Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

At this moment, his attention was completely focused on the soup in front of him. Seeing the chicken paste floating in the pot, he added another spoonful.

In an instant, the soup became even more murky.

However, as the temperature rises, the originally cloudy soup becomes clear, and looking down through the minced chicken, it becomes even clearer than it was at the beginning!

This is because the minced chicken gradually matures and suspends as the temperature rises, then sticks together.

After being simmered over low heat, it gradually sank to the bottom, and the umami flavor of the meat was fully concentrated in the pot during this process.

After sweeping the soup three times, it became clear and transparent. Bai Yuan then lifted the pot and placed it on the empty stove.

A wok was placed on the stove in front of him, and he put the vegetarian lion's head meatballs into it, then ladled in three spoonfuls of clear chicken broth.

The chicken broth should cover half of the vegetarian lion's head meatballs. Simmer over low heat for two minutes to allow the oil from the vegetarian lion's head meatballs to seep out, while also removing the bitter taste of the monkey head mushroom.

"This scent is amazing!"

If I hadn't watched you make it from start to finish, I would never have imagined that such a delicious and visually appealing lion's head meatball was made with monkey head mushrooms!

As the oil inside the lion's head meatballs was rendered, a rich aroma spread, and Mo Ben's face showed an expression of enjoyment, his tone filled with amazement.

"Not only in terms of aroma, but in other aspects it's not much worse than Lion's Head meatballs. Let's make a more specific evaluation after tasting it."

Upon hearing Mo Ben's remark, Bai Yuan's lips curled into a smile.

He then poured out the oily broth from the pot, took a porcelain bowl, scooped out the broth, put the lion's head meatballs in, and added two blanched bok choy.

As everything was ready, a faint golden light appeared on the head of the plain lion, causing Mo Ben, who had been calm, to stand up in astonishment.

His mouth was slightly open, and his aged face was filled with disbelief.

The dish was surrounded by shimmering light, clearly a symbol of a shimmering-level dish. If that were all, it wouldn't be anything special, since I had already heard that he was a seven-star chef.

What truly amazed him was not the continuous flow of light, but the fact that the color of the light it emitted was more inclined towards the dish itself, rather than pure gold.

This light didn't seem like a gift from heaven, but rather like a release from within the dish itself, possessing a very strong directional quality.

This is clearly the hallmark of eight-star cuisine!

During his time away from Guangzhou, he has indeed made progress once again!

"All set, give it a try."

Ignoring Mo Ben's shock, Bai Yuan's voice was cheerful.

As he spoke, he presented the dish he had just prepared. Upon seeing this, Mo Ben hurriedly took it and lowered his head to take a deep breath over the bowl.

This aroma is truly irresistible!

"Then I won't be polite."

Now that things had come to this, Mo Ben naturally couldn't hesitate any longer. He readily agreed and then picked up a spoon to scoop up a vegetarian lion's head meatball.

The vegetarian lion's head mushroom has an enticing light golden-yellow surface, with a delicate yet layered texture, clearly showing the interweaving of dark matsutake mushroom bits and slightly white monkey head mushroom bits.

The outer layer, after being fried and steamed, forms an extremely thin and resilient "skin" with a warm, glossy sheen, as if wrapped in a light layer of oil, yet it does not appear greasy.

The soup is clear and transparent, without any turbidity, which further highlights the full shape and simple elegance of the lion's head meatballs.

"The appearance is simply perfect. I even think that just using the word 'perfect' to describe it is too simplistic. It's simply a masterpiece of nature!"

Looking at the flawless plain lion's head in front of him, Mo Ben sighed from the bottom of his heart, a subtle and strange look flashing in his eyes.

It's hard to imagine that Bai Yuan, at such a young age, could handle these details so perfectly, leaving no flaws for me to point out.

Bai Yuan then placed the dishes in front of Xiao Zhou. Hearing Mo Ben's remark, he smiled faintly and said, "The most important thing about cooking is the taste. Don't just look at the food; try it quickly."

"You're right, then I'll gladly accept your offer."

Without further hesitation, Mo Ben put the dish in his mouth, closed his eyes, and began to savor it.

