Who gave this heretical practitioner permission to cook?

Chapter 236 The judges got into a fight over a chicken shell?!

"This...this means they've locked all the essence of the chicken into the bones?!"

Cao Fujun's pupils suddenly contracted.
He had just thought to himself that Xia Ming was unworthy of his reputation, but he never expected to be proven wrong so badly the next second.

At that moment, the few drops of golden, translucent broth dripping from the plate emitted steam, carrying a rich chicken aroma that kept seeping into the top of his head.

He pressed his hand against the edge of the table, his throat bobbing involuntarily.

Under the lights, for a fleeting moment, he felt as if the chicken carcass in front of him had come to life.
Right now, I'm strolling freely through the mountain forest, where the morning dew hasn't yet touched my skin.

Just as he was in a daze of surprise, Bai Susu, who was standing next to him, was staring intently at the chicken skeleton on the plate.

"Old broth? Impossible. Why would I taste an umami flavor comparable to old broth during this competition?"

Looking at the folded surface of the skeleton that was still slowly oozing juice, she subconsciously crossed her hands.

As her fingers unconsciously intertwined and rubbed together, a strong, indescribable sense of astonishment rose within her.

Is this considered "Tibetan incense"?

"But since there's no oil to seal the pot and no outer coating, where exactly is the aroma hidden?"

Even setting aside this ingenious technique, the match only lasted three and a half hours in total.

"Xia Ming, how did he manage to lock all the deliciousness of the chicken soup into the bones?"

In a daze, the aroma emanating from the chicken carcass turned into golden mist, blurring the image of Xia Ming in front of him.

This dish stirred up Bai Susu's deepest memories. The last time she felt this way was with another spirited young man.

"call"

With a long sigh, Bai Susu dispelled all the illusions before her eyes.

She felt that she was probably ill.
"I heard recently that someone overseas saw him yesterday and said he's made a comeback."

"I must be crazy. If he were to make a comeback, why wouldn't he come looking for me?"

With a smile that seemed to have no meaning, Bai Susu ran her right hand across the ring finger of her left hand.

The area was now completely blank, with only a faint trace imperceptible to the naked eye remaining.
After being stroked twice, her energy seemed to refocus on Xia Ming's cooking, and her mind became clearer.

"Is this Master Shi Zhenliang's 'Boiled Water Method'? But is three and a half hours really enough?"

Looking at the chicken frame in front of her, Bai Susu felt that only after tasting it herself could she reach a final conclusion.

Tan Zhifeng and Yin Shengjiang exchanged a glance and made a plan in their hearts.

"A 3-hour stock??? The 'water-based stock preparation method'?"

These five words popped into Yin Shengjiang's mind, and he was still trying to recall them, but Tan Zhifeng, who was beside him, had already ruled out the wrong answer.

"It's definitely not Master Shi Zhenliang's 'Boiled Soup Method.' I've seen the video file; both the ingredients and the techniques are different."

Just as he was about to deny it, Tan Zhifeng recalled the scene of Xia Ming making Wulu Zatang (a type of offal soup).

He had a vague suspicion that Xia Ming might have mastered some special technique for "preparing soup".

"The same applies to the Five-Ingredient Mixed Soup, and to this chicken soup as well. The 'umami and aroma' are amplified by blending in the right proportions. Does such a technique truly exist in the world?"

Unlike Tan Zhifeng's thinking, Yin Shengjiang was more inclined to believe that Xia Ming had privately come into contact with the "plain water broth method" and improved upon it.

The so-called six soup pots are actually based on the "plain water broth making method" and supplemented by the effects achieved by using old broth.

"In many old restaurants, some 'stock pots' and 'braising pots' are reused and continuously maintained; these contain the 'old stock'."

Perhaps, according to the general assessment of modern health science, Lao Tang's various indicators are somewhat excessive.

However, the flavors accumulated through multiple cooking processes are far more intense than those from a single cooking process.

Take old braising broth as an example. Most homemade braised dishes cannot achieve the same taste as those in restaurants or professional shops, and often the problem is not with the braising broth itself.

Now that knowledge is publicly available, many basic recipes can be easily found online with a simple search.

The essence of what makes the aroma so distinct is the effect of the meat flavor and fat mixing and infusing into the braising liquid after repeated braising.

Similarly, some shops that specialize in beef noodles or pork bone broth noodles also use similar methods.

This accumulated umami flavor, when used properly, will naturally release a delicious aroma.

This feeling cannot be replaced by a spoonful of MSG or chicken bouillon.
Its origin lies in the use of extracting the aroma of ingredients. Compared to stronger seasonings, it does not make people feel thirsty after eating it.

Of course, Yin Shengjiang knew that the method of "adding new material while keeping the old ones" was not difficult.
But it's somewhat surprising that Xia Ming could cook the soup on the field until it smelled exactly like the old broth.

So, what secret does this soup hold?

As the fragrance spread across the judges' panel, the seven judges displayed different expressions, but at that moment, they all shared the same thought.

That is to pick up Xia Ming's seemingly simple dish and taste it, to see what surprises lie beneath its freshness.

