Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

"The aroma of oranges and dried fruit."

Looking up at the bright orange flesh on the stewed mutton, Chihiro Natsume's face showed enjoyment. As she spoke, she picked up her chopsticks and took a piece of mutton.

"The base flavor profile is garlic, onion, and carrot, with the addition of orange at the end, giving the lamb a refreshing fruity aroma and a slightly sweet and sour taste."

"Wow, this flavor is like a gentle spring breeze. It not only neutralizes the mutton's gamey smell but also brings out an indescribable deliciousness."

Chihiro Natsume put the mutton on her chopsticks into her mouth, closed her eyes, and then found herself in a manor with lots of vegetables and fruits growing there, and sheep bleating in their pens.

"How did you come up with the idea of ​​using orange peels? That's a truly unique idea!"

Beside him, another judge looked at the diced orange peel in the pot, took a deep breath in rapture, and then picked up a piece of mutton to savor it.

"Orange peel will slowly release natural essential oils during the stewing process, but you have to scrape off the white membrane inside, otherwise it will taste bitter."

The aroma of the essential oils will gradually permeate every fiber of the meat over time, giving the entire pot of lamb an enticing citrus fragrance.

Ueno Sugi explained with an air of arrogance that these were conclusions he had drawn from countless experiments, having tried all sorts of fruits.

"The addition of dried fruit adds an exotic touch to this dish. During the stewing process, it absorbs the meat juices and orange aroma, becoming full and layered, retaining its own natural sweetness while incorporating the essence of meat and fruit aromas."

The third judge spoke, his voice filled with praise for the dish, saying that no matter how you look at it, it was a very good stewed lamb.

"Then let's begin scoring."

Gently setting down her chopsticks, Chihiro Natsume exchanged glances with the judges around her before writing down her score for the dish on the scoring device.

14, 18, 11, 12, 14

Total score: 69 points.

"69 points? I only got 69 points!"

With a hint of disbelief in his voice, Ueno Sugi opened his mouth, looking at the judge in front of him as if he wanted to question him, but in the end he didn't say anything and turned to leave. It seems he hasn't practiced enough, he'll have to go back and practice more!

"Although the score wasn't very high, at least it's not zero anymore. I'm the first person to get Chihiro Natsume's score. Now let's see how the others perform."

"However, why did one person give such a high score, while the scores of others were quite average?"

"I'm not sure. Maybe it's a disagreement, or maybe the other person isn't good enough. Isn't that common? If they can't find anyone, they just grab someone to fill the quota."

Looking at the freshly released scores, the audience started discussing them. While most people scored eleven or twelve, the second judge actually gave eighteen points.

"It seems that the whole lamb shumai has indeed had an impact."

Hearing the audience's words, Chihiro Natsume also reacted and looked at the Mediterranean man sitting next to her, who was also sweating profusely.

When the four judges gave him roughly the same score, his score was too high. In a sense, this would mean that his professional level was lacking.

No, I'll have to lower the score a bit later.

The Mediterranean man thought to himself.

At that moment, as Ueno Sugi left, Hisako Shinto, dressed in a chef's uniform, stepped forward, carrying a large casserole dish.

"please wait for a moment."

After placing the casserole on the judges' table, Hisako Shinto turned back to the kitchen counter, took five bowls and soup spoons, and began serving the soup in front of the judges.

"Next up is the secretary of that God Tongue."

"They will definitely serve up some amazing dishes."

The audience looked at the large screen in front of them, which projected Hisako Aragaki's face, and immediately started discussing it.

Hisako Shinto is affiliated with Erina Nakiri, who is a rising star in the Japanese culinary world.

Because of this connection, Hisako Shinto is naturally also highly anticipated.

"It smells so good. If I'm not mistaken, this should be what they call medicinal cuisine, right?"

Taking the soup bowl handed to him by Hisako Niito, the thin judge on the far left spoke up.