When you put it in your mouth, the outer layer is soft and slightly elastic, and it melts in your mouth with a light press of a spoon, while the inside remains surprisingly delicate and moist.

Scattered throughout are bits of water chestnut, bursting with crisp, slightly sweet juice the moment you bite into them.

The monkey head mushroom and matsutake mushroom are chopped into extremely fine mince, yet they still retain a subtle chewy texture, much like the fibrous tissue of meat.

The vegetarian meat cubes are slightly larger, bringing the unique chewiness and satisfaction of soy products. The overall texture is a balanced blend of softness, crispness, and smoothness.

This feeling is like gently performing a tranquil symphony in your mouth!

"The clear chicken soup is fresh, mellow and elegant, mild yet not bland, with the unique mountain forest aroma of matsutake mushrooms blended with the chicken fragrance to create a profound flavor."

Lion's head meatballs exude the unique umami aroma of monkey head mushrooms. After being blanched and seasoned with scallion oil and Shaoxing wine, the bitterness is completely removed, leaving only a lingering, rich mushroom flavor and a hint of sweetness.

The rich flavors of vegetable broth, the caramelized aroma of scallion oil, and the mellow richness of Shaoxing wine envelop every ingredient, while the touches of pepper and sesame oil are just right, enhancing the flavor without overpowering it.

With each gentle chew, the sweetness of water chestnuts, the rich aroma of matsutake mushrooms, and the delicate flavor of vegetarian meat emerge in sequence, finally harmonizing perfectly in a single, savory bite. The aftertaste is clean and lingering, leaving one with a truly satisfying feeling!

After a moment of silence, Mo Ben opened his eyes and began to chant involuntarily, clearly not expecting that vegetarian dishes could be made so delicious!

If he hadn't seen Bai Yuan's cooking with his own eyes, he would never have believed that this was a vegetarian dish!

"Delicious! This lion's head meatball is vegetarian?! How is that possible? It tastes better than the lion's head meatballs made in many big hotels. How could it just be vegetarian!"

Looking at the lion's head meatballs in the bowl, Xiao Zhou felt that the texture was not much different from what he usually ate, except that the flavor was relatively refreshing and not as greasy.

"Wait, could it be a monkey head mushroom?!"

It's not that I'm saying vegetarian dishes are bad, but this dish in front of me, in terms of both texture and taste, is no different from real meat.

Suddenly, Xiao Zhou remembered the ingredients he had brought over. There was no meat in them, and the only thing that had something to do with the taste of meat was monkey head mushroom.

"This little girl isn't stupid."

Hearing Xiao Zhou's surprised and moved words, Mo Ben jokingly said something, and then drank the soup in his hand.

The soup is clear and refreshing, like a spring, and tastes bright and clear. The aroma of matsutake mushrooms and chicken blend together, and the soup is warm and refreshing with a hint of wildness. The aftertaste is long and lingering.

"After taking that bite, a warm current surged up my lower abdomen, and my whole body felt warm and comfortable. It was so incredibly pleasant!"

Mo Ben patted his belly with a contented expression.

This vegetarian lion's head meatball dish not only features unique lion's head meatball flavor, but the soup is also exceptionally delicious, perfectly blending the umami flavors of mushroom and chicken soup.

It tastes a bit like the chicken stew with mushrooms he used to eat, or more accurately, mushroom stew with grouse. It's a pity we can't eat that dish anymore.

The stewed grouse is a hazel grouse, named for its five-fingered, hard-scaled claws that resemble dragon claws. It belongs to the order Galliformes and the family Grouseidae, and is about 30-40 centimeters in length.

Back then, the popularity of mushroom stewed hazel grouse led to an alarming decline in the number of hazel grouse, forcing the government to intervene and list them as protected animals.

This famous dish of mushroom stewed with pheasant disappeared as a result. Many years later, it was revived by a chef and renamed chicken stewed with mushrooms.

However, compared to dishes made with wild mushrooms and hazel grouse, the taste of domestic chickens and cultivated mushrooms is definitely inferior.

However, given the limited resources, it's already quite an achievement that this dish has been passed down, so no one dares to ask for more.

