The story begins in Food Wars, when Alice took him home.

Chapter 263 Collision, a Cruel Ending

"So fish scales are actually useful? Then why do fishmongers specifically remove and discard them when cleaning fish...?"

The girl who had asked the question earlier pressed further, her voice filled with doubt.

"Because of their different properties, fish scales may harden at high temperatures, affecting the tenderness of the fish meat."

In addition, fish scales may fall off during cooking, affecting the appearance and taste of the dish.

Because of the hassle of processing and the lack of edible parts, fish scales have never held a high position in the food world, and in many places they have even been excluded from the list of ingredients.

However, some places prefer scales, such as Tianjin, where there is a dish called "Zengbeng Carp".

To prepare this dish, take a fresh carp, clean out its internal organs, cut off its ribs, pan-fry the spine, and deep-fry until it sets. Pour oil into a pan, sauté to enhance the aroma, then add sugar, vinegar, soy sauce, cooking wine, etc., and simmer to make a sweet and sour sauce. Thicken the sauce slightly with cornstarch and pour it over the carp.

The most distinctive feature of this dish is that the fish scales are not removed during preparation; it is cooked with the scales on. The finished dish is so lifelike, resembling a lively carp leaping in a fish trap, hence its name.

As Bai Yuan eloquently explained his reasons, the girl behind him finally noticed who was speaking. Her gaze towards him changed from indifference to admiration. Bai Yuan didn't hold back, analyzing the reasons in great detail and using the example of the Tianjin-style boiled carp.

As they spoke, everyone turned their attention to Zhu Yan on the field, who was now completely absorbed in her work.

Pour clean water into a basin, place the fish scales in it, add salt and white wine, and rub repeatedly with your hands to remove the fishy smell. Then put it in a strainer to drain the water.

Crack an egg into a bowl, add salt and black pepper to taste, and mix well. Dip the fish scales into the egg mixture, ensuring every inch is coated.

Take another bowl and pour in the mixed low-gluten flour and cornstarch. The cornstarch can effectively increase the crispiness time of the crust.

Dip the fish scales in egg wash and then coat them evenly in a flour mixture. Fry them in oil at 50% heat until golden brown and crispy. Remove them from the oil and place them on absorbent paper. The golden and crispy texture is incredibly appetizing.

"It's kind of like a snack. By the way, is there any necessary connection between fried fish scales and high-end cuisine...?"

"Wait a minute, Zhu Yan mixed those vegetable scraps and batter together. Could she be trying to make something like okonomiyaki?"

Watching Zhu Yan finish scaling the fish, mix the vegetable scraps she bought from the market with the batter, and season it simply, Yoshino Yuuki gently pinched her chin, her eyes revealing a hint of shrewd speculation.

"That's right. Fried fish scales have a unique flavor and are crispy and delicious. They can replace bonito flakes and add a touch of seafood flavor to dishes."

Tadokoro Megumi agreed from the side, her expression towards Zhu Yan now showing a hint of inquiry.

What is this guy thinking? How will the combination of fish scales and vegetables taste?

"But... is okonomiyaki considered high-class cuisine? Isn't it just a typical street food...?"

Yoshino Yuuki voiced her doubts: Osaka-style okonomiyaki is indeed very good, and it is the number one street food in Osaka. But wouldn't putting it in a competition like this violate the criteria of high-class cuisine?

"So she's just making dishes similar to okonomiyaki, not actually making okonomiyaki. The point is the taste of that one bite."

Bai Yuan's voice wasn't loud, but it effectively resolved Yoshino Yuuki's doubts.

Borrowing form rather than the actual dish is a basic practice for master chefs; they can use the advantages of other cuisines to improve their own.

Only those who can extract the best features of other cuisines and incorporate them into their own dishes without revealing any flaws can be called master chefs!

"I see."

Although she was a little confused, Yoshino Yuuki nodded to show that she understood. In short, it was about extracting elements.

Extract all the elements from other dishes that are suitable for the dishes you are currently making, and finally create a new dish.

the other side.

Time passed slowly, and after Alice finished boiling the fruit pits, she moved a chair over, sat down leisurely, and did nothing else.

