Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

Classic battles with innovative twists.

In other words, the person who truly decided the outcome of this match was always Leah.

She could win the game if she did well, and lose the game if she did poorly. In contrast, the average Samulan was in a passive position from the beginning.

"Lia won't lose; I can feel her determination to win."

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Nakiri Alice looked in Lia's direction and spoke after a moment of silence.

"I also think that Teacher Leah won't lose."

"Yes."

As Alice Nakiri spoke, the other members of the Dark Cuisine World chimed in, their pretty faces filled with trust as they looked at Lia's retreating figure.

"Keep reading."

Bai Yuan was pleased with this, but his expression remained unchanged as he simply responded calmly.

The others fell silent upon hearing his voice and continued to look at the arena. Some focused their attention on Lia, while others focused on Samulan.

"Using chicken breast and chicken thigh meat to quickly make a pot of fresh chicken soup is a clever approach that greatly speeds up the cooking process."

Watching Samulan suddenly switch between two operations, Bai Yuan nodded and shook his head inwardly. Although this operation could speed things up, it would make the chicken soup less flavorful.

Chicken soup made with only chicken legs and breast meat will definitely not be as flavorful as soup made with a whole chicken. It would be better if chicken wings were added as well, but unfortunately, they weren't.

Chicken wings are the most flavorful part of the chicken, and they are great for both soup and frying. Adding them to chicken soup can enhance the flavor.

This guy did study, but he only learned the superficial aspects and didn't truly understand the principles of quickly boiling chicken soup, which is why he made such a blunder.

If one had studied more thoroughly, they wouldn't have made such a basic mistake.

"Pour the cooked sauce into a pressure cooker, add the blanched oxtail, and then add the cooked chicken broth. There are no major problems with the steps."

Watching Samulan prepare the dish methodically, adding clear chicken broth, bay leaves, angelica root, and chili peppers, the soup appeared somewhat cloudy under the drone's illumination.

"She looks good."

Beside her, Mito Ikumi looked at Samurai's cooking and couldn't help but sigh. Such a perfect braised oxtail, once it's done, it should at least be a top-grade dish!

"Actually, one step is missing."

Bai Yuan was also watching Samulan's cooking when he saw her preparing to put the pressure cooker lid on. He looked disappointed and realized he had overestimated her.

"Wait, it seems she remembered..."

Just as the pressure cooker lid was about to be closed, Samulan suddenly stopped, then jogged to the counter, froze some sugar with rock sugar and peanut oil, added boiling water, and poured it into the pressure cooker.

Seeing this, Bai Yuan's disappointed expression returned to calm. Without any other mistakes, Samulan's cooking could reach the Special Grade Two Star.

"Done, now all that's left is to wait."

In the kitchen, Samulan breathed a sigh of relief as she looked at the pressure cooker with the lid on, but she did not relax and turned to prepare the other ingredients.

The ingredients were simply potatoes and carrots. After about forty-five minutes, the braised beef was cooked to perfection, and Samulan opened the pressure cooker.

"This quality is absolutely amazing!"

"This is the first time I've ever seen oxtail with such a perfect color! I feel like all the braised oxtail I've eaten before has gone down the drain!"

"Isn't that right?! Even the food from those fancy restaurants isn't as good as what this little girl in front of us makes."

Knowing that everyone was very interested in the outcome of the match, the drone flew over the moment Samulan opened the lid and captured the scene inside the pot.

The audience in the stands looked at the large screen in the sky, which showed Samulan's braised oxtail in a pot. The dark red braised oxtail looked very appetizing.

Countless people swallowed hard while watching the screen, their eyes fixed on Samulan's hands, waiting for her to serve the dish to the judges for their scores.

Chapter 416 Braised Oxtail VS Plum Oxtail

"There's one last step..."

Watching Samulan's movements, Bai Yuan calmly murmured, waiting for her to complete the final step of preparation, combining the previously prepared side dishes with the oxtail.

Place the oxtail that has been cooked into a pot, add some of the oxtail broth, then add chicken broth, a little sugar to enhance the flavor, and finally carrots and potatoes.

After adding all the ingredients to the pot, Samulan didn't rush to take it out of the pot, but held the pot for a while.

"The biggest difference between braised oxtail and stewed oxtail is the broth, so you need to let it sit for a while to allow the broth to thicken and become sticky."

Seeing Samulan's actions, Bai Yuan, sitting on the preparation bench, explained that Yoshino Yuuki and the others had never eaten braised oxtail before, so they were a little confused.

As a teacher, it is his duty to answer students' questions.

"I see."

Upon hearing Bai Yuan's explanation, Mito Yumi and the others showed expressions of sudden realization. No wonder she felt something was missing earlier; it turned out that was the problem.

The cooking methods of braising and stewing are fundamentally different. In the past, Roland Chapel taught everyone how to make a Burgundy beef stew, in which the sauce was reduced separately. But this braised oxtail is actually reduced along with the oxtail!

On the stage, Samulan dipped the oxtail slightly and then directly added cornstarch slurry, causing the previously wide sauce to visibly shrink.

"The next step is the most important step in the restaurant's food preparation: presentation. Only when the food looks good and smells delicious can it be sold at a good price and make people's mouths water."

Just as the braised oxtail in Samulan's pot was about to be served, Bai Yuan's voice rang out again, but his words aroused the doubts of the others.

"Appearance? Doesn't it look pretty good? Is she about to be taken out of the pot?"

"Indeed, I think it looks good, and the aroma in the air is very strong. Judging from these two points, this is at least a top-tier one-star dish!"

"It's not bad to say we're not going to do it now, but it's still a bit lacking. Just keep watching."

