In the communal kitchen, every household had two stoves—one large and one small—both fueled by coal briquettes. When it was time to cook, you simply opened the stove vent. Once finished, you replaced the coal, covered the bottom vent, and set a pot of water on top to keep it warm.
However, to conserve fuel, everyone typically used only one stove. Only when relatives visited or during holidays, when there was more cooking to be done, would people fire up both.
Yuanchun finished cooking the rice and steaming the egg custard, then carried the pot and food into the room. She turned back, grabbed a few potatoes, and went to the kitchen to stir-fry a dish of shredded potatoes in a small iron pan.
Chapter 510