bioinnovel Chapter 55 Feast and Raw Fish
Chapter 55 Feast and Raw Fish
The Hall of Night Shadows.
Rather than a hall, it is more like a semi-open palace built on a natural cave and meticulously carved and expanded.
The towering dome retains some of the original stalactite structure, but its surface has been polished smooth and embedded with countless tiny moonstones, which are now emitting a soft, moon-like glow.
The rock face is carved with reliefs depicting the history and legends of the cat tribe, the lines of which are unrestrained and full of vitality.
In the center of the hall, an oval stone table, more than 20 meters long and carved from a single piece of dark rock, has been set up.
A thick tablecloth was laid out on the table, and neat wooden tableware was arranged on it.
The air was filled with the rich aroma of roasting meat.
"Prophet, Chief Elune, please take a seat."
The gray-eyed high priest led everyone to the main area of the stone table.
Lynn and Elune were seated in the most honored guest seats, with Lydia and Vera on either side of Lynn, while Fang and Amber sat on the side closest to the elders.
As everyone took their seats, the cat-like waiters who had been waiting began to serve the dishes in an orderly manner.
The dishes were quickly laid out on the table.
Just as Lynn knew from his previous life, the cat-like orcs had a rough and down-to-earth diet.
Large chunks of different kinds of monster meat are either skewered on iron skewers and roasted until crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with the fat sizzling, or stewed in a large earthenware pot with tubers and mushrooms until tender.
There was also a whole grilled fish, a mountain of roasted nuts, and a sweet and sour sauce made from some kind of purple berry.
The ingredients themselves are undoubtedly of the highest quality—Lynn can clearly perceive the different elemental energies contained in these meats.
However, after Lynn's gaze swept over all the dishes and he tasted a few, he understood.
"As expected... the seasoning is too simple."
Apart from salt and that berry jam, you can hardly taste any other spices or compound seasonings.
Roasted meat relies solely on its juices and salt for flavor, while stews are purely savory and salty.
While the original flavor and elemental energy of the ingredients are certainly prominent, the layers of taste... are really unremarkable.
The elves at the same table didn't seem to mind.
Elune ate with her usual elegance. Although she chewed noticeably slowly, she seemed to appreciate this method of preserving the original flavor of the ingredients, as she believed in the natural way of life.
Vera was also enjoying her meal—the girl seemed to have a particular fondness for meat, and was gnawing on a golden-brown, juicy leg of some unknown animal with relish.
But after eating most of it, he couldn't help but mutter to himself, "It's delicious... but it feels like something's missing..."
Forest tribes mostly value authenticity and originality.
Although I sometimes indulge in a little something, the food is still quite delicious even though the ingredients don't have too many spices.
They traded their own spices, though they had some market in the Magic Forest.
But not many.
In cases like this...
What dishes should I cook to better promote the use of spices?
Authentic and original.
That must be Cantonese cuisine.
The poached chicken in F3, South China?
or.
Steamed or blanched?
At this moment.
Leah ate the stewed fish she had been given on the small plate in front of her, but her platinum gray eyes kept drifting towards Lynn.
This little girl can't even concentrate on her meal.
correct!
fish.
Raw fish!
A dish that strives for ultimate freshness.
It can be described as the ultimate belief in authenticity.
The three cat elders in the main seat took in Lynn's reaction.
Elder Huiyan adjusted his monocle and spoke gently.
"Night Shadow City is located deep in the forest, making trade with the outside world inconvenient."
"Our people have been accustomed to using the original flavor of ingredients and salt for generations, so please forgive us, Prophet."
Elder Warclaw snorted, grabbed a large piece of roasted meat with the bone, and tore into it, mumbling, "It's good enough to have something to eat! Plenty of energy, filling, that's good food!"
The gray-eyed high priest looked at Lynn, his eyes filled with inquiry: "Your Excellency the Prophet comes from a human kingdom, and must have seen many more diverse culinary techniques. I wonder if you are satisfied with our hospitality?"
The question was asked politely, but it also carried a hint of concern about "outsiders' opinions".
Lynn put down the wooden fork in his hand and smiled slightly.
