Chapter 132 Fish Playing with Lotus Leaves Selection
The capital city has many talented people. Each prefecture was only allocated one quota for cooking imperial dishes, but the capital city was allocated three.
These three spots were awarded to three time-honored brands: Juzhenlou, Baizhenzhai, and Yushixuan.
Over the next few days, Xu Zhiheng accompanied Lin Yao to eat at three different restaurants.
After eating her fill, Lin Yao couldn't help but admire the exquisite culinary skills of the ancients, which were truly unforgettable.
Juzhenlou's signature dish, Crystal Pearl Rolls, is made with exquisite knife skills. The chicken is cut into hair-thin slices, wrapped with fresh bamboo shoots and abalone strips, steamed, and then drizzled with an amber-colored broth sauce. It is tender and sweet on the palate.
Baizhenzhai's Matsutake Stewed Camel Hump is distinguished by its meticulous selection of ingredients. The freshness of the matsutake mushrooms is combined with the unique flavor of the camel hump, resulting in a clear broth with a lingering taste.
Yu Shi Xuan's "Fish Leaping Over the Dragon Gate" is particularly ingenious. Carp skin is shaped into a dragon, wrapped in pigeon meat paste, and fried until golden brown. It is served with a sweet and sour sauce, making it both visually appealing and flavorful.
It seems the upcoming selection rounds will be a tough battle.
Lin Yao originally planned to use the inn's kitchen, but considering the large flow of people in the capital, the restaurant's kitchen was never idle, and the constant coming and going of people was not conducive to her refining the dishes. So, on her second day in the capital, she decided to rent a courtyard nearby.
The courtyard wasn't large, but it cost twenty taels a month. There were three rooms and a separate kitchen in the courtyard, just enough to accommodate Lin Yao and her party.
Fortunately, it was quite clean, and the group tidied up for a day before moving in.
"You mean that brat has only taken that young lady to a few restaurants these past few days?" General Xu looked at the person who came to report with a complicated expression.
The servant nodded and added a few words to his young master's defense: "My lord always packs a lot of things for that young lady's family."
General Xu snorted: "That's what he should do."
"Alright, the selection is imminent, and I'm sure that young lady has no time for sightseeing. Ah Heng is smarter than you." Madam Xu tossed an orange to General Xu, who caught it and began peeling it for her.
"You're right, Madam," General Xu said obsequiously, handing over a peeled orange.
Madam Xu gave a light snort, took the oranges, and turned back to the backyard to count the betrothal gifts she had prepared for her son.
In the courtyard, Lin Yao was staring blankly at the neatly arranged ingredients in the kitchen.
The quality of the three time-honored restaurants in the capital amazed her, and the ten chefs selected from various prefectures and counties must also be extraordinary.
Thirteen chefs are vying for eight spots, meaning five will be eliminated. Lin Yao's requirements are not high; she only hopes to be an average performer.
Lin Yao couldn't help but start to ponder the new emperor's intentions in doing so. This was a consequence of exam-oriented education, and she unconsciously began to consider the intentions of the question setter.
During the reign of the late emperor, he indulged in pleasure and squandered countless amounts of the people's wealth, which ultimately led to disaster and severely damaged the nation's vitality.
Now that His Majesty has just ascended the throne, he is determined to eliminate the old abuses.
It seems His Majesty intends to use this banquet to tell the world that he eats the same food as the common people, and that he cares deeply for the people.
Once Lin Yao understood this, everything became clear.
Three days later, the Imperial Cuisine Selection Competition officially kicked off at the Imperial Food Bureau.
As dawn broke, people from all walks of life began to arrive.
The selection was fully coordinated by the Imperial Food Bureau, with the Left Imperial Food Bureau Chief Li in charge, accompanied by two chefs and three physicians. The chefs were responsible for judging the taste and craftsmanship, while the physicians were responsible for checking whether the ingredients were properly matched. This arrangement of judges demonstrates His Majesty's emphasis on this selection.
