A Bite of Douluo Continent

Zhou Longli didn't even bother with him.

You discarded me like trash when you no longer needed me, and now you're asking me again?

You ignored me in the past, but now you can't afford to be near me.

Ha, what a scumbag!

"I'll treat you?" Tang Zi asked tentatively, seeing Zhou Long's awkward expression.

"I haven't tried it before, but I plan to try it at 2 PM this afternoon." Zhou Longfei said quickly in the next instant.

"Oh, then I'll go with you this afternoon." Tang Zi nodded and walked towards the interior of Hanshi Restaurant. "By the way, I just casually mentioned treating you earlier."

Grass! (A type of plant)

This bastard is truly inhuman.

Zhou Long's face immediately darkened.

Despite their playful banter, the two eventually sat down at the same table opposite each other.

Soon, Fuya came over to inquire about the two's orders.

"One serving of Wensi Tofu, one serving of Squirrel Mandarin Fish, and two servings of Bodhi Jade Vegetarian Dish," Zhou Long said without hesitation.

These three dishes were ones he had never eaten before.

As for eating two portions of Bodhi Jade Vegetarian Cuisine, it was simply because one portion wasn't enough to fill me up.

With a chuckle, Tang Zi made her own choice.

"One serving of Wensi Tofu, one serving of Yuxiang Shredded Pork, one serving of Puti Jade Vegetarian Dish and one serving of Swallow Skin Wonton."

Although he hadn't seen the menu yet, he learned about the special effects of Wensi Tofu from Zhou Long's explanation.

Since Zhou Long had never tasted Wensi Tofu before, the two of them had an interesting competition.

Let's see who triggers the special effect of this Wensi Tofu first.

For the two of them, the power of the Refining Power as Silk Secret Technique was immense, and for such an effect, it was worth it even if they had to empty their wallets and spend tens of thousands of gold soul coins. Therefore, the two of them had no psychological burden.

Previously, when it came to the fish-belly-hidden-sheep meal costing 1,000 gold soul coins, the two of them would have to pool their money to share it. It wasn't that they couldn't afford that much money, but it was just a meal, and they couldn't bear to part with it.

However, if it could improve their strength, it wouldn't be as simple as just having a meal, so the two of them were naturally willing to splurge.

As for the other three dishes, Tang Zi randomly selected them from the eight new dishes.

Soon, two servings of Wensi Tofu were served first.

As the primordial energy of heaven and earth surged, the extraordinary landscape painting slowly unfolded, and Tang Zi's eyes widened in surprise.

Although Zhou Long had already told him about the strange phenomena of Wensi Tofu, that uncultured fellow was so poor he couldn't even utter a word, and his descriptions were monotonous and pale, nothing compared to the shock of witnessing it firsthand.

However, Tang Zi had witnessed many strange phenomena, and after her initial moment of disorientation, she quickly regained her senses.

As the strange phenomenon dissipated, the two first admired with amazement the way the hair-thin tofu floated and swirled in the soup, then looked at each other and picked up their spoons at the same time.

The European King competition is now officially underway!

Tang Zi scooped up a spoonful of soup with countless thin strands of tofu, and eagerly put it into her mouth, then closed her eyes slightly.

The rich, savory chicken broth flavor, along with the delicate tastes that permeate the dish, dances on Tangzi's tongue like a symphony, creating an exceptionally vibrant and intense culinary experience.

In that instant, he temporarily forgot about the secret technique of refining power like silk, his entire mind was occupied by the incomparably delicious taste in his mouth.

With a gentle sip, the shredded tofu slowly melts into the broth, releasing a rich and pure bean flavor that perfectly complements the deliciousness of the chicken soup.

The slightly thick broth slowly slid down her esophagus into her stomach. Tang Zi gently closed her jaw and slowly chewed the remaining strands in her mouth. The textures of different ingredients gradually blended together during the chewing process, transforming into a completely new and unparalleled experience.

"good to eat!"

Zhou Long's voice rang out at the right moment, causing Tang Zi to show a hint of disgust on her face.

"You uncultured person, besides 'delicious,' what other adjectives do you have to describe it?"

Zhou Long: "???"

Seeing Zhou Long's bewildered expression, Tang Zi scooped up another spoonful of Wensi tofu, savored it carefully, and then let out a soft breath.

"Wonderful!"

Zhou Long pondered for a moment, "So... what's the difference?"

"That makes you seem cultured." Tang Zi seemed a little proud; this was a new word he had learned from Xingluo City.

"Oh..." Zhou Long nodded as if he understood, scooped up a spoonful of Wensi tofu with a spoon, savored it carefully, and then exhaled a breath of stale air, just like Tang Zi.

"Wonderful!"

That's it?

Anyone can do that.

I, Zhou Long, am a cultured person!

understand?

but…

Zhou Long's expression darkened. He glanced at Tang Zi and asked, "Did you sense the secret technique?"

"Huh?" Tang Zi looked completely bewildered. "You can feel it now? I don't feel anything at all?"

After a moment's thought, he touched his stomach. "My stomach feels warm, does that count?"

"Nonsense!" Zhou Long rolled his eyes, his expression softening slightly.

The worst thing is comparison.

If he were the only one who didn't trigger it, he would definitely feel unbalanced, but it seems that Tang Zi also didn't trigger the Refining Power Like Silk Secret Technique.

Suddenly, he felt psychologically at peace.

