Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

Seeing the group deep in thought, Bai Yuan's eyes flashed with a sharp light. He then looked at the cooking station not far away, where many prepared ingredients were laid out.

"To rule them..."

Si Yingshi muttered to himself, pondering Bai Yuan's words.

"That's right, don't pursue perfection too much. There is nothing absolutely perfect in the world. Sometimes, flaws are also part of perfection."

They complement each other and are inseparable.

For example, burnt taste. Generally speaking, if a dish is burned, it becomes inedible and the taste is hard to accept.

However, dishes like tiger-skin green peppers and dry-fried green beans are best enjoyed with a slightly burnt flavor.

The key is in how you use that flavor, turning the flaws of the ingredients into strengths—that's what a chef should be doing!

Stepping to the kitchen counter, Shirabuchi suddenly said this before starting to cook, knowing that Tsukasa Eishi was a perfectionist.

Being too obsessed with perfection will ultimately backfire on you because of that very word.

"Been taught a lesson."

After hesitating for a few seconds, Si Yingshi spoke in response to Bai Yuan's words, but his eyes told Bai Yuan that he did not truly understand what he meant.

However, Bai Yuan wasn't in a hurry. He figured he could solve the problem with cooking, and the food would give Tsukasa Eishi the right answer.

"First, let's process these shrimp."

Shrimp is the key ingredient in making shrimp dumplings. Looking at the lively shrimp in the basket, Bai Yuan divided them into two portions, handing one portion to Si Yingshi.

"Ah."

Looking at the shrimp Bai Yuan handed him, knowing that the other party was testing him, Si Yingshi nodded solemnly and then picked up the scissors beside him.

Just as he picked up the shrimp and was about to start processing them, he suddenly caught a glimpse of Bai Yuan tossing all the shrimp into the air, which slowed him down.

Bai Yuan reached behind his back, making a grasping motion, and the next moment the Wenqu Blade was drawn out by his internal force and landed steadily in his hand.

Immediately afterwards, the shrimp, which were swaying in various poses in the air, landed steadily on the table after a flash of silvery-white light, their shells and heads forming a small mountain.

"What just happened?"

Looking at everything before her, Kobayashi Rindou rubbed her eyes, thinking she was seeing things, but even after rubbing her eyes until they were red, the scene before her remained unchanged.

"The knife cleaved the shrimp in an instant, performing an extremely delicate technique that separated the shell and head from the meat, while simultaneously removing the intestinal tract..."

Isshiki Satoshi was also shocked. His eyes, which had been narrowed, suddenly widened and stared intently at the composed Bai Yuan. His common sense was shattered.

What laymen would only think is impressive is, in his eyes, a miracle!

So elegant, so effortless, cleaning the shrimp so perfectly—this guy must have some kind of superpower!

Such thoughts crossed his mind, yet he maintained a relatively calm expression. However, the fact that he kept his eyes closed for a long time revealed the unease within him.

"This technique requires extremely precise control over the knife, and the force applied to the shrimp is also crucial. Too much force will damage the shrimp, while too little force will prevent it from being cut open."

Furthermore, since a single shrimp has no foothold in the air, Teacher Baiyuan used a method of throwing a group of shrimp into the air simultaneously, utilizing the slight resistance generated by the collisions between the shrimp to quickly process them.

Because he was staring intently, Tsukasa Eishi saw it very clearly, but Shiro Awakening was moving so fast that even he only got a general idea.

"You'll get used to it once you're familiar with it. Let me finish this before you start, otherwise I'm afraid you won't be able to keep up."

After Bai Yuan finished speaking, he slapped the shrimp with the back of his knife, crushing it into shrimp paste. He then made two vertical cuts to maintain the desired large, granular texture while breaking it up, which is the most important part of making shrimp dumplings.

taste.

Many people eat shrimp dumplings for their texture, and secondly for their flavor; the combination of ingredients is the key to the taste.

Shrimp is a fat-free ingredient, so Bai Yuan chose to add a little bit of pork fat to the filling to enhance its flavor and texture.

Dice the bamboo shoots, about one-third the size of the shrimp dumplings. You'll also need some minced ginger, making sure there aren't any pieces larger than one millimeter in size. Do the same with the scallions.

The preparation of the shrimp is very particular. Salt and white pepper must be added first. Because the shrimp is very fresh, there is no need to add egg white.

After adding the pepper, stir clockwise until the mixture becomes sticky. At the same time, use the force of slapping the mixture to make the shrimp filling sticky. Once sticky, set it aside for later use.

Add salt and sugar to the pork fat, then add umami sauce to reduce its greasiness, light soy sauce, and a small amount of lard. Stir clockwise, then add diced bamboo shoots, minced ginger, and minced scallions. Continue stirring until well combined with the shrimp filling. Use a kneading motion to blend them together. Finally, add sesame oil to enhance the aroma of the filling.

Watching Bai Yuan's incredibly skillful movements, Tsukasa Eishi, Isshiki Satoshi, and Kobayashi Rindou forgot everything else and stared intently.

This feeling is like appreciating an extremely beautiful waltz!

PS:

Book Title: I Became Toyokawa Shoko's Father

Synopsis: Transmigrated to Tokyo, I became a wealthy family's son-in-law, kicked out of his home. From a dragon among men to a rat in the street, I will take back everything I lost today!

Living a life of drinking in a dark, cramped rented room, Kitahara Aoba, believing himself to be a son-in-law who had a dramatic comeback, was filled with wild fantasies and wanted to start a new chapter in his life.

But...why do I still have a daughter?

Looking at the girl with twin ponytails who just returned from get off work in the customer service department and shouted "I'm back, stinky dad", the man fell into deep thought.

…Also, what about the daughters who were pestering their own daughters?

