The Journey of Immortal Cultivation-Chapter 14: Vegetarian Foods Can Also Be Stunning

Honestly, her task wasn't heavy; she only needed to take care of the dishes for the main guests from both Chaoyuan Sect and Chi Xiao Sect. Appearance counts, and all the effort is put on display for others to see. The meals for the other disciples were naturally handled by other kitchen staff. Thankfully, the soup base had already been prepared in advance, and what remained was the quick stir-frying, so she still had time to squeeze out to watch the excitement outside of the Fierce Beast Nest.

Speaking of which, just now, a few disciples came sneakily to the kitchen, asked a few questions to the people inside, and hurried away. She pretended not to see, but in her heart, she knew these were people sent by Huo Zhenghua, who were verifying her whereabouts. As long as he sends people here, they are bound to return without success, and her suspicions would be mostly cleared.

Finally, a clear chime resounded from far away. She knew that was the signal to start serving dishes at the banquet.

In this era, people of status eat while seated on the floor, with each person having their own seat, following a system of individual servings. Actually, the Chaoyun Sect only had six distinguished guests, so she really only needed to prepare servings for thirteen people including the main guests.

Thanks to Elder Shan's trust, she could prepare the dishes according to her own wishes. Cultivators usually focus on breathing and nurturing their energy, so they don't have large appetites. Therefore, her food must win out in being delicate and delicious.

The dishes were served in a flowing manner. Ning Xiaoxian untied her apron, let out a gentle sigh, and stood outside the kitchen for a while. On this hot day, having to fight with smoke and dozens of people in the kitchen wasn't an easy task; the physical exertion was about as strenuous as the detested 800-meter run commonly feared by high school girls.

"Sigh, I just can't compare with these Cultivators in terms of physical fitness," she especially hoped to transform her physique soon and unlock the door to Divine Skills.

No sooner had the first two dishes been served at the banquet than Elder Shan returned with a beaming red face: "Xiao Xian, the dishes you made were immensely praised by the Chaoyun Sect's guests. They've said they've never tasted such exquisite food in the sect before. The Sect Leader is very proud and asked me to bring the rewards quickly." He handed over 500 taels of silver, and a small Jade Bottle.

The Sect Leader likely considered that she was just a mortal, so giving her silver was the most practical option. "Inside the bottle are five Body Nourishing Pills which, upon consumption, can remove illnesses and strengthen the body."

Well, that's not bad.

She smiled, already anticipating the guest's reactions. In Ancient Times, God Demons ruled, and Humans were like eggs under an overturned nest, living in constant fear. Since the rise of the Human Clan a few thousand years ago, the world's protagonists have shifted to the Immortal Sects. Cultivators, after all, eat the dew and drink the mist seeking the eternal way of life; they aren't so particular about culinary desires, right? On the other hand, mortals who live in the lower echelons of the world need to eat daily. However, the world isn't peaceful, and places like Shallow Water Village, which has the backing of Chixiao Mountain and the protection of an Immortal Sect, are rare exceptions, much envied by commoners, and few people can dedicate themselves to studying culinary arts, right?

The food she made might not be considered extraordinary in another world, but here, it was truly one of a kind, unmatched by any other.

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Take the first appetizer, honey-glazed kidney beans, for example. The simplicity of making this dish is not proportional to its deliciousness. Just soak the kidney beans overnight in clean water, allow them to naturally expand, then put them into the cooking pot, add mountain spring water, and simmer together with plums, dried hawthorn, red dates, and crystal sugar. In another universe, this process would have been done with a pressure cooker, but here, it takes about an hour to cook the kidney beans until they are soft and mushy, and after cooling, drizzle with honey and osmanthus sugar, then let it stand for half a day.

To highlight the flavor of this dish, Ning Xiaoxian specially asked Elder Shan to make two Ice Condensing Talismans and adhere them to the bottom of the pot. Thus, the extracted honey-glazed kidney beans not only had a sweet and sour, crisp, and soft texture that melted in the mouth but also brought a chilled refreshing effect.

Keep in mind it is the hot July of midsummer! The sun is fiercely blazing above. To say 'immune to cold and heat' refers to highly accomplished cultivators like Quan Shifang and Master Mei. For those with slightly inferior cultivation, swallowing a few of these chilly kidney beans in summer brings a refreshing sensation that flows from the throat all the way to the stomach. It is quite excellent if they can resist exclaiming out loud.

Then there's abalone sauce over rice. Ning Xiaoxian compressed the rice in a bowl, then inverted it into a golden bowl, poured in the sauce, topped with abalone, and garnished with greens on the side. However, in this world, scooping rice was originally a peasant staple, simply tossing rice into soup to eat, saving oil and vegetables. Master Mei, seeing this dish being served, was quite displeased internally but had to maintain his composure due to the presence of esteemed guests, inwardly cursing chef Ning Xiaoxian severely.

But when he reluctantly tried a spoonful, he was greatly surprised. The abalone on top gathered fragrances of crispy, soft, and mellow qualities, tender yet bouncy despite being well stewed. What's most stunning is the rice underneath. The crystalline rice, though distinct, was not sticky and was laden with the golden sauce of the abalone, offering a rich and lingering flavor as it was chewed. The taste should have been heavy, especially the first few bites which were particularly flavorful, but then one would expect it to become greasy. However, the sauce Ning Xiaoxian made was only umami, without any greasiness, leaving the guests craving more after hastily finishing the dish.

This is indeed the principle of 'extraordinary cuisine being seldom found'; delicious yet not enough to satisfy, thus earning the dish high praise from the diners.

What they did not know was the sticky sensation typically came from ingredients cooked with abalone, like pork bones and old hens, which are rich in collagen and capable of enhancing flavor but inevitably bring greasiness to the dish. However, Ning Xiaoxian's broth was finely tuned using a mixture of mountain and sea delicacies, and the abalone was only carved from white beech mushrooms, naturally savory but not greasy.

Of course, the main hero was the dried kelp from the sea. Chixiao Mountain is not far from the sea, so there was an abundance of seafood available daily. Ning Xiaoxian was shocked when she first saw this ingredient being fished from the sea and used as pig feed by the farmers—truly a waste of heavenly gifts. She purchased a heap of kelp for a few copper coins, washed them, and then sun-dried them.

What is the role of kelp? Let's mention something that people from Earth are familiar with: MSG. MSG was not discovered until the early 20th century on Earth, its flavor-enhancing properties actually derive from seaweed. As a relative of seaweed, the broth made from kelp offers an even more savory aroma, especially when the glinting salt crystals covering the dried kelp enhance the essence in the soup.

Master Mei put down the golden bowl in his hand and turned to look around. Seeing the esteemed guests enjoying the dishes with smiles, he couldn't help feeling a bit proud. Compared to the powerful and colossal Yun Sect, there wasn't much that the Chixiao Sect could show off, but tonight's cuisine was truly sensational.