Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

After stroking Yoshino Yuuki and Sakaki Ryoko's heads for a while, Shirabuchi let go of them, then looked at Nakiri Alice next to him and called her home for dinner.

"Ah."

Once he finished his pleasantries, Alice Nakiri immediately stepped forward, took his arm, and pressed herself against him, striking an intimate pose.

People around her looked at her with envy, especially Tadokoro Megumi, who wished she could take her place, but she couldn't speak up because of her status, and could only look at her with a little regret.

Just as he was about to step out of the moonlit sky, Bai Yuan's gaze was drawn to a familiar figure. He stared intently and was astonished to find that it was none other than Mimasaka Subaru.

How did he end up here?

Bai Yuan pondered to himself, and just as they were passing by Mimasaka Subaru, the other party suddenly spoke.

"Teacher Bai Yuan, I will still win the next match."

After speaking, Subaru Mimasaka turned away gracefully, leaving a group of onlookers looking at each other in bewilderment.

What exactly is that guy trying to say?

Yoshino Yuuki frowned, her expression full of confusion. Mimasaka Subaru's behavior seemed so abrupt and incomprehensible.

"Perhaps he's trying to get Bai Yuan's attention?"

Ryoko Sakaki voiced her guess: Subaru Mimasaka's repeated provocations seemed to have no ulterior motive, and no one present believed her.

I agree with your opinion.

Alice Nakiri chimed in, saying that Subaru Mimasaka's series of unusual actions were most likely intended to attract Hakugen's attention.

The reason for this is currently unknown.

"Oh right, Hisako is competing against him tomorrow."

Tadokoro Megumi suddenly interrupted, breaking the brief silence.

"That guy can completely imitate his opponent's cooking by conducting a thorough investigation of them."

"Not only that, he can also improve and enhance it, creating an 'advanced version' that is a step above the original dish of his opponent."

"That ability is too abnormal. The opponent can improve the dish and basically take it to the next level. If you don't have a strong ability to adapt, it will be difficult to beat him."

When Subaru Mimasaka's special abilities were mentioned, the girls started discussing it, and a hint of fear flashed across their faces.

Imagine if their opponent was Subaru Misaku, would they be able to defeat him?

By imitating his opponent's daily life, he synchronized his thinking with the opponent's, and combined this with his own experience, thus taking his opponent's cooking to the next level.

"Let nature take its course. We should trust Hisako and consider this a test for her."

Bai Yuan gazed at the sky and spoke slowly.

Compared to them, Hisako Niito, who is Subaru Mimasaka's rival, should be under more pressure.

"Lady Erina, how are you feeling?"

Hisako Niito, her eyes filled with anticipation, presented the carefully prepared dish to Erina Nakiri, awaiting her reply.

However, what I received was a slight shake of the head and meticulous suggestions for improvement: "The overall flavor is a bit monotonous. You can add some chili peppers to enhance its spiciness and make the flavor more full and complex."

Faced with Subaru Mimasaka's formidable ability to replicate dishes, Hisako Shinomiya did not hesitate to seek help from Erina Nakiri.

She could imagine that Subaru Mimasaka was currently tracking her daily life, trying to imitate her personality and replicate her cooking. But he certainly never imagined that he would be asking Erina-sama for help!

"Have you finally decided on a dish for your steamed cuisine theme?" Erina Nakiri asked.

"It's decided! I'll make this medicinal steamed chicken."

Hisako Niito spoke with determination, several steamers displayed before her, filled with various dishes she had recently been diligently researching. To prevent her opponents from easily replicating her creations, she had carefully prepared multiple alternatives, waiting to choose the best one before the competition.

"Steamed chicken with medicinal herbs? Indeed, this dish is the most complete and tastes the best."

With my assistance, dealing with a mere Mimasaka Subaru is more than enough.

Erina Nakiri nodded in agreement. This medicinal steamed chicken was the most delicious of the dishes, reaching the level of a near-specialty dish.

