Who gave this heretical practitioner permission to cook?

Chapter 83 Fish? Or not fish? I understand, your fish skin is actually...sea... (First update)
[Fish? Isn't the theme of this round still tofu? What's the point of having a few pieces of fried fish?]

I don't know! Could it be made of tofu? But it does look a lot like a fish from the camera's perspective.

Beneath the yellow, crispy shell lies black fish skin, with a thin layer of red that looks like mixed blood and flesh. Its curve resembles that of a piece of fish belly skin. I don't understand it.

Is it a dish made of tofu that looks like fish chunks? I think I saw something like this at a temple before.

There aren't that many twists and turns; if you ask me, maybe it really is just a fish?

Unlike the audience watching on camera, the judges on site saw things much more clearly at that moment.

Judging from the aroma, structure, state, and even thickness, the contents of the bowl in front of me are indeed no different from the fried fish pieces that everyone eats at home.

Luo Yumin came to her senses, glanced back at Luo Shurong, and the doubt in her eyes dissipated slightly.

She believes that the fish dish from the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef is most likely a "mock meat dish," just like the first and third rounds. That is, it looks similar to real fish pieces, but the inside still retains the texture of tofu.

But Sui Wubai, standing to the side, noticed that the fish looked a little too real.

Putting aside the differences in size between the fish pieces, they resemble various parts of a fish, with one piece in a bowl, and you can even see the protruding spine of a fish from the side.

Luo Shurong frowned slightly. He had imagined many ways Xia Ming would solve this problem, but he never expected to end up with an incredibly realistic fish.

Looking at the judges in front of him who were deep in thought, Xia Ming smiled slightly.

"Why aren't you touching your chopsticks? Some questions can't be answered by just looking at the surface."

Hearing his words, Xie Tingfeng nodded in agreement.

Indeed, just standing here won't allow you to judge this dish. Whether it's a mock meat dish or some other mystery, you ultimately have to taste it to make a judgment.

So he picked up the bowl with both hands, turned around and served one to Luo Shurong, and then picked up the bowl again and served one to Li Shanghu.

Seeing this, the other judges felt embarrassed to let Nicholas Tse distribute the bowls by himself, so they all chose to pick up the bowls themselves.

After receiving the bowl, Tan Zhifeng carefully examined the sauce inside while taking a break from using his chopsticks.

Judging solely from its color and smell, this sauce is very similar to the "fish-fragrant sauce" in the popular dish "fish-fragrant shredded pork".

For some reason, Tan Zhifeng looked up and saw that several large pots were neatly arranged on the stove behind Xia Ming.

He mentally recalled all the dishes Xia Ming had ever served.
Round 1: Spicy Chicken Cubes
Second round: Tofu and duck blood soup

Round 3: Imitation Crab Roe Tofu

Round 4: Casserole-cooked Tofu Balls

Round 5: Hundred Flavors of Dry-Roasted Tofu
Round 6: Braised Noodles with Scrambled Eggs and Tofu
Then, he quietly focused his attention on the "Clay Pot Tofu Balls".

"That's interesting, a very clever approach!"

As he spoke, he picked up a piece of fish from the top, choosing the part that wasn't covered in sauce, wanting to taste it first to see what the fish itself tasted like.

Sui Wubai shared the same thought. The appearance of the dish gave him great confidence. After all, he didn't believe that after reaching this stage, the Sichuan-Chongqing Ice and Fire Chef would serve a dish that completely contradicted the theme. Therefore, the main ingredient of this dish must be tofu. He had also worked with imitation meat before, and experienced chefs could indeed make certain dishes indistinguishable from the real thing.

"But tofu is just tofu after all. No matter how similar it looks, it is difficult to change its original taste."

After saying that, Sui Wubai opened his mouth and took a bite of the original fried fish.

Upon first bite, the skin has a slightly crispy texture. The light batter coating on the fish is just right, not too firm, and has a soft texture with no greasy feeling.

The fish skin has a faint fishy smell, and the thin layer of blood-infused meat underneath has a smooth and creamy texture, without feeling dry due to frying.

Next, we came across the fish meat inside. The fish meat had a softer texture, slightly less firm than the usual fish belly, but the saltiness was still just right.
Just as Sui Wubai was trying to determine whether the so-called fish meat was tofu, he suddenly bit into a small fish bone.
"?"

A question flashed through his mind. He chewed on the small fish bone and found that it had been fried until it was completely crispy. It had a hard texture with a bit of chewiness, and the more he chewed, the more fragrant it became.
As he chewed, he suddenly froze!
"This, how is this possible?"

As the fish meat in his mouth was slowly chewed, Sui Wubai felt his taste buds being assaulted by the sea.

The outer skin of the fish has an excellent freshness and the unique flavor of the sea. In addition, the soft fish meat is paired with the crispy fish bones. Before you know it, the whole sea explodes in your mouth.

At that moment, he felt like a sea king wielding a harpoon, freely tumbling in his vast territory.

"The slight saltiness of the sea is just right, the fish meat itself has a subtle saltiness, and it's paired with flavorful, crispy roasted bones."

These bubbles, like those rising from the sea, encapsulate everything within the ocean before washing over his face.

His sense of taste seemed to have been dulled at this moment; all that came to mind was fish swimming around him, seaweed swaying at his feet, and sunlight shining in the sky—a picturesque beach scene!
Li Shanghu, who was next to him, also unconsciously relaxed his brows.

"The tenderness of the fish is completely locked inside the crispy shell. The skin on top is a little less chewy, but it is full of the taste of the ocean. The fish bones are also an excellent delicacy. This combination of firmness and tenderness allows the fish to achieve two different levels of flavor even when it is only salty!"

"What's even more amazing is that the fish bones have a smoky aroma, while the small fish bones have a different, dry aroma!"

"The two aromas blend together so well that you can't stop chewing!"

Luo Shurong chewed and nodded. After swallowing the fish, he used his chopsticks to separate another piece of fish in the bowl. After seeing the three layers of black, blood red and white on the side, he seemed to have seen through something and slightly curled the corners of his mouth.

Luo Yumin then showed a thoughtful expression after eating it.
Nicholas Tse, who was sitting next to him, was eating with great enthusiasm. He had been eating too many tofu dishes before and was getting tired of them. But when he tasted this kind of food, he felt all the fatigue in his body disappear!

Especially when paired with the sauce underneath, the fish flavor is not only rich, but also slightly sour with a hint of saltiness and spiciness, which elevates the overall taste of the fish to a whole new level!
The lingering sweetness after swallowing adds another layer of flavor to this dish!
"Delicious, absolutely delicious! This is definitely the best food I've had in this round of the competition!"

As he spoke, he looked up at Xia Ming.

"My tongue tasted a hint of tofu, so this fish must have been made with tofu using a special method. But where did this subtle sea flavor and rich fish aroma come from?"

Xia Ming glanced at Xie Tingfeng, then slowly picked up a thin black sheet from the side.

Upon seeing this thing, Xie Tingfeng's pupils instantly contracted.

"What is this? I understand now, your fish skin is actually the sea."

(End of this chapter)