Chapter 543: On the 108 Ways to Eat Soybeans

The leather pouches filled with seeds were opened one by one, revealing all sorts of strange and exotic seeds in front of Han Cheng.

Feeling deeply aware of his ignorance, Han Cheng searched through the pile of mostly unfamiliar seeds, trying to find a few that matched the grains he remembered.

The result was disappointing.

His luck seemed to have run out after that initial discovery; he hadn’t come across anything like "a mouse dragging a shovel with a big head behind it."

With eyes starting to strain, Han Cheng again sifted through the colorful seeds but ultimately gave up.

He initially thought the discovery of soybeans turned out to be just the beginning; he now realized that this moment was already the peak of his findings.

However, glancing at the soybeans resting separately in the bamboo sieve, Han Cheng’s frustration dissipated immediately.

Finding at least some soybeans made the trade expedition of the Green Sparrow tribe worthwhile.

Moreover, aside from the soybeans, the trading team also discovered limestone.

Sometimes in life, one must learn to be content, as this helps to truly appreciate the joy of harvesting.

Otherwise, if one constantly looks up, they will always see a sea of backsides—surely, that would be quite disheartening!

Occasionally lowering one’s gaze to see the many heads below isn’t so bad; it can help recognize personal progress.

Yes, that’s right. Except for the very few standing atop the pyramid, everyone else is forever faced with the sight of backsides when looking up and heads when looking down. The awkward situation of feeling inadequate compared to those above yet superior to those below will almost accompany a person for life.

In such circumstances, learning to self-regulate is quite important.

Among the many varieties of beans, Han Cheng’s favorite was soybeans.

In his eyes, soybeans' value far exceeded that of all other beans combined, including mung beans, red beans, black beans, green peas, cowpeas, snow peas, and string beans.

Compared to other beans, soybeans undoubtedly have higher utility and nutritional value.

Not to mention high-tech uses like making fibers for textiles, just the variety of ways to consume soybeans is unmatched by other legumes.

Cooked directly in water, they can be made into bean soup or bean rice.

Of course, this requires a sound digestive system and the courage of a jet fighter.

Cooked beans can be fermented to make soy sauce.

Soybeans can also be sprouted into bean sprouts and used for oil extraction.

Burning bean stalks under a pot while stir-frying soy bean sprouts in hot bean oil above is even more exciting than Cao Zhi's "boiling beans in their pods."

After all, those were just two brothers; now there are three.

If the soybeans are ground up, the consumption methods multiply even further.

After filtering the ground beans, cooking them results in soy milk.

If some brine or gypsum is added and stirred slightly, it turns into tofu pudding.

With a few more stirrings, it becomes tofu.

Unlike the single ways of eating sweet, savory, or plain tofu pudding, tofu can be consumed in many different styles.

Mapo tofu, fish head tofu, scallion tofu, Changsha stinky tofu...

Just thinking about it brings countless recipes to mind.

The culinary possibilities expand even further if one also considers products like dried tofu, meat substitutes, and tofu skins.

When it comes to the countless delicious dishes, no country or ethnicity in later generations can rival Han Cheng's homeland.

“Slurp~”

As expected from someone hailing from the empire of food lovers, a fleeting thought caused drool to escape his mouth uncontrollably.

Han Cheng, lacking the composure of a divine child, slurped his saliva, but the high-ranking members of the Green Sparrow tribe surrounding him felt no sense of impropriety whatsoever.

It wasn’t that they were used to seeing the divine child drooling; they had long been desensitized to such sights.

Even the wisest and most experienced Shaman had a glistening line of drool trickling down to the floor.

If he was in such a state, the others were even worse.

The second brother, known for his love of food, had already made a palm-sized puddle of drool on the ground before him.

They had only discussed a single soybean dish, and it hadn’t even been fully explained before this. Han Cheng felt that if he continued to elaborate on the exquisite foods of the later generations, this room might just flood.

He paused, squatting there to savor the multitude of delicious foods from the later generations. The Shaman and others also squatted, drooling and appearing dazed.

The room fell silent for a moment.

After a while, a few of them gradually returned to their senses from the culinary world Han Cheng had painted, wiping their drool as they stared with gleaming eyes at the unassuming soybeans in the bamboo sieve.

It was as if what lay before them wasn’t mere soybeans but the divine child’s depiction of unheard-of delicacies.

Shang and Mao were the most delighted; they hadn’t expected that their outing would yield such treasures for the tribe!

Mao had the best memory, recalling the soybeans' origin and the scene during the exchange.

He remembered how the tribe leader wanted to give them even more soybeans, but they had refused. Without Han Cheng needing to say anything, Mao slapped himself twice.

Had he known these soybeans, which didn’t taste particularly good raw, were such precious and delicious food, he would have definitely not turned them down.

After giving himself a couple of good slaps, Mao immediately stood up, his expression a mix of regret and excitement as he pleaded with Han Cheng. He was eager to lead a group to that tribe and exchange all their soybeans.

Shang realized what was happening as soon as he spoke and stood up, pounding his chest to indicate he wanted in, too.

It was fine for Shang and Mao to have such thoughts; after all, they were part of the trading team, specifically tasked with this.

But what was up with the others—Eldest Senior Brother, Second Senior Brother, and Third Senior Brother? They all seemed like they’d been injected with enthusiasm, joining in the excitement.

It was one thing for them to shout about wanting to exchange for all the soybeans from that tribe, but Shaman, you’re an elder! How can you lose all sense of decorum and join in the frenzy?

For food lovers, the allure of delicious dishes truly knows no bounds.

Watching this group of excited individuals, Han Cheng couldn’t help but feel a surge of emotions. It wasn’t until he kicked each of them lightly in the behind that they finally quieted down.

Of course, excluding Shaman. He was an important figure, and Han Cheng didn’t dare kick him, nor could he have managed it.

If Shaman chose to lie on the ground, he probably wouldn’t get up without several meals.

With Shang and Mao, who had become much thinner from their travels, rushing back to sleep, and leaving Eldest Senior Brother and the others to attend to their matters, Han Cheng remained alone with the soybeans, grinning like a rogue...

Source: Webnovel.com, updated by Aunomay