Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

"Okay, hurry up and eat. Once you're full, go and finish your own cooking."

I'll give you all scores later, and we'll see who has the highest score. The person with the lowest score will be punished.

He glanced almost imperceptibly at the girls' buttocks, then waved his hand into the air.

The loser's punishment isn't just a spanking with a ruler; he'll use his hands directly, and in front of everyone, he'll make her lose face completely!

Under such pressure, no one dared to let their guard down and everyone did their best to handle the situation.

Are you guys preparing for a match?

Beside him, Kobayashi Rindou asked curiously.

"Well, today's theme is braised food. We'll have a competition to see who has the best dish, and whoever makes the worst dish will be punished. That's our rule here."

Hisako Shinto answered, her gaze drifting to the other cooking stations, where enticing aromas were wafting from the food, as Erina and the others were preparing meals.

"Interesting! I'll be the referee too!"

Upon hearing Hisako Niito's words, Rindou Kobayashi immediately became interested, smiling as he looked at Shirai Awakening, clearly wanting to join in as well.

“Okay, then you, me, and Hisako will be the judges and score.”

Bai Yuan did not refuse, since the final decision was his. Having these two as judges was just to give them a sense of participation.

After all, sitting here and watching is quite boring.

"it is good."

The crowd dispersed, and everyone returned to their own cooking stations. The girls looked at the steaming pots of braising sauce in front of them with serious expressions.

Bai Yuan wrapped the remaining braised food in plastic wrap and put it in the refrigerator. Then he inspected the kitchen to observe the state of their cooking.

"Hurry up, it'll be evening soon. If you don't finish within the allotted time, you'll be ranked last, no matter how good it tastes."

Wandering through the kitchen, Bai Yuan didn't remind them this time. Even when he saw them make obvious mistakes, he would only glance at them a couple more times before leaving.

Sometimes, profound mistakes can be more memorable.

While moments of success are certainly cause for celebration, the pain of failure is remembered for a longer time. It is through occasional setbacks that one can walk more steadily and go further.

"Teacher Bai Yuan, I've finished."

More than half an hour later, Yoshino Yuuki's voice rang out, and she placed a beautifully plated braised duck in front of him, her face revealing her determination.

"Is this... duck breast?"

"That's right, I used the breast meat from two ducks to make these three dishes, but there wasn't much duck breast meat, and the portion size of each dish was also small."

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's question, Yoshino Yuuki immediately began to explain.

"To be honest, braised duck heads, duck wings, and duck legs are quite common, but this is the first time I've seen braised duck breast. It's quite novel."

Looking at the beautifully presented dishes in front of him, Bai Yuan couldn't help but tease him.

The duck meat on the plate in front of me was dark red with a rich aroma, and each piece of duck breast was still attached to the skin. The duck skin was braised until it was chewy and moist, which looked very appetizing.

"I originally wanted to make braised duck parts, but after thinking about it, I realized Alice was right. Since I'm in this class, I should try to make dishes I don't know how to make before, otherwise, wouldn't it be a waste of my time here!"

Yoshino Yuuki explained that she changed the dish she was going to make on the spot because of what Nakiri Alice said. Since she brought duck, she tried to braise duck breast, which is not something that ordinary people would do, in order to make an innovation and see how it tastes.

"Anyway, I'm starting!"

Seeing that Bai Yuan and Yoshino Yuuki were chatting away, Kobayashi Rindou finally couldn't hold back and picked up a piece of braised duck breast to taste.

The duck breast was sliced ​​very thinly. With each bite, she slowly chewed, savoring the delicious flavor spreading in her mouth, and a look of enjoyment appeared on her face.

"You used wild duck meat, right?! The meat is more tender than domestic duck meat because it roams all over the mountains and fields, making the meat firm and elastic."

Most importantly, this meat has the unique gamey flavor of wild duck, fragrant but not greasy! This flavor is unmatched by domesticated duck meat!

