After the salt was refined, the two sisters couldn’t wait to taste it. Although there was still a hint of bitterness, it was significantly less intense. Compared to the coarse salt they bought, Yaya felt that the texture of her own salt was a bit better.
Xiao Yu wasn’t very satisfied, but Yaya was excited beyond words.
"Oh my heavens, sister, you’re really amazing," Yaya exclaimed. "This is so much tastier than what we buy. That store-bought coarse salt contains lots of impurities, but this salt has hardly any. If we filter it through a cloth, it might become even finer."
Compared to Yaya’s excitement, Xiao Yu could be described as composed. She looked at Yaya and chuckled.
"You’re satisfied with this? Actually, we could experiment a few more times. Only repeatedly refined salt won’t have any bitterness. After we finish eating this batch, next time we’ll add more seawater and test the effects."
Yaya readily agreed. With salt, couldn’t they just eat meals directly?
But Xiao Yu stopped her, "Wait, isn’t there some seawater left? Let’s boil our dishes and utensils in it to sterilize them. Grandma’s illness, though we don’t mind it, is contagious after all. It’s better to be cautious. Seawater contains salt, and salt has antibacterial properties."
Yaya understood the reasoning and naturally didn’t think that Xiao Yu was being squeamish. She hurriedly brought the plates, bowls, and utensils over to cook them in the large iron pot.
At that moment, Xiao Yu instructed her, "You should keep this method to yourself. Don’t tell others."
Seeing her puzzled expression, Xiao Yu touched her head, "Silly girl, have you forgotten why salt is so precious? It’s because it’s an indispensable seasoning for daily meals. Without salt, people can’t survive. That’s why the control of salt must be in the hands of the government. Otherwise, society would be in complete chaos. If you tell others how to make salt and everyone starts doing it, tell me, wouldn’t that bring trouble knocking on our door?"
After thinking it over, Yaya realized the sense in Xiao Yu’s words. "Sister, you’re right. I won’t tell anyone."
Xiao Yu looked at her and sighed, "Actually, I think there must be people in the village who know this method. They just dare not spread it. Perhaps you see them bringing seawater home, claiming it’s for cooking, but have you ever really seen them boiling seawater to drink like soup?"
Yaya opened her mouth in surprise, "Sister, I’ve never actually seen anyone drink seawater!" Updates are released by novel✶fire.net
Xiao Yu nodded knowingly, "That’s right. They might be just like us, making salt at home. After all, the working people are very wise. Besides, this method has been passed down from ancient times; it’s not my own invention. Everyone should know it. Living by the sea and close to the water, how could they possibly not know how to extract salt? And to drink seawater? Probably only you, girl, would be so naive to drink it straight as a seasoning."
Embarrassed, Yaya scratched her head, "It’s a good thing you came, sister. And thank goodness you taught me this method. This way, we can save quite a bit of money."
Now that the salt was ready and the bowls were cleaned, they put the pot on the stove to warm the kelp soup. While it heated, they placed a steamer on top to steam a few steamed buns that Xiao Yu had brought over. When serving, they added a bit of their homemade salt, and the delicious kelp soup was ready.
Xiao Yu sipped the soup lightly. The freshness of the kelp and the smoothness of the tofu made the soup particularly tasty. Salty, spicy, and refreshing, she exclaimed, "Delicious!"
Yaya seemed to have not tasted such good tofu soup for a long time. She drank two bowls by herself, along with two steamed buns, which proved how much she liked the kelp soup. After finished eating, she reflected emotionally,
"Sister, it’s been almost a year since I last had kelp. The soup you made is really delicious, it’s like the taste of what my mother used to cook."