Yinqyueh seemed to understand Shinnshiow's point. She must have also realized that the long-sleeved shirt she was wearing was also to protect her hands from the explosion of water vapor or oil ejected from the wok. Yinqyueh then added a little butter to the wok. After the pan was already hot enough, Yinqyueh immediately put the frozen spices into the pan. Exactly as Shinnshiow said. There were big explosions. Luckily, Yinqyueh was ready.
"What kind of food restrictions do you have?" Shinnshiow suddenly asked that question. He just remembered that he should have asked that long before they started cooking.
"Hah?"
"Are there certain foods you shouldn't eat?" Shinnshiow corrected the words in his sentence. He realized, for some people, such a thing was something sensitive.
Yinqyueh frowned upon hearing Shinnshiow's unexpected question. But in an instant, she nodded. She seemed to understand what Shinnshiow meant. In contrast to the people in the city where they are currently located, who tend to be very liberal when it comes to food, most of the people in Yeuandong enforce restrictions on certain types of food.
"I think the food I am allowed to eat is the same as people in Yeuandong usually eat. Of course, there are certain types of food that I am not allowed to eat. Some of those types of food are foods that people in Yeuandong usually avoid. So, the food that I may or may not eat is the same as what uncles and brothers here may or may not eat."
"Not necessarily," Shinnshiow said seriously. He realized that for some people, such rules are essential. It could not be contested. "Our taboos here are not the same. For example, Dahge and Shyongge are exactly the same in terms of what they can and can't eat. But Yihge, Renge, and I differ from the two of them. Even the three of us differ from each other. So sometimes the food thing is a bit tricky for us here."
What Shinnshiow had just said was actually not unusual either. The Yeuandong region was indeed famous for its diversity of cultures and customs. So it was not a unique thing if there was such a difference between close friends. Even within a family, there were sometimes such differences.
"I didn't expect that the uncles and brothers here still hold so strongly to the traditions and culture of our place of origin." Yinqyueh chuckled.
"Actually, we are not people who are very obedient to such rules. But you know, in our hometown, things like this went into the bones. From birth, we are used to situations like that. So even though we are now far from our hometown, we have continued to stick with this habit. It's very difficult to let go. And yes, we really don't want to let go of those things."
This is a highly complex matter. There's no way I can explain in just an hour or two.
Yinqyueh nodded. "Things like that are not simple things. It all comes down to each person's personal choice. We must respect everyone's rights."
"Right!" Shinnshiow smiled. "Then what about you?"
"Yeah, I still hold on to such things, too. Although I have to admit, sometimes I have to break some rules. I live in a strange way. Move from one place to another. From one family to another. So sometimes I run into situations where I have little choice."
"So, what kind of food are you not allowed to eat?" Shinnshiow was still asking about it. "You haven't answered clearly before."
"I think I'm the same as Uncle Shannchyuan and Uncle Yihshyong," Yinqyueh said firmly.
Shinnshiow guessed Shannchyuan must have told Yinqyueh about his family background. Maybe the background and culture of the Yinqyueh family were similar to that of the Shannchyuan family. Shinnshiow felt he had asked enough. He didn't want to make Yinqyueh feel uncomfortable. So he went back to talking about what they were doing.
"I see. Then how about this time we cook young lamb fried rice with a side dish of turkey eggs and a sauce made from boiled green mussels?" Shinnshiow chirped.
Yinqyueh was wide-eyed at Shinnshiow's proposal. Amazingly, her face looked so funny. She seemed delighted to hear that.
"Lamb fried rice is Uncle Shannchyuan's favorite. So it's only natural that there is a stock of lamb in this house. But turkey eggs and green mussel sauce are costly. Aren't the uncles and brothers here trying to be frugal?"
Yinqyueh seemed to understand Shinnshiow's point. She must have also realized that the long-sleeved shirt she was wearing was also to protect her hands from the explosion of water vapor or oil ejected from the wok. Yinqyueh then added a little butter to the wok. After the pan was already hot enough, Yinqyueh immediately put the frozen spices into the pan. Exactly as Shinnshiow said. There were big explosions. Luckily, Yinqyueh was ready.
"What kind of food restrictions do you have?" Shinnshiow suddenly asked that question. He just remembered that he should have asked that long before they started cooking.
"Hah?"
"Are there certain foods you shouldn't eat?" Shinnshiow corrected the words in his sentence. He realized, for some people, such a thing was something sensitive.
Yinqyueh frowned upon hearing Shinnshiow's unexpected question. But in an instant, she nodded. She seemed to understand what Shinnshiow meant. In contrast to the people in the city where they are currently located, who tend to be very liberal when it comes to food, most of the people in Yeuandong enforce restrictions on certain types of food.
"I think the food I am allowed to eat is the same as people in Yeuandong usually eat. Of course, there are certain types of food that I am not allowed to eat. Some of those types of food are foods that people in Yeuandong usually avoid. So, the food that I may or may not eat is the same as what uncles and brothers here may or may not eat."
"Not necessarily," Shinnshiow said seriously. He realized that for some people, such rules are essential. It could not be contested. "Our taboos here are not the same. For example, Dahge and Shyongge are exactly the same in terms of what they can and can't eat. But Yihge, Renge, and I differ from the two of them. Even the three of us differ from each other. So sometimes the food thing is a bit tricky for us here."
What Shinnshiow had just said was actually not unusual either. The Yeuandong region was indeed famous for its diversity of cultures and customs. So it was not a unique thing if there was such a difference between close friends. Even within a family, there were sometimes such differences.
"I didn't expect that the uncles and brothers here still hold so strongly to the traditions and culture of our place of origin." Yinqyueh chuckled.
"Actually, we are not people who are very obedient to such rules. But you know, in our hometown, things like this went into the bones. From birth, we are used to situations like that. So even though we are now far from our hometown, we have continued to stick with this habit. It's very difficult to let go. And yes, we really don't want to let go of those things."
This is a highly complex matter. There's no way I can explain in just an hour or two.
Yinqyueh nodded. "Things like that are not simple things. It all comes down to each person's personal choice. We must respect everyone's rights."
"Right!" Shinnshiow smiled. "Then what about you?"
"Yeah, I still hold on to such things, too. Although I have to admit, sometimes I have to break some rules. I live in a strange way. Move from one place to another. From one family to another. So sometimes I run into situations where I have little choice."
"So, what kind of food are you not allowed to eat?" Shinnshiow was still asking about it. "You haven't answered clearly before."
"I think I'm the same as Uncle Shannchyuan and Uncle Yihshyong," Yinqyueh said firmly.
Shinnshiow guessed Shannchyuan must have told Yinqyueh about his family background. Maybe the background and culture of the Yinqyueh family were similar to that of the Shannchyuan family. Shinnshiow felt he had asked enough. He didn't want to make Yinqyueh feel uncomfortable. So he went back to talking about what they were doing.
"I see. Then how about this time we cook young lamb fried rice with a side dish of turkey eggs and a sauce made from boiled green mussels?" Shinnshiow chirped.
Yinqyueh was wide-eyed at Shinnshiow's proposal. Amazingly, her face looked so funny. She seemed delighted to hear that.
"Lamb fried rice is Uncle Shannchyuan's favorite. So it's only natural that there is a stock of lamb in this house. But turkey eggs and green mussel sauce are costly. Aren't the uncles and brothers here trying to be frugal?"
