Food Wars, My Dishes Don't Just Shine

After all, Bai Yuan is a person who is difficult to understand and unfathomable.

After finishing with the shumai wrappers on the cutting board, Alice Nakiri turned to chopping shrimp and shiitake mushrooms and placed them on a small plate.

"Are you planning to make shrimp and mushroom filling shumai? That's a fairly standard recipe. But given how well the shumai wrappers are made, the final dish will definitely be of a high standard."

Because he arrived midway, Moben did not see what it looked like when Alice Nakiri was cooking chicken soup.

Seeing Alice Nakiri chop shrimp and shiitake mushrooms and season them, I subconsciously assumed that she was preparing to use these two ingredients as the main filling.

It's made in the standard way for shumai.

"It seems that when facing a weak opponent, this Nakiri player chose to play it safe as the principle of the game, which is also the best way to deal with it. After all, the opponent's strength is not as good, and as long as you play it safe, you can win."

Mo Ben commented with some emotion.

Bai Yuan had no intention of explaining his misunderstanding. He would understand the uniqueness of Nakiri Alice's cuisine once he tasted it.

"Wen Ruyu, the contestant, also used a very traditional Inner Mongolian shaomai making method."

The mutton is served with ginger water, ginger powder, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and scallion oil, but the cooking technique is a bit lacking; the way the filling of Inner Mongolian shumai is kneaded is quite unique...

"The fillings for Inner Mongolian shaomai, and many other fillings, are marinated by swirling the filling inwards and spreading the fingers out."

And you can't just turn the container; you also have to rotate it, which takes about three or four minutes.

Hearing Mo Ben's words, Bai Yuan also spoke up to add to them.

Back when he was in the dark cuisine scene, he was interested in Chef Xie's golden ratio shumai, so he specifically studied shumai from other regions, including Inner Mongolian shumai, which was taught to him by a chef from Inner Mongolia in the dark cuisine scene.

"That's right. Next, pour the sesame oil into the scallions and gently stir it to coat them with the oil. The most important thing is that the scallions don't release water during this process."

What Bai Yuan didn't notice was that Mo Ben's gaze towards him changed after he said those words.

He looked like a craftsman who had just seen a rough jade. If this rough jade hadn't already been polished into a flawless work of art, he would have really wanted to take him on as an apprentice!

"The major steps are fine, but there are some issues with the details. You don't need to taste them; just by looking at the two preparation steps, you can feel the obvious difference."

Mo Ben's voice rang out, tinged with admiration: a skilled chef can perfect every step of a dish, while an ordinary chef can only imitate the general outline.

In the past, when watching the finals, the two contestants were mostly evenly matched. This was the first time he had seen a match with such a large gap in skill between Nakiri Alice and Wen Ruyu, so it was quite a novel experience.

Time passed by second by second during this process.

Having worked through the night processing documents, and with the wait being so long, Mo Ben closed his eyes to rest.

He didn't know how much time had passed when a rich fragrance wafted into his nostrils, waking him up and making him look straight ahead.

"Authentic Inner Mongolian shaomai, please enjoy."

The first person to finish cooking was Wen Ruyu. She brought forward the Inner Mongolian shumai, first looking at Bai Yuan with some surprise, then turning to Mo Ben and respectfully saying.

As the president of the World Gastronomy Association and a Chinese citizen, Mo Ben holds a very high status in China. Even the dean of the association has to greet him respectfully.

Now that such a person has appeared before her, she naturally cannot be impolite.

As Wen Ruyu finished speaking, the lid of the steamer was lifted, and a cloud of warm white steam carrying a rich aroma wafted out.

As the fog dissipates, a basket of Inner Mongolian shaomai appears before your eyes. It is not the delicate and refined snack of Jiangnan, but a rugged and lively picture scroll of the frontier!

Each shumai resembles a wild white chrysanthemum in bud. The top is not completely closed, but rather skillfully twisted into a delicate tassel like the hem of a pleated skirt, fluffy and light, and takes on a translucent texture under the steam, as if it were carved from ice and jade.

Looking down, the thin, hot-water dough is bulging with the generous filling, yet it holds the entire contents with remarkable resilience.

Through the light, one can vaguely see the deep color of the filling inside.