Although Hisako Niito only has the skills of a first-class chef, she had a week to prepare, and with her assistance, this result is quite normal.

"Now that I've made the decision, I'll stay up a little later tonight and use the rest of the time to continue perfecting this dish. Let's see if we can reach the threshold of the premium grade."

Although it is a near-superior grade dish, it is actually quite far from superior grade. Only by eliminating all the flaws can it become a superior grade dish!

"Well, before that, I'd like to try replacing the aluminum foil used to wrap the steamed chicken with lotus leaves."

Hisako Shinto looked at the steamer next to her. The medicinal steamed chicken was wrapped in tin foil, perfectly locking in its aroma.

She chose aluminum foil because of its excellent heat conduction and insulation properties, but for this dish, aluminum foil can only be considered a mediocre ingredient.

Therefore, she plans to replace it with lotus leaves.

"How about replacing the aluminum foil with lotus leaves? That would indeed be a good idea."

In Traditional Chinese Medicine, lotus leaves possess multiple benefits, including relieving summer heat and dampness, strengthening the spleen, and invigorating yang. Wrapping ingredients in lotus leaves before steaming allows the medicinal properties to infuse into the food. I remember when I was sick, you even made me porridge with lotus leaves; you told me all this back then.”

Erina Nakiri's voice carried a hint of nostalgia. She had been taken very well in by Hisako Shinoto. Their relationship was less like that of mistress and servant and more like that of sisters, with Hisako being more like her older sister.

"Yes, lotus leaves have many benefits. Wrapping food in them before steaming can add a unique aroma. However, there are some drawbacks, namely, poor sealing and easy breakage, which chefs need to be careful about."

Hisako Niito smiled and nodded.

Using lotus leaves is a double-edged sword. Fortunately, it is summer now, and the lotus leaves are growing well and of high quality, making it the best time to use them in cooking. Otherwise, it would be difficult to make this dish.

"Then you should try it. Although the taste should be pretty good, you still need to have a good idea of ​​what to expect and see if there's anything that can be improved."

"Ok!"

Upon hearing Erina Nakiri's words, Hisako Shinoto nodded emphatically, focused her attention on the kitchen counter, and began to work diligently.

"The Spice-Making Cloud Hand!"

Slaughter young hens less than one year old, remove feathers and internal organs, pat dry the surface moisture, add a spoonful of salt, two spoonfuls of cooking wine, two spoonfuls of light soy sauce, and a spoonful of sesame oil, and use a special technique to knead the flavors in.

This move is also a unique skill in the world of dark cuisine. Although it is a relatively simple move, it still took her half a year to learn it.

This trick allows the ingredients to absorb flavor quickly, saving a lot of marinating time, and it's also Hisako Shinto's secret weapon!

Even if Subaru Mimasaka managed to deduce what kind of dish she was going to make by following her life, it would be useless if his skills weren't up to par.

Although there is enough time for the cooking competition, it is difficult to allow a young hen to fully absorb the flavors from head to toe without letting it rest for a day and a night.

If this step isn't handled well, even if the subsequent steps are the same, the taste will be significantly worse. You could say it's inherently flawed.

Subaru Mimasaka loves to imitate, right? Well, she'll use advanced techniques to make it impossible for him to imitate! No matter how he tries, it'll taste worse than hers!

"You're getting more and more skilled at this trick."

Watching the young hen quickly absorb the flavors, Erina Nakiri exclaimed in admiration.

Bai Yuan taught her these techniques openly, and she learned many practical tips, such as how to quickly dissect medium to large animals and what special techniques to use when sprinkling spices...

But what she most wants to master is the Silver Chopsticks Ten Pot Return, but unfortunately, due to a lack of talent, she is still stuck in the initial stage.

"Hehe, thanks to Teacher Bai Yuan."

Hearing Erina Nakiri's words, Hisako Shinoto smiled shyly, then thought of Shirobuchi, who taught her this move, and a look of longing appeared in her eyes.

