Mrs. Xue and Mrs. Zhu were also busy, soaking the mushrooms and wood ears, while the fish and meat had been brought in from outside in the morning and left in water to thaw. The weather in the Northeast is cold, so things left outside can freeze solid, which is why they had to be brought in ahead of time to thaw.
"Eldest sister, the fish has thawed. Should I wash it first?" Mrs. Zhu asked.
"Yes, see which items have thawed and give them a wash. This year our family has kept a pig, so we have plenty of meat. Our mother said we are going to have a prosperous year. The pork knuckles, liver, and heart are all parboiled and just need to be sliced when it's time. The rest can be stewed into ribs, and then cut some meat to keep aside for stir-frying. Oh, and mince some meat to steam the bergamot cabbage later—it's our family's traditional dish and a must-have," Mrs. Xue was also busy and told Mrs. Zhu anything that came to mind.
