Madam Xiong nodded politely. "And Miss Gu?"
Mianmian stepped forward. Her voice was calm and even, though she knew the man beside Madam Xiong was watching her just as closely as the older woman was.
"I've prepared a steamed sea bass with fermented black bean and garlic sauce.." she said. "The fish was filleted and lightly marinated in ginger rice wine to remove any residual odor and enhance its natural sweetness. It was then steamed to maintain moisture and topped with a hot oil drizzle infused with scallions and Sichuan peppercorn."
She gestured to the accompanying dish. "The vegetables were stir-fried quickly over high heat to maintain crispness, using sesame oil and a dash of soy for balance. I've kept it traditional to let the ingredients speak."
Cheongsam lifted the cover off her dish, releasing a waft of steam that immediately filled the room with warm, savory notes.
