Li Xiao swallowed his food and nodded in satisfaction.
At the same time, the system’s notification chimed in his mind.
[Congratulations, you have unlocked the 41st entry in your collection]
[Food entry unlocked: Shantou Rice Vermicelli]
[Food Rating: 90 Points [Excellent]]
[Rating is Excellent. Reward x4.]
[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward: 800,000]
[Congratulations, you have received a cash reward: 800,000]
[Congratulations, you have received a special reward: Taste +1]
[Congratulations, you have received a recipe reward: Shantou Rice Vermicelli Recipe]
...
Rice vermicelli may seem simple, but in Guangdong Province, it’s actually divided into many different regional styles.
Li Xiao usually ate the Yangcheng style of rice vermicelli, which has a lighter flavor.
And while what he was eating now was Chaoshan Rice Vermicelli, it was, strictly speaking, a type of Shantou Rice Vermicelli.
You read that right. Chaoshan’s own rice vermicelli is divided into several different types.
In a narrower sense, the Chaoshan people usually refer to is actually a very vast region, composed of the three cities of Chaoshan, Shantou, and Jieyang.
Since they are distinct places, their food, flavors, and preparation methods naturally differ.
Chaoshan Rice Vermicelli is likely the most recognizable type within the broader category of Chaoshan Rice Vermicelli. It’s drizzled with a thick peanut and sesame sauce, making it incredibly fragrant. The rice noodle sheets are thick and resilient, and besides egg and meat, the filling might sometimes include bok choy or cabbage.
Of all the varieties, Chaoshan Rice Vermicelli probably has the boldest flavor.
Shantou Rice Vermicelli, on the other hand, has a comparatively lighter broth. Some versions use just soy sauce and are topped with dried radish. The emphasis is on thin noodle sheets and a generous filling.
As far as Li Xiao was concerned, both were delicious, each with its own unique character.
Of course, there was a difference in how widely appealing the flavors of the two types were. The Shantou version was lighter and had more toppings, making it more approachable for the average person.
The sauce on the Chaoshan version, however, was very rich. Some shops had secret recipes that were quite overpowering, and a non-local trying it for the first time would likely find it hard to enjoy.
Even though it was just a simple plate of rice vermicelli, it was the "grand slam" version, packed with an incredible amount of fillings. It took Li Xiao a full ten minutes to eat before he put down his chopsticks, completely satisfied.
He wiped his mouth, still feeling like he could eat more. ’Should I order another one?’ he considered. But a glance at the three large boxes of raw marinated seafood beside him made him suppress the impulse.
’I did just watch them prepare the raw marinade, and it seemed quite sanitary.’
’But I rarely eat this kind of thing. Better to play it safe.’
’Even if I do get food poisoning later, maybe I’ll have to run to the bathroom a few less times this way.’
After a short wait, Wenchu People’s phone alarm finally went off. It was the timer she had set earlier.
The alarm’s purpose was to ensure the seafood was thoroughly marinated and had absorbed all the flavor.
Hearing the alarm, Wenchu People eagerly grabbed the disposable container in front of her. She pressed down on the lid with both hands and began to shake it vigorously.
Wen Yaqian, beside her, did the same, though she shook her container with slightly less force than Wenchu People.
Seeing Li Xiao staring blankly at them, Wenchu People, from across the table, quickly prompted him.
"What are you staring at? Hurry up and shake it! It helps distribute the marinade so the flavor is more even."
Looking at the raw seafood, already completely submerged in marinade, Li Xiao didn’t quite understand the purpose of this action.
But, as they say, "When in Rome." Since both local girls were doing it, there had to be a reason.
So he also picked up one of the containers of raw marinade and started to imitate them, shaking it as well.
Wenchu People explained:
"We mixed the seasonings earlier, but it wasn’t for very long. While it was sitting, some of the spices probably settled to the bottom."
"So giving it a good shake before eating ensures everything gets mixed together thoroughly. It’ll taste much better that way."
Li Xiao nodded in understanding.
’So that’s why.’ He had originally thought it was some kind of local Chaoshan ritual, like saying a prayer before a meal in some religious countries. It seemed he had been overthinking things.
With that thought, he put a little more force into his shaking. After half a minute, the three of them stopped.
Feeling both apprehensive and excited, Li Xiao opened the container in front of him.
The first container held the raw marinated crab.
The crab used for the marinade was a red roe crab, also known as the three-spot swimming crab.
Raw marinated crab is a delicacy with a history stretching back nearly a thousand years.
The refined have always appreciated refined things and pursued refined pastimes.
As Mr. Dongpo once said, "To not see Lu Mountain is to fail one’s eyes; to not eat crab is to fail one’s belly."
The people of the Song dynasty were masters of culinary refinement, so of course they knew the exquisite flavor of raw marinated crab. According to historical records, they had two methods for preparing it.
One method was to marinate the crabs in wine, which was believed to sterilize them and remove any foul odors before they were eaten.
The other method was to wash the crab, chop it up in a flurry of activity, mix in seasonings, and serve. It had a clever name: "hand-washing crab." As the name implies, the dish could be prepared in the short time it takes to wash one’s hands.
However, the ancients didn’t know about freshwater parasites, so they typically ate the more easily caught river or lake crabs.
And while the rivers and lakes back then were free of modern pollution, making their crabs far sweeter and more delicious than those of today...
...parasites don’t discriminate between ancient and modern times.
Furthermore, the culinary techniques of the era were limited. The wine used for marinating was typically only a little over ten percent alcohol by volume. It could add flavor, but it was nowhere near strong enough to kill parasites and bacteria.
As a result, many people back then contracted parasitic diseases from eating crab.
But raw marinated crab was so delicious that even when local governments issued bans, some people couldn’t resist their cravings and would secretly prepare it at home.
Even in modern times, when everyone knows that freshwater crabs carry parasites, it hasn’t stopped some die-hard gourmands from their fanatical pursuit of raw marinated freshwater crab.
While Li Xiao also loved good food, he kept a wide berth from freshwater crabs.
Saltwater crabs, on the other hand, didn’t worry him as much.
The reason was simple. While saltwater crabs can also contain parasites, those parasites generally cannot survive in the human body.
The internal human environment is vastly different from seawater in terms of temperature, salinity, and pH, making it impossible for most saltwater parasites to survive and reproduce.
Therefore, unless consumed in large quantities and on a regular basis, any stray parasite or two would be killed by the body’s immune system long before they could adapt to the human body’s non-saline environment.