Chapter 356 - 190: So Good You Cried?

Chapter 356: Chapter 190: So Good You Cried?

"This is the dipping dish for the Kneeling Beef. The soup has a light flavor, so the beef and offal are meant to be dipped in these chili flakes before eating," Lin Zhiqiang explained.

"Dredge it completely in the chili flakes?" Qian Siyuan asked, a bit hesitant. He liked spicy food, but the sight of the full dish of chili flakes made him decide to be cautious.

"Don’t let the chili flakes fool you. It’s not as intensely hot as you might think. The flavor is more fragrant and savory than purely spicy. If you’re worried, you can start by dipping just a little," Lin Zhiqiang explained.

Qian Siyuan first tried a piece without any dip. The large, thin slice of beef was soft and had been blanched to perfection, making it exceptionally tender and delicious.

Then, he picked up another slice, tentatively dipped a corner into the chili flakes, and popped it into his mouth. As he chewed, his eyes lit up.

’These chili flakes are so fragrant!’

It was completely different from what he’d expected. The heat wasn’t overwhelming in the slightest. The aroma of the dried chilies mingled with the fragrance of toasted sesame seeds, enhanced by a touch of saltiness. It was the perfect finishing touch, adding a savory, spicy dimension to the already delectable beef.

He’d never encountered this method of eating before: simmering the meat in a clear broth, only to dip it in dry chili flakes at the end.

’So this is Sichuan-style!’

In no time, all six slices of beef had been dipped in chili flakes and polished off.

He then picked up a piece of semi-translucent tendon, dipped it in the chili flakes, and took a bite.

The tendon, which would normally be quite tough, had become incredibly tender and soft after hours of stewing. Coated in the chili flakes, it had its own unique and delicious flavor.

After picking out and finishing all the tendon, Qian Siyuan’s gaze fell upon the tripe and beef intestine still in his bowl, his expression turning conflicted.

"Whoa! This tripe is so crisp! It has to be fresh—the texture is incredible!" The secretary sitting beside him had already started digging in, unable to hold back his praise.

This secretary was from the Hong Kong office and was more adventurous with these types of food.

After all, Hong Kong is right next to Guangdong, where they say people will eat anything. The running joke is that they find people from Fujian particularly delicious.

"Wang, is it really that good?" Qian Siyuan asked, looking at him.

Wang nodded. "President Qian, you have to try it. It’s a rare treat to find tripe this fresh and high-quality. Plus, the cooking Fire Control is perfect; there’s no gamy taste at all."

At his words, Qian Siyuan picked up a piece of tripe, dipped it in the chili flakes, and warily brought it to his mouth.

CRUNCH!

The satisfyingly crisp and springy texture made his eyes fly wide open.

’Huh?’

’This is nothing like what I expected!’

The texture was incredibly crisp, snapping cleanly between his teeth. Paired with the chili flakes, it became more and more fragrant the more he chewed.

"This is... actually really good. It’s my first time eating tripe." Before he even realized it, his chopsticks were already picking up a second piece.

He tried the beef intestine on his own initiative. Unlike the crisp tripe, the intestine was melt-in-your-mouth tender. Dipped in the chili flakes, it was rich and savory.

Taking a sip of the soup every now and then as he ate... the feeling was just incredible.

In no time, the bowl of Kneeling Beef was empty.

Qian Siyuan took off his suit jacket and set it aside, undoing the top two buttons of his shirt. Though it was late autumn, fine beads of sweat had broken out on his forehead.

The bowl of appetizing Kneeling Beef soup had left him feeling utterly content and comfortable.

His aversion to offal had been completely shattered by this one bowl of soup.

’It wasn’t nearly as scary as I imagined!’

’When it’s cleaned this thoroughly, the texture and flavor are just superb.’

The media in the West demonizes these foods too much. Once you actually taste them, you realize it’s not like that at all.

When it comes to the art of eating, you really have to hand it to the people of China.

A platter of braised beef and braised vegetables arrived at the table next.

Qian Siyuan was full of praise after tasting them.

"Is this tofu skin? It tastes amazing, almost like meat," Qian Siyuan asked, looking at Lin Zhiqiang in astonishment as he held up a piece of dried tofu stick.

Lin Zhiqiang explained, "That’s a dried tofu stick, a type of soy product. Soymilk is boiled in a large wok, and the thin skin that forms on the surface is lifted off. Once it’s dried, it becomes a tofu stick."

"That’s incredible! The people of China are absolute geniuses!" Qian Siyuan exclaimed. "Compared to this, the United States is a culinary wasteland. The few Chinese restaurants we have are terrible, not authentic in the slightest."

Next on the table was Flash-fried Pork Liver.

"The color of this Flash-fried Pork Liver is gorgeous. That bright, glossy red just looks so appetizing." His confidence bolstered by the Kneeling Beef, Qian Siyuan proactively picked up a piece of liver with his chopsticks, popped it in his mouth, chewed, and swallowed. He nodded. "So tender! The texture is silky smooth, and the flavor is incredible!"

Lin Zhiqiang smiled. "The entire point of Flash-fried Pork Liver is its tenderness! But very few chefs can actually pull it off. The Fire Control is incredibly difficult to master. They say the liver is in the wok for only a dozen seconds or so, from start to finish. You have to guarantee a fresh, tender texture while also making sure the customer doesn’t get sick. It’s a huge test of a Chef’s skill."

"A dozen seconds?" Qian Siyuan was stunned. He took the bowl of rice from his secretary, shoveled in a mouthful, and immediately followed it with another piece of liver. It was delicious and went perfectly with the rice.

"Mapo Tofu," Zhao Hong announced, setting the dish on the table.

Qian Siyuan’s eyes were immediately drawn to the dish. Served in a rustic earthenware bowl, the Mapo Tofu’s white cubes peeked through a glistening, reddish sauce and oil, garnished with green garlic sprouts and seasoned ground beef. It looked incredibly tempting.

He examined it closely. "This Mapo Tofu looks a bit different from the one I had the other day. Are those garlic sprouts on top? The one I had before was garnished with chopped scallions and had a lot more sauce."

"Then you absolutely have to try this one. It’s guaranteed to be more authentic than the one from the Guocheng Silk Factory," Lin Zhiqiang said with a touch of pride. "The original Chen Mapo Tofu, from the restaurant founded by the dish’s creator, uses garlic sprouts. Using scallions isn’t the authentic way."

"Let’s see what the difference is." Qian Siyuan picked up his spoon and ladled some of the Mapo Tofu into his bowl. He blew on it to cool it down, then slid a piece of tofu directly into his mouth.