Pan Long had not even finished his meal when someone came looking for him.
He was eating steamed fish. It was a dish found everywhere, though every region had its own way of making it.
Northerners liked to salt their fish, sometimes even air-dry it, before steaming it again. Many fish in the Northlands were poisonous, and this method reduced the danger as much as possible. As for the taste... safety came first. Flavor was hardly indispensable.
People in Yi Province and Yun Province favored chili. Salty and spicy was their favorite combination, and their steamed fish was no exception. Careful cooks stuffed the seasonings into the fish's belly so their flavor permeated the flesh as it steamed. Less careful cooks rubbed them straight onto the fish before putting it in the pot. The result was richly flavored, satisfying, and excellent with rice, but strictly speaking, it was not quite to Pan Long's taste.
The people of Yang Province did things differently. They used ginger and scallions as their main seasonings, with a little sauce and vinegar. Their steamed fish came out light, tender, and delicious. When it came to freshness in particular, the Northlands, Yi Province, and Yun Province all fell noticeably short.
The two restaurants Pan Long had visited today also prepared their steamed fish differently. Embracing the Moon Tower cut small slits in the fish and tucked in seasonings that would not get in the way of eating, giving it a somewhat stronger flavor. The Wind-Chanting Pavilion, where he was eating now, stuffed ginger and scallions into the belly and brushed sauce and vinegar over the outside. The two flavors seeped into each other, making for an interesting dish.
In short, he had enjoyed both.
Eating fish was somewhat troublesome because of the bones. With Pan Long's