Inspired by our adventures in the virtual province of Liyue with my children…
My daughter occasionally challenges me to recreate real-life versions of imaginary dishes from pixelated worlds.
If this theme resonates with you, be sure to check out the fantastic work of Gastronogeek.
What’s fascinating is how often traditional recipes inspire game developers.
This is a Beta version of the dish: my chestnuts were overcooked, and the broth could have used more seasoning. The choice of vegetables is also debatable—the flavors are interesting but not groundbreaking. I’ll be revisiting this recipe to refine it.
To tempt four gamers away from their screens:
- 1 crab
- 250 g shrimp (size 40)
- 250 g pork ribs
- 4 eggs
- 400 g shiitake mushrooms
- 400 g pumpkin flesh
- 20 chestnuts
- A dash of soy sauce for deglazing
- 1 liter vegetable or chicken stock
Instructions:
- Prepare the crab
Cook the crab in salted boiling water, extract the meat and roe, and keep warm. - Roast the chestnuts
Score the chestnuts, roast them at 200°C (390°F) for 20 minutes, peel, crush coarsely, and keep warm. - Cook the pumpkin
Dice the pumpkin into small cubes (paysanne cut) and simmer in salted water over medium heat for 15 minutes. Drain and keep warm. - Reduce the mushrooms
Halve the shiitake mushrooms and cook them in a skillet over medium heat until reduced by about half. - Prepare the eggs
Soft-boil the eggs, stop the cooking process in cold water, peel, and set aside. - Stir-fry the main ingredients
When the mushrooms have reduced sufficiently, stir-fry the shrimp, pork ribs, and mushrooms together in a wok. Deglaze with soy sauce and allow a slight caramelization to develop. - Plate the dish
Use deep bowls for serving. Add the broth and pumpkin as a base, top with the stir-fried mixture, and garnish with the roasted chestnuts. - Serve hot and enjoy watching gamers temporarily abandon their keyboards!
