Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Yukihira Soma's face immediately lit up with excitement.

He became particularly talkative when discussing the origins of deliciousness.

"The outer crust is crispy, the filling is soft and moist, and the oil seeps into the inner layer of the crust, giving the part next to the filling a slightly chewy texture. The grainy texture of the preserved mustard greens and the fat of the pork blend together as you chew, leaving a sweet aftertaste, and occasionally a bite of scallions or sesame seeds brings out a refreshing aroma."

As they spoke, Bai Yuan picked up the sesame seed cake and began to savor it further.

The rich aroma spreads across the lips and tongue, creating a series of resonances that bring immense satisfaction.

"Keep up the good work! Your sesame seed cakes still have a lot of room for improvement, but the direction is right. This kind of dish, which wins with quantity and value, is a game-changer no matter where it is!"

Looking at Yukihira Soma kneading dough, Bai Yuan spoke to him with a deep gaze.

The other party's line of thinking is correct.

The main ingredients of preserved mustard greens and lean pork sesame flatbread are dough, preserved mustard greens, and pork.

The cost per unit is no more than 50 yen, and the selling price is 300 yen. In other words, he can accumulate 1500 points for every one he sells.

With an average production of 30 sesame cakes per batch every five minutes, Yukihira Soma achieved an astonishing 7000 points per minute, which is nothing short of terrifying.

"What specific aspects are lacking?"

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Yukihira Soma was taken aback at first, and then humbly began to ask for his guidance.

"The dough didn't ferment long enough, which made the sesame seed cakes noticeably harder and less crumbly towards the end. You can add a small spoonful of baking soda when kneading the dough, and also roll the dough out as thinly and evenly as possible, making the edges slightly thinner to avoid lumps of dough, which would also affect the taste."

Seeing the sincere look in Yukihira Soma's eyes, Bai Yuan didn't hold back and directly pointed out the biggest shortcoming in his cooking.

"Adding baking soda when making sesame seed cakes does make them softer, while the crust without baking soda is already harder. Combined with the uneven edges, the texture is even harder compared to other types..."

Soma Yukihira frowned slightly.

Various small shortcomings accumulate and eventually form a major shortcoming.

Thinking of this, Soma Yukihira immediately pushed the dough he was kneading aside and tried again by adding baking soda to the flour according to the recipe given by Hakugen.

"In addition, although the taste of the dish was acceptable, the seasoning was not in perfect proportion."

Of course, this is a bit too difficult for you right now, so you can try more and challenge yourself. If it doesn't work out, maintaining the status quo is also fine.

As if he had thought of something, Bai Yuan added an explanation.

If the crust is too hard, it's a matter of carelessness. But if the seasoning is insufficient, it's simply a matter of technique. For a man whose skill level hovers around the top grade, it's a bit difficult to expect him to make a top-grade, high-star dish.

Therefore, Hakugen's requirement for Yukihira Soma was simply to do his best.

"Now that you've told me about the shortcomings, it would be too embarrassing if we didn't move in that direction. Come back to me in a few days, and I'll definitely give you a huge surprise then!"

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Yukihira Soma shook his head slightly, expressing his determination to overcome the challenge.

Bai Yuan has already told him how to improve the cooking. If he still doesn't work hard and chooses to be complacent, then it's really unacceptable!

"I look forward to your performance."

Seeing the enthusiastic Soma Yukihira, Bai Yuan didn't dampen his spirits. Instead, he nodded slightly and patted him on the shoulder to encourage him before leaving his stall.

Yukihira Soma watched Bai Yuan leave, his eyes filled with a resolute desire for recognition. He then took a deep breath, roused himself, and sped up the kneading of the dough.

When the other students saw Bai Yuan coming to inspect, they all perked up and, while cooking, they couldn't help but steal glances at him, hoping that he would stop and give them some pointers.

Unfortunately, Bai Yuan didn't even glance at these ordinary students, simply passing by them. He only stopped to take a closer look when he encountered dishes that interested him.

"Give me a donkey meat sandwich."

"Okay...ok!"

Bai Yuan's sudden visit surprised the boy at the stall. He then skillfully scooped the donkey meat out of the pot, picked out a piece of meat with a good balance of fat and lean and a firm texture, and began to chop it on the cutting board.

"The donkey meat smells good, and it's been braised to perfection."

Taking a deep sniff of the braised aroma emanating from the donkey meat, Bai Yuan's face showed an expression of enjoyment. Then, he turned his gaze to the flatbread next to him, and his brows furrowed involuntarily.

"Your baked bun isn't very good. It should be made using the scalded dough method, right?"

Trying to keep his voice calm so as not to frighten the other person, Bai Yuan asked this crucial question.

"Oh? That's right, I scalded the flour with boiling water, which makes the dough soft..."

"Idiot! Didn't the teacher teach you in class? Scalded dough is suitable for making desserts and similar dishes, while flaky pastries like sesame seed cakes and flatbreads should be made with semi-scalded dough."

What is semi-scalded dough? Semi-scalded dough is made by scalding the flour with half boiling water, then adding cold water and kneading until smooth, then letting it rest for thirty minutes. This kind of dough is suitable for making baked buns. None of the baked buns you made meet this standard; make them again!

Hearing the boy's quiet mutterings, Bai Yuan frowned even more deeply.

Without any politeness, he shouted directly and vehemently.

"I'm sorry, Professor Bai Yuan, I was wrong."

"You shouldn't apologize to me; you should apologize to your customers, since they are the consumers. If the food is still of this quality tomorrow, you don't need to come back."

Looking at the boy who was bowing his head and admitting his mistake, Bai Yuan's voice was neither happy nor sad.