It's a one-in-five chance, so it's perfectly normal not to.

Right?

"Hahaha, I triggered the special effect of Wensi Tofu on my first try!" A diner at a nearby table suddenly exclaimed, his face beaming with joy.

Calm down... I need to calm down... Calm down my ass!

Zhou Long and Tang Zi looked up at the same time, "Shut up!"

Chapter 306: Where's the Fish? (Bonus chapter for yesterday's tenth chapter by the book's helmsman)

Although Tang Zi and her companion were slightly disappointed that they couldn't trigger the special effect of Wensi Tofu on their first try, this disappointment was quickly washed away by the joy of eating rice, until it vanished completely.

The secret to happiness for those who live a simple life is so simple and unpretentious: all they need is good food.

Wensi Tofu has a lingering aftertaste, fresh and elegant, but for Tang Zi and Zhou Long, it was never enough.

Although the two of them had already taken very small sips, the soup bowl filled with Wensi Tofu was quickly emptied.

The two didn't have to wait long. After they finished their Wensi Tofu, their other dishes were served quickly.

"Hiss..." The incredibly vibrant color of the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish in front of Zhou Long, resembling a blooming flower, instantly caught Tang Zi's eye. "Um... Old Zhou, can I try this squirrel-shaped mandarin fish?"

Although the pictures on the menu looked very appealing, the real temptation of the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish only increased when you actually saw the food and smelled its rich, enticing aroma.

"Don't even think about it, order some yourself if you want to eat!" Zhou Long's face darkened, and he couldn't help but recall the painful experience of having his food snatched away by Hall Master Tai Lei.

No wonder they're uncle and nephew, these two are practically identical!

Seeing Zhou Long warily pull the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish plate towards himself, Tang Zi reluctantly withdrew her gaze and began to carefully examine the food in front of her.

Soon, his gaze was drawn to the shredded pork with garlic sauce on the plate.

Having just eaten Wensi Tofu, the long, thin strands of pork in the Yu Xiang Rou Si (Fish-Fragrant Shredded Pork) immediately caught his eye.

The shredded pork with garlic sauce on the plate wasn't cut as thin as tofu strips, but rather about three millimeters thick. Each shred was coated with a thin layer of sauce, and they were all distinct and not stuck together, making them look extremely tempting.

The shredded pork is covered with fine, slightly yellow chili flakes. The not-so-bright pickled chili flakes are stuck to the shredded pork with a light brown sauce, making it look particularly tempting.

There weren't many side dishes in the bowl. Apart from chopped green onions, there were no other ingredients. The shredded meat was the absolute star. Just looking at the slightly upright, perfectly cooked shredded meat, Tang Zi felt an urge to immediately indulge in this delicious meal.

Is this what fish-flavored shredded pork is?

Tang Zi's eyes widened, and she quickly picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a piece, and put it in her mouth.

The first sensation of shredded pork with garlic sauce is its sweet and sour flavor.

The sugar added to the fish-fragrant sauce gives this dish a sweet and savory flavor, while the subtle sourness comes from the lactic acid in Sichuan-style pickled chili peppers.

Sichuan-style pickled chili peppers, also known as pickled peppers, are made using a traditional lactic acid bacteria fermentation process. The chili peppers used are Erjingtiao, which are not very spicy but have thicker flesh. After being left to ferment for more than two weeks, the resulting pickled chili peppers are sour, spicy, and flavorful with thick flesh.

It's worth mentioning that the lactic acid flavor of pickled chili peppers is a crucial element in the fish-fragrant flavor profile of Sichuan cuisine. Therefore, replacing pickled chili peppers with fresh chili peppers or simply omitting chili peppers will completely destroy the fish-fragrant flavor profile.

As Tang Zi chews, the tender juices of the shredded pork blend with the wonderfully salty, spicy, sweet and sour flavor on the surface, making the shredded pork with fish-fragrant sauce even more flavorful.

But... what about the fish?

Tang Zi's expression of enjoyment slowly turned into confusion.

This dish is called Yu Xiang Rou Si (Fish-Fragrant Shredded Pork), so why can't I taste any fish flavor in the shredded pork?

...

Fish-flavored shredded pork has always been a controversial dish.

This dish, with its unique sweet and sour flavor, has spread from Sichuan and Chongqing to all parts of the country, becoming a common home-cooked dish. Because its name contains the word "fish" but the ingredients do not include fish, it has become a meme along with dishes like "husband and wife lung slices" and "wife cake".

Fish-flavored shredded pork doesn't contain fish, husband and wife lung slices don't contain husband and wife, and wife cake doesn't contain wife.

There are two main points of contention regarding this dish.

First, what side dishes should it use? Second, does it actually use fish?

Nowadays, the common Yu Xiang Rou Si (shredded pork with garlic sauce) can have all sorts of side dishes added, such as shredded wood ear mushrooms, shredded bamboo shoots, celery, shredded carrots, shredded lettuce, etc. It seems that the side dishes added to this dish are different in every different region.

It even gives people the illusion that you can add whatever you want to shredded pork with garlic sauce.

It doesn't matter if it's just for everyday meals, but authentic Yu Xiang Rou Si (shredded pork with garlic sauce) doesn't actually look like this.

Adding too many different side dishes will disrupt the balance of the fish-fragrant flavor itself, thus changing the taste of the dish. The most traditional fish-fragrant shredded pork actually has no side dishes other than scallion segments.