"Have they given up over there? How come there's been no movement at all except boiling fruit pits?"

Alice Nakiri's unusual behavior naturally attracted a lot of attention. Her extremely lazy and unambitious attitude made people want to complain.

"It's not that they've given up, but rather that the next steps can only be implemented after this step is completed. In order to ensure the freshness of the food, they are waiting for this step to be completed before continuing."

If she had already given up and admitted defeat, she wouldn't continue the competition, but Alice Nakiri is indeed slacking off, looking completely carefree.

In that case, her current state is likely just to ensure the precision of the cooking, so she has strict control over the start time of each step.

"She started moving."

About half an hour later, after glancing at the state of the fruit pits in the pot, Alice Nakiri suddenly took action and spread the vegetables flat on the cutting board.

Due to limited funds, the quality of the vegetables purchased this time was not very good; most of them had blemishes or had been bumped during transportation.

Such ingredients are also easy to process; simply remove the bruised or damaged parts, and the rest is no different from ordinary ingredients.

The purpose of preparing so many vegetables is simple: to make vegetable jelly.

"Is that meat over there? She actually has spare money to buy meat..."

"But it's true, she didn't buy much, so it's normal for her to use the little money left over to buy meat. I just don't know what kind of meat it is."

After processing all the vegetables, Alice Nakiri took a small bag out of her pocket.

People around immediately started talking about it, and the drone hovered above her, projecting everything she was holding onto the screen.

"Wait, this is... goosebumps?!"

"She actually bought so much chicken skin! What's she planning to do with it? Even if she spent all ten yuan, she probably couldn't buy this much chicken skin!"

"It's probably leftover scraps from processing chicken; it wouldn't cost much..."

When Alice Nakiri took the contents of the bag out, the scene instantly erupted in excitement. Some were surprised that she had bought chicken skin, while a few others had knowing expressions.

Are you planning to make vegetable jelly?

Chicken skin provides a lot of collagen, which allows the vegetable jelly to set quickly. At the same time, the chicken skin itself contains oil and aroma, which can provide a rich flavor to the vegetable jelly.

Most importantly, chicken skin, being a scrap material, is inexpensive and fits perfectly with the theme.

Zhang Zhong watched as Alice Nakiri skillfully worked on the stage. At that moment, she was cleaning the chicken skin and using a sharp knife to remove excess fat and impurities from the inside, all of which are crucial to the flavor of the dish.

Cut the chicken skin into small pieces and set aside. Put it in a pot, add water, bring to a boil, then simmer over low heat until the chicken skin softens and releases collagen. Add scallions, ginger, salt, and pepper to remove any fishy smell and season.

Alice Nakiri stood in front of the small pot, sniffed, and nodded, gently inhaling the aroma. The flavor was just right, you could say it was perfect.

On the other side, the prepared vegetables are sliced ​​thinly and blanched. After blanching, they are taken out and placed in a mold.

At this point, the chicken skin in the pot has released enough collagen, turning a pale yellow color. Alice Nakiri pours it into the vegetables, lets it cool naturally, and then puts it into a molecular gastronomy machine to cool it quickly with liquid nitrogen.

"Begin your magnificent transformation, essence of the fruit kernels."

After finishing the vegetable jelly, Alice Nakiri looked at the fruit kernel essence stewed in countless small pots in front of her, her eyes gleaming with a strange light, and then began to work with great skill.

"finished!"

On the other side, Zhu Yan placed the fried fish scales on a fragrant vegetable pancake, then drizzled sauce evenly around the plate, giving the dish a sophisticated look.

"It's just vegetable pancakes and fried fish scales, nothing special from cooking to the end, so why does it look like I can't afford it just because it's presented like this?!"

"Standard presentation for fine dining, but I don't know if the taste can reach the level of fine dining."

Zhu Yan's exquisite plating was projected onto a large screen by a drone, earning the approval of everyone present.

She had already arrived at the judges' table. She first nodded politely to the three judges in front of her, and then placed the dishes in front of them.

"This dish is called 'Scales Leaping over Vegetables'."

