The delicacies of the heavens begin with obtaining gem meat.

Chapter 219 First Encounter with the Little Chef

After leaving Xu Ji Restaurant, Jiang Yan made some inquiries and then headed to the next famous restaurant.

Over the next ten days or so, Jiang Yan visited many towns and cities in Lingnan.

We encountered many well-known local restaurants and eateries, such as the century-old roast meat shop, the Xijiang River Fresh Restaurant, the Gujing Roast Goose Shop, and the Water Town Congee Shop.

After more than a dozen matches, Jiang Yan remained undefeated.

Over time, the name "Xingchu Jiangyan" spread throughout the entire Lingnan region in just over ten days.

However, after traveling for more than ten days, Jiang Yan gradually came to a conclusion: most of the famous chefs and restaurants in Lingnan were located in Guangzhou.

With his reputation already quite renowned, Jiang Yan defeated another famous local chef and then set off for Guangzhou.

By the time Jiang Yan entered Guangzhou, the last rays of the setting sun had completely disappeared.

Many of the shops along the street had already closed, and there were only one or two pedestrians on the road occasionally.

After a day's journey, Jiang Yan decided to find an inn to stay overnight and rest until dawn, then he would inquire about the famous restaurants in Guangzhou, especially Yangquan Restaurant.

Jiang Yan was preparing to meet that chef Zhou Yu.

Just as Jiang Yan was walking along the street, intending to find an inn that was still open, he saw a simple bamboo shed in an open space not far away.

A lantern hung from the top of the shed, its warm yellow light filtering through the bamboo walls and standing out in the dark night.

A dozen or so wooden tables and chairs were neatly arranged outside the tent, clearly intended for entertaining guests, but they were empty at the moment.

The sounds of chopping vegetables, the clanging of iron pots against the stove, and voices could be heard coming from inside the shed.

Jiang Yan walked over and looked up into the shed.

There were only three people in the shed, busy around the stove.

The person standing in front of the stove, controlling the heat, was a boy of fourteen or fifteen years old. He was staring intently at the ingredients in the pot, flipping the food with a spatula that moved quickly and steadily.

Standing in front of the cutting board was a boy of about thirteen or fourteen, holding a kitchen knife. His knife skills were so fast that they were almost blurry. In the blink of an eye, green peppers and bamboo shoots were cut into evenly sized strips.

There was also a red-haired girl helping out from the side, saying encouraging words.

Jiang Yan immediately recognized the three people: Little Master (Liu Maoxing), Dudu (Zhou Meili), and A Q (Tang Sanjie).

After a brief recollection, Jiang Yan quickly pieced together the current timeline.

Judging from the appearance of the three, it seems that Xiao Dangjia has only been at Yangquan Restaurant in Guangzhou for a short time, and Ah Q is facing being kicked out because of the rules of Yangquan Restaurant.

To help Ah Q prove his abilities, Little Master dragged Dudu and Ah Q to set up a stall here, hoping to steal customers from Yangquan Restaurant with his stir-fried green peppers and pork.

He proved to Master Zhou Yu that Ah Q's knife skills and culinary abilities absolutely qualified him to stay at Yangquan Restaurant.

Jiang Yan leaned against a pillar beside him, arms crossed, quietly watching the three people in the shed without immediately making a sound to disturb them.

Soon, the unique, refreshing spiciness of the green peppers, mixed with the sweetness of the bamboo shoots and the aroma of the pork tenderloin released by the hot oil, wafted out, arousing Jiang Yan's appetite.

Inside the shed, Ah Q placed the freshly stir-fried green peppers and shredded pork into a porcelain plate. The glistening sauce coated the bright green peppers, tender white bamboo shoots, and dark red shredded pork, giving them an enticing sheen under the light.

He picked up his chopsticks, took a bite, and his eyes lit up instantly, his tone filled with undisguised joy.

"Delicious! The texture is completely different! It must be because all the vegetables were cooked perfectly, not overcooked at all!"

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Dudu quickly came over, picked up her chopsticks, took a bite, and immediately a surprised and satisfied smile appeared on her face.

"Seriously! I never imagined that just changing how you cut the vegetables could make such a big difference in taste!"

"Ah Q, you're amazing! Now Dad won't have anything to say!"

Dudu shook the chopsticks in her hand, her tone full of excitement.

As long as she can please her father, Zhou Yu, Ah Q can continue to stay at Yangquan Restaurant.

"Little chef, you should try some too!"

Dudu turned to look at the little chef next to her and said with a smile.

"Hmm, I'll try it too."

The young master nodded, picked up his chopsticks, and put a piece of shredded green pepper and pork into his mouth.

After taking a bite, the young chef's face first showed a satisfied expression, but then the smile slowly faded, his brows furrowed slightly, his eyes showed a hint of seriousness, and even his chewing slowed down.

After the young master swallowed the food in his mouth, his face was full of frustration.

"I've realized that we've overlooked something very important."

Little Master looked up at Dudu and A-Q, whose faces were full of anticipation.