As she spoke, a glint flashed in Kobayashi Rindou's eyes. As an expert in cooking rare ingredients, she had once personally hunted a wild duck in the mountains and slaughtered and roasted it on the spot. The taste was very similar to the one in front of her.

"It's a domesticated duck, but I let Little Green roam freely on the mountain, so in a sense it should be considered half wild duck. It has fulfilled its mission very well."

Upon hearing Kobayashi Rindou's evaluation, Yoshino Yuuki stuck out her little tongue, made a cute face, and then looked at Bai Yuan with anticipation.

She really hoped her cooking would satisfy him.

"The braised duck breast has an appealing color, with a glossy sheen and a deep brown color that reveals hints of red, which proves that you have a good grasp of the cooking time."

Its meat is plump and tender, becoming exceptionally soft after a long braising process, and fully absorbing the braising liquid, making it easy to tear apart with a gentle touch.

As Bai Yuan spoke, he put a few slices of duck meat into his mouth. The tender meat slowly melted on his tongue, followed by the aroma of the braising sauce filling his mouth.

This aroma has both a spicy kick and a sweet aftertaste; the various flavors intertwine to create an indescribable delicious experience!

Such a dish has clearly reached the edge of the top grade. Looking up at Yoshino Yuuki, whose forehead was covered with fine beads of sweat, Shirai reached out to wipe them away.

It's clear that the little girl is working very hard.

"Especially the thin layer of duck skin, which becomes soft and tender without being greasy after being braised, adding more flavor and texture to the whole dish!"

Beside her, Hisako Shinto said that her favorite part was the thin layer of duck skin, which clung tightly to the braised duck meat after being braised, and it was very moist!

"I deliberately kept this because if it only has duck breast meat, the taste would be too monotonous. I thought adding duck skin might be the finishing touch, so I did it."

Seeing that someone had finally discovered her little scheme and even said it aloud, Yoshino Yuuki's face flushed, and she seemed somewhat excited.

"It's a really good idea. The duck skin has a very chewy texture. If you want to try something innovative, you might as well try roasting it first and then braising it, or frying it first and then braising it."

This method of processing duck skin might further enhance its texture and flavor, creating a taste you've never experienced before. Give it a try when you get home.

Upon hearing Yoshino Yuuki's explanation, Shirabuchi nodded. To be honest, simple braised dishes are a bit monotonous, but with their current skills, they can't bring out the full flavor. They can only make the dish more delicious by adding more steps.

"Understood, I'll try it when I get home tonight!"

After hearing Bai Yuan's evaluation, Yoshino Yuuki's eyes lit up. She immediately said that she would try it when she got back, and then stepped aside to wait for the next person to come forward.

Somewhat coincidentally, the person below her was none other than Mito Ikumi, who was known as a meat expert.

The young woman brought up a plate; she had made very standard braised beef, but what set her apart from others was the exceptionally high quality of the beef.

"The beef you chose is of good quality."

Looking at the thinly sliced, colorful beef, Bai Yuan couldn't help but exclaim, "This cow must have been alive three hours ago."

“There happens to be a Mito Group breeding base at the end of the far month, so I went to my house and got some beef shank, which was slaughtered that morning.”

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Mito Ikumi's face flushed slightly before she replied.

"I see, no wonder it's so fresh."

Bai Yuan nodded slightly without saying anything, then put the braised beef into his mouth. It is worth mentioning that each piece of braised beef was still attached to the tendons, indicating that it was of excellent quality.

As the dish entered his mouth, a rich and deep aroma burst forth, causing him to raise an eyebrow. The chewy parts, in particular, had become soft and tender yet still elastic after being braised for a long time!

"With good ingredients and skillful technique, it's impossible for it to taste bad. It's top-notch in every aspect. You've made great progress recently."

Braised dishes are practically a required course for any chef, and even those at Totsuki Culinary Academy have taken numerous related courses. Furthermore, beef is Mito Ikumi's absolute comfort zone, so it's no surprise that she could achieve a top-tier level of skill.

"With a powerful combination of quality and technology, success is inevitable."