But Xia Ming seemed oblivious to the judges' demands; after breaking off a chicken carcass, he made no further moves.

He seemed uninterested in distributing the chicken frames and was waiting for the judges to take them themselves.

Bai Susu narrowed her eyes upon seeing this; it wasn't the first time such a situation had occurred without separate plates.

But at least the previous contestants would make a cut; unlike Xia Ming, who just stood there waiting for the judges to make a move.

Normally, Bai Susu would have started by deducting points from Xia Ming based on minor details.

But at that moment, completely captivated by the aroma, she ultimately chose to put on gloves and break it down by hand.

But just as she put on her gloves, Yin Shengjiang stood up first, his action clearly indicating that...
"I'll dismantle it, you can choose whichever you prefer."

Seeing this, Bai Susu stopped what she was doing and watched Yin Shengjiang operate.

Yin Shengjiang clearly had an excellent understanding of chicken bones, and with almost no effort, he reached out and broke the chicken bones into seven pieces along the joints.

The moment he separated the chicken bones, the aroma inside could no longer be concealed.
The aroma completely whetted everyone's appetite, and they stopped caring about the camera, reaching out to choose the parts they wanted to try.

After finishing the first chicken carcass, Yin Shengjiang did not immediately start tasting it, but instead turned to look at the second chicken carcass on the plate.

At that moment, he had many questions, so he deliberately left the second one intact.
He hoped that after tasting it, he could glean some secrets hidden within the dish.

The viewers in the live stream started discussing as they watched the judges eagerly put the chicken frames into their bowls.

[Isn't it just a skeleton? Is it really worth the judges taking it so seriously?]

[Yeah, there's no meat at all, what are they supposed to eat? A bunch of judges just slurping bones?]

[Could it actually not be a chicken frame? Xia Ming is quite good at making "imitation dishes," so is it possible that he made a bone-shaped dish and then pieced it together?]

[Hey bro, stop reading comics. A chicken carcass has 15-20 bones, each with a different shape. Even if you hired a sculptor to recreate it in 3 hours, you could only manage to carve a spine at most!]

[Yes, a single spine would take a whole day to polish, and two lifelike chicken bones would probably take more than a week to make, so this is probably just a chicken skeleton!]

It's no wonder netizens felt strange, since they couldn't smell the fragrance filling the screen.

Looking at the untouched second chicken carcass, Xia Ming understood Yin Shengjiang's plan.

"So you want to stay and see how I did it?"

"Hmm, that's a good idea, but once we actually try it, I'm afraid there won't be any need for it."

After thinking it over, Xia Ming looked up at Tan Zhifeng.

At this moment, he had already picked up the chicken carcass and was examining it closely.

Feeling the oily texture on his fingertips and smelling the fresh aroma wafting into his nose, he narrowed his eyes.

"This isn't the smell of frozen food; it tastes like it was just pulled from a farm." His throat bobbed, feeling the umami flavor teasing his taste buds. Finally, he couldn't resist and took a shallow suck on the chicken spine!
Instantly, the broth slid into his mouth through the bone, and his pupils dilated slightly.
The expected "freshness that bursts through the skull" did not materialize. The chicken soup did not have a strong aroma; instead, it had an incomparably refreshing taste.

The taste is like spring water that has just melted on a spring morning, bringing the pure sweetness of the chicken bones to your tongue. It is mild, and you can also taste the remaining bits of chicken meat, which adds to the texture.

"No unnecessary seasoning. This is the purest, most original flavor of chicken bone broth!"

He subconsciously trembled slightly, the pure, unadulterated freshness on his tongue swirling and flowing in his mind before dissipating.

This feeling came quickly and went quickly.

There wasn't much space left for the broth between the bones, and after the taste flashed by, it was as if a hidden switch had been turned on in Tan Zhifeng's body.

His taste buds were desperately calling out to him, and his brain was constantly craving this rare and delicious flavor.

So he did the most instinctive thing.

【Slurp】

He kept sucking, sucking from different angles.

To achieve the deepest hidden flavor in the chicken frame, his hands and mouth worked in perfect harmony.

With each exertion of his lips and teeth, he absorbed every inch of the chicken carcass; the harder he absorbed, the richer the reward.

But the more generous the reward, the more irresistible his craving for that flavor became.

The air was filled with the aroma of delicious food, and the judges' panel could be heard slurping sounds.

The others seemed to be just as obsessed as Tan Zhifeng, constantly absorbing the flavors and occasionally pausing to concentrate on experiencing them in their minds.

Even the oldest, Cheng Xieyun, after initially being reserved, gave it her all.

The contestants in the rest area couldn't help but gasp as they watched the judges on the judging panel struggle with the chicken carcasses.

Most contestants who weren't very confident about advancing felt that the judges looked a bit unfamiliar.

Zheng Zeqian and Bai Heng, who knew Xia Ming quite well, understood that this was just basic procedure.

"As expected of Xia Ming, he can even turn a chicken skeleton into a live chicken."

Watching the judges' actions, Zheng Zeqian scratched his face and then moved closer to Bai Heng.