To ensure food safety, all ingredients used today will be prepared by the Imperial Kitchen. Therefore, before the selection process officially begins, each person must report the ingredients they need to the palace attendant in front of them.
The young eunuch in charge of recording heard Lin Yao's list of ingredients and looked up at her with surprise. But he didn't ask any questions. He quickly wrote down the list of ingredients, checked it again, and then bowed and withdrew.
Lin Yao didn't care about his reaction. In just the time it takes for an incense stick to burn, all the ingredients had been delivered.
The dish she's making is called "Fish Playing with Lotus Leaves".
This dish is not a single dish, but consists of two parts: "Thousand-Petaled Lotus" and "Fish Playing with Pearls".
Lin Yao first began preparing the "Thousand-Petaled Lotus".
This dish uses ordinary ingredients, just a combination of lily bulbs and yam, but it requires a great deal of patience and meticulousness to make.
She first washed and peeled the yam, then steamed it in a steamer until it was easily pierced with chopsticks. She then took it out and put it in a stone mortar and pestle to grind it into a paste.
The yam paste needs to be mashed until it is smooth and free of residue. She added a little honey to taste in batches while mashing.
After seasoning, Lin Yao took an appropriate amount of yam paste and shaped it in the center of a small white porcelain plate. With nimble fingers, a round and plump lotus seedpod base took shape.
Next came the processing of the lilies.
Fresh lily petals are white and plump. She picks out the whole petals and steams them in a pot. The heat needs to be just right, so that they are soft and retain their shape, but not mushy.
The steamed lily petals carried a refreshing fragrance. Lin Yao first picked out the largest and most orderly ring and inserted it along the edge of the yam seedpod to form the outermost layer of the lotus flower.
With each insert, she deliberately staggered the angle, so that the new petal was embedded in the gap between the two lower petals. This staggered arrangement created a layered and textured effect.
She inserted it to the top, then filled the gaps with tiny lily petals, and finally pinched off a few bright green scallion tips, cut them into uniform lengths, and carefully placed them on top of the yam seedpod to simulate lotus seeds.
After a flurry of activity, a pure white, elegant, and layered lotus flower blooms on the plate.
By this time, some of the chefs around had already finished the initial processing of the main dish. Seeing that Lin Yao had spent so much time making such a bland lotus flower dish, some people showed disdain, while others were secretly curious.
Lin Yao remained unmoved and turned around to begin preparing for "Fish Playing with Pearls".
This dish is essentially sweet and sour fish, but she changed its shape to make it more lively.
The main ingredients are common yellow croaker, along with carrots, scallions, cilantro, and other garnishes. She first prepares the sweet and sour sauce, mixing aged vinegar and sugar in a specific ratio, and adding a little soy sauce for flavor.
When preparing the yellow croaker, Lin Yao made diagonal diamond-shaped cuts on both sides of the fish. Then she prepared a batter of suitable consistency and spread it evenly on the fish.
To create the shape of a fish playing with a pearl, she took a small piece of carrot and stuffed it into the fish's mouth to hold it in place. Then, holding the fish's head with one hand and its tail with the other, she placed the fish belly-down into the oil pan.
The fish is submerged in hot oil, which quickly sets its shape inside the belly. Once the shape is set, the whole fish is placed in the oil and fried until golden brown and crispy.
After frying the yellow croaker and draining the oil, the carrot in the fish's mouth had long since lost its purpose. Lin Yao gently removed it and then put in a salted egg yolk that had been prepared in advance.
The salted egg yolk yellow color, embedded in the fish's mouth, resembles a precious pearl held by the fish as it leaps out of the water.
Lin Yao placed the "Fish Playing with Pearls" dish in the center of the Thousand-Petal Lotus, and then decorated the "lotus leaves" with a few coriander leaves to simulate the appearance of rippling water.