"You used black goat meat, right? Although the meat tastes better and is more nutritious, it has a stronger gamey smell compared to regular mutton. However, it seems you used spices to remove the odor."

The Mediterranean man stroked his chin. He had just noticed the lamb Hisako Shinto used in her cooking, and now that he was mentioning it, it would be a good way to demonstrate his expertise.

"In short, give it a try first."

Beside her, Chihiro Natsume picked up a spoon, and the others followed suit, some observing the soup, while others put it directly into their mouths to taste.

"This...this is!"

Suddenly, the thin man sitting in the far corner swallowed the soup in his mouth, a look of shock flashed in his eyes, and he froze on the spot.

"What's wrong with Mr. Anton?"

The Mediterranean man was the first to raise a question, and out of concern that something might have happened to the other person, he got up to go and help, but stopped halfway there.

His expression was one of astonishment, as if he had seen something unbelievable. After Mr. Anton stood up, he began to exert force, and the muscles all over his body expanded rapidly, bursting his clothes.

"Mr. Anton, who had been so dry and lifeless, like a dead tree, suddenly became like an actor in a kung fu movie, full of power!"

All eyes were on the judge named Anton, and the Mediterranean man was even more shocked, as he looked at the dish in front of him and muttered to himself.

"Such a unique aroma."

"This is..."

"Angelica sinensis, Codonopsis pilosula, jujube, water chestnut, hairy root, sugarcane, Polygonatum odoratum, and lily bulb. A medicinal diet based on eight kinds of Chinese herbs."

"Eight-ingredient stewed mutton soup".

After saying this, Judge Anton exhaled a long breath of stale air from his nose, then uttered six large words, his eyes filled with righteousness.

His voice also became much stronger.

"Eight-Ingredient Soup??!"

I've only ever heard of Siwu Tang (Four-Substance Decoction). I've heard that even a dying traveler can be instantly revived with just one bite—it's a legendary dish!

The Mediterranean man exclaimed in shock, recalling the story his mother told him when he was a child, about the Four-Ingredient Soup, a legendary dish!

I never expected to see you here today!

No! This contains four more ingredients than the legendary Four-Ingredient Soup, making it an advanced version of the dish. Just who is this girl?!

"It's not as exaggerated as you say. It's just an ordinary medicinal mutton soup. It won't bring someone back from the brink of death."

Hearing the Mediterranean man's words, Hisako Shinto smiled obediently. She was not so arrogant as to think that what she had made was a legendary dish; it was just ordinary mutton soup.

If we were to ask who in the world is most likely to create the legendary dish, her answer would always be the same: Teacher Bai Yuan.

"Hisako Shinoto, an expert from a family of medicinal cuisine practitioners, uses decocted herbs and Chinese medicine to systematically maintain health through food, based on traditional Japanese medicine."

Medicinal cuisine is a dish that perfectly blends food, medicine, and pharmacy.

Alice Nakiri's calm voice rang out in the VIP room, her gaze towards Hisako Shinoto filled with a hint of envy; she, too, longed for a little follower.

She used to meet a pretty good guy named Kurokiba Ryo, whose cooking skills were decent, but unfortunately he was a man. Since she was with Bai Yuan, she had to avoid suspicion.

"In the past, Hisako's medicinal cuisine was limited to the surface of the dishes. The cooking methods were always the same few medicinal cuisine recipes. Once the flavor was released, she didn't care anymore."

But since learning from Teacher Bai Yuan, I've started systematically studying pharmacology, and now I can prepare medicine myself, and my cooking skills have also improved.

Standing in the VIP box, looking down at Hisako Shinto, who was shining brightly under the lights, Erina Nakiri wore a gratified expression.

After more than half a year of honing her skills, Hisako Shinto was finally able to stand on her own, thanks to Hakugen, this thoughtful and considerate man.

"I stir-fried the lamb chops before making this soup because the gamey smell of lamb mainly comes from fat-soluble, volatile substances."

