Jade Broth Noodles

Fine noodles, thin as silver silk, are dropped into boiling water, blanched in an instant, then nestled neatly into a bowl. Large chunks of meat, slow-braised to a melt-in-your-mouth tenderness, rest atop the noodles. The broth, clarified to crystal clarity with White Jade Beauty mushrooms and rich stock, carries a faint, lingering whisper of cooking wine.

It is the most common meal you'll find across the Land of Xuanfang. Utterly ordinary in appearance, yet it delivers a depth of flavor that surprises with the very first bite. As some have put it: "The mildest flavors hold the truest essence. The ultimate delicacy is pure simplicity."

• Cooking