| 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.
|
|
|
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.
|
|
| |
|