They weren't lined up neatly, but rather clustered together in the cage in an unconventional way, each with a round, plump belly, exuding the robust and bold spirit unique to grassland food.

"The appearance is quite good; you can tell a lot of effort has been put into it."

Looking at the Inner Mongolian shumai in the steamer, Mo Ben nodded slightly. Although the guy in front of him was only so-so in terms of technique, his way of handling the appearance of the dishes was quite good.

"The most important thing about cooking is the taste. Let's try it first and then see how it goes."

Lancy Jon’s voice rang out, and as he spoke, he eagerly picked up a shumai from the steamer and put it in his mouth to savor it carefully.

With teeth slightly closed, a barely audible "pop" sound is heard, and the delicious broth accumulated inside the shumai instantly gushes out.

Unlike the sweet and savory flavor of Jiangnan soup dumplings, it has a wild and pure salty and savory flavor that instantly awakens all dormant taste buds.

"Fresh! Tender!"

Enjoying the flavor in her mouth, Lancy Jon's face showed an expression of pleasure.

"The mutton you chose must be from free-range castrated sheep on the grassland. The meat is firm and chewy, with a perfect ratio of fat to lean. Even after being chopped into coarse pieces, it still retains its rich texture and chewiness, without any unpleasant muttony smell, leaving only a rich milky aroma perfectly brought out by scallions and ginger."

Mo Ben also picked up a shumai and put it in his mouth to taste. As he chewed, he gradually tasted the unusual aspects of the dish.

The mutton used by Wen Ruyu is different. The mutton from Inner Mongolia is quite different from that from mutton from other places, both in terms of taste and flavor.

"In addition, wild sand onions from Arxan are also used in the ingredients."

Unlike regular scallions, it's not pungent or spicy; instead, it has a unique, refreshing aroma and a slight spiciness that perfectly balances the greasiness of the lamb, adding a crisp texture.

Bai Yuan's voice followed Mo Ben's.

As someone with an exceptional sense of taste, he could also discern the difference in the lamb used in this Inner Mongolian shaomai, but since Mo Ben had already spoken first, he could only offer his comments from other angles.

"The dough is soft yet chewy, the filling is rich, and the aroma of wheat and meat is intertwined. No wonder there is a saying in Inner Mongolia that a bowl or two of shaomai can fill you up for half a day."

Mo Ben's voice revealed a hint of regret.

Thin dough, substantial filling, and a little attention to the heat during steaming—if these three elements are present, it's hard for shumai to taste bad.

"May I have a taste? Also, my dish is finished. I call it Amber Shumai. Please enjoy."

Just as the group was praising Wen Ruyu's delicious cooking, Alice Nakiri appeared behind her without her noticing, carrying a steamer basket. She placed the basket on the basket while speaking, a confident smile on her face.

"Amber shumai? That's a rather unusual name."

Upon hearing Alice Nakiri's voice, Mo Ben turned his attention over, his words tinged with surprise. He then looked at the steamer she was holding, a strange sense of anticipation rising within him.

What kind of dish will it be?

Bai Yuan's eldest disciple must be no ordinary person!

"The taste will be quite unique!"

The girl's voice was playful as she lifted the lid in front of the three of them, revealing the shumai inside.

Unlike Wen Ruyu's steamed dumplings, hers were much more delicate, served on small plates with exquisite presentation.

However, the most eye-catching item is still the shumai on the plate; the wrapper is the ultimate display of skill.

It is as thin as paper and as clear as glass.

The edges are skillfully pleated, like budding chrysanthemum cups, with the top slightly open, modestly revealing the color of the filling inside.

At the top, a few glossy black caviar beads, like scattered black pearls, are scattered throughout, round and plump, creating a wonderful contrast with the translucent dough.

Beside it, a ball of pale yellow ginger foam floated lightly, like clouds or mist, fluffy and soft, as if it could be blown away with a single breath.

However, its appearance also adds a touch of ethereal beauty to this substantial dessert, elevating it to a new level.

"Fancy!"

Looking at the shumai in Alice Nakiri's steamer, Wen Ruyu, who was already standing next to her, couldn't help but curse inwardly.

