The Cheat Emperor of the Culinary World

Chapter 441: Chapter 435: Recite the Dishes for a Reward

In the chill of early spring, the river’s ice began to melt.

Residents washed their hands in the river water, praying for peace and giving thanks to the mother river, also marking the end of the fishing ban, allowing fishermen to venture into the river to fish.

At this time, all sizes of cold water fish in the Three Rivers, having endured a winter of hunger and cold, had thoroughly expelled waste from their bodies. Their meat was tight, not fatty nor loose, remarkably fresh. As the river opened, they ”emerged one after another,” collectively known as ”River Opening Fish.”

”Three Flowers, Five Luo, Eighteen Sons, Seventy-Two Miscellaneous Fish” are all renowned river fish.

However, the authentic Kaijiang Banquet has fixed dishes for each table, and the methods of cooking river fish are all highly significant.

These dishes reflect the local characteristics of Bei’an, while better bringing out the fresh taste of the river fish.

Yao Shi listened to Zhang Zhen and the two chefs’ discussion, his expression grave. The order had already been accepted, and now he could only do his best.

It was already 7:30 in the evening.

All dishes had to be finalized before 8 o’clock, so the purchasing side could urgently contact suppliers, and the kitchen had to prepare according to the required ingredients for the dishes.

Thinking it over, Yao Shi suddenly thought of Zhao Meng.

Zhao Meng’s previous master was a gourmet; although the old man hadn’t been to many places, he was well-versed in Bei’an’s local delicacies.

An extra person to consult made for more assurance.

What if Zhao Meng knew the specific dishes of the Kaijiang Banquet?

Thinking of this, Yao Shi took out his phone, not bothering to text, and called directly.

Zhao Meng was busy munching on a rabbit head brought by Fu Yu, his hands covered in chili, unable to even pick up the phone.

Fu Yu picked it up and glanced at it: ”It’s Chef Yao calling.”

Zhao Meng hastily said, ”Can you answer it for me, on speakerphone?”

The washing machine in the bathroom was running, its buzzing quite loud.

Fu Yu answered the call, put it on speaker, and held the phone to Zhao Meng’s ear.

Zhao Meng asked, ”Chef Yao, what’s up?”

Yao Shi said directly, ”Old Zhao, you know the Kaijiang Banquet, right?”

Zhao Meng was startled: ”I do, why?”

Yao Shi roughly explained the situation and asked, ”Do you know the specific dishes?”

Zhao Meng thought for a moment, frowning and said, ”I went to a Kaijiang Banquet with my master when I was little. Later, with the river’s severe pollution, our local Kaijiang Banquete wasn’t that authentic anymore, just using a few kinds of available river fish.”

Zhao Meng truly couldn’t recall the exact dishes of the authentic Kaijiang Banquet he’d had.

In memory, there were all kinds of fish and shrimp in the river back then, but for various reasons now, the varieties weren’t as many, and gradually, people lost the original enthusiasm and expectation for the Kaijiang Banquet.

At present, some small specialty restaurants along Yanjiang Street claimed to sell river fish, but they mainly use farmed fish like the three-scaled carp, and their cooking methods no longer follow the original practices.

After all, people’s tastes have been constantly changing, and if restaurants want to make money, they have to cater to popular demand.

”I can’t remember the whole set, but I do recall some distinctive ones like soy-braised Wuchang bream, catfish stew with eggplant, river shrimp pie... Ah, suddenly asked, I’m having trouble recalling...”

Yao Shi frowned tightly. The dishes Zhao Meng mentioned were familiar; they were characteristic ways to cook river fish.

However, although they were distinctive, in Bei’an, they were just ordinary home-cooked dishes and couldn’t rank as top dishes for the Kaijiang Banquet.

”Do you have any other friends who have had the authentic Kaijiang Banquet? Can you ask them for me? I’ll also keep trying over here.”

Yao Shi was now desperately grasping at straws, purely relying on luck.

Maybe a friend had experienced it or knew about the Kaijiang Banquet, piecing together even one dish counts as a dish, and for the rest, just pick a few good-tasting river fish dishes to fill the gap.

”Who else has had a Kaijiang Banquet? Among those around me...”

Zhao Meng thought, looking unconsciously at Fu Yu, muttering to himself, ”Who could know the authentic Kaijiang Banquet?”

[Ding! NPC Chef Zhao Meng’s Mission: Accurately report the authentic Kaijiang Banquet dishes. Reward upon completion: A key to the Full Fish Feast teaching practice class]

Fu Yu: ”!”

Naming the dishes can earn a reward!

While Zhao Meng was on the phone with Yao Shi, Fu Yu quickly flipped through the classic old flavor recipe book.

Search: Kaijiang Banquet.

[Kaijiang Banquet: Every early spring, when the ice and snow melt, fishermen along the banks of the Songhua River and Ussuri River celebrate with the start of river fishing. Living by the water, the banquet naturally features various fish dishes, all with the freshest river fish, delicious no matter the cooking method...]

[Northeast chefs emphasize the original flavor when stewing fish; the fish neither needs to be blanched nor fried in oil, but goes directly into the pot for slow simmering to bring out the fish oils and aroma. If blanched, the fish’s flavor is lost; if fried, the meat texture toughens.]

[Aside from ”stewing,” common methods for cooking Three River Fish include ”pan-frying” and ”smoking,” which require chefs to fully marinate the fish beforehand to infuse the flavors...]

[Fragrant Braised Bian Flower, Red-Braised Jie Flower, Fragrant Smoked Copper Saucer Fish...]

...

Zhao Meng quickly sifted through his contacts in his mind, contemplating, when suddenly he heard someone speak.

”Chef Zhao, I know.”

Zhao Meng was startled, his unfocused gaze refocusing.

Fu Yu repeated, ”I know what’s on the authentic Kaijiang Banquet menu.”

Zhao Meng’s heart leaped with joy, promptly asking, ”You know?”

Fu Yu nodded.

Zhao Meng chuckled, saying into the phone, ”Chef Yao, Fu Yu at my place knows all the dishes on the authentic Kaijiang Banquet menu!”

While Zhao Meng spoke with Yao Shi, Fu Yu began reciting the menu on his own: ”Three Flowers, Five Luo, Eighteen Sons, Seventy-Two Miscellaneous Fish, the authentic Kaijiang Banquet highlights 19 types of River Opening Fish for signature dishes, including Fragrant Braised Bian Flower, Red-Braised Jie Flower, Fragrant Smoked Copper Saucer Fish...”

Zhao Meng paused, listening carefully as Fu Yu named the dishes.

A total of 19 signature dishes, not one missing.

Memories conjured by those vague past images began to surface, some remained unclear, but many scenes were awakened alongside each dish name.

After Fu Yu finished announcing the last dish.

Zhao Meng instinctively slapped his thigh, genuinely praising, ”That’s right! This is the exact menu! Just like I remembered!”

Back then, Zhao Meng was still young, around Fu Yu’s age, maybe even a few years younger.

The river had opened.

Fishermen retrieved nets full of river fish, and he followed his master to the at-the-time bustling tent for the Kaijiang Banquet.

Old-fashioned charcoal stoves, steaming Full Fish Feast.

Time has passed, with hazy memories of the feast bringing joy to diners, and plates of colorful, aromatic, and flavorful dishes on the tables.

The specific taste was long forgotten.

Impressions merely left a sense of immense freshness and deliciousness.