Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

"Gudu."

The aroma was so enticing that everyone present swallowed hard, their faces showing longing. They then rushed forward, their eyes fixed on the two dishes.

"Wait a moment, Xiaohui will be out soon. Let's eat after she comes out."

Looking at the alarm clock on the wall, Bai Yuan said to the two of them, "It's been fifteen minutes since Tadokoro Megumi went into the bathroom, she should be coming out soon."

Sure enough, not long after he finished speaking, there was a commotion coming from the bathroom. Tadokoro Megumi walked towards them while drying her hair with a towel.

She had changed into a white dress, and her body smelled of shower gel. Her skin was fair and rosy, like a freshly peeled egg, making her look incredibly pure and lovely.

"Are you... waiting for me?"

Looking at the untouched food on the table, and at the eager and restrained looks in Yoshino Yuuki and Sakaki Ryoko's eyes, Tadokoro Megumi asked with some emotion.

"Hmm, we're just missing you! So, shall we begin now, Teacher Bai Yuan?"

Yoshino Yuuki stared intently at Shirabuchi's cooking, her mouth watering. Upon seeing Tadokoro Megumi's arrival, she spoke anxiously.

"Eat up, you greedy little girl."

Seeing Yoshino Yuuki's drooling expression, Bai Yuan couldn't help but facepalm before speaking.

"I'm gonna start now."

She quickly picked up the chopsticks on the table, held them in her palms, clasped her hands together, and bowed her head, speaking with a devout expression.

After the ceremony, Yoshino Yuuki looked excited and immediately reached for the dishes in front of her with her chopsticks, picking up the fish-shaped skewers made by Nakiri Alice...

Can't pick it up?!

"Use a spoon."

Seeing Yoshino Yuuki constantly reaching out with her chopsticks to pick up fish but failing because the fish was slippery, Sakaki Ryoko handed her a spoon.

"good to eat!"

The moment the tongue sole and the pufferfish made contact, Yoshino Yuuki's eyes lit up, and she couldn't help but exclaim in admiration, giving Nakiri Alice a thumbs up.

"The fish fillets are simply seasoned with MSG, salt, and pepper, which lays the foundation for their basic umami and spicy flavor."

The fish broth, made from fish bones, is the soul of this dish. It not only preserves the original flavor of the fish but also incorporates the fragrance of scallions and ginger, making the broth both delicious and slightly spicy, with rich layers of flavor.

Its meat is tender yet crisp, incredibly delicious! It's definitely worth all the effort I put into feeding it every day!

Savoring the taste in her mouth, Yoshino Yuuki closed her eyes and began to savor it carefully.

"And because it's filtered through cheesecloth, the fish soup is clear and bright, with no off-flavors, and it's incredibly smooth with every sip!"

Tadokoro Megumi took a sip of the fish soup, a satisfied expression on her face.

"When the thick slices of fish are briefly blanched in the boiling fish soup, the tenderness and crispness of the fish meat reach a perfect balance, with the outside slightly cooked while the inside still retains the freshness and juiciness of the fish meat."

The subsequent addition of chopped red bell pepper and scallions adds vibrant color and an extra layer of flavor to the dish; it's a gentle spiciness...

Savoring the delicious food in her mouth, Ryoko Sakaki spoke up, her enjoyment undisguised.

Alice Nakiri's current skill level has reached Special Grade, and the dishes she makes are now at the top level among students.

Despite being a simple dish, it easily won over the taste buds of the three members of the Polaris Dormitory.

"Alice, let me ask you a question. Do you think chicken broth or fish broth is better for making Bo Bo Fish?"

Bai Yuan didn't rush to taste it. Instead, he looked at the fish soup in front of him, raised his eyes, and asked Alice Nakiri a question.

When making Bo Bo Fish, is it better to use chicken broth or fish broth?

"Fish soup, please. Isn't it what you've always taught me? Putting the essence of a whole fish in one pot makes it even more delicious..."

Upon hearing the question, Alice Nakiri paused for a moment, and looking at Bai Yuan's unfathomable expression, she answered somewhat uncertainly.

"I did say that the original broth can help digest the original food, and it's good that you listened to it, but it doesn't apply to this dish. To be precise, it only applies to half of it."

"half?"

Hearing what Bai Yuan said earlier, Alice Nakiri was somewhat pleased, but what Bai Yuan said next made her nervous and curious at the same time.

"That's right, it's half."

Using fish broth earlier wasn't a big problem. Fish bone broth is thicker than chicken broth, and when used with poached fish slices, it creates a flavorful contrast where the outside is more flavorful than the inside.

To enhance the flavor, you need to add more pepper and chopped red chili to the soup. Also, choosing fish with a better texture will make the soup taste much better.

However, it's best to use chicken broth for the latter part. The light flavor of chicken broth can better highlight the natural freshness of the fish slices, while the strong flavor of fish bone broth can easily overpower the natural freshness of the fish.

You need to remember one thing: the name of this dish is "钵钵鱼" (boiled fish in chili oil), and the emphasis is on the last word, "fish." You need to highlight the flavor of the fish.

Seeing the curious looks from those around him, Bai Yuan didn't hide anything and began to explain at length.

The girl listened attentively, nodding occasionally, a thoughtful expression on her face.

"Indeed, no dish should be underestimated. Even if a dish takes no more than twenty minutes to cook, it contains a great deal of knowledge."

After listening to Bai Yuan's story, Sakaki Ryoko let out a long sigh and couldn't help but sigh.

