I've been possessed by a culinary genius, and I've turned Shaxian snacks into a rip-off!

The 30-minute countdown has begun.

The three of them almost simultaneously picked up knives and began slicing fish.

As chefs who made it to the finals, their knife skills were naturally impeccable, showcasing their impressive basic skills.

However, upon closer inspection, the differences in quality can still be discerned.

Li Zhibai's knife skills were clearly superior to the other two. He not only sliced ​​the fish quickly and steadily, but the slices were so thin that light could pass through them.

When it came to making the braised sauce, in addition to the usual ingredients, Li Zhibai also casually threw in two goji berries and added two drops of Sichuan peppercorn oil.

"Did number 33 add random stuff again?"

"This is a competition to trace the origins of the original, it's going to be replicated, why did he add goji berries? Did Teacher Cao's original version include them?"

"Maybe he has his own ideas. After all, he was able to pinpoint Teacher Cao's exclusive recipe right away. Maybe his version is even better than the original."

"……Too."

When the time was up, three plates of braised fish fillets were served to the judges at the same time.

The three judges first tasted Zhou Yun's dish and gave it a very high rating.

"The fish is tender and has a rich aroma; it's very authentic."

Let's try Fang Guoping's again.

"The fish slices are smoother and more tender, and the ratio of fermented rice wine to marinade is just right, which is rare."

Finally, it's Li Zhibai's turn.

The three judges picked up a piece of fish and smelled it; sure enough, they detected a different aroma.

In addition to the rich and lingering aroma of fermented grains, it also has a unique numbing fragrance, making the overall aroma more complex than the original.

Teacher Cao put the fish directly into her mouth.

The fish slices are tender and smooth, with a rich and mellow aroma that is not harsh on the throat. The subtle sourness of the preserved plum and the sweet aftertaste brought by the added goji berries blend perfectly together. Finally, the numbing sensation of the Sichuan peppercorn oil makes the flavor of this dish even more complex and full-bodied.

He stopped talking as he ate, as if something inside him had broken.

Password? Is this guy even human?!

He only imitated it once and made it taste even better than the original. How can anyone live like that?

"You did something...that's pretty good."

"I only made a few minor improvements. The main thing is that your original version, Teacher Cao, is already very good. I just added a little something extra." Li Zhibai was unusually modest.

Teacher Cao: "..."

That sounds so infuriating!

After a brief discussion, the three judges quickly gave their scores for the first dish.

Zhou Yun: 8.8 points.

Fang Guoping: 8.9 points.

Li Zhibai: 9.1 points.

Because this dish is judged not on creativity, but on the degree of reproduction and completion, it is normal that the scores are very close.

But it's a different story when it comes to the audience.

"Holy crap! Number 33 has the highest score!"

"The improved version scored higher than the original, and it's especially surprising that Professor Cao didn't give it a low score!"

"That means it really is delicious; even the person who made it is convinced."

"..."

Fang Guoping glanced at Li Zhibai, his expression serious.

He originally thought that Li Zhibai's unauthorized addition of ingredients would backfire, but unexpectedly, not only did he not fail, he also got the highest score. This kid really puts a lot of pressure on people.

"The first dish competition is over, and contestant number 33 is currently in the lead! Next up is the second stage—[Fate]!"

"Now, please have the three contestants draw ingredients," the host said.

Fang Guoping was once again the first to step forward and begin the selection process.

He first touched something slippery, and when he took it out, he saw that it was a section of lotus root.

The second time, he touched a piece of pork belly with alternating layers of fat and lean meat, and there was nothing wrong with it.

The third time, he touched a small orange plastic ball, and his expression changed slightly.

The fourth time, he found a bag of flour.

On the fifth time, he touched a small handful of dried chili peppers.

At this point, Fang Guoping's ingredients were all finalized: lotus root, pork belly, small balls (waste), flour, and dried chili peppers.

This combination isn't great, but it's definitely not bad either. With his skill level, he should have no problem making something like fried lotus root sandwiches or lotus root balls.

Next up was Zhou Yun. He was a little luckier than Fang Guoping, but only slightly better.

He drew cod, tomato, onion, corn, and lemon in that order.

