Chapter 0009: Tofu Carving

The second main dish, Kung Pao Rabbit, is prepared using European wild rabbits that can run at speeds of up to 72 kilometers per hour, with lean meat accounting for over 95%. There is no need to worry about high cholesterol levels. This dish is likely better than the original Manchu Han Imperial Feast, as it is unlikely that one could have tasted European wild rabbits during the Qianlong era

After posting on Moments, the diners stared blankly at the phoenix tail fish fins, pondering whether to eat or not. This is a dilemma; eating might ruin this perfect presentation, yet the aroma wafts irresistibly into their noses, making it truly hard to resist.

I was just worried about how to host the important clients tomorrow, but there is no need to say anything; they will definitely be satisfied coming here

Lotus pod tofu, made from tofu shaped like a lotus pod, with green peas as lotus seeds

Crispy fried golden cake, great rescue dish, lotus flower rolls, roasted venison... One dish after another was served, the sounds of mobile phones and chopsticks were incessant, and the diners experienced an unprecedented satisfaction in both their appetites and their vanity.

Tomorrow at noon and in the evening, I will bring my whole family to dine for an entire day

These two delicacies are equally exquisite in their preparation, arranged on the plate as if they were works of art. They have garnered a wave of praise among friends and in the social media circles, with nearly everyone's phones buzzing. Without needing to ask, it is certain that these inquiries are all from those who saw the posts on social media asking which restaurant this was enjoyed at.

Mountain delicacies, selecting wild bracken from Shouyang Mountain, after soaking in water with dried shrimp, add cooking wine and steam until soft

"Eat up! If you don't eat soon, I won't be able to stand it!" Ultimately, appetite prevailed, and all that could be heard was the clattering of plates as the phoenix tail vanished without a trace.

Three Delicacies Dragon and Phoenix Balls, made with chicken breast, shrimp, and eggs

Next dish, the Eight Immortals Crossing the Sea! This dish employs the traditional art of tofu carving, sculpting the form of the Eight Immortals as they cross the sea... Feeling that we have almost finished eating, Shen Long took out his special skill

Pick up the tofu and place it in water, holding a carving knife to meticulously sculpt, carving out lifelike immortals. When this dish is served at the table, everyone is rendered speechless.

Isn't this too realistic? The diners all stood up, their eyes wide and their heads leaning forward, surrounding the finely crafted Eight Immortals made of tofu to observe closely. "This definitely isn't carved from tofu; if you said it was jade carving, that would be more plausible. How could tofu be carved so intricately?"

However, it is indeed carved from tofu, not only visually appealing but also delicious. After taking the photos, I reluctantly scooped a spoonful and brought it to my mouth. The tofu melted in my mouth, and an unprecedented flavor caused my taste buds to explode, making me unable to help but sigh. "I originally thought that the excellence of this dish lay in the knife skills, but after tasting it, I realized that compared to the deliciousness of the tofu, the knife skills are actually of little significance."

The individual meal system is too cumbersome and wasteful, so all the dishes have been changed to large tables. The serving process has been modeled after the traditional Manchu Han Imperial Feast, with improvements made according to the circumstances

The shrimp balls are fragrant, and the pigeon egg has a rich flavor profile, not only featuring the taste of dried shrimp and ham, but upon careful tasting, it seems to have been simmered in broth made from old hens. Nowadays, very few chefs are willing to put in such effort. A diner closed their eyes in contentment, only to feel frustrated soon after, saying, "But the portion is just too small; there's not even enough for a second bite."

With just a slight twist of his ten fingers, Shen Long effortlessly peeled the shell off the pigeon egg. Immediately, his right hand wielded a small knife, creating several dazzling flashes, and on the cutting board appeared several yolks the size of corn kernels. The diners were utterly baffled and could not discern how Shen Long accomplished this.

Eight Treasure Wild Duck, made from high-quality wild ducks that are free-range, is prepared with fresh ginkgo nuts, red dates, water chestnuts from Taihu farmers, along with premium shiitake mushrooms, ham, pine nuts, duck gizzards, and glutinous rice as the 'Eight Treasure' filling, stuffed into the duck's belly and steamed for ten minutes. In the meantime, while they enjoy their dim sum and share moments on social media, Shen Long has already begun preparing the next dish.

The first main dish, Red Plum Pearl Fragrance, is prepared using Hunan cuisine techniques. The pigeon eggs are boiled until the yolks are removed and then filled with lean ham, dried shrimp, button mushrooms, and dried scallops. The shrimp are shelled, deep-fried until cooked, and arranged on the plate as pearls. Shen Long introduced while preparing, stating that the Manchu-Han Imperial Feast encompasses the essence of various cuisines, featuring classic dishes from the eight major culinary traditions.

The attentive diners counted and found that there were exactly ten pigeon eggs and ten shrimp balls, allowing each person to have one; at this point, everyone set aside their reservations and eagerly began to pick up the shrimp balls and pigeon eggs to taste them.

The lotus seed porridge concludes the meal, followed by a fruit platter and Dongting Biluochun tea to aid digestion for the guests, marking the end of this meal

The authentic Hongmei Zhu Xiang should consist of twenty-four pigeon eggs and twenty-four shrimp balls, but since there are quite a few dishes prepared today, it is sufficient for everyone to just have a taste, as there are many more delicious items to come later, Shen Long explained

Everyone take a break and have some snacks, such as bean flour buns and milk sauce dumplings. The Manchu-Han Imperial Feast is not like an ordinary banquet where all the dishes are piled on the dining table to be consumed at once; instead, it features a rotation of appetizers, main courses, cold dishes, hot dishes, desserts, dried fruits, and candied fruits, served in a separate dining style with individual small tables.

Shen Long entered the private room, and before he had a chance to speak, he heard several diners simultaneously exclaim, "Boss, are you serving lunch here tomorrow? Please reserve a table for me."

Hey, this skill is truly remarkable! Fortunately, I didn't accompany my girlfriend shopping today, otherwise I would have missed it. In the eyes of some diners, gourmet food is even more important than a girlfriend

Soon, this plate of red plum pearl fragrance will be prepared and delivered to the private room. In the center of the plate, there are golden-red shrimp balls piled up, surrounded by a circle of pure white pigeon eggs. The shrimp balls are as crimson as plums, and the pigeon eggs are as white as pearls. The name "red plum pearl fragrance" likely comes from this.

The pigeon egg is only that big, and you still have to remove the yolk to fill it with something? This is quite a challenge! The diners all widened their eyes, intending to see how Shen Long would handle it.

The third main dish, fish fin with phoenix tail, involves stewing fish fins together with old hen, minced ham, and pork twice, each time for five hours; then, chicken fat is spread on a spoon, and quail eggs are cracked and steamed in a basket; the fish fins are arranged on a plate to resemble a phoenix tail, with the steamed quail eggs serving as the eyes of the tail. This dish has been prepared since the morning

Upon witnessing this scene, Shen Long smiled, as this was precisely the effect he desired. All the hard work over the past period was not in vain! Those in his social circle would surely inquire about where this meal was enjoyed. One person would tell another, and before long, this establishment would no longer have to worry about its business.

Wow, I can't bear to eat this dish. As soon as the dish was served, everyone took out their phones and cameras, snapping away non-stop. Just based on the skill of this presentation, posting it on social media could easily garner at least 120 likes.

The dishes are made fresh, but much of the preparation work has already been done in advance. The Manchu-Han Imperial Feast includes many time-consuming dishes, and the limited time available in the evening is insufficient. Shen Long quickly set about preparing the first main dish