The Journey of Immortal Cultivation
Chapter 31 Iron Plate Dragon Lobster

Chapter 31: Chapter 31 Iron Plate Dragon Lobster

The lobster had been thoroughly cleaned. She ordered the servants to draw water from the ancient well. The weather was scorching hot at the time, but the water at the bottom of the well remained bone-chillingly cold, perfectly suitable for preparing this dish. She sprayed the freshly drawn well water onto the tail of the lobster. The lobster meat met with the cold and gradually contracted.

She first sprayed a thin layer of oil on the griddle, took out finely minced garlic, and stir-fried it repeatedly until the moisture from the garlic was driven out, slowly releasing the unique fragrance of garlic oil as its color turned golden. Only then did she push it to the side of the griddle. She was making crispy garlic bits, an essential seasoning for seafood dishes.

Next came the main course. Oil was sprayed on the griddle once again, and when the oil was hot enough, she took the lobster, sprinkled pepper powder and salt on the meatiest part of it, then overturned it onto the hot griddle. She sprinkled a bit of water and covered it with a lid promptly. Just as everyone was starting to find this interesting, suddenly they saw her using the lid to cover the lobster.

Ning Xiaoxian stayed silent, her attention solely on the lid, while two cooks knew she was silently counting the time in her mind. The banquet hall was momentarily silent, the only sound being the "popping" of oil sizzling with water from under the lid, making everyone itch with anticipation.

The lid remained on for quite some time. After uncovering it, she flipped the lobster over, tail up and shell down, sprayed some oil and water onto the griddle, and covered it again with the lid. Her movements were incredibly swift; even with the onlookers’ keen sight, they could only glimpse the lobster meat curling tightly inward, forming attractive patterns and turning a light yellow from being pan-fried, as a burst of fresh and fragrant aroma spread out.

The audience pursed their lips in disappointment, relieved that this time the cover was only on for about a dozen breaths before it ended. Then she turned the lobster meat over to be pan-fried for about fifteen breaths, took a knife, and gently pried from the under-side of the tail shell - the snowy white lobster meat was then flawlessly lifted onto the griddle. This demonstrated the importance of the initial step of sprinkling well water. Without the stimulation of the icy water, the meat would not have contracted, and it would have not been as easy to extract at this moment.

Without hesitation, she minced the lobster into tiny pieces, again sprinkled salt and pepper on it, and flipped it every few breaths until all the lobster pieces had curled up into ball shapes.

This was a crucial moment; she had already instructed the cooks to prepare fine liquor, and now she gently poured it over the lobster meat. The room filled with fragrance, prompting Old Huang to let out a wry smile. Just from the aroma alone, he knew she was using his treasured bamboo leaf tea liquor, aged forty years, thinking to himself that Senior Brother Quan must hold her in unique regard, even allowing his prized possession to be secretly taken for her use.

She had earlier extracted the juice from lemons, and now she mixed it with soy sauce to create a sauce, which she lightly poured over the lobster meat. Next, she brought over the crispy garlic bits that were set aside earlier and mixed it with the lobster; she continuously pan-fried it until the meat turned a golden hue.

During the frying of the lobster meat, she also placed a handful of asparagus on the griddle, naturally having washed and peeled it beforehand, leaving only the tender stems to be fried with oil and water. Once the lobster meat was well-fried, the asparagus too became bright green and shiny from the heat of the fragrant oil.

It was done!

She instructed the servants to bring plates, layering in the lobster meat and asparagus, serving one plate to each guest at the table.

Old Huang eagerly awaited for so long, naturally being the first to pick up his chopsticks. Ignoring the steam still rising from his plate, he hurriedly popped a piece of lobster meat into his mouth, instantly feeling a burst of fresh flavors. The seafood juice, perfectly complemented by the rolling heat and a hint of lemony acidity, paired with crispy garlic, was pure freshness without any fishiness. A gentle chew produced an imperceptible pop as the teeth sink into the meat, followed by a surprise of its tender yet firm texture.

Being of advanced age, he often felt his teeth were sore and weak when eating meat, and eating vegetarian did not suit his taste, leading to frequent dilemmas. However, this lobster’s tenderness, crispness, and aroma were just perfect, rendering him unable to stop. As for the asparagus, it was juicy and tender, too. Although he did not fancy vegetables, eating them felt very refreshing. His mouth was constantly busy, and in his heart, he had already decided to pester Ning Xiaoxian to retain this culinary skill.

Looking up at the others, they were all busy eating with their heads down, creating a strangely silent atmosphere at the dining table. Seeing their reactions, Ning Xiaoxian knew that her dish had been a great success.

She was aware that she had been a bit cunning. Old Huang’s two chefs were certainly skilled, coming close to reaching the pinnacle in heat control, seasoning, and food presentation. However, after tasting their dishes, Ning Xiaoxian felt that they put most of their effort into seasoning, favoring bold flavors over the ingredients, emphasizing sauces over the natural taste of the food. Yet, among the diverse Huaxia cuisines, many stress the importance of the choice of ingredients.

When Ning Xiaoxian entered the garden earlier, she saw clearly that the lobsters in the pond were purely natural, and some had even broken the claws of others during fierce battles, which certainly indicated that their meat would be exceptionally firm and elastic. Lobster’s flavor is rare in the world, and with such lively seafood as an ingredient, its natural taste should be highlighted. Therefore, she adopted the Teppanyaki cooking method that had begun to gain popularity in Huaxia before she crossed over to this time.

It is said that Teppanyaki was invented by Spanish sailors in the 15th or 16th century, who, spending months bored at sea, took pleasure in fishing and came up with the ingenious idea of throwing fish onto a hot iron plate to grill. The Teppanyaki technique passed down through generations has evolved into a live performance art, and diners can only appreciate the sweeter taste of the food after a long wait.

When Ning Xiaoxian was in school, a classmate once invited her to a French Teppanyaki restaurant to taste this delicacy. With her excellent innate ability, she firmly remembered the key steps. Now she was merely imitating, and although her skill was not as profound as that of Teppanyaki chefs, it was new to the banquet guests, who naturally had no basis for comparison. In fact, Ning Xiaoxian was limited by the ingredients at hand; if she had yellow mustard and French herbs, the lobster flavor could have reached a new level. Even so, seeing Old Huang’s look of utter satisfaction, she knew she had won this bet.

The aging man slowly put down his chopsticks and, with lingering affection, savored the lobster’s deliciousness once more before clearing his throat and saying, "Miss Ning wins, I believe no one here would object, right?" Everyone seated shook their heads.

Shi Jishan’s face had gradually paled from the moment Ning Xiaoxian began to grill on the Teppanyaki plate. Watching those fluid movements, how could she not know that Ning Xiaoxian was in her element? She also realized that she had probably fallen into a trap set by this mortal woman. With Old Huang’s judgment, Shi Jishan’s face turned ashen, and she struggled to maintain a calm façade as she turned to leave the room.

She had only taken two steps when a clear voice called out behind her, "Senior Sister Shi, a bet is a bet, please leave the wager behind!"

Her face alternating between green and white, she turned back and forcefully threw the jade piece toward Ning Xiaoxian. As she turned her head, she saw Senior Brother Quan gesturing, and the jade piece that was about to hit the ground deftly landed in Ning Xiaoxian’s hand.

She felt immensely disappointed in her heart and quickly left the banquet hall.