Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

　"Let's add some of our own ingredients. Thinking about it carefully, the Golden Crab Shell doesn't seem so perfect."

　Looking at the many vegetables on the counter, Bai Yuan had this thought in his mind.

　Golden crab shell brings out the best in the crab itself, with a rich crab flavor. You can eat the whole crab from head to tail, but the flavor is a bit one-dimensional.

　It's at least at the level of a luminous dish, but whether it can reach the level of a flowing light is still unknown.

　Grease the pan with peanut oil, then add lard.

　Melt the solidified lard, add chopped scallions and ginger, and sauté over low heat until fragrant. Then add crab roe and continue to stir-fry, followed by crab meat.

　"Why stir-fry them separately? Wouldn't it be more convenient to stir-fry them together?"

　Kawano Rinka's voice was filled with doubt. She had also cooked crab fritters before, and always stir-fried them together with the crab fritters. Now that she saw Bai Yuan's actions, she was naturally curious.

　"Stir-frying them together is indeed more convenient, but it doesn't create a layered aroma. Crab roe has a richer aroma, so it needs to be stir-fried with scallions, ginger, and lard first to fully infuse it into the oil and create a rich base flavor."

　Crab meat has a relatively mild flavor. Adding it after stir-frying the crab roe allows it to absorb the roe's aroma while retaining its own sweetness, resulting in a richer and more layered overall taste.

　Upon hearing the question, Bai Yuan explained that, in fact, the Golden Crab Casserole in Raine was also made with both ingredients, which could only be attributed to the young chef's lack of culinary experience.

　"A change in scent...?"

　Kawanoka murmured, a look of half-understanding on her face. Truly worthy of being a top-tier seven-star chef; her thoughts are comprehensive!

　"Besides that, there is another reason."

　Crab roe is rich in fat and cholesterol, has a delicate texture, and a strong flavor. It needs to be slowly stir-fried at a low temperature to fully release its aroma and prevent it from becoming dry and hard due to high temperatures.

　Crab meat has a firm texture and high water content, so it requires a short cooking time. If cooked together with crab roe, the crab meat will become dry and tough due to overcooking, losing its tender texture.

　As they were talking, Bai Yuan lit another pot, filled it with hot water and brought it to a boil. He then poured in the peeled green beans, blanched them briefly, drained them, and poured them into the wok.

　After stir-frying evenly, add water, then add a small amount of salt and pepper, thicken with a cornstarch slurry, and pour into the pre-fried soft-shell crab shell.

　At this point, the dish is almost finished, with only the final step remaining.

　Stepping forward, I took two eggs, beat the yolks and poured them directly over the eggs, while manually beating the remaining egg whites until they were stiff enough to hold a chopstick upright.

　Spread the egg white evenly on the crab shell, then put it into a preheated oven and bake at 180 degrees Celsius for 10 minutes.

　"This dish is called Crab with Egg White. It uses seasonal ingredients. Although the method is simple, the taste is delicious and it brings out the essence of a whole crab."

　Place the baked crab shells on a plate. Compared to the golden crab shells that are coated with egg wash, sprinkled with breadcrumbs, and deep-fried in oil, this dish is less likely to cause internal heat and has a fresher taste.

　"Is the 'Hibiscus Crab Shell' made with whipped egg whites to create the 'hibiscus' filling, while the inside is a normal crab shell? And it's sparkling on top..."

　"Sparkling with light, I didn't expect it to be another luminous dish..."

　Looking at the dish in front of her that was continuously emitting a shimmering light, Kawashika's face was filled with shock.

　Even her grandfather, a top-tier seven-star chef, had a low success rate in creating the Radiant Dish; he was lucky to succeed three out of ten times.

　Bai Yuan may not look very old, but he can make luminous dishes with ease, as if there is nothing in the world that can stump him!

　"Try it."

　Bai Yuan extended his hand in invitation, and Chuan Linghua, upon hearing his words, snapped out of her daze and reached out to pick up a hibiscus crab shell that had been cut in half.

　"So that's how it is. After the egg whites are whipped and spread on the surface of the crab shell, they are baked to form a light and fluffy 'lotus' outer layer. This outer layer melts in your mouth, bringing a smooth texture."

　Compared to the outer layer of egg white, the crab meat and roe inside possess both the lightness of the outer layer and the richness of the inner layer, resulting in a harmonious and unified overall flavor.

