Episode 23 Synopsis
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Shine! Big Bang Siu Mai

    

The glow finally subsides to reveal a siu mai with four separate sacks, with each sack containing different ingredients.  Mao realized that Shell has basically chosen the same materials as he has - pork, shrimp, vegetables, and eggs!  Shell has made what he considered to be the ultimate evolution of siu mai - the specialty of his steel stick.  A siu mai consistent with the principles of the golden proportion.

Luo tastes the siu mai and finds it truly wonderful, much to Shilou's chagrin.  According to Luo, the chewy texture of the minced shrimp, the fresh crispness of vegetables, the subtle, soft, sweet egg yolks, and the mouthwatering taste of pork, mixed in a balanced proportion, might very well be the ultimate evolution in siu mai.

Shell confirms Luo's analysis, and told the group that he mixed the ingredients in a strict ratio: 8 for pork, and 5 for the rest.  The exact golden proportion of taste creates a taste that rivals all others.  Shell's "Golden Proportion Siu Mai" was in fact finished in half of the allotted time!

Mao is overwhelmed at the power of Shell's cooking ability, and becomes discouraged.  After all, both of them used the same exact ingredients.  While Mao merely mixes them evenly, Shell utilizes the golden proportion.  If Mao continues with his present Siu Mai, he will certainly loses to Shell's formula.  Shell, who was watching Mao intently, is amazed that the boy has come up with the same ingredients as he has.  It is certainly not enough to defeat him, but Shell silently congratulates Mao for a job well done.

Mao places himself deep in thought.  He debates whether or not to give up, but quickly discards the idea.  He starts thinking of a way to defeat Shell's Golden proportion.  Shilou starts to worry as the time limit comes ever closer.  He rests on the table and accidentally knocks down a basketful of eggs.
   

Claim to fame
Mao vs. Shell 
Dimsum Battle 
(Part 2 of 2)

 

Mao notices the accident and has a flash of inspiration.  He discards all the previous work and starts again, with thirty minutes remaining.   Again, he prepares the flour for kneading.  But this time, it's a larger portion of flour.  Mao picks up the dough and steps out the kitchen.  Concentrating on the task at hand, he clutches the dough and spins it again.

Again, as the rotation continues, the dough expands until it reached a very thin and translucent consistency.  As everyone watches, Luo suggests that they step back inside and give Mao some room to prepare the siu mai.  After everyone leaves, Mao asks Shilou and Mei Li to bring him the largest steamer available in Yosen Restaurant.  And meanwhile, the growing crowd milling outside the restaurant wait...

The Golden Section

The Golden Section, also called the divine proportion, is the division of a line segment in such a way that the ratio of the whole segment to the larger part is equal to the ratio of the larger part to the smaller part.  This ratio is approximately 1.61803 to 1.  (Shell used a proportion of 8:5, which is 1.6:1.)  Many divine proportions appear in famous paintings, sculpture, and architecture.  Buildings that incorporate golden proportions include the Parthenon, constructed in Athens in the 400's B.C.

From The World Book Encyclopedia

Inside the restaurant, Mao's co-workers have virtually given up any hope on a Mao victory.  The time for preparation lapses, and Chouyu tells Mao to bring in whatever he's got.  Mao gets in and tells Shilou and Mei Li to bring it in.  In response, the gang pushes in a gigantic bamboo steamer, enough to hold a cow!  

Shell takes one look and the steamer and discounts it as a bluff.  The boy would not have enough time to remake fifty orders of siu mai in thirty minutes!  On Lou's instructions, Mao and Shilou open the lid.  A puff of steam fills the room to reveal - a single giant siu mai.  Liu Mao-Hsing's Big Bang Siu Mai!

Shell discounts the giant siu mai as a bluff.  It can't taste good - after all, Mao doesn't have enough time to cook the whole thing.  Luo takes a bite and tells doubting Shell that the entire dish is cooked all the way through.  Mao had used an ash fire to thoroughly cook the siu mai.

Luo notes that this is not the latest of Mao's secrets, and proceeds to take a bite from  different portion.  He tastes many pieces from several portions until he realizes the secret behind Mao's big bang siu mai.  Wanting to confirm his discoveries, Luo ask one of the kitchen cooks to bring him the Cattle Bane Sword - a huge knife that decapitates cattle with one blow.

Luo takes off his robe, wields the sword, leaps into the air, and cuts the siu mai in four ways with the sword.  The Siu Mai's innards are exposed, and Luo invites Shell to take a look at the filling.  Shell examines it carefully and realizes that Mao cooked a whole pig and wrapped it with a delicate and crunchy shell.  Shell asks Mao to explain his creation.

When Mao saw the spilt eggs on the ground, he realized that the ultimate siu mai does not have to use a certain proportion.  He chose to beat Shell's creation with synergy, by sealing the good taste of a pig in its entirety.  Therein lies the secret of the Big Bang, within a single siu mai contains the universe of an entire animal!

Shell realizes that Mao has already surpassed dim sum, since his siu mai could easily serve as a banquet course.  Shell concedes defeat, while the outsiders were invited inside to share in the siu mai meal.  Shell confronts Shilou about the soggy stir-fry, and thanks him for cooking it - without it, he wouldn't have met Mao.

Since errand-boys are not permitted to cook, Chouyu punishes Shilou by ordering him to massage Luo's back.  Shell wraps up his stick and bids Mao goodbye.  From the sidelines, Luo marvels at Mao's resourcefulness, and vows not to die until he can see the boy's talents fully unleashed.