After stir-frying, a golden-brown crust forms on the surface of the lamb. When stewed, the fat, after being impacted by boiling water, forms an emulsion, resulting in a richer and more flavorful broth.

On the big screen, Hisako Shinto confidently looked at the judges and began to explain the secrets of the dish, which was exactly what the audience wanted to see and hear.

Most of the audience here are chefs in the industry; otherwise, they wouldn't be able to get tickets.

While some of their purpose in coming here is for entertainment, the main reason is to learn techniques. Watching skilled chefs prepare dishes significantly improves their own skills; in a sense, it's like learning by observation.

"I see. No wonder it only tastes a little bit like mutton. You must have deliberately left it out. It's this little bit of flavor that makes me realize I'm eating mutton, that it has the feel of mutton!"

Chihiro Natsume nodded, took a sip of the soup, and a gentle warmth welled up inside her. Her body felt nourished, and an expression of enjoyment appeared on her face.

Many people can't stand the smell of mutton, but without it, the mutton doesn't taste authentic. Therefore, a truly skilled chef should remove most of the muttony smell, retaining only a very small portion as part of the flavor.

"The secret of stir-frying first and then simmering must be more than just this. This medicinal stewed mutton..."

It not only brings out the rich and delicious flavor of the mutton itself, but also blends in the profound aroma and fragrance of various medicinal herbs. Together, they create a warm and nourishing aroma.

On the far right of the judges' panel, a woman with old-fashioned glasses, gray hair, and a somewhat thin appearance spoke, her eyes carrying a hint of sharpness.

After taking a bite of mutton, she could clearly feel her body warming up. It wasn't just the soup; the mutton itself was the true heart of the dish!

"That's right, you're a real expert!"

Most importantly, stir-frying makes the surface of the mutton firmer, preventing it from falling apart during stewing. This also allows the medicinal herbs enough time to release their flavor. If this step is omitted and the mutton is added directly, it's easy for the mutton to disintegrate during cooking.

Furthermore, high-temperature stir-frying can induce the Maillard reaction, producing more flavor and aroma compounds, thus enhancing the taste and aroma of the soup and lamb.

Hearing the words of the gaunt old woman, Hisako Shinoto suddenly felt as if she had met a kindred spirit, and began to talk on and on.

Chapter 174 Three-Pepper Tomahawk Lamb Chops, the Boss's Taste!

"As expected, this is truly an amazing dish. Herbal ingredients should have a certain off-flavor, but you cleverly neutralized it by utilizing the properties of the herbs, proving that you have a profound understanding of their medicinal properties."

Looking at the beautiful young girl in front of her, the thin old woman seemed to see herself in her youth. Her voice was gentle and her demeanor was very tender.

"My body is getting warmer."

Beside her, Chihiro Natsume swallowed the mutton in her mouth, half-closed her eyes, and leaned lazily back in her chair, revealing an expression of enjoyment and comfort.

Because it's summer now, and it's hot outside, the venue is air-conditioned.

They were dressed very lightly on their way here, in short sleeves and midi skirts, and after sitting in their seats with the air conditioning on for two hours, they felt a little chilly.

This bowl of eight-ingredient medicinal mutton soup effectively dispelled the chill.

"This is my medicinal cuisine, Eight-Ingredient Stewed Lamb Soup!"

Hisako Shinto extended her hand to the five judges in front of her, pointing her fingertips to the medicinal mutton soup, her voice carrying a hint of arrogance and haughtiness.

"It really is boiling! The medicinal energy in my body is boiling!"

As he savored the mutton in his mouth, steam rose from within him, and the Mediterranean man let out a sigh of admiration.

"So delicious! The aroma of the mutton becomes even more intense with the support of the medicinal herbs, and the wonderful flavor that blends into the soup makes the taste... milder."

"Because of the effects of the Eight-Ingredient Lamb Soup, every bite makes the body feel warmer."