Chapter 308: A Magical New Way to Eat
Tang Zi pondered for a while but couldn't help turning to Zhou Long.
"Old Zhou, didn't you have Fish-flavored Shredded Pork yesterday?"
"This is amazing!"
Zhou Long took a bite of the Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish, swaying his head in admiration before responding to Tang Zi, "Yeah, I did."
"Then why don't I taste any fish flavor in this dish?" Tang Zi scratched his head. "Did you taste any?"
"Nope," Zhou Long replied casually. "Why should there be a fish flavor?"
"Think about it—this dish is called 'Fish-flavored Shredded Pork'. Shouldn't the pork have a fish flavor to match the name?"
"Good point." Zhou Long nodded seriously before rolling his eyes. "But just tell me, is it delicious or not?"
"…It's delicious."
"Then that's all that matters! Why overthink it?" Zhou Long chuckled. "Boss Qi's dish names are always weird. Can you explain what 'Wensi tofu' means?"
Tang Zi: "…"
Forget it. No need to dwell on it.
Shaking his head, Tang Zi reached for another bite of Fish-flavored Shredded Pork.
Seeing his friend stop overanalyzing, Zhou Long grinned and turned back to the Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish.
This dish was just too damn delicious—oh wait, no, it was marvelous!
I, Zhou Long, am a cultured man!
As the Fish-flavored Shredded Pork neared his mouth and nose, the rising steam carried its enticing aroma straight into Tang Zi's nostrils.
There was a faint trace of lactic acidity in the scent, yet it didn't give off any impression of spoilage. Instead, it perfectly stimulated his appetite.
A mild but not overpowering spiciness blended in, merging with the richness of the pork, creating a completely new and uniquely tempting flavor.
Tang Zi blinked, then wasted no time in placing the pork into his mouth.
The shredded pork was soft and tender, its surface coated in a smooth, slightly thickened sauce bursting with a balance of salty, umami, sweet, and sour flavors, with just a hint of spiciness.
Sweetness and spiciness are usually opposing flavors, yet in this Fish-flavored Shredded Pork, they achieved a magical harmony. The spiciness enhanced the delicate sweetness, while the sweetness subtly boosted the umami richness. Meanwhile, the tangy notes intertwined with the heat, further whetting the appetite.
Everything was connected.
It felt as if the flavors were continuously cycling through Tang Zi's mouth. With each bite of the tender, slightly chewy pork, the intense aroma kept bursting between his teeth.
Truly… beyond words.
Tang Zi slowly closed his eyes, a look of satisfaction spreading across his face.
After taking another bite, he paused instead of continuing immediately.
Something clicked in his mind, and his eyes lit up.
Just like Kung Pao chicken, this Fish-flavored Shredded Pork seemed to be perfect for pairing with rice.
He hadn't ordered egg fried rice this time.
But that wasn't a problem.
After all, sitting right in front of him was a deluxe upgrade of egg fried rice—Bodhi Vegetarian Dish.
Without hesitation, Tang Zi pulled the dish closer and examined it carefully.
When the three dishes had first arrived, he had only given it a quick glance before being drawn in by the visually enticing Fish-flavored Shredded Pork. Now, for the first time, he was truly appreciating the Bodhi Vegetarian Dish up close.
At first glance, it looked utterly ordinary.
Even egg fried rice had bits of chopped scallions for color. But this dish? It was a single uniform shade, visually even less appealing than fried rice.
Yet upon closer inspection, its secret was revealed.
Despite its plain appearance, every individual grain of rice had a smooth, jade-like translucency. Full and round, each grain glistened temptingly under the light.
Interesting.
Tang Zi raised an eyebrow, scooped up a spoonful, and slowly brought it closer to his nose.
As the Bodhi Vegetarian Dish neared his mouth and nose, he caught a strong, rich aroma of meat hidden within.
His heart trembled.
Where's the meat?
There wasn't a single visible trace of meat in the Bodhi Vegetarian Dish, so why did it carry such an intense and pure meaty fragrance?
If he closed his eyes, he would have thought he was holding a spoonful of Dongpo pork.
A strange thought arose in Tang Zi's mind.
Just now, the Fish-flavored Shredded Pork had "fish" in its name but didn't taste like fish at all.
Now, this Bodhi Vegetarian Dish had no mention of meat in its name, nor was there any meat to be seen, yet it was brimming with the aroma of meat.
Boss Qi… could this be intentional?
Shaking his head to clear his thoughts, Tang Zi opened his mouth and placed the spoonful of Bodhi Vegetarian Dish inside.
"Mmm!"
The moment it entered his mouth, the rich meaty aroma intensified, spreading through his senses. Just smelling it alone was enough to bring a deep sense of comfort and satisfaction to any meat lover.
As he began chewing, Tang Zi noticed even more layers of flavor. A deep eggy richness was hidden beneath the meaty aroma, giving the dish a fuller, more substantial texture.
The soft rice was effortlessly crushed between his teeth, releasing an even stronger wave of meaty flavor, sweeping through his mouth like a storm.
The source of the meat flavor… was the rice?!
Tang Zi was astonished. But his surprise quickly transformed into pure satisfaction.
Brilliant.
As much as he loved cold egg fried rice, at this moment, Tang Zi had to admit—
Bodhi Vegetarian Dish was his true love!
Scooping up another spoonful, he suddenly raised an eyebrow as an idea popped into his mind.
A look of excitement spread across his face. Holding the spoon in his left hand, he picked up his chopsticks with his right and reached for the Fish-flavored Shredded Pork.
This time, he took just two or three strands of pork and carefully placed them on top of the Bodhi Vegetarian Dish in his spoon.
The smooth jade-like rice was slowly coated by the glossy sauce from the pork. The sauce, a tempting light brown, seeped into the grains of rice. The meaty aroma of the Bodhi Vegetarian Dish blended with the sweet and sour fragrance of the Fish-flavored Shredded Pork, filling Tang Zi's nostrils.
Hiss—
A gleam of joy flashed across Tang Zi's face.
This was just a random idea, but judging by the smell alone—this might be delicious!
Without hesitation, he sent the spoonful into his mouth and began chewing.
The thick sauce from the Fish-flavored Shredded Pork had been partially absorbed by the rice, making its sweet and sour taste a little milder. However, this only enhanced the tender, juicy meat flavor of the pork.
Meanwhile, the sauce's softened flavors infused into the rice, adding a delicate sweet and sour touch to the already delicious Bodhi Vegetarian Dish.
As the two elements merged with each chew, a completely new texture and taste experience unfolded, bringing a look of delight to Tang Zi's face.
It really is…
Marvelous!
At that moment, it felt like Tang Zi had discovered a whole new world. With each spoonful of Bodhi Vegetarian Dish paired with a few strands of Fish-flavored Shredded Pork, he quickly entered full-on "devour mode."
<+>
In front of the grand gates of Shrek City, crowds bustled back and forth.
A luxurious-looking carriage slowly rolled through the entrance, following the flow of people.
Inside the carriage sat a little girl.
She was only about six or seven years old, exquisitely delicate and adorable. Her bright eyes peeked out through the carriage window, taking in the sights outside, before turning toward the kind old man sitting across from her.
"Grandpa, we've arrived at Shrek City! Does that mean we'll get to see Big Brother Qi Han soon?"
<+>
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