"The 'scale leap' represents the crispiness and seafood flavor of fried fish scales, echoing the unique role of fish scales in cooking. The 'vegetable flavor' embodies the unique texture and layers of vegetable pancakes, while contrasting with 'scale leap' to highlight the balance and harmony inherent in this dish."

"Furthermore, this dish is made entirely from scraps, which fits the theme of the competition, allowing scraps to make a glamorous comeback as a high-end dish."

Before the judges tasted the food, Zhu Yan introduced it in advance, explaining that this was also a requirement of the competition—to create dishes that fit the theme.

As for what constitutes a qualifying result, it mainly depends on the participating chefs' interpretation of the dish.

"It looks a bit like street food, but it has the flavor of fine dining. It must be a fine dining dish that has been improved from street food."

Looking at the exquisitely presented dishes in front of him, Zhang Zhong did not rush to taste them. Instead, he stared at the dishes and asked Zhu Yan this question.

"That's right. Combining the advantages of ordinary dishes with the unique crispness of fish scales in a complex sauce, this dish is the culmination of all these elements."

Zhu Yan patiently explained that she combined the cooking methods of Japanese Osaka-style okonomiyaki with fried fish scales and classic Fujian sauce to create this dish, "Fish Scales and Vegetables".

"To create such a dish using only scraps is truly remarkable and demonstrates incredible skill!"

Using her chopsticks, Su Yan tore off a small piece of the dish, looked at the perfectly cut surface, and smelled the unique aroma of the vegetables. She couldn't help but sigh with admiration.

"The fish scales are coated with egg liquid and then fried in a flour mixture until they are golden and crispy on the outside."

The moment you bite into it, it makes a crisp crunching sound, bringing a pleasant feeling similar to that of a snack.

The vegetable pancake below has a very crisp texture when you first bite into it, followed by the creamy texture of the vegetables.

Zhang Zhong closed his eyes and began to carefully sense it.

Because a variety of vegetable scraps are used, the natural sweetness and freshness of the vegetables are preserved after simple seasoning and frying, which contrasts sharply with the unique salty and savory flavor of the fish scales.

The batter that wraps the vegetables, after being pan-fried, has a slightly crispy outer layer and a soft interior, with a subtle wheat aroma that complements the refreshing taste of the vegetables perfectly.

"It has a sweet and sour flavor; this is sweet and sour sauce..."

Opening his eyes, Zhang Zhong looked intently at Zhu Yan and said eagerly. The sweet and sour sauce tasted similar to the seasoning of lychee pork, but it lacked the meaty aroma; instead, it had the fragrance of seafood.

"Did you add the broth from boiling fish scales to the sweet and sour sauce? If so, the flavors inside and outside will blend together and eventually become harmonious and indistinguishable."

Although only a spoonful of broth was added to the sauce, it made the flavor exceptionally rich; this is the power of culinary harmony.

A dish will only be delicious if it has sufficient compatibility.

For example, adding a small amount of salt to desserts will make them taste sweeter, and adding a little sugar to stir-fries can enhance their flavor.

However, any changes are based on proportions. If the proportions are not adjusted properly, such as adding too much sugar or too much salt, the compatibility will deteriorate and the taste will not be good.

"The combination of savory and sweet, crispy and tender, and then the wonderfully elevated experience brought by the sauce at the end—it's simply amazing!"

Savoring the flavors on his tongue, Tan Guai exclaimed with heartfelt admiration as he put the last bite of the dish into his mouth, unable to resist slapping the table.

Even though they were just scraps, they brought him such a rich experience; it felt like watching a magnificent dance!

"It's absolutely stunning."

The crispiness of fried fish scales and the flavor of seafood are perfectly combined with the fresh sweetness of vegetable pancakes.

With its exquisite plating and garnish of sauce, it showcases the unique layers and balance of fine dining—undoubtedly excellent!

Tan Guai looked at Zhu Yan with eyes full of admiration for the younger generation. There was nothing fancy about it; it was all about the analysis and interpretation of the essence of cooking.

This requires a very deep foundation; otherwise, it would be difficult to perfect a dish to this extent.

"My dish is now ready. Please, the three judges, taste it."

I call this dish Molecular Garden, and I guarantee that every bite will bring you an unparalleled surprise.