It uses only the most basic ingredients, and all of them have a sweet and sour flavor.

Zhou Yun's expression wasn't too good. What was he going to do? He only used one lemon for seasoning; it seemed like getting a high score would be difficult.

Finally, it was Li Zhibai's turn, and he seemed more composed than the previous two.

The first thing he pulled out was a prepared three-yellow chicken.

Immediately, someone in the audience shouted, "Bravo!"

"Li Heizi's luck is pretty good, a great start!"

"Three-yellow chicken is a good thing."

The second time, he pulled out a handful of dried shiitake mushrooms from a pile of dried goods.

"Stewed chicken with shiitake mushrooms, a classic combination, it's a sure thing!"

The third time, Li Zhibai searched the box for a long time, but instead pulled out a small golden ball.

The whole place burst into laughter.

"Hahaha... I knew it! How could Li Heizi possibly be lucky all the time?"

"A gold ball, what a huge loss, a complete waste of a spot."

"Even if one ingredient is missing from the mushroom and chicken stew, it's not a big problem; it can still be salvaged."

Li Zhibai reached in again, and this time he touched a soda can—a can of cola.

"Cola? Is that considered an ingredient?" someone asked.

The host immediately explained, "Yes, beverages can also be used as seasonings. For example, cola chicken wings are a classic recipe."

Li Zhibai nodded; this explanation made sense.

This is my last draw.

Everyone unconsciously held their breath, because this final draw would determine just how well Li Zhibai could prepare his last dish.

The answer was soon revealed when Li Zhibai pulled out a white radish.

"Hahahaha... Three-yellow chicken, shiitake mushrooms, cola, white radish, what kind of divine combination is this?!"

"I know about braised chicken with shiitake mushrooms, and adding shiitake mushrooms is fine, but adding white radish and cola makes it a bit tricky!"

"Li Heizi is really going to crash and burn this time."

"..."

The three judges had different expressions when they saw this combination.

"Can I stew this cola and white radish together?"

"Theoretically, it seems possible. Cola contains carbon dioxide and sugar, which can soften the meat. White radish also releases sweetness during stewing. If the proportions are right, it might have unexpected effects? But I've never seen anyone do it this way before."

"So the key to this dish is how to balance the flavors of these ingredients; if it's not done well, the taste will be very strange."

"yes!"

Even Su Su in the audience couldn't help but feel worried for Li Zhibai.

She certainly believed that her master's culinary skills could turn the ordinary into the extraordinary, but this combination was just too bizarre.

Fang Guoping breathed a sigh of relief when he saw that Li Zhibai's combination of draws was so outrageous. It seemed that his luck was still pretty good, at least the ingredients weren't so abstract.

Li Zhibai stared into thought as he looked at the ingredients he had drawn.

Cola and white radish may seem unrelated at first glance, but some less common folk dishes have actually used fruit or beverages to stew meat, with the aim of using fructose and acidic substances to soften the meat and enrich its flavor.

But how to do this requires careful consideration.

Cola chicken? No, that's too ordinary, and the white radish is completely unnecessary.

Radish stewed with chicken? That won't work either, then we won't be able to use the cola.

After thinking for two or three minutes, a flash of inspiration struck him. He remembered an old folk recipe he had seen online, a way to stew chicken with liquor and radish, called Drunken Immortal Chicken.

The principle is to use high-proof liquor to enhance the aroma of the chicken, while using radish to absorb excess alcohol and greasiness. The stewed chicken is rich in liquor aroma, and the radish is soaked in the broth, making it even tastier than the meat.

What if we use cola instead of soju?

The sugar in cola produces a Maillard reaction during stewing, giving the chicken skin a caramel color. At the same time, the carbonation in cola can have an effect similar to beer-braised duck, making the meat more tender and flavorful.

The advantage of white radish being able to easily absorb broth can help neutralize the problem of cola stew being too sweet.

Thinking about it that way, it seems like it really is feasible.

After mentally reviewing the entire process, Li Zhibai said to the host:

"Host, I've decided on the name for the dish."

Host: "Please go ahead!"

Li Zhibai: "I'll call this dish 'World-Class Shaxian Chicken'!"