as the name suggests, is rice cooked with Chai He as fuel. It is not as white and flawless as the rice cooked in a rice cooker, with a natural roughness and simplicity. The iron pot on the stove has been polished by the years, and every time the lid is lifted, it is as if opening a story about the countryside.
Chai He's choice is also quite particular. Dead branches, fallen leaves, and straw can all be turned into firewood. And the best firewood is none other than those old wood that has been exposed to the wind and sun for a monsoon. They burn slowly and steadily in the fire, like the rhythm of village life, unhurried and leisurely.
The process of cooking rice is more like a ritual. First, split the firewood into small pieces and stack them neatly next to the stove. Then a match is lit, a handful of straw is lit, and the flame dances in the hearth. When the heat is just right, pour the washed rice into the pot, add an appropriate amount of water, then cover the pot and let the tongue of fire lick at the bottom of the pot.
The key to cooking firewood rice is to master the heat. If the fire is too big, the rice will be scorched, and if the fire is too small, the rice will be sandwiched. Therefore, the cooker should always keep an eye on the fire in the stove and adjust the position of the firewood with tongs from time to time to ensure that the fire is even.
As time passes, the aroma of the rice in the pot becomes more and more intense. It is a mixture of the burnt aroma of firewood and the sweet aroma of rice, which is different from the gas rice in the city, with a kind of simplicity and purity from nature.
When the rice is cooked, the lid of the pot is lifted, and a hot breath comes to the face, accompanied by the fragrant aroma of rice. At that moment, it was as if the whole world was filled with this fragrance. And the grains of sparkling rice also seem to tell the story from the field to the table.
Eating firewood rice is a kind of enjoyment and a memory. It reminds me of the carefree days of my childhood, of the countryside at sunset, of my busy mother at the stove. Every bite of food seems to carry the temperature and taste of that time, which makes people nostalgic.
Chai rice is the taste of home and the carrier of nostalgia. Chai He rice is a poem of life and a song of time. Every grain of rice carries the hard work and love of the fathers, and every wisp of smoke is filled with the warmth and sweetness of home. Chai He rice is also a witness of time. It has witnessed the changes of the countryside and our growth.
Nowadays, with the advancement of science and technology, modern kitchenware such as rice cookers and induction cookers have gradually entered the countryside, but the status of firewood rice is still irreplaceable. It is not only a food, but also a cultural inheritance and emotional sustenance.
In the days to come, perhaps firewood rice will gradually fade out of our daily life, but the simplicity and beauty it carries will always remain in the depths of our memories and become the eternal scenery in our hearts. It also allowed us to find a longing and attachment to our hometown in the long years. Chai He rice will always burn in my heart with that love and yearning for life.
▼ Source: Vitality Jungger Author: Yang Fang Editor: Li You, Liu Jinglu
Proofreading: Li You Review: Yang Yang