It's approaching noon and getting very hot. 33ºC and direct sunlight bearing down. I retreat for a rest in the house overlooking the courtyard.
But I can hear and see that there is still a lot going on and curiosity (nosiness) gets the better of me. I carry my cold beer with me.
Yes, the prep continues.
This young chap made up with exuberance what was lacking in knowledge. He had no idea how to cut the chillies to the master's preference, but was soon gently put right. Bash them to flatten them, then cut in half or thirds depending on length. Off he went like a madman. I've never seen anyone who mistrusts their own knife skills so much that they wear a crash helmet while chopping veg, though.
And just as any remaining chickens congratulated themselves at being spared the indignity of being stuffed inside a bamboo tube, a second wave of chicken cookery begins.
But first you've got to get rid of those feathers.
Then I spot the rice woman. She has, what looks to me like, a very strange technique. She soaks the rice, but not for long I'd say by the texture - I'm not sure how long. Then she washes the rice. OK. And puts it to the fire with water.
Now she is skimming off excess water. This she carefully decants into another bowl. No doubt to wash her face. Chinese woman do that.
A friend joins her to use the inverted handle of a scoop to punch 'holes' in the rice to allow steam to escape.
Now, I haven't survived this long by telling Chinese rice cooks they are doing it all wrong, and her method works for 150 people. I just won't be doing it her way at home.
In the interim, it becomes apparent that we have more kou rou steamer baskets than we have heat sources, so another villager is sent to get his apparatus, which he happily does..
The first batch and the bamboo tube soup is bubbling away. People are getting hungry!
Soon.
