Eel porridge on a rainy day

Eel porridge is suitable for cold rainy days. Photo: MK

When I was a child, every rainy season, my father would go out to catch eels to improve the family’s meals. Around my house, right at the foot of the hill, there was a small stream that brought water to the muddy fields.

Here, the rice growing season is very hard, but this land makes eels thrive. I remember one time, my father only set up a few bamboo tubes, and in the morning he poured out a basin full of golden eels.

Mom said that if eel is not cooked properly, it will have a very unpleasant fishy smell, so every time my dad catches it, he uses kitchen ash to remove all the slime. Then, he washes it again and boils it until it boils, then takes it out and puts it in a basket to drain.

It was great to sit next to my dad and watch him cook and listen to his instructions. My dad said his daughter should learn to cook so that she can cook for her husband and children in the future.

Father looked at us, smiling, and gave us detailed instructions. Boil the eel until it is just cooked so that it won’t be mushy and the meat won’t be crushed. But if it is undercooked, it will be difficult to strip the meat.

Dad's three fingers tightly gripped and separated the eel meat into delicious pieces. While he was preparing the eel, Mom had just finished pounding the spices. There was the spicy taste of chili, the fragrant taste of shallots, and especially the strong taste of turmeric. Mom said that eel without turmeric would not be delicious. She also thinly sliced ​​a plate of turmeric leaves, which we kids usually did not use because we did not like the strong taste.

The best sound was still the sizzling sound when mom heated the hot peanut oil, the spices and eel meat blended together, giving off a fragrant aroma. Everyone's stomach was rumbling, waiting to enjoy it.

After the eel was stir-fried, my mother put it into the pot of rice porridge that had been simmered in advance and stirred well. The steam rose up, fragrant and the sky outside was just getting light. So my sisters and I had a delicious and nutritious breakfast.

In life, everyone experiences many breakfasts with their parents. But for me, the feeling of sitting together with my siblings and parents on cold winter days, enjoying a simple porridge is still the happiest thing.

Source: https://baoquangnam.vn/to-chao-luon-ngay-mua-3146394.html