　Feeling the subtle sensation on her tongue, Kawanahiko's face showed enjoyment. After a slight lingering taste, the rich flavor of crab meat and crab roe suddenly burst forth.

　The crab roe, after being stir-fried with scallions, ginger, and lard, releases a rich aroma that blends with the sweetness of the crab meat, creating a deep and complex flavor.

　The crab meat, after absorbing the aroma of the crab roe, still retains its own freshness and sweetness. The overall taste has both the rich aroma of crab roe and the refreshing taste of crab meat. This is the charm of cooking it in two stages!

　Kawano Rinka was shocked. She had cooked crab roe and crab meat before, but each time she had just mixed them together and stir-fried them. The flavor profile was not nearly as distinct as it was now. The difference was quite significant!

　"It's just a difference between frying first and frying later, but I never expected it would have such a big impact on the taste. It seems I still have a lot to learn."

　Kawana Rinka was incredibly surprised. She thought that even if she wasn't the number one among the younger generation, she was close. But she never expected that Shiro Awa would suddenly appear.

　The other person didn't look much older than her and was undoubtedly part of the younger generation. I really don't know how he grew up to be where he is today!

　"It's not just about frying first or last; different combinations of ingredients will also result in different flavors. You can coat the fried crab meat with whole egg wash, then coat it with breadcrumbs and deep-fry it. Or you can just coat it with egg yolk, whip the egg whites, and bake it. A thousand people will have a thousand different ways of making it; the key is how to make the dish taste good."

　Bai Yuan's voice wasn't loud, but it was resounding. Even Nakiri Erina and the others who were cooking were deeply moved by it, though they didn't quite understand.

　By utilizing the characteristics of different ingredients, a new dish can be created based on a certain dish.

　Isn't this exactly what a chef is supposed to do?!

　"Been taught a lesson."

　Suppressing her surprise, Kawana looked at Bai Yuan with newfound respect. He had gone from a genius to a master, just like her grandfather.

　"Don't get distracted, focus all your attention on the food, we'll save you some crab shells with hibiscus."

　Bai Yuan ate as he spoke, his gaze sweeping over the kitchen counter in front of the girls.

　While he was cooking, Erina Nakiri went out and got a pineapple and a box of coconut milk, which were the key ingredients in her dish.

　"Coconut milk and pineapple, and chili sauce... I see, is it made using Southeast Asian methods? That's something to look forward to."

　Watching Erina Nakiri cut a pineapple and pour coconut milk into a bowl, Shirabuchi immediately thought of the contents of a cookbook he had read years ago.

　Clean and cut the crab into pieces, and dice the pineapple. Heat a pan and sauté minced garlic and ginger until fragrant, then add chili sauce and stir-fry until fragrant. Add the crab pieces and stir-fry evenly.

　Add coconut milk and diced pineapple, and cook until the crab is fully cooked. Finally, season with salt and sugar, sprinkle with cilantro, and you have a uniquely flavorful spicy crab dish.

　A rich aroma filled the air. Bai Yuan took two steps forward, looked at the bubbling dish in the pot, and nodded in satisfaction.

　He then looked at Megumi Tadokoro and Hisako Shinoto. One of them was making a blue crab miso hot pot, and the other was making a crab meat and goji berry stew.

　Just as Bai Yuan was about to take a closer look, there was a noise at the door. Looking up, he saw Alice Nakiri carrying a silver tray as she walked in from outside.

　"You guys were secretly cooking for me in my room behind my back! Is this the famous Chinese snack, crab shell?"

　Looking at the hibiscus crab shell placed in front of Bai Yuan, Alice Nakiri drooled a little, her little nose twitching, and a look of longing appeared on her face.

　"That's right, this is crab shell, or more accurately, hibiscus crab shell. It's a very famous autumn snack. Give it a try."

　As Bai Yuan spoke, he placed the hibiscus crab shell in front of Nakiri Alice. Upon seeing this, Nakiri Alice did not stand on ceremony and reached out to take a big bite.

　"The original shell should be soft, right? It's deep-fried beforehand, then baked. One bite and it's crispy and crunchy, paired with the rich crab roe and crab meat—so fragrant!"

　"We use soft-shell crab, and the texture is just right after frying."

