I'm waiting with the firewatcher crews for my long awaiting salt cooking process to end. As time go by, the salt solution within the pot also getting thicker. I stir the solution to make it heated evenly and nothing get burnt with the fire. When salty aroma start released from the pot, I order the crew to put down the fire. The solution within the pot already start to crystalized, it looks like a rice porridge within the pot.
While waiting for pot getting cooler and water content in pot completely evaporate. I order the crew to prepare some container and measuring tool for weighing how much salt we produce during these three days. After the pot is cold and can be removed from the stove and the salt water crystalized completely, we pour the salt in large tablecloth over the table and weighing it. First pot yield is around 10.5-kilogram salts, which make the crew who see the weighting process make loud clapping sounds.
The second pot yield is around 10 kilogram of salts. For total 20.5 kilogram salts, we made from 3 days effort in cooking the seawater. The salt quickly put in earthen jars and sealed with a lid to prevent contact with air and make the salt damp. The result is a bit lower from my prediction but still in the range of proper yield. My uncle who also observing the weighting and packaging process, pat my shoulder with a wide grin on his face
"Henry, this salt production is satisfying. You said it would bring twenty kilos but in fact is a bit higher than twenty kilos. Our effort for three days is not for naught. What we do next after this?"
"Starting again from first time until the salt pool is done, uncle. Ah right, please take some for cooking in here. The crew deserves some decent food with salt that we make together. I will bring some when I return, and the rest, send using the cart to the castle along with other things in need to be sent, like my seaweed and lobster in that barrel"
"Hahaha, good thinking! You have good leadership Henry, most people will forget those who help him to reach success when he reaches the top. Harvard family will be prosperous with you as the heirs"
"I only follow what my father teach me, uncle"
I smile wryly and scratch my head over his praise.
"Hahaha…the fruit will not fall far from its tree. Great! Okay let's put the pot in stove again and restarting the process"
With my uncle command, the crews put the pot back into the stove, fill with seawater, and light up the fire in the stove. Since we have enough salt now, I'm considering to teach Craig another recipe that can be used to enrich the menu for the crews. Something simple and doesn't need many ingredients. I remember the most famous dish from Japan, ramen! So I call Craig and tell him I want to teach him another recipe since he will prepare lunch soon, my offers were accepted by high enthusiasm
"Master Henry, is that true you want to teach me the new recipe?"
"Oh yes, this is something that can be eaten with the soup called Ramen"
"Is the recipe hard to learn master Henry?"
"No, in fact, it's very simple and no need many ingredients. You only need a strong hand to make it"
"Please teach me that recipe master Henry"
For this recipe for 8 people serving, what's needed is 3 cups all-purpose flour around 408g, 1 teaspoon fine sea salt, 1 teaspoon baking soda which I can get from lye that I extracted from ashes to make soap, 2 large eggs beaten, 1/2 cup warm water.
And how to make this ramen is, Whisk together flour, salt and baking soda in the bowl. Add eggs and warm water. Mix by kneading the lowest speed until all ingredients are moistened. Increase speed of kneading and mix until the dough comes together. Once a dough ball has formed, continue to knead until dough is smooth. The dough is ready when your hands become fairly clean and the dough does not stick as much anymore (and when your forearms are sore). When it is the right consistency, you should be able to lift your hand and the dough should fall off after about a second.
If it's too sticky, add some flour and knead it in. If it doesn't stick at all, add some water a few DROPS at a time.
Turn dough out on to a floured surface bowl and shape into a ball. Cover with damp towel and cool in room temperature for at least 30 minutes. After removed from the bowl. Sprinkle some flour generously over the dough, take a rolling pin or roller and start stretching it. Make the dough becomes a sheet with a roller with 1mm thickness. Get the sheet of dough and put it onto a cutting board. Spread flour LIBERALLY on the surface, because if it starts sticking when we cut it, our ramen will be ruined. Fold it two times in the same direction, each time spreading flour on the surface. finally, get some flour on the top. Don't worry, all that loose flour will wash off when we boil it, and the flour in the water will keep our noodles together also.
Once it is folded in a strip, start cutting it. A wide square knife is best, but any knife will work as long as it is big enough.
Periodically spread some more flour. It won't hurt anything and it's best to be safe rather than sorry.
Once you have a pile of cut noodles, toy at them with your fingers to unfold them. toss them around with some more flour, just be careful not to break the noodles. Boil water in the pot. once the water boils, salt it, then sprinkle the noodles into the water. if you dump them in, they will stick. Mix the noodles around with chopsticks.
As long as the water is hot enough, they should start floating.
After 3-4 minutes noodles can be lifted from the pot or use strainer to remove the water. After that Add, some soup, Spinach and Chinese cabbage (hakusai) both go great with ramen, as do most kinds of mild meat. You can also add corn, peas, or any other vegetables. Eggs also go will in the soup, hard boiled or mixed in, and eat.
After hearing and see how I make the ramen, Craig immediately imitating how I make it. And although his cutting is still uneven, for the taste it's passable. I think the crews will happy when eating it.