The water in the clay pot began to simmer.
Eric added some seasoning powder made from dried onions and garlic and fish bone powder.
Although somewhat simple, having a bowl of hot soup in this cold winter was already a great happiness.
Before long, Eric heard the strong, steady footsteps characteristic of the Ox-Head tribe.
He looked up, and sure enough, the two who had been sent to fetch things had returned carrying large bundles.
He originally thought they would only get a little to experiment with, but he hadn’t expected these two to be so guileless. Both the wheat for grinding flour and the vegetables they brought for him were in giant sacks.
As the two of them lowered the heavy sacks from their shoulders together, a dull "thud" rang out.
The two large sacks lying prone on the ground looked even more overwhelming, the mouths of the burlap bags stuffed full, stacked on top of each other, they were even taller than Eric’s head.
Was this the style of the Ox-Head tribe? Truly worthy of being the most prosperous beastman tribe! Eric was so astonished his mouth hung open.
"I didn’t know which vegetables you liked, so I brought a few of my favorites!"
The Ox-Head tribe man with reddish-brown fur enthusiastically opened the bag’s mouth, sharing his favorites.
It was rare to meet another beastman who also liked to eat vegetables; they were truly very happy.
"This kind is crunchy when eaten raw, with a light sweetness. When cooked in soup or buried in hot coals, it becomes soft and very delicious!"
He pulled out a perfectly round tuber, its skin brownish-yellow, almost as big as a small ball, and handed it to Eric.
Isn’t this a potato! Eric’s eyes widened in shock, his two hands wrapped around the huge potato, tears threatening to spill over from emotion.
"And this green leafy kind is sweet whether in soup or eaten raw, and it’s easy to store. We plant a lot of it every year."
The Ox-Head man pulled out a long, tightly furled, entirely emerald-green vegetable and stuffed it into Eric’s arms.
It was cabbage! A version that was long, lush green, and dense, looking like a cross between the two types of cabbage from his previous world.
It was a vegetable he had eaten from childhood to adulthood, missing it to the point of agony. This thing was excellent whether stir-fried or stewed!
Eric looked from the fresh green cabbage to the huge potato; the happiness came so suddenly it made him a little flustered.
The Ox-Head tribe man was very satisfied with his expression, then continued to reach into the large sack:
"There’s also this, the children in our tribe love it the most."
Eric nervously watched his hand, wondering what other amazing thing there could be.
Several large cobs, as big as an arm, covered in green husks were handed to him, along with a large handful of hard-shelled, ash-gray, oblong-shaped fruits that didn’t look very appealing.
Eric tucked the cabbage and potato under one arm, his eyes almost wanting to glue themselves to the remaining items.
Heavens, corn and peanuts! While he was still racking his brain trying to figure out how to grow soybeans to press for oil, this higher-oil nut was delivered right into his hands.
This... this was just too lucky!
"Wonderful, I love all of these!"
Eric was so happy and excited that he just wanted to rush over and plant a loud kiss on the cheek of the Ox-Head tribe man in front of him.
He had thought it would be a very long time before he could eat vegetables again, never expecting to encounter such a big surprise today!
Max took the vegetables from his hands, not understanding what was so special about them to make him so emotional, but seeing him happy was a good thing.
Facing Eric’s sparkling eyes, the Ox-Head tribe man was extremely proud:
"Of course, these are all the best kinds, chosen by my own hands!"
Ever since taking in the Dwarf tribe, they had helped the Red Grass tribe dig many cellars. Thanks to that, the Ox-Head tribe’s vegetables were better preserved; in winter, they just needed to shut the cellar doors tightly, and they wouldn’t freeze.
Therefore, the things brought for Eric were all still fresh, not a single one damaged by the cold.
Eric saw there were still many potatoes, cabbages, corn, and peanuts in the bag, his heart soaring endlessly.
He peeled the husk off the corn and the shell off the peanut. The peanuts, apart from being larger than normal, were no different, but the corn was quite strange. After peeling off the outer husk, Eric discovered that the corn kernels here were a vibrant green, glistening like jade.
Indeed, each land nurtures different products. Such beautiful corn, it seemed even more fitting for its name.
His mind, sluggish from over-excitement, made Eric frantically search his memory for ways to prepare these vegetables.
First, he cut a few cabbage leaves and dropped them into the meat soup, then added some corn kernels. He had just tasted a kernel; this type of corn was sweet like sweet corn, yet had a distinct aroma, making it perfect for soup.
While he was happily researching the new dish, on the other side, the Ox-Head tribe men were being instructed by the Snow Wolf men on how to use the stone mill.
With just a few turns, they immediately recognized the formidableness of this tool.
Bỉ used his fingers to feel the fine powder that had just been ground, which still had pieces of bran mixed in. He watched the Snow Wolf man skillfully sift the flour again through a loosely woven cloth.
The wheat flour, after having the bran filtered out, became much whiter and finer, perfectly even compared to the flour they used to pound with stone pestles. Although the strength of the Ox-Head tribe could pound the flour very finely, because the force was uneven, the finished product always had large and small grains.
This tool was indeed much more useful. Bỉ looked towards Eric with eyes full of admiration. This kid was just as Thomas and Joseph had described, to be able to think of such a tool.
Eric on the other side was completely oblivious to everyone’s gazes, happily humming some tune, sitting cross-legged on the ground shelling the hard-shelled peanuts.
"No wonder you said he’s smart. I haven’t even said anything, and he already knows to peel the shell to eat. The children in our tribe also really like these little earth beans; they’re delicious boiled too."
The Ox-Head tribe man with reddish-brown fur said.
The people of the Hadu tribe also deeply acknowledged Eric’s talent for culinary exploration, everyone nodding in agreement.
After all the baked pastries were out of the oven, Eric poured the shelled "earth beans" into a shallow clay pot to roast.
The first time making this, he had to watch over it himself to prevent others from over-roasting it, ruining the precious treat that was so hard to come by.
The beans, with their dark brown papery skin, quickly released their characteristic rich, nutty aroma.
When the beans were nearly cooked, Eric sprinkled in a little coarse salt, stirred evenly, and then scooped them out.
Roasted peanuts would be even crispier and more fragrant after cooling. The Ox-Head tribe was astonished at his method:
"Little earth beans can be made this way too?"
Everyone present was given a handful. The crispy, fragrant, and nutty taste in their mouths immediately conquered them.
Bỉ absentmindedly chewed the roasted peanuts, then turned to say to Thomas and Joseph:
"Now I understand why you let this kid be the chief..."
The other two Ox-Head men also nodded their heads furiously, clearly showing their agreement.
How could someone, upon seeing their "little earth beans" for the first time, think of such a delicious way to eat them!
Their Ox-Head tribe had been growing this thing for hundreds of years and had never eaten it this way!
The important thing was, this was the most delicious way they had ever tasted.
At this moment, they even felt that they had wasted countless "little earth beans" over the years; eating them raw or boiled was a sign of disrespect towards them!