In an instant, the white porcelain plate seemed to come alive.
The pure white lotus flowers bloom quietly, and golden fish leap on them, playing with pearls in their mouths. What a vivid and lively picture of "fish playing on lotus leaves".
On the other side, the officials of the Imperial Food Bureau waited quietly at their seats, and in the meantime, they had already been looking through the list of ingredients presented by the eunuchs one by one.
All those present were seasoned veterans of the palace, and they all knew perfectly well why the new emperor was holding this imperial cuisine selection.
On the menu, some chefs ordered fresh abalone and sea cucumber, while others listed rare ingredients such as wild ginseng and deer antler.
Lord Li continued to look through the books and suddenly saw a cook named Lin Yao, who selected ingredients that could be found in ordinary households.
I wonder what kind of dish can be made from such simple ingredients. If the taste and appearance are both excellent, it will be just what Your Majesty desires.
Before long, the cooking time was up, and the chefs in the kitchen stopped cooking and put the carefully prepared dishes into the dishes prepared by the Imperial Kitchen, which were then carried to the judging panel by the palace servants.
Leading the way was the chef from Juzhenlou, who served up the renowned Buddha Jumps Over the Wall.
As soon as the heavy purple clay jar was lifted, a rich aroma, carrying the mellow flavors of delicacies from land and sea, filled the air. At the bottom of the jar was ham soaked in aged Shaoxing wine, in the middle layer were neatly arranged abalone, sea cucumber and shark fin, and on top were a few plump fish balls. The soup was rich in color, and the appearance and aroma alone made the two chefs' eyes show their approval.
Lord Li scooped up a spoonful of soup and nodded: "The cooking is superb, and the flavor is rich and mellow. No wonder it is the chef of Juzhenlou."
Next, the chef from Baizhenzhai presented a dish called "Qilin Bringing Auspiciousness," which was made by braising venison and wild mushrooms. It was served on a beautifully carved jade plate. The venison was thinly sliced and had a bright red color. It was paired with wild mushrooms and goji berries, making it very appealing.
After the food doctor examined the ingredients and confirmed that the combination was correct, the chef tasted them and praised, "The venison is tender and not dry, and the wild mushrooms enhance the flavor just right."
Subsequently, the dishes from several chefs were presented one after another. There were exquisitely presented dishes such as "Golden Cup Scallops" and auspicious dishes such as "Dragon and Phoenix Bringing Prosperity". Some dishes used rare ingredients, while others were made with complicated techniques. Each dish had its own unique flavor, and the judges' praises were endless.
Although Lin Yao knew that at this stage, the chefs' skills must be excellent, she still couldn't help but feel nervous seeing the judges' satisfied expressions.
One dish after another, Lin Yao's "Fish Playing on Lotus Leaves" was served.
The "Fish Playing with Lotus Leaves" dish is served on a plain white porcelain plate with a blue-green pattern. The white lotus flowers and the golden fish complement each other, creating an elegant and unique presentation.
Lord Li carefully examined the dish: "Does this dish have a name?"
Lin Yao stepped forward, bowed, and replied, "Your Excellency, this dish is called 'Fish Playing on Lotus Leaves'."
"Fish playing among lotus leaves?" Lord Li stroked his beard and pointed to the dish on the plate. "I see that your dish is quite fitting, firstly because the lotus is made of lilies and yams, and secondly because the fish is made of yellow croaker. But I am curious, why did you choose such common ingredients to make such a seemingly simple dish?"
Lin Yao raised her eyes: "I chose common ingredients such as yam, lily and yellow croaker to express my gratitude to Your Majesty for sharing joy with the people. Yam and lily are common vegetables and fruits in people's homes, and yellow croaker is also an aquatic product that is easy to find in rivers. Common ingredients can also have a good flavor if they are cooked with care."
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Author's Note: Waaaaah, I'm late, but I still have to post it, hehe [doge emoji]
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