"The ingredients are of exceptional quality, rich in elements, and are a rare delicacy even in the Silver Dew Settlement. This shows the elders' seriousness and hospitality in hosting this event." He first gave his affirmation, and then changed the subject.
"However, I do have some insights into how to eat this ingredient."
Upon hearing this, the elders and the cat servants standing nearby all perked up their ears.
Amber's eyes lit up.
She had tasted Lynn's "Beggar's Chicken" made by hand in Silver Dew Village, and the taste was still unforgettable.
"Oh? What insightful opinion does the prophet have?" The gray-eyed high priest leaned forward slightly with interest.
Lynn did not answer directly, but instead scanned the table and finally landed on the stewed fish that had hardly been touched.
"Is this a clear-water red-eyed trout?"
"Exactly."
"This fish comes from a clear pool near the Sleeping Rift Valley. Compared to other places, fish from this place contain pure water elements."
"But this red-eyed fish is a bit tough after stewing, and it has quite a few small bones, so the taste is inevitably just so-so."
The wise elder nodded.
"I have a way to cook this fish that can turn something rotten into something magical." Lynn stood up and smiled calmly at the cat elders who were looking at him curiously.
He then continued, "Are there any fresh, clean-water red-eyed trout left in the kitchen?"
The gray-eyed high priest nodded with some curiosity: "Of course."
She looked at Lynn: "Is the Prophet going to...cook himself?"
"May I borrow your kitchen so that you may all taste my cooking?" Lynn said with a smile.
He then turned to Leah and the others and winked, "I'll be back soon."
Elune blushed slightly and nodded gently.
Leah nodded gently, "Mhm!"
Vera, with meat stuffed in her mouth, waved her hand indistinctly, but her eyes were sparkling.
Lynn followed the head waiter out of the hall and headed towards the kitchen area on the side.
The kitchen of the Nightshade Tribe was equally spacious and rugged, with several large stone stoves burning brightly and several cat-tribe chefs busy at work.
Everyone looked on in surprise when they saw the head waiter bring in a human.
Lynn didn't explain much, and quickly scanned the available materials and kitchen utensils.
Red-eyed trout were soon brought over, four or five in total.
The most distinctive feature of this fish is the prominent crescent-shaped red spot on the upper edge of its eye, hence the name "red-eyed fish".
Lynn rolled up his sleeves and began processing the food, surrounded by the curious onlookers of the cat-tribe chefs.
Chop off the tail, bleed it, cut it, remove the skin, and take the meat.
Lynn chose to cook the fish sashimi in Yokosu.
When preparing raw fish, it is important to avoid getting it wet, as this will affect its texture and flavor.
Lynn used a clean gauze to absorb the moisture from the fish.
Then cut one-third of the fish meat into fish-shaped pieces of uniform thickness.
The rest were sliced into paper-thin fish fillets.
Then Lynn took out the spices he carried with him.
There are many ways to eat raw fish in F3 South China, including the Hengzhou style, as well as the Shunde, Chaozhou, and Hakka styles.
There is no superior or inferior way to eat these dishes.
Each has its own unique flavor.
Hengzhou raw fish uses as many as twenty or thirty kinds of ingredients.
The ingredients are divided into green ingredients and acidic ingredients.
While maintaining the original flavor, the seasonings create a spicy, sour, and savory taste with a rich and pungent aroma.
Unfortunately, Lynn didn't have that many ingredients.
Lynn took out the usual ginger, garlic, chili peppers, crushed peanuts, and found fresh scallions in the kitchen.
Unfortunately, I couldn't find any cilantro, which is Lynn's favorite.
After cutting the ingredients into hair-thin strands, Lynn took out sesame oil, soy sauce, fruit vinegar, and sugar from her small bag.
In addition to the salt that was already present.
Lynn prepared dipping sauces for everyone at the banquet.
When eating sashimi, Lynn prefers to add some wasabi, but unfortunately, the raw materials for making wasabi haven't been found in this area yet.
As the ingredients, dipping sauces, and sashimi are served.
Everyone at the banquet looked on in surprise.