It's hard to imagine that this pot-boiled fish in front of me isn't at its most perfect state, but even if it's not at its most perfect state, it can still be so delicious.

"Come and try it. No need for extra dipping sauce, the bottom is already prepared, just eat it directly and enjoy its most essential freshness and crispness."

As they were talking, Bai Yuan brought the casserole to the table and beckoned the others to come over.

"looks great!"

Looking at the fish slices in front of her, Ryoko Sakaki was lost in thought, and words of praise unconsciously came out of her mouth.

Because they were steamed, the fish slices that were originally clustered together slowly separated, revealing a bright and beautiful peony-like appearance!

At the same time, the surface of the dish shimmers with golden light, looking mysterious and solemn. This is yet another dish that perfectly embodies the radiance of light!

The two red pepper strips in the middle of the fish fillet peony are also crystal clear under the steam, just like real flower stamens!

"They're so beautiful, I almost don't want to eat them..."

The fish fillets exuded a faint fragrance. Looking at the dish in front of her, Tadokoro Megumi couldn't help but sigh, holding her chopsticks but unsure of where to begin.

"Just eat it directly. We can make it again next time. I only used this cooking method because this grass carp is a crispy grass carp."

Seeing the hesitant group, Bai Yuan looked somewhat helpless. He was the first to reach out with his chopsticks, disrupting the harmony on the surface of the fish slices.

The peony is less perfect with one petal missing, and the fish slices enter Bai Yuan's mouth, showing their ultimate crispness!

This crisp texture is different from ordinary fish meat. Strictly speaking, it doesn't even resemble fish meat; rather, it's more like lean pork.

This reminded him of the restaurant where Li Xiang's chef treated him to dinner, which was famous for its hot pot fish, and the fish used was crispy grass carp.

"Because there was a layer of dried shallots underneath, the aroma of the shallots blended perfectly into the fish, bringing a touch of spiciness."

The fish fillets, marinated beforehand with salt, egg whites, scallion oil, and other seasonings until they become firm, have a unique flavor and a crisp texture. The various flavors blend together...

The second person to taste Shirai's dish showed a hint of amazement in Nakiri Alice's eyes.

Although there are only a few flavors, they blend together perfectly, bringing out the best of the fish fillets' freshness!

This is not a dish that Bai Yuan made on a whim at all! This is a flawless dish that he has carefully considered and perfectly coordinated in all aspects before cooking!

"what!!"

With her palms gently pressed against her lower body and her waist sinking down, Yoshino Yuuki let out an indescribable sound.

After the fish slices went down Mudan's throat, they transformed into a deep, warm current that spread from her esophagus, impacting her limbs and bones.

Ultimately, it gathers in a certain area below the dantian...

“Every time I eat Professor Baiyuan’s cooking, I feel incredibly ashamed.”

Ryoko Sakaki voiced the sentiments of everyone present. They were all affected to some extent, and they didn't know how Shiro could make them feel excited every time they ate his food.

Although tasting other people's food can give you this feeling, it's nothing like Bai Yuan's experience. Even though he was prepared, he was still overwhelmed and left in a sorry state.

"Looks like I took a bath for nothing..."

As she spoke, she got up from the ground, her face flushed a horribly red.

While she was in the bathroom, she saw some really attractive boxer shorts, and then suddenly, after tasting such a powerful treat, she was instantly aroused...

And that is the result.

My body is filthy again; all that showering I just did was for nothing...

"This is a rare opportunity. Before you arrived, I had the staff from Totsuki send over a lot of ingredients. Please have lunch before you leave."

"it is good!"

"There's a new dish to eat again?!"

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, the group, still immersed in the deliciousness of the dish, showed expressions of surprise, but quickly exchanged glances and saw the guilty conscience in each other's eyes.

This one dish of fish fillets and peony has turned them into this...and more dishes?! Will they even be able to leave Alice Nakiri's house standing up today?!

Unable to resist, I picked up a piece of peony fish slice and put it in my mouth to chew and savor it.

Once again, melodious humming erupted from the crowd.

Looking at the girls' blushing faces and thinking about what was happening to them, Bai Yuan felt quite pleased. Finally, looking at the refrigerator full of ingredients, he threw himself into cooking once again.

“Let’s help too. It feels awkward to just stand by and watch, and the food won’t taste as good.”

Seeing Shirayuki busy again, Ryoko Sakaki, Yuuki Yoshino, and Megumi Tadokoro exchanged glances and almost simultaneously put down their chopsticks to help.

Although I know I may not be of much use, being useless is one thing, being lazy is another.

They can still manage simple tasks like chopping vegetables.

After all, they had trained for so long for the midterm exams, including a lot of knife skills training. Now their knife skills are comparable to those of a top chef!

This is also the result of Bai Yuan's emphasis on the basics. In his view, as long as the basics are solid, any dish can be replicated, and there are no technical barriers.

Replicating dishes is the starting point for a chef's career; almost every chef begins with replicating dishes, which is the foundation of their culinary journey.

Only when the roots are firmly planted deep in the ground can the tree grow healthily and have lush branches and leaves. This is the importance of the foundation!

As night fell, a cool breeze blew.

Bai Yuan went for his night run as usual. When he reached his two hundredth lap, a muscular man with his upper body bare suddenly appeared next to him.

"Grandpa, you've arrived."

Seeing Senzaemon Nakiri suddenly appear beside him, Hakugen turned his head to greet him as if he had expected it, and then slowed down his pace.