The shumai in front of me had obviously been taken out and processed beforehand, otherwise it would never have looked like this!

What a cunning and scheming guy!

"The plate underneath is hot, hot plate and hot food. Even though it has been modified, it still hasn't forgotten to stick to the old ways, which is really good."

As Alice Nakiri brought the food from the steamer to the table, Moben subconsciously touched the plate inside the steamer, feeling the heat emanating from it. He nodded slightly, a look of appreciation on his face, clearly pleased with the small detail she had noticed.

Chapter 444 The Magic of Molecular Gastronomy

"My master often taught me that hot dishes should be served on hot plates and cold dishes on cold plates, otherwise the taste will be affected. I have always kept this in mind."

Hearing Mo Ben's praise, Nakiri Alice remained calm and composed, glancing at Bai Yuan out of the corner of her eye as she spoke.

That expression seemed to say, "Quickly praise me!"

"The temperature of the shumai gradually warms up the caviar on top, and the ginger juice foam below also takes on some heat as it is placed on the plate."

The key to this dish is probably combining the dipping sauce with the shumai, allowing the flavors of both to meld together in one bite.

Looking at the still steaming shumai, Bai Yuan's voice rang out, revealing the ingenious idea devised by Nakiri Alice, his face full of satisfaction.

The other party added caviar and ginger puffs the moment the shumai came out of the pot, and used the heat emitted by the shumai to warm these cold ingredients.

"Try it quickly! It won't taste good when it gets cold."

Seeing that the three of them were still talking non-stop and didn't seem to be touching their chopsticks, Alice Nakiri coughed lightly.

Her dish only brings out its best flavor when the shumai is piping hot.

If left to cook for too long, the deliciousness will decrease significantly, which is the main reason why she puts the dish back into the steamer after plating. The steamer can retain heat to the maximum extent, ensuring that the shumai is served hot.

"Okay, try them all."

Upon hearing Alice Nakiri's words, Bai Yuan nodded slightly, then picked up the shumai from the plate with his chopsticks and put it in his mouth.

The moment the teeth made contact, the thin, elastic skin burst open with a soft "poof".

Immediately afterwards, Bai Yuan's eyes widened slightly, and a scalding hot, extremely fresh, and highly concentrated soup, like a sealed flood or ferocious beast, instantly broke free of its restraints and surged into his entire mouth!

"This broth is infused with the essence of a whole old hen and Jinhua ham, making it incredibly delicious and rich. And because of the shumai wrapper, it's still piping hot when you eat it, creating a wave of amazing flavor!"

Mo Ben was equally surprised. He found the shumai in front of him to taste like soup dumplings, with an almost frighteningly rich flavor of broth!

However, if that's all there is to it, then the dish "Nakiri Alice" has strayed somewhat from its original theme...

However, Mo Ben soon realized he was wrong. The shrimp on top of the shumai filling burst with amazing elasticity, and the soft and chewy shiitake mushroom pieces brought a familiar sense of comfort, pulling him back from the deep sea palace!

The vinegar-based caviar on top bursts with a "pop" when gently pressed between the teeth.

The next moment, a crisp and sharp sour aroma bursts forth, cleverly cutting through the richness of the broth, invigorating the taste buds, revealing a clear sense of layering, and making the flavor of this shumai even more three-dimensional.

If Wen Ruyu's shumai is like cattle and sheep galloping on the grassland, then Nakiri Alice's shumai is like a biological evolutionary history. The flavor becomes more and more profound as diners savor it, from the ocean to the land, and from the modern to the future!

"Is this the molecular gastronomy technique that's all the rage these days? It really has a novel flavor."

Lancy Jon murmured a sentence, then scooped a spoonful of ginger foam into his mouth. Without even chewing, it melted away like a warm, fragrant cloud in his mouth. Only a faint hint of ginger spiciness and savory aroma remained, gently soothing his taste buds that had been overwhelmed by the intense umami flavor, cleansing his palate and leaving a long, lingering aftertaste.

"The core of molecular gastronomy is to deconstruct and recombine ingredients, and the flavors of the ingredients will be brought out more fully in the process."

Hearing Lancy Jon's remarks, Bai Yuan explained that molecular gastronomy is simply about deconstructing and recombining ingredients.