"It means that making soup takes too long, otherwise after Xia Ming finishes his competition, the other contestants will have nothing to compete in."

After the match, Bai Heng let his hair down, and through his white hair, he nodded to Zheng Zeqian, who was leaning closer to him.

"Yes, if we used other methods, there might be trouble."

Zheng Zeqian casually tugged at the collar of his sweater.

"Actually, there's trouble now. Before he came, the judges' standards were passable, but after this round, every round after that is hell!"

Of course, judging from Zheng Zeqian's relaxed tone, he didn't take it to heart.

After all, this isn't a "New Chef Competition." If he just wants a "Level 5 Hua" status, he doesn't necessarily need to be on the opposite side of Xia Ming.

To be precise, he had never stood on the opposite side of Xia Ming since he first met him.

Compared to the easygoing Zheng Zeqian, the other seeded players on the side didn't look so good.

Hu Xing looked at Xia Ming curiously, as if trying to discern some rare medicinal herb from his profile.

Yang Hongjie and Jiang Chuanhong both frowned, pondering what was so amazing about Xia Ming's dish.

Luo Hui, however, looked extremely eager to fight.

"Is this the strength of the strongest rookie in history? The pressure is truly terrifying!"

"A vegetarian skeleton, hahaha, I really want to try it!"

Hearing Luo Hui's barely suppressed laughter, Jing Ran silently adjusted her position, moving a little further away from this "lunatic".

"Anime fans are the most incomprehensible. Also, what's wrong with Xia Ming? Is it really necessary to support a mere skeleton like this?"

Jing Ran always felt that the Chinese Chefs Association was deliberately creating a god, just like "Xia Yitian" back then. Today's Xia Ming is just a product of the Chefs Association's god-making.

He admitted that Xia Ming might have some ability, but looking back at the previous judging footage, the judges' behavior was excessive.
At least in his eyes, it was all just acting!

It's rare to see Chen Xiaodong and Yang Yanbin standing together. They used to have some disagreements, but since Chen Xiaodong entered the Infinite Challenge mode, their auras have inexplicably become closer.

At this moment, Chen Xiaodong was not surprised at all by the judges' actions.

As Xia Ming's best stepping stone, he was also the most direct victim of "Five Roads Mixed Soup".

In his eyes, Xia Ming's soup-making skills were absolutely "one in a million".

"Using chicken bones as a soup base not only fits the theme but also vividly portrays the ordinary."

"As expected of my nemesis!"

Although he hesitated for a moment, he still said those two words, even though he was met with a disapproving look from Yang Yanbin.
While everyone in the rest area had different expressions, the already scarce chicken frames were completely sucked clean by the seven judges.

Those with good teeth will even chew the bones to pieces, just for the flavor they contain.

Tan Zhifeng is a prime example.
After spitting out the bone fragments in his mouth, he finally had the mental capacity to analyze Xia Ming's cooking.

"It's really hard to believe that I actually tasted a sweet and savory flavor in a frozen chicken carcass."

Tan Zhifeng knew that wasn't the taste of blood marrow.
For some reason, Xia Ming's frozen chicken bones had their blood and marrow treated very well, without a trace of fishy smell or blood seepage.

"If it's just a bleeding issue, it can be explained by the fact that it was boiled for a long time."

"But the fishy smell of the bone marrow has been removed, which is a bit outrageous!"

Tan Zhifeng couldn't taste the scallions and ginger, which is simply unbelievable for a frozen chicken dish.

Just as he was trying to find the answers to these questions through the remaining chicken carcass.

But then she suddenly noticed that Bai Susu had already reached out without hesitation, broken open the second chicken carcass, and picked out a piece with more tendons and membranes and put it into her own bowl.

"No, I haven't seen it yet."

Before Tan Zhifeng could even process the word "clear" in his mind, he saw Yin Shengjiang tear off a piece without hesitation.

Just as Yin Shengjiang was about to take the large piece away, Cheng Xieyun coughed twice.

Judging from that expression, it's clearly...
"I'm old, my hands and feet aren't very strong, and my teeth aren't good either. Give me the smaller parts, and you can take the larger bones yourselves."

Yin Shengjiang was quite respectful of his seniors. As soon as Cheng Xieyun coughed, he immediately gave her a piece of the juicier part of the fruit.

But Tong Song wasn't so particular.

He reached out and took a large piece from the existing part, a move that made Ding Yongxing and Cao Fujun's temples throb, and they immediately stopped him in mid-air.

Seeing this, Tan Zhifeng understood what was going on.

"What's the point of rating? Everyone's already fighting over it, I'm just eating first!"

So, without any hesitation, he pocketed the last remaining portion.

As for the so-called cracking and evaluation...
Go play somewhere else!

Now, the first priority is to fully appreciate the delicious flavors hidden within Xia Ming's cuisine.

Viewers in the live stream were stunned by what they saw.

They originally thought that the judges' serious expressions as they shared the chicken frames Xia Ming had made were already outrageous enough.
But little did I know that was just the beginning.
If I'm not mistaken, the judges actually started arguing over a chicken carcass in front of the live stream audience?!

(End of this chapter)