Chapter 448: Lantern Shadow Beef
After greedily taking another deep breath of the rich, layered aroma that completely enveloped him, Long Hanyun finally set his gaze on the Pearl Hidden in the Dark.
Following the cut made by the dining knife, the red-brown duck meat on the surface revealed a faint gray color inside. Beneath that tender duck meat was a layer of golden-brown roasted chicken skin, and within the chicken skin was chicken meat of a deeper shade than the duck.
Further inside the chicken layer, pigeon and quail meat overlapped with each other. And when the knife broke through all the layers of meat, what appeared before Long Hanyun's eyes was a meatball.
The meatball wasn't large—about the same size as the Hand-Beaten Beef Ball he had seen before—though the colors differed greatly. A cooked Hand-Beaten Beef Ball was light gray-brown, while the eight-treasure meatball before him was a deep brown.
How does it taste?
A trace of eagerness flickered in Long Hanyun's eyes. Without hesitation, his chopsticks reached toward the deepest part of the Pearl Hidden in the Dark and picked out the meatball hidden at its core.
With his years of cooking experience—and coupled with the name of the dish—it was easy for him to determine that although many types of fowl prepared through different cooking methods were wrapped around the outside, the most delicious component was the innermost meatball.
It was the part that absorbed the full essence of the entire dish.
And as expected, the instant he took a bite of the eight-treasure meatball, a look of surprise instantly spread across Long Hanyun's face.
Although both were pounded into shape, goose meat and beef had different textures. The eight-treasure meatball could not reach the same springiness and bursting juiciness as a beef ball, yet its own elasticity was by no means inferior.
Each bite was extremely bouncy to the teeth, and when paired with the meatball's intense and concentrated flavor, the experience was overwhelmingly satisfying.
He slowly closed his eyes, savoring the taste in his mouth.
As the meatball was completely chewed apart, the eight distinct ingredients hidden within it—already infused thoroughly into its juices—burst out to release their own flavors.
Sea cucumber, abalone, cured ham, dried scallops…
Each ingredient carried its own unique character, weaving together and gently merging with the flavor of the goose meat itself. And even the flavor of the goose wasn't singular.
Throughout the entire cooking process, the meatball—hidden in the belly of the quail—absorbed the flavors of steamed quail, stewed pigeon, roasted chicken, and oil-poured gourd duck.
Those flavors, each with its own intensity, flowed into the meatball and fused perfectly with the goose meat, making it seem as though the goose now contained the essence of all five types of fowl—its savoriness subtly elevated into something extraordinary.
Five birds, eight delicacies—everything exquisite was condensed into that single bite, leaving Long Hanyun visibly shaken.
That a single dish could possess such depth and complexity…
This kind of flavor was likely something only Han Shi could ever taste.
After finishing the eight-treasure meatball hidden within the quail's abdomen, Long Hanyun—now satisfied—began tasting the outer layers of fowl that made up the Pearl Hidden in the Dark.
Even though all the essence had been drawn into the innermost meatball, the outer meats were by no means inferior.
During the cooking process, the savory qualities of each bird melded together, yet the fusion did not erase their distinct characteristics. Each fowl, seasoned by its own preparation method, retained its primary flavor while the others served as accents, merging harmoniously while remaining uniquely expressive.
Even more convenient was, there wasn't a single bone throughout the entire dish. Aside from the duck head acting as the gourd stem on the outermost gourd duck, all internal birds had been fully deboned. Inside the two gourd-shaped bodies—one large and one small—was nothing but meat, packed to the brim.
This made Long Hanyun—an unapologetic carnivore—especially fond of it.
Who could possibly refuse meat without having to spit out bones?
Absolutely no one!
After wolfing down the entire Pearl Hidden in the Dark in front of him, he glanced at the now empty plate, then immediately turned his eyes toward another dish, one that looked particularly exquisite.
Lantern Shadow Beef.
If the Pearl Hidden in the Dark resembled a beautifully crafted gourd—its plump, red-brown exterior especially pleasing—then the appearance of Lantern Shadow Beef could only be described as dazzling.
The beef slices were astonishingly thin, each identical in size and shape. Layer after layer, they were arranged with meticulous precision upon an elegant base, forming a delicately crafted lotus lantern.
The plating alone was enough to make one click their tongue in admiration. But at the very center of the lotus lantern, a small red candle burned quietly. Threads of candlelight flickered through the overlapping beef slices, and under that mottled illumination, the neat and intricate grain of the beef was revealed.
Dreamlike. Almost unreal.
With inward praise, he couldn't help picking up a slice and slowly bringing it toward his nose.
Without the candlelight shining through, Lantern Shadow Beef finally revealed its own glistening red luster. Although crisp in texture, the surface of the beef showed not the slightest sign of dryness. A thin sheen of oil coated it—not greasy at all—further enhancing the dish's allure.
Because it wasn't a hot dish, the aroma wasn't particularly strong. Still, as it neared his nose, faint traces of spicy-numbing fragrance seeped in without restraint.
Light and threadlike, yet utterly tantalizing.
Even after finishing the Pearl Hidden in the Dark, Long Hanyun found himself powerless against the scent of Lantern Shadow Beef.
Gently opening his mouth, he bit off half a slice.
As it fractured with each chew, the texture sharply reminded one of potato chips.
Well… Long Hanyun had never eaten potato chips before. To him, this strange, crisp texture—something he had never encountered—was marvelously peculiar, nothing like traditional dried meat.
Crisp as it was, requiring only the lightest pressure to break apart, the Lantern Shadow Beef was still made from beef; it carried a rich umami savor of its own. When that savor melded with the lightly spicy chili oil coating its surface, it produced a flavor entirely different in kind—unexpected, yet wonderful.
What a pity.
Long Hanyun sighed softly.
Lantern Shadow Beef was clearly a chilled appetizer meant to be enjoyed before the meal, likely the first of the four dishes. Yet he had first been captivated by the Yangzhou Fried Rice, then wholly consumed by the strange wonder that was Pearl Hidden in the Dark.
His tasting order had been completely reversed.
After trying a few slices, his attention shifted again to the only dish remaining: the Pheasant Soup. He began tasting it.
Unsurprisingly, the pure, savory, and thick soup once again piqued his interest.
It's another masterpiece, its pheasant meat was as thick and creamy as congee. Who would have thought chicken could be prepared like this?
Every meal at Han Shi's was far more than simply enjoying food. For Long Hanyun, it was also a continuous source of inspiration. After tasting the Pheasant Soup, a few new culinary ideas began emerging in his mind.
After a long while, he finally finished every dish with great satisfaction. Rubbing his stomach, he walked out of Han Shi and headed home at a brisk pace.
Time to shut himself away and cultivate; the special effects of those four Purple Card Dishes needed to be digested properly.
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