Let's see how mine turns out: spicy braised chicken wings. I learned this recipe from Sister Wanwan, and I carefully selected all the chicken wings—each one is big and plump!

As they were talking, Miyoko Hojo squeezed in. She was wearing a fitted cheongsam that accentuated her figure perfectly, and she looked quite good.

At the same time, Ryoko Sakaki stepped forward. Her dish was relatively simple: a plate of braised edamame with a faint minty aroma.

Spicy braised chicken wings, mint-braised edamame.

Looking at the two portions of braised food placed in front of him, Bai Yuan rubbed his chin with his fingers, first tasting the spicy braised chicken wings, then putting them in his mouth to chew and savor them.

The chicken wings are carefully selected, with plump and elastic meat, a bright red color, a fragrant aroma, and a spicy but not dry flavor that is both spicy and fragrant, with a fresh and savory taste.

"This flavor... first the spiciness dances on the tip of the tongue, then the aroma of the braising sauce slowly spreads in the mouth, and finally the deliciousness of the chicken wings themselves lingers for a long time."

Hisako Shinoto also chose to try the chicken wings first. At that moment, she was sticking out her tongue and smacking her lips. The spicy marinade tasted great, but she really couldn't eat too much.

At least for her, who can't handle spicy food very well, she really doesn't like spicy braised dishes.

"The chicken wings are simmered in spicy braising liquid until they fully absorb the rich broth, resulting in a slightly charred skin and juicy, tender meat."

With just a gentle bite, you can feel the wonderful burst of juice in your mouth; your timing is truly excellent.

Beside him, Kobayashi Rindou spoke highly of him.

She has a good tolerance for spiciness, and the taste of this spicy braised dish really appealed to her; she couldn't stop eating it, one bite after another.

In no time, she finished all the chicken wings on the plate and also took Hisako Shinto's.

"You can soak it again after it's braised to make it more flavorful."

Besides, the braising liquid needs adjustment. You added too much chili. Spicy braising is all about a complex flavor profile that's spicy with a hint of sweetness and a delicate aroma.

"It needs to be sweet... I understand, I'll try it later!"

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Hojo Miyoko stroked her chin thoughtfully, then nodded seriously, preparing to conduct the experiment when she returned.

Seeing this, Bai Yuan didn't say anything more, but instead looked at the braised edamame that Sakaki Ryoko had brought. He was intrigued by the faint minty aroma.

Did you add mint leaves to the braising liquid?

"That's right, mint leaves have a unique deodorizing effect, effectively removing the fishy smell of ingredients, while their refreshing aroma can also enhance the flavor of braised dishes."

In addition, brine is usually quite salty, while mint leaves have a refreshing flavor; the combination of the two creates a contrasting and surprisingly delicious taste.

Ryoko Sakaki looked at Shiro with anticipation, eager to know how her carefully crafted dish would be evaluated, hoping it wouldn't be too bad.

"The refreshing minty flavor not only helps to enhance the texture of edamame, but also brings a touch of coolness in hot weather and stimulates the appetite."

As the edamame entered his mouth, he felt a slight coolness on his tongue. Kobayashi Rindou showed a surprised expression, as if he hadn't expected that adding mint to the braising broth could make it so delicious.

These edamame retain the savory and salty flavor of traditional braised dishes, while incorporating the coolness and subtle sweetness of mint, a delicate flavor that lingers very well.

"This braised dish is quite fresh and perfect for summer. Its refreshing taste can increase your appetite. However, the proportion of mint could be adjusted. Although the current flavor is quite good, it is far from its limit."

Bai Yuan spoke up, and he immediately saw the advantages of the mint broth, which was particularly beneficial in summer, while its disadvantage lay in the chef's control over the proportions.

"Adjust the mint leaf ratio? I'll remember that."

Ryoko Sakaki nodded, stood aside, and then lowered her head, appearing deep in thought.

At this moment, only Alice Nakiri and Erina Nakiri have not yet served their dishes.

Even with many eyes on them, the two remained oblivious to what was happening outside, focusing intently on the pot of braised meat in front of them.

"finished!"