Chapter 21: The Shock of Bean Sprout Inlay and Three-Fresh Deboned Fish

Shen Qi cleaned the bean sprouts and retrieved a delicate leather case from the cabinet, opening it to reveal an array of small, exquisite knives of varying sizes and lengths, all glinting with a sharp, cold light. A collective gasp rose from the audience. Shen Qi carefully took one out and meticulously trimmed the head and root from every single sprout. He then took a piece of pork and processed it into a fine mince using a high-speed blender.

Then came the jaw-dropping part. Shen Qi pulled out a thin, long needle and began to hollow out the center of the sprouts’ delicate stems one by one. With extreme precision, he managed to do so without damaging a single stem.

[Holy cow! This technique is on par with a precision instrument!]
[What is he making? This is so incredibly painstaking!]
[If a man cooked for me like this, I’d drink poison right after eating just to seal the memory!]
[How can such a thoughtful man exist? Is Shen Qi looking for any sons?]

The even more stunning technique followed. The blender-processed mince didn't seem fine enough, so Shen Qi proceeded to mince it further by hand into a smooth paste before seasoning it. Then, he actually began stuffing the seasoned pork mince into the tiny, hollowed-out bean sprout stems!

The studio was filled with the sound of sharp intakes of breath. Everyone suddenly understood exactly why Li Huangong had spoken as she did. Given Shen Qi’s method, the difficulty of the dish was beyond question.

Bai Qinghe raised an objection again. "I really don't think this is necessary. You could just stir-fry the bean sprouts and the pork mince together; wouldn't it result in the same thing?"

Lin Xiaolu nodded in agreement. "Exactly. It feels like he’s just trying to make it unnecessarily difficult."

Suddenly, a comment appeared in the chat that was remarkably rude, yet stood out from all the others. While the rest of the comments were in black and white, this one was a striking red, and it remained frozen on the screen, perfectly legible to everyone.

[I’ve truly had it! Variety shows always invite guests who don't know the first thing about the subject to point fingers!]

The expressions of Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu crumbled, but their extensive experience in variety shows taught them one thing—now was not the time to say more. This person was likely no ordinary viewer!

Fang Wenwen touched her earpiece, receiving an explanation and instructions from the director. "I need to clarify something for everyone. Our show features special online guests for certain segments. For music-related segments, we don't need them because three of our four on-site panelists are well-versed in music. But for cooking-related segments, our expert online guests are free to weigh in. Their comments will appear in red and remain on the screen for a longer duration."

The crowd realized what was happening, and Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu frowned. Fortunately, they hadn't said anything more.

Li Lei smiled and said, "The person who just commented is Master Lin Yiming, the most famous culinary expert in all of China!"

Wow!
[No way! Master Lin Yiming?]
[He is the authority on Chinese culinary culture, one of the most skilled individuals in the country.]
[So, what did Master Lin mean just now?]

Once Lin Yiming appeared, Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu dared not voice any more opinions.

[I have a short temper, especially when it comes to culinary culture. So, I don't care if you are a movie queen or a pop diva; I am only here to interpret the dish Shen Qi is making from a professional perspective!]

Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu’s faces darkened. *You call that "only from a professional perspective"? Who were you talking about when you said people were pointing fingers?*

The red text appeared again as Lin Yiming began to explain to the public:

[This dish is unfamiliar to most, which is no fault of yours, as it is incredibly rare. There are fewer than three people in all of China with the technique to complete it.]
[The dish is called 'Stuffed Bean Sprouts.' It involves stuffing mince into hollowed-out sprouts while maintaining the integrity of the sprouts and ensuring the filling is even and firm.]
[I believe you have all seen the difficulty. Just watching Shen Qi do it feels hard; actually doing it is even harder. His ease comes from his mastery of the technique! Technique is one thing, but it tests one's patience even more!]
[Stuffed Bean Sprouts has a unique texture—the crispness of the bean sprout combined with the savory aroma of the ham. It was a favorite dish of Empress Dowager Cixi.]

The crowd was enlightened, marveling at the history and complexity of the dish. Li Huangong felt a complex mix of emotions. *He has the patience to prepare such a difficult dish for me? How much must he love me?*

Li Huangong smiled to herself, thinking: *Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu look like fools now. Trying to mock Shen Qi and target me? That is just too funny.*

The red comments continued:

[Stuffed Bean Sprouts is not just a delicacy; it is a representative of the refined craftsmanship in Chinese culinary culture, reflecting the luxury and sophistication of ancient imperial dining.]
[Today, this dish remains a shining pearl in Chinese cuisine, attracting those who seek to inherit and explore our culinary traditions.]

Finally, Lin Yiming added a parting shot:
[Stir-fried bean sprouts with mince... heh...]

Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu blushed deep red. Zhuo Yiyi was green with envy, gripping Li Huangong’s arm tightly. "Sister Huangong, I am officially jealous!"

Li Huangong smiled helplessly. "If it weren't for this show, I don't think I would have ever understood the effort Shen Qi puts into these things..."

[I am officially in love with this man!]
[I used to like Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu, but I don't know why, I find them repulsive now.]
[By their logic, we shouldn't stuff meat into fried eggplant or lotus root either—just throw them into the oil with the meat mince and be done with it, right?]
[Holy cow! Look!]

Shen Qi began the second dish. The moment he brought out a live carp, pork, shrimp, chicken gizzards, winter bamboo shoots, and shiitake mushrooms, a smile returned to Li Huangong’s face. She turned to look at Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu.

"Two movie queens, are these ingredients going to be tossed into a pot together to boil as well?"

Bai Qinghe and Lin Xiaolu’s expressions shifted; their lack of culinary knowledge left them unable to mount a strong retort. Zhuo Yiyi asked curiously, "Sister Huangong, have you had this dish too?"

"Yes!" Li Huangong laughed. "I only know it’s incredibly delicious; I have no idea how it’s made."

[This is actually...]
Lin Yiming's red text flashed again.
[Three-Fresh Deboned Fish!]

The chat was filled with question marks. What kind of dish was that? Everyone watched Shen Qi’s movements. He laid the carp flat on the cutting board, made a horizontal cut at the vent to sever the spine, and used a long, thin-pointed knife to reach through the cuts, gently separating the meat from the bone. He removed the spine and organs through the gill opening, then washed and dried the fish.

The crowd gasped. This move was certainly not something an average person could do; the bones were separated from the meat, yet the fish remained perfectly intact in appearance.

Shen Qi minced the pork, mixed it with Shaoxing wine, salt, scallion and ginger juice, and MSG, then stirred in the diced mushrooms, bamboo shoots, chicken gizzards, and shrimp. He stuffed the mixture into the fish belly through the gill opening, then coated the entire fish with soy sauce...

[Holy cow! I'm stunned. This is my first time seeing a fish prepared like this.]
[Did everyone see that? This ordinary carp is no longer ordinary!]
[I bet this carp never thought it would have the chance to shock so many people in its lifetime.]

Amidst the exclamations, Lin Yiming’s red comments reappeared.

[He is heating the pan and adding rendered lard. It needs to reach 70% heat, which is approximately 154°C...]

Shen Qi’s actions perfectly matched Lin Yiming’s explanation; he even tested the temperature with his hand above the oil before sliding the fish in. He pan-fried it until golden, then added soy sauce, salt, scallions, ginger, sugar...

[That’s Shaoxing wine! Nothing else will do; it has to be Shaoxing wine!]