CHAPTER 509: CHAPTER 280: BRAISED SHARK FIN

Qin Huai and Qin Luo sat at the dining table very gingerly, holding their chopsticks cautiously.

They didn’t dare to move their chopsticks.

They were afraid that once they started using their chopsticks, they’d devour the food ravenously, which would seem very impolite.

The two of them didn’t even dare to pick up their chopsticks, sipping on their drinks awkwardly.

No one else had moved their chopsticks either, as Cao Guixiang hadn’t yet taken her seat and was still taking off her apron.

After taking off her apron, Cao Guixiang came back and saw that everyone was just staring at the dishes without picking up their chopsticks. She laughed and sat down, "Why are you all just staring? Eat up."

"Yunyun and Qingqing will need to nap after lunch and have classes in the afternoon. Don’t waste time. Xiao Qin, Luoluo, you two shouldn’t be so reserved, help yourselves to what you want."

Upon hearing Cao Guixiang say this, Qin Luo didn’t hesitate at all and extended her chopsticks to pick up a piece of roasted duck.

She popped it into her mouth.

"Mmm mmm mmm mmm mmm!" Qin Luo widened her eyes dramatically and gestured wildly as if reverting to a primitive state, pointing at her mouth and making incomprehensible gestures, almost as if she wanted to get up and waltz for Qin Huai.

If she knew how to, that is.

Qin Huai understood.

Qin Luo was saying: Brother, this is delicious, it’s super delicious, hurry and try it, it’s really so good!

Qin Huai wanted to try the braised shark fin.

Cao Guixiang used the largest platter on the table to serve the braised shark fin, with the fins soaking in the center, entirely surrounded by thick golden broth. To be honest, Qin Huai thought that if the braised shark fin was poured over rice, turning it golden, mixed thoroughly, and then tasted...

Sss—

The rice would be honored as if it had truly reached a new level.

While Qin Huai was still thinking about it, Zhang Zhiyun was already doing just that, standing up and ladling it over, giving the braised shark fin a fish soup over rice kind of feeling.

Zhang Chu saw Qin Huai gazing at Zhang Zhiyun and laughed, "Xiao Qin, do you want some over your rice too? Pass me your bowl, I’ll help you scoop some."

"Although braised shark fin isn’t traditionally eaten this way and it’s somewhat wasteful, Yunyun has loved eating it this way since she was little. To be honest, it’s quite fragrant, why don’t you try it too."

Qin Huai passed his bowl over, while Qin Luo, not to be outdone, sweetly handed her bowl over too, saying, "Thank you, Grandpa Zhang!"

Then, in an even sweeter, louder, more exaggerated tone, she said to Cao Guixiang, "Grandma, the dishes you make are really too good, much tastier than my brother’s!"

Qin Huai: ?

Luoluo, you’re betraying me this quickly?

Zhang Zhiyun said proudly, "I told you, although my grandma may not make glutinous rice balls as well as your brother, her dishes are definitely the best tasting in the world!"

Saying that, Zhang Zhiyun proudly stuffed a big mouthful of rice with braised shark fin into her mouth.

Zhang Chu was afraid Qin Huai wouldn’t be used to it, so he didn’t pour too much sauce, but just placed two pieces of shark fin on top.

The whole piece of shark fin was soaked in the sauce, dyed golden like the sauce. The shark fin itself was very translucent; on the plate, it was a curled strip and could be easily broken by a gentle pinch with chopsticks, proving just how tenderly cooked the fin meat and tendrils were.

Qin Huai took the bowl, hesitated not a bit, picked up a large piece of shark fin, and put it into his mouth.

Tasting it, Qin Huai finally understood why Zhang Chu said that soaking the shark fin in rice was a wasteful method of eating it.

Mixing rice with braised shark fin could be considered a luxury upgrade and a bit like aiming for the moon and hitting a star.

The shark fin in the braised shark fin was trimmed of its thin edges. The entire fin being so tenderly stewed suggested it had been cooking for at least over six hours. Cao Guixiang mentioned in the kitchen that the braised shark fin had started stewing from last night, which meant it had been cooking for a good 9 to 10 hours.

Moreover, the broth in which the fin was stewed was richer and more aromatic than the broth Qin Huai tasted in the kitchen.

This broth nearly overflowed with the flavors of whole chicken, whole duck, pork knuckle, dried scallops, and premium ham essence.

Not to mention that shark fin is rich in collagen, and such extended stewing would impart the collagen into the broth, making it even more luscious. The long stewing makes the shark fin phenomenally tender, and the textured tendons within the fin give it a very rich mouthfeel, allowing it to feel gelatinous when eaten.

Now, as Qin Huai tasted the braised shark fin, it was wrapped in a thick layer of sauce, with the fin and sauce complementing each other perfectly.

It was not only a wonderful flavor experience but also a uniquely textured one.

In Gusu, Qin Huai had tasted a dish braised in supreme broth, with the Three Course Duck being a standout, but compared to the braised shark fin present, the Three Course Duck seemed a bit...

You could only say these two dishes are not of the same league.

The braised shark fin is rich in flavor, with intricate textures, and from the moment the dish is presented at the table, the word ’luxurious’ is etched onto it.

From the moment the dish is tasted, bold fresh flavors and sumptuous tastes flood the palate.

Treating such a delicacy with rice...

It can only be said that having a grandma like her is truly a blessing.

After Zhang Chu served him two pieces of braised shark fin and he finished them, Qin Huai closed his mouth, savoring for a long time before finally glancing at the other dishes on the table.

Qin Huai didn’t immediately try other dishes. Instead, he looked at Cao Guixiang and asked, "Master Cao, I’m curious how one should eat braised shark fin properly?"

Zhang Chiyuan and Zhang Siyu paused their movements of eating oyster sauce abalone, exchanged a glance filled with: Isn’t braised shark fin just eaten like that, how else can it be eaten?

Cao Guixiang delightedly asked, "Xiao Qin, do you feel there’s something missing from the way you’re eating it?"

"I feel like something is missing," Qin Huai said uncertainly, "The flavor is really amazing, I’ve never tasted anything so delicious, but after eating it, I feel like it’s missing something."