The other person just casually revealed a little bit of knowledge, which was enough for her to study for more than half a year. I really don't know how he mastered so many techniques. He is a genius!

While thinking, his hands kept moving.

Line the bottom of the steamer with lotus leaves, then cover it with ginger slices. Next, place the marinated young hen on top, along with codonopsis, red dates, angelica, goji berries, dried longan, astragalus, and four spoonfuls of clear chicken broth.

Wrap the dough in two layers of lotus leaves, then tie it with straw to secure it. Place it in a preheated steamer and steam for 30 minutes.

The moment the steamer was opened, a rich aroma wafted out, causing the two to involuntarily squint their eyes, their faces filled with happiness.

"Lady Erina, please try it."

He tore off the chicken leg from the hen and handed it to Erina Nakiri. Erina, seeing this, didn't hold back and took a bite.

The next moment, Erina Nakiri's eyes widened, and a look of surprise appeared on her face, clearly unexpected about the taste of the dish.

Chapter 201 The Reasons for the Defeat

The medicinal steamed chicken, after being wrapped in lotus leaves and steamed, exudes a unique aroma that is both fresh and rich.

The delicate fragrance of lotus leaves and the rich, mellow flavor of medicinal cuisine permeate each other, giving this traditional delicacy a natural and graceful appearance, adding a touch of otherworldly charm.

"The medicinal steamed chicken wrapped in tin foil has a richer and more direct flavor, and the chicken is more tender and juicy. However, it lacks the fresh aroma and visual appeal of lotus leaves."

Savoring the flavors on her tongue, and comparing the two options—tin foil and lotus leaf—Erina Nakiri slowly offered her evaluation, saying that both have their own merits.

"The effect of tin foil can be achieved by adjusting the heat, but the fragrance of lotus leaves cannot be provided by tin foil, so let's use lotus leaves instead."

"That's what I think too. Lotus leaves are more versatile and add new flavors to dishes. They complement other medicinal herbs better."

Hearing Hisako Shinto's words, Erina Nakiri nodded, clearly agreeing with her decision. The problem with the tin foil could be solved by temperature control, and in comparison, using lotus leaves was more beneficial than harmful.

"Then let's keep experimenting. If we keep trying, we'll eventually find the perfect temperature!"

"I called someone to send chickens over."

Between the moon and the sky.

Seeing that Mimasaka Subaru had prepared the exact same ingredients as him, Hisako Shinoto showed no surprise. On the contrary, the judges on the stage couldn't help but frown as they looked at the menus handed to them by the people below.

"Did both of these contestants choose steamed chicken as their dish?"

Hinako Inui spoke softly, in a slightly probing tone.

"That kid seems to have always been good at replicating other people's dishes in the previous competitions."

Kakuzaki Taki had clearly heard about it beforehand, and her brows were now furrowed in disapproval. Although there was no explicit rule against imitating others' cooking, such behavior was certainly unpleasant.

"How did he do that? Did someone leak his opponent's recipe to him beforehand? Come to think of it, something similar happened in the last match."

Fuyumi Mizuhara's face was full of curiosity. She was genuinely puzzled, as it would be difficult to replicate the recipe so accurately unless one had obtained it beforehand.

In addition, someone in the previous match used the opponent's dish to create a dish that could counter the opponent, which made her suspect that Totsuki might have been hollowed out by parasites, involving some kind of shady deal.

"No matter the reason, it's really shameless to do something like this. If it weren't for the fact that the rules don't say it's forbidden, I would really want to betray him."

Kakuzaki Taki couldn't help but mutter to herself, her face showing a hint of malice. She hadn't expected this kind of situation to occur in Totsuki's competition.

"Judging from the girl's composed demeanor, she was clearly not afraid of the other party using this ability. In other words, she was not surprised and had prepared a way to deal with him."

"If we had known earlier that the other party had this ability, we would have made preparations in advance. I just don't know what method she would use to counter it."

The judges were discussing it animatedly.