"In fact, this stir-fried green peppers and pork dish was a failure."

"What do you mean, Little Chef?"

Dudu's smile froze instantly, and she looked at the little chef with a face full of confusion.

"This dish is clearly delicious! What went wrong?"

Ah Q, standing nearby, was also puzzled.

This stir-fried pork with green peppers is so delicious and flavorful that it's impossible to pinpoint what went wrong.

"This stir-fried pork with green peppers has a fatal flaw."

"If things continue like this, Master Zhou Yu will definitely not be satisfied."

Liu Maoxing's expression was very heavy.

"What exactly is wrong?"

Ah Q asked eagerly.

"I can't taste anything wrong with it at all! This is clearly a very good, even perfect, stir-fried green peppers and pork dish!"

"This stir-fried green peppers and pork is indeed very well made, without losing any of the basic flavors. It is a dish that faithfully presents the original taste of stir-fried green peppers and pork."

Liu Maoxing sighed.

"But that won't work."

Upon hearing this, Ah Q finally realized what was happening.

He got it.

There's absolutely nothing wrong with this stir-fried shredded pork with green peppers, but that's precisely its biggest problem.

What they wanted to make was not a perfect replica of the traditional shredded pork with green peppers, nor a shredded pork with green peppers that tasted exactly the same as the one made in the kitchen of Yangquan Restaurant.

What they needed to do was to create a dish that could surpass the stir-fried green peppers and pork at Yangquan Restaurant, a dish that would demonstrate their skill and sincerity to Master Zhou Yu, and prove that he was worthy of staying at Yangquan Restaurant.

But this dish is far from enough.

The atmosphere in the shed suddenly turned somber; the joy from before vanished, leaving only utter frustration.

Sigrún has taught at the Iceland University of the Arts as a part-time lecturer since and was Dean of the Department of Fine Art from -. In – she held a research position at Reykjavík Art Museum focusing on the role of women in Icelandic art. She studied fine art at the Icelandic College of Arts and Crafts and at Pratt Institute, New York, and holds BA and MA degrees in art history and philosophy from the University of Iceland. Sigrún lives and works in Iceland.

"If it's alright, could I try this shredded pork with green peppers?"

Jiang Yan suddenly spoke up and asked.

Upon hearing the sound, the three of them were startled and turned to look at Jiang Yan at the entrance of the shed.

"Who are you?"

Liu Maoxing asked with some wariness.

"My name is Jiang Yan, and I'd say I'm a chef currently on a travels."

Jiang Yan gave a brief self-introduction with a calm expression.

"I just happened to be passing by and was drawn in by the aroma of this stir-fried pork with green peppers. Please forgive my abruptness."

Upon hearing Jiang Yan say that he was also a chef, the three of them relaxed their guard a little.

They glanced at each other and then introduced themselves in turn.

Then, the young master chef picked up the plate of freshly cooked shredded pork with green peppers from the table and handed it over.

"Since you mentioned you wanted to try it, this dish is for you, Brother Jiang Yan. Don't be shy."

"Thank you so much."

Jiang Yan thanked him, went into the shed, took the plate and chopsticks, and pulled over a stool to sit down.

Looking at the shredded pork with green peppers on the plate, it did indeed look very appealing.

The green peppers, bamboo shoots, and shredded pork are all the same size, and the batter is applied just right, without any lumps. After stir-frying, each piece is distinct and coated with a glossy sauce, making it look very appetizing.

Jiang Yan picked up his chopsticks, took a bite, and put it in his mouth.

Upon tasting, the flavors of the ingredients unfold layer by layer on the tip of the tongue.

The green peppers are crisp and refreshing with just the right amount of spiciness, without any raw or astringent taste, and they don't become soggy from being overcooked.

The fresh sweetness of the bamboo shoots is fully brought out, making them crisp, tender, juicy, and with a unique fragrance;

The pork tenderloin is tender and flavorful, with just the right amount of chewiness, and it's not tough or dry at all.

The savory sauce coats the ingredients, and the flavor of each bite is perfectly balanced.

To be fair, this is an absolutely top-notch shredded pork with green peppers dish, worthy of being served at a formal event.

Of course, there may be some minor issues, but they are insignificant.

After Jiang Yan swallowed the food in his mouth, Liu Maoxing and A Q had already gathered around the stove again, discussing how to adjust the cooking method, their faces full of seriousness.

Dudu stood to the side, clenching her fists to cheer the two on.

Soon, the sizzling sound of hot oil came from the pot again, and the aroma filled the air once more.

Not long after, the second plate of shredded pork with green peppers was served.

Liu Maoxing and Ah Q each picked up their chopsticks and took a bite, but their faces once again showed disappointment.

Although the seasoning ratio was adjusted and the order of adding ingredients was slightly changed, the taste was not fundamentally improved compared to before.

Jiang Yan also picked up his chopsticks and took a bite of the newly made shredded pork with green peppers.

The taste has indeed been slightly adjusted and is a bit better than before, but the core problem remains unresolved.

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