　Bai Yuan smiled and, after peeling the crab roe and meat out of the crab shell, he put the soft-shell crab shell into the oil to fry.

　If you simply bake the soft-shell crab, the moisture in the shell will be dried out, and its texture will suffer. Frying, on the other hand, locks in the moisture, perfectly preserving the texture and solving this problem.

　Combining frying and grilling creates this dish, Crab Roe with Egg White.

　"No, I want another one, this taste is just too satisfying."

　finger

　After licking the residue off, Alice Nakiri, her cheeks flushed, reached out again.

　The most troublesome part of eating crab is peeling the shell and removing the meat, but Baiyuan's crab shells perfectly solve this problem, making it impossible to stop eating them one after another!

　"Alright, let's leave the rest to Xiaohui and the others. Crabs are cold in nature, so it's not good to eat too many."

　Just as Alice Nakiri was about to take the fourth one, Shirai stopped her.

　He had already given her his share, and if he continued to eat, it would be taking away from hers, which was unreasonable.

　"Ok."

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Alice Nakiri showed a regretful expression, then looked at him lingeringly for a few more moments before opening the plate in her hand.

　In an instant, a faint fragrance wafted out.

　Alice Nakiri's voice rang out:

　"Then come and try my dish, which is called Crab Roe Foam with Crab Meat Balls."

　I first mixed the crab roe with cream, then added soy lecithin, and beat it with a high-speed mixer until it foamed, making crab roe foam.

　Next, mince the crab meat, add salt and pepper to taste, shape it into small balls, steam them, and then quickly deep-fry them to form a crispy shell.

　Heat the broth to a simmer, add the crab roe foam, and stir gently. Place the fried crab meat balls on a plate, using the broth with the crab roe foam as a base, drizzle with the crab roe foam, and garnish with a few herbs.

　"A rather innovative dish. Does it utilize so-called molecular gastronomy techniques?"

　Just as Bai Yuan was about to offer his comments, Chuan Linghua curiously stepped forward, her eyes scanning the dishes with great interest.

　"That's right, but not much is used. The part in the data only uses a high-speed blender. The other steps are no different from normal cooking."

　Turning her gaze to Kawahira, Alice Nakiri explained with a smile.

　Dishes created by combining molecular gastronomy techniques with traditional cooking methods are often more delicious than those made using a single type of cuisine.

　"I thought molecular gastronomy was about extracting the characteristics of one ingredient and making it into another."

　I once ate at a molecular gastronomy restaurant. The dishes were small and exquisite, and the flavors were quite unique, as if they didn't belong to this world. However, the prices were very high, and it wasn't very filling; it was more like a dessert.

　Kawanobi was very excited. There are many molecular gastronomy restaurants in China, and she has been to several of them.

　Lemon-flavored strawberries, caviar with a meaty texture, and what looks like ordinary rice are actually delicious black truffles.

　Experiencing molecular gastronomy is like entering a bizarre and fantastical world, because you never know what the next dish will taste like.

　"That kind of thing is just a very superficial application, using molecular gastronomy techniques to make money. The taste may be unique, but it probably isn't very good."

　Upon hearing Kawabika's description, Alice Nakiri's expression became subtle. She couldn't imagine that dish would taste good; at most, it would just have a unique flavor.

　"Indeed, most of them are at the level of second-class cuisine. There is only one molecular gastronomy restaurant that does a decent job, but the dishes there reach the level of first-class cuisine. Overall, they are very average. They are the kind of restaurants you would try once and not go back to a second time."

　Kawakihika nodded. According to Alice Nakiri, those molecular gastronomy restaurants were indeed just a way to make money.

　“Truly high-end molecular gastronomy is not simply about extracting elements and piling them up to make the flavor of the dish unique, but about making good use of the elements to make the dish taste better.”

　Alice Nakiri spoke, pointing to the crab roe foam and crab meat balls on the silver plate.

　Although only a high-speed blender was used and only the crab roe was processed, the flavor of the dish was significantly improved, which is good.

　If you can't enhance the flavor of the dish, even if you incorporate both crab roe and crab meat into molecular gastronomy, it will all be a waste of effort.

　"May I taste a little?"

　"Okay, let's give it a try."

　Seeing the curious look on Kawabika's face, Alice Nakiri didn't refuse. Instead, she pushed the dish in her hand forward, her eyes filled with anticipation.