This dish involves meticulous procedures and has a unique presentation. Once completed, the entire fish's flesh fans out, resembling a "squirrel" with its "head raised and tail up."
What makes it more intriguing is that when the fried fish, resembling a "squirrel," is served at the table, and hot gravy is poured over it, the fish seems to "squeak" like a "squirrel."
Du Guangning felt troubled because the difficulty with this dish, Squirrel Mandarin Fish, lies not in its cooking method but in the knife techniques required.
Using intricate knife skills, you must cut the whole fish like carving a lattice pattern, creating 108 garlic clove-sized pieces without the flesh falling apart, resembling a blooming chrysanthemum. This is something even a seasoned chef would find challenging.
"Alright, I'll make this dish. You go ahead and prepare the others."
Jiang Yu glanced at Du Guangning, nodded, and said.
