"Let's start selecting the ingredients …" Lin Liang's words brought Ye Cang and the rest back to their senses.
Old Wang did not move. He watched as Jing Xuan selected the Buddha lotus, Purple Locust Flower, and Karmic Fire Hibiscus. Then, she selected the Three Treasures of Mushrooms (Cloud Mushroom, White Jade Crab Mushroom, and Dew Sea Mushroom). Lastly, she selected the Three Treasures of Pure Heart Temple, Buddha Asparagus, Buddha Seal Lettuce, and Buddha Face Spring Bamboo. "Little Bai, watch how he uses the vegetarian soup stock. This is amazing. No one can do it like him, not even Qian Yidao.
Even if he tries to compete with Qian Yidao, he would not be able to compete with Qian Yidao. "Ye Cang watched as Jing Xuan's slender and beautiful hands started to process the ingredients. Different from Old Wang and Lao Li's quick and accurate attacks, Jing Xuan gave off a feeling of satisfaction when she was cooking. Although the way he processed the ingredients did not seem to be fast, Ye Cang still noticed it. It was not that he was not fast, it was just that he did not have any extra techniques. Every step was necessary and was extremely methodical.
"You're just starting to make the soup stock. What time is it when you go drinking at night …" Sun Quan was speechless.
"Eh, I wouldn't have noticed if you didn't mention it …" Liu Bei nodded slowly.
Old Wang smiled. "Watch it. Don't blink."
Jing Xuan started to cook. First, she cut the three bamboo shoots with a knife. Then, she placed the three mushrooms in the steamer. Looking at the fire, she had an idea. She placed the ingredients simply and started to make the sauce. Everyone watched as she mixed a mixture of salt according to a certain ratio and sprinkled it evenly on the flowers. Soon, all the flowers were marinated and wilted. On the other hand, she only took about 10 minutes to take out the three mushrooms from the steamer. To everyone's surprise, the three mushrooms were not wilted completely. They were still standing upright and crystal clear mushroom juice was dripping from them.
Jing Xuan watched him put the three bamboo shoots into the steamer one by one, and the soup was poured into the place where the three mushrooms were standing. As the mushrooms were placed on the bottom of the big wooden plate, the soup was just less than half of the mushrooms' stems. In the green and translucent soup, three silk flowers were floating quietly. The mushroom juice kept dripping on the soup, making the soup ripple with fragrance. Just by smelling the fragrance, one could feel peace and harmony.
In the end, Jing Xuan poured a spoonful of cold spring soup on the marinated flowers. Immediately, the three flowers seemed to have come alive. The wilted parts began to wake up and they regained their vitality as if they had just bloomed. Jing Xuan gracefully placed the lotus on the surface of the soup. The purple locust flower was inserted into the bottom of the mushrooms. Then, she added the Karmic Fire Hibiscus to the bottom of the soup. The petals of the Karmic Fire Hibiscus began to emit a faint red color that flowed into the water. Occasionally, a leaf of the locust flower would fall onto Jing Xuan's soup while the lotus swayed slightly in the ripples of the mushroom juice.
Everyone felt as if they had seen a person on the lotus, and that person was themselves. They had abandoned the mortal world and were sitting on the lotus on the surface of the lake. As they looked at the beautiful natural scenery around them, their hearts were calm and serene, and their bodies were warm. Lin Liang could not help but gasp in amazement at this kind of illusion. Master Jing Xuan's culinary skills had improved again. This dish could no longer be described as having good looks, smells, and tastes. It contained the principles of Buddhism.
Lao Wang furrowed his eyebrows tightly. When it came to Zen cuisine, he was most afraid of dishes that not only had good looks, smells, and tastes, but there was also a meaning behind them. This kind of feeling was as if two military generals were competing. Not only did they have to test their martial arts, but they also had to test their literary talents.
Lin Liang used his chopsticks to pick up a section of the shredded bamboo shoot and put it into his mouth. Why was it called "Buddha Face Spring Bamboo Shoot"? It was because its taste was gentle and did not contain any milky or fishy smell. Even if it was just picked and eaten raw, it was still a first-rate delicacy and was extremely crisp. Furthermore, it absorbed the soup perfectly, and was accompanied by a few types of fragrant soup tastes that refreshed one's heart and mind, nourishing one's kidneys and lungs. The soup had distinct layers, and he had picked up the spot where the juice of the Cloud Shiitake Mushroom had dripped. While the soup had the taste of the mushroom juice, there was also the faint taste of the bamboo shoot, as well as the fragrance of the lotus flower that did not disturb the taste. Finally, there was a trace of bitterness. This bitterness came from the Hibiscus Hellfire. Although it was slightly bitter, it was a refreshing bitterness. Among all the flavors, it had to be made delicious. Of course, there were also people who liked to eat bitter things (for example, they liked bitter gourd and celery, but they were most representative of tea. The bitterness was a type of fragrance. This slight bitterness was just right. Very quickly, the sweetness left in their mouths and teeth.
Lin Liang looked at Jing Xuan. The boss of the Zhai Restaurant really lives up to her name. "May I know the name of this dish?"
"Steamed Mushroom Soup, Three Bamboo Shoots, Three Mushrooms, Ten Miles, Three Flowers …"
Lin Liang was speechless as he thought there was a name that was worthy of such an elegant name. Are all the chefs in Donghuang so willful in naming their dishes? "Ahem, how about …"
"Let's call it Steamed Mushroom Soup, Three Bamboo Shoots, Three Mushrooms, Ten Miles, Three Flowers …" Jing Xuan interrupted with a smile.
Lin Liang's chest tightened. "Alright, what does' Ten Miles' mean …"
"I just feel that it's easier to pronounce the name this way. It's not that interesting …" Jing Xuan shrugged.
Cao Cao and the rest took a sip of the soup. They felt so comfortable after their stomachs were scraped. The aroma and taste in their mouths made them feel so comfortable. They felt like all the fats in their bodies were melting away. They felt refreshed and even more interested in drinking wine.
Cao Cao fed Ye Beibei the soup and smiled, "Master Jing Xuan, although you're gay, but … you're really good at cooking. Thank you! "
"Sir, I'm flattered …" Jing Xuan was not bothered by Cao Cao's teasing at all. She displayed the manners of a Buddhist master.
Ci Mei and the rest of the girls were so comfortable that they almost moaned out loud. Their eyes were filled with lust as they stared at the brown soup bowl. To women, this kind of nourishing, greasy, and oily soup was like a heavenly water.
"Tsk, I'll cook it for you guys when we get back. I've already learned how to cook it …" Ye Cang also felt that it was delicious. It was not like Old Wang or Lao Li's cooking. Instead, it was more like an elegant artistic delicacy. It was very comfortable.
"Please let us go, captain," Ice Cloud who was immersed in the comfort immediately shivered.
"Shut up, you biochemical chef," Wu Na said in an annoyed tone.
"Hmph, ignorant women and children. I won't stoop down to your level. Wild boars can't eat fine chaff!" Ye rolled his eyes at the girls and continued to drink the soup. He picked up a slice of the locust flower and ate it. It had a slightly salty taste, completely showing the original taste of the locust flower. The soup completely enhanced and sublimated the taste of the locust flower. This Jing Xuan is not simple. She can compete with me, but she might be slightly inferior.
After tasting the soup, Old Wang frowned even harder. Even Lao Li was itching to try it. However, when he thought of how to counter her, he started to frown as well. He was immersed in thinking about ingredients, techniques, cuisine, blending, and other chain reactions. In the end, he looked at Old Wang and asked, "Old Wang, what do you think?"
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