After all, protests come at a price.

"As long as you're satisfied."

Upon hearing Mo Ben's words, Bai Yuan smiled faintly, then looked at Xiao Zhou, who had already finished eating all the food in his bowl, even licking the bottom of the bowl clean with his little tongue.

"There's still some in the pot. I can get you some if you want."

Although he spoke in a questioning tone, Bai Yuan had already taken Xiao Zhou's bowl and ladled another bowl for her. At the same time, he didn't forget Mo Ben and ladled a bowl for himself as well.

The three sat at the table eating in silence, yet the atmosphere remained relaxed and not heavy at all, which calmed Xiao Zhou down.

After half an hour.

Bai Yuan and Xiao Zhou bid farewell to Mo Ben and left the seventh floor together, heading downstairs to the competition venue. When they arrived at the second floor, cheers caught their attention; it was a group of enthusiastic fans.

He had already arrived in front of the audience seats.

"Zhou Yike! Zhou Yike! Ahhhhh! We will follow you forever!"

A man with androgynous attire and flawless features walked confidently to the center of the stage and bowed very politely to the audience.

"Thank you for your support. I will continue to win the upcoming matches."

Zhou Yike's voice was clear and crisp, like pearls falling onto a jade plate, making the girls who were cheering for her feel a tingling sensation in their bodies, and then the cheers became even louder.

"It's actually a girl, and she's getting so much support from girls. It seems her looks really do fit their aesthetic standards, which is understandable."

Looking up slightly, Bai Yuan saw the person standing at the top. The other person had a face that was only slightly worse than his own, and his score of 3:0 was prominently displayed on the large screen above his head.

Without a doubt, this is the MVP award given after the opposing team wins.

The girl's long hair swayed slightly in the breeze from the air conditioner, and her white chef's uniform made her look even more elegant, like someone who had stepped out of a painting.

Chapter 433 Believe in Erina, Alice!

"Zhou Yike is the absolute main force of Chaoyang Academy. She has already reached the strength of a two-star special chef at the age of twenty and has a top-notch talent of super sense of smell."

Just as Bai Yuan was wondering about the identity of the person on the stage, Xiao Zhou's voice suddenly rang in his ears, introducing the person in front of him.

"Zhou Yike? Does she have a super sense of smell? She's quite a talented little girl, but unfortunately her strength is only that of a two-star chef, so she can't put any pressure on Alice."

However, it might be just right for Erina, as her God Tongue versus her Super Smell are both extraordinary talents.

"Since one is participating in the singles competition and the other in the doubles, it seems unlikely they'll meet. In that case, let Alice defeat her!"

Bai Yuan's voice carried a hint of teasing, causing Xiao Zhou beside him to shudder involuntarily, but also stirring a sense of anticipation within him because of his words.

Is the tongue of God going up against a super sense of smell?

One of the people Bai Yuan mentioned must be Zhou Yike on stage, but who is the other? Could it be a member of the Dark Cuisine world?!

Xiao Zhou felt he had guessed the answer, and his curiosity grew even stronger. Unfortunately, the other party said that the God Tongue was participating in a two-person duel.

Why doesn't such a powerful fighter fight one-on-one? Could it be that there's someone even stronger here?! This world of dark cuisine is truly unpredictable!

After saying this, Bai Yuan ignored Xiao Zhou, who was deep in thought, and turned away gracefully.

He didn't know the guy on stage, and the guy's strength was irrelevant to him. At most, he was just a whetstone for Erina Nakiri to hone her cooking skills.

What's on his mind right now is the match between Alice Nakiri and the others. He's been away for over an hour and doesn't know how things are going on their end.

I thought I was just going to take care of some things and would be back soon, but Mo Ben suddenly asked me to handle things, which really took up a lot of my time.

Fortunately, they made it back in time.

With that thought in mind, Bai Yuan no longer hesitated, quickened his pace, and went down the stairs.

At this moment, the second match between Fal Academy and the Dark Cuisine World has come to an end.

Leah stood before the judges, looking at the three judges who were praising her dish, her chest puffed out proudly, her face full of pride and confidence.