Compared to him, the other party should clearly apologize to those who bought his inferior food.

"Yes, I understand."

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, the boy nodded and bowed repeatedly, a bitter smile appearing on his lips.

I wanted to show off in front of the other person, but I ended up making a huge mess.

He didn't understand the difference between scalded dough and semi-scalded dough. He thought the soft dough would bake into crispy flatbread, but he didn't expect to make a mess of it and end up with this.

"Don't just stand there, hurry up and make it, I'm waiting to eat."

Seeing that the boy had stopped what he was doing because of his frustration, Bai Yuan couldn't help but urge him on.

"Ah, should we continue?"

"That's obvious. I paid for it, so no matter how bad it is, you have to give it to me first! Just because a customer criticizes you, does that mean you can just quit? That would be too despicable."

Looking at the man in front of him, whose expression was hesitant and somewhat confused, Bai Yuan said with a hint of exasperation.

He praised the donkey meat when he came over, saying it was so flavorful. It's just that the baked buns were a little lacking, so there's no need to be so disappointed.

Get up where you fall down; there's nothing to be discouraged about.

"I understand, thank you for your guidance, Teacher Bai Yuan!"

Seeing that Bai Yuan seemed a little angry, the boy no longer hesitated. He used the cleaver for cutting donkey meat to cut the flatbread in half, leaving only a small amount of sticky part, and then stuffed the donkey meat into it.

"My baked buns aren't very good, so this one is free."

Realizing there was something wrong with his cooking, and that asking for money would be shameless, the boy decisively chose not to accept payment, and as he spoke, he presented the dish to Bai Yuan.

“You shouldn’t charge for a dish like this, but it wouldn’t be right for me, as a teacher, to get something for nothing, so I’ll give you the cost price of 200 yen.”

Upon hearing the boy's words, Bai Yuan did not actually refuse to pay.

While the other person's cooking was indeed quite average, it was still above average and not as terrible as he had described.

The reason for saying that was partly to make the other party realize the seriousness of the problem.

On the other hand, there is anger. It's such common knowledge, yet the other party still doesn't understand it, which is really unacceptable!

"Okay, I promise I won't make that kind of silly mistake again!"

The boy did not refuse again, but lowered his head and began to reflect.

Chapter 339 Genius is merely the threshold to seeing me.

"Donkey meat is a great ingredient. It's more delicate than beef, lighter than mutton, and has no gamey smell."

The unique aroma of the braising liquid permeates every fiber of the meat, creating a savory and slightly sweet flavor that releases rich, flavorful juices with every chew.

Taking the donkey meat sandwich from the boy, Bai Yuan didn't stand on ceremony. He opened his mouth wide and took a big bite, savoring the flavor on his tongue. He slowly said...

Although this donkey meat sandwich has many flaws, overall its merits far outweigh its shortcomings, and every bite is a satisfying experience.

If the other party weren't a student of Totsuki Academy and thus subject to high expectations, he would have offered a few words of praise.

"I chose donkey meat for this reason: the muscle fibers of donkey meat are finer than those of beef, and the texture is similar to tender beef, but it is easier to stew until tender. It has a low fat content, and most of the fat is unsaturated fatty acids, so it is not greasy at all."

In my hometown, people love to eat donkey meat. Braised donkey meat, donkey meat hot pot... all sorts of dishes related to donkey meat are local specialties!

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's evaluation, the boy seemed to have triggered a key phrase, and began to talk non-stop, his eyes filled with intense pride.

Donkey meat is not only a popular meat in his hometown, but also the secret to his hometown's prosperity.

His hometown has made a fortune by exporting donkey meat, and many families who used to live in tile-roofed houses have now built two-story houses.

It's fair to say that without donkey meat, he wouldn't even be qualified to enter the gates of Totsuki Academy, let alone become a student there.

"No wonder your braised donkey meat is so good. It turns out you watched adults make it since you were a child and learned it diligently, and now you have the experience."

Upon hearing the boy's explanation, Bai Yuan showed a look of sudden realization.

No wonder there's such a big difference between braised donkey meat and baked buns; it turns out it's a family business. But doesn't that also mean this guy hasn't really studied anything...?

Thinking of this, Bai Yuan's gaze towards him became somewhat subtle, unsure whether offering help was a good thing or a bad thing for him.

"hey-hey."

Sensing Bai Yuan's gaze, the boy scratched his head sheepishly, without denying it.

Because he has eaten donkey meat since childhood, it is no exaggeration to say that his understanding of donkeys is the best in Totsuki Province.

"Then keep up the good work. The donkey meat sandwich is important not only for the donkey meat, but also for the sandwich itself."

"If you don't make good flatbread, then you'll really be wasting your donkey meat. Go back and polish it properly, and don't show this kind of flatbread to others again."

As he spoke, Bai Yuan deliberately broke open the flatbread to show it off. The dough's elasticity was destroyed, and the inside of the flatbread was soft and lacked chewiness.

It has a texture similar to pancakes and spring rolls, but it has lost the chewiness of traditional baked flatbread.

"I understand. Next, I will focus on studying the baked flatbread and make sure it becomes a worthy complement to this braised donkey meat!"

Seeing the fire in Bai Yuan's hand, and understanding what the other wanted to say, the boy nodded solemnly to show that he understood.

Because he studied donkey meat since childhood, his skill surpassed that of most people in the world. However, in other aspects, he was clearly inferior to others.

This half-baked flatbread is the most obvious example.

The missed class, at this moment, has become a bullet that pierces through time, striking him hard between the eyebrows.

"I'll be back then, and I hope your cooking won't disappoint me."

Faced with the boy's resolute assurance, Bai Yuan nodded indifferently, left the stall after saying those words.