Chapter 122 The Ten Heroes Gather, Four of Them, She's a Good Girl

"After the filling reaches this stage, add some diced carrots and shelled green peas. Since they need to be blanched before adding them, they are added last."

The purpose of adding these two ingredients is to enhance the color, texture, and flavor; other ingredients can be substituted according to personal preference.

As Bai Yuan spoke, he stirred the shrimp dumpling filling in the bowl again until it was evenly mixed.

Then pick up a shrimp dumpling wrapper from the side and place it in your palm: "When wrapping, the oily side should face outwards and the non-oily side inwards. After wrapping the filling inside, just pinch the pleats in one direction."

As Bai Yuan spoke, he placed his hand between the group of people and demonstrated with great skill, wrapping the shrimp dumplings in just a second or two.

"This is what it looks like after it's wrapped up."

When steamed, their skin becomes translucent, hence the name "crystal shrimp dumplings" in Cantonese dim sum.

He briefly showed off the shrimp dumplings in his hand before placing them on the table.

Seeing the puzzled expressions on their faces, Bai Yuan demonstrated a few more before speeding up and finishing wrapping all the remaining shrimp dumplings.

Open the preheated steamer with boiling water and remove the top steamer basket.

Place thinly sliced ​​carrots directly on the steamer rack, put the shrimp dumplings on top of the carrot slices, cover and steam for four minutes.

"Tsukasa Eishi, don't worry, the shrimp dumplings will be ready in four minutes. Let's continue after you've tasted them."

Seeing that Tsukasa Eishi had withdrawn his gaze and was about to start practicing, Bai Yuan interrupted him.

"Okay, I see."

Si Yingshi nodded, then put down the ingredients he was about to prepare and stood quietly beside Bai Yuan, his eyes fixed on the steamer.

I wonder what it will taste like.

But judging from the ingredients Teacher Bai Yuan made, it should be absolutely delicious! Ahhh!! Is it not ready yet? I can't wait any longer!

Kobayashi Rindou stood in front of the steamer, inhaling the aroma with a look of pure bliss, while muttering to himself, his voice filled with longing for shrimp dumplings.

As the temperature gradually rises, the shrimp dumplings emit a faint aroma of flour. It's a very ordinary fragrance, yet it makes people reluctant to leave.

"Indeed, with such exquisite cooking techniques, the final product must be amazing, at least a top-grade five-star dish!"

Isshiki Satoshi's voice rang out. Just those few moves by Shiro Abyss had completely won him over. People always admire the strong, and he was no exception.

If the other person is only slightly better than him, he will feel resentful and want to surpass him!

But if he is completely outmatched, he will accept it wholeheartedly and exclude himself from the competition, saying that "we are not from the same generation, so it is not appropriate to compare us."

As time went by, the fragrance in the air became more and more pronounced, without any obvious tendency, just a faint scent of wheat starch.

Bai Yuan closed his eyes, sensing the changing aromas in the steamer. When a hint of shrimp fragrance wafted from the steamer, he decisively reached out and opened it.

In an instant, a large amount of steam billowed out of the steamer, enveloping the kitchen in a white mist that slowly dissipated after more than ten seconds.

The food inside the steamer was then revealed to everyone.

"this is..."

Looking at the shrimp dumplings in the steamer, Si Yingshi's originally indifferent expression twisted slightly, and his mouth gaped open in shock.

"A dish of unparalleled brilliance!"

Isshiki Satoshi swallowed hard, uttering the words that were on everyone's mind.

As members of the Elite Ten of Totsuki Academy and inheritors of a culinary family, they naturally recognized the Flowing Light Cuisine and knew the skill required to create it.

They watched Bai Yuan cook the entire way. Aside from his slightly more advanced techniques, everything else was standard cooking, but he executed each step with exceptional skill...

That's right! It's because every step is handled with utmost precision! That's why the cuisine reaches a level of brilliance; as the saying goes, the pinnacle is where there's no further room for improvement!

In an instant, a flash of inspiration struck him. Isshiki Satoshi clenched his fist, and a bold idea suddenly came to mind.

If he goes back and refines a dish to perfection, could he make it reach the level of "Radiant Light"?

"Try it."

Seeing Kobayashi Rindou with half her body pressed against the steamer and looking at it with longing, Bai Yuan found it somewhat amusing and then handed her the chopsticks.

"We don't need this cumbersome thing!"

Without taking the chopsticks Bai Yuan offered, Kobayashi Rindou uttered those words, then reached for the shrimp dumpling and stuffed it into his mouth.

Freshly steamed shrimp dumplings are translucent and crescent-shaped, resembling crystal, revealing the ingredients inside to everyone.

Although it doesn't release a strong aroma during the steaming process, the amazing flavor inside bursts forth the moment your teeth come into contact with the shrimp dumpling skin and break it.

The clothes fluttered in the wind. Although it was a closed kitchen, it was as if a gust of air rushed in from outside, assaulting the girl's taste buds and affecting her clothes at the same time.

"good to eat!"

Kobayashi Rindou couldn't help but let out a sigh of admiration.

The moment she took a bite.

The tender, juicy, and bouncy texture of the shrimp bursts in your mouth, perfectly blending with the rich, fatty flavor of the pork.

It retains the freshness and sweetness of the shrimp while adding a richer texture to the filling!

The crispness of the bamboo shoots and the spiciness of the minced ginger and scallions intertwine and linger in the mouth, adding a unique new flavor to the shrimp dumplings.

Meanwhile, the addition of seasonings such as light soy sauce, lard, and umami sauce makes the shrimp dumplings taste richer and more flavorful, with a savory aroma that lingers in the mouth.

The final addition of sesame oil is the finishing touch; just a few drops make the aroma of the shrimp dumpling filling richer and more complex.