Instead of directly addressing their questions, Bai Yuan suggested that Alice Nakiri and the others see for themselves, as a visual experience was better than simply explaining.

Sometimes, explaining too much can actually hinder their independent thinking.

On the field, Samulan was unaware that Bai Yuan was educating Yoshino Yuuki and the others.

At this moment, her expression was exceptionally serious. She was adding freshly scooped caramel to the pot, then pouring in sesame oil, her hand gripping the handle of the pot, a sharp glint in her eyes.

The next moment, her hand suddenly went limp.

With a heavy shake of the pot in his hand, the braised oxtail inside spun 180 degrees, turned smoothly, and then fell back into the pot.

"Flipping the meat in the pan? Flipping the meat without damaging its shape seems like a simple skill, but it requires persistent cooking and a certain degree of talent to achieve this effect."

"Iris Nakiri murmured to herself."

The saying that it takes three years to master the skill of flipping a wok, which is taught by Bai Yuan, is not an exaggeration.

Only through three years of continuous honing of skills can one master the art of tossing a wok. In today's world of culinary disasters, apart from Alice Nakiri, who has practiced since childhood, there is no one who can surpass Samuln in the skill of tossing a wok.

Of course, tossing the wok is only one part of this dish.

What truly determines its deliciousness is the series of steps in the process. Once the wok is flipped and the oxtail is turned over, a rich aroma fills the air.

“Out of the pot.”

After letting the pot settle off the stove for a moment, Samulan found a clean porcelain plate and placed the braised oxtail on it.

Without any embellishment, Samulan served the braised oxtail directly to the judges' table, her steps light and her face radiating an air of confidence that disregarded everything.

Soon, she arrived in front of the three judges.

"Please enjoy this classic halal dish, braised oxtail."

This dish uses sesame oil, ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns, star anise, and scallions, along with well-cooked chicken broth, and is pressure-cooked until the meat and tendons are tender. The sauce is then reduced before serving.

Samulan placed the dishes in front of the three judges and gave a brief introduction according to the procedure. The three judges swallowed hard when they saw the dishes, and their faces showed a look of longing.

This surprised them; they hadn't expected such a high level of performance in the very first match. These young people are truly remarkable.

"It looks pretty good, but the quality of a dish depends on its taste. Let me try it and see how it tastes."

Looking at the food in front of Samulan, Antonio Bellucci spoke, and as he spoke, he reached for his chopsticks and began to eat in a refined and elegant manner.

"Eating like that isn't satisfying at all. Oxtail is best enjoyed by picking it up and gnawing on it!"

Seeing Antonio Bellucci's actions, Lillian couldn't help but complain, and then picked up the bull tail in front of her.

Open your mouth and take a big bite; the rich aroma of sesame oil, the spiciness of ginger and garlic, the numbing sensation of Sichuan peppercorns, the sweetness of star anise, and the caramelized sweetness of scallions intertwine in your mouth.

This surprised her.

"The addition of sweet bean sauce infuses the aroma with a rich soy sauce and fermented bean fragrance. This aroma, along with the fat aroma of oxtail, is thoroughly blended during high-pressure stewing, further condensing into a deep and full-bodied meat sauce flavor."

In addition, because a pressure cooker was used, the oxtail was cooked until the meat was tender and mushy.

The meat easily falls off the bone, its fibers tender yet not falling apart, melting in your mouth. The connective tissue and collagen completely melt under high pressure, creating a sticky, smooth, and creamy texture, filling your mouth with a rich, collagen-rich sensation as you chew.

With one bite, Lillian's eyes lit up, and as she spoke, she covered her face with her hands, looking completely blissful.

"The umami flavor of the chicken soup permeates the oxtail and broth, bringing a delicate and fresh poultry aroma."

Meanwhile, spices such as bay leaves, angelica root, and chili peppers provide a subtle herbal coolness and a mild spicy kick, balancing the oiliness—a truly ingenious touch.

Su Che's voice came from behind Lillian. Because of the addition of chicken, the soup was much richer and had more distinct layers of flavor.

"The flavors of poultry soup and animal soup are different. Combining the two can enhance the umami flavor. Using chicken soup to enhance the flavor of braised oxtail is a common cooking method in halal cuisine."

Antonio Bellucci's voice rang out last, adding to the assessment of the two men, his face showing admiration.

Although it's just a basic braised oxtail, it's quite an achievement to make it this good.

"After stewing potatoes and carrots, they absorb the broth, resulting in a soft outer layer and a sweet interior."

After the broth is reduced and thickened with cornstarch, it becomes thick and honey-like, adhering tightly to the surface of the ingredients and providing a silky, enveloping sensation in the mouth.

Su Che picked up some vegetables from the side. After being tossed and stir-fried in the wok, these vegetables absorbed the delicious broth and clung to the surface of the vegetables after the broth had reduced.

The rich flavor is slowly released as you chew, and the taste of the vegetables combined with the aroma of the meat makes the vegetables very flavorful even without braised oxtail.

Both the sauce and the meat were at their best.

It would be hard to get a low score for a dish like this.

"That's good. Now let's see if the other contestant's cooking can reach the same level."

After gently setting down his chopsticks, Antonio Bellucci gave a positive review, a rare occurrence in his career as a judge.

It's easy to imagine how satisfied he was with the food in front of him.

"Don't worry, our little Lia is quite strong too."

In response, Lillian, while gnawing on a braised oxtail, looked up and said with a slightly playful tone, "No one here knows Lia's strength better than me!"

He already possessed top-tier skills when he left France, and later distinguished himself in the Fujian Youth Chef Competition, demonstrating his top-tier three-star abilities.