Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Looking intently at Ueno Sugi, whose expression remained unchanged, he showed no alarm at the arrival of such a large machine by Yukihira Soma.

　He pulled a bunch of taro out of the sack, still covered in dirt, and after a quick wash, put them directly into the steamer and steamed them over high heat for about fifty minutes.

　Combine 30 grams of sweet potato starch and 100 grams of water, and simmer over low heat until thickened.

　Peel the steamed taro, put it in a large bowl and mash it into a paste. Add the processed starch mixture and 500 grams of sweet potato starch, and stir well.

　Reach in and knead until smooth and soft, then place on a cutting board to rest.

　These are dumpling wrappers that he meticulously developed.

　Cut the pork into chunks and mince it, then cut about 100 grams of water chestnuts.

　Add half a spoonful of dark soy sauce, one spoonful of light soy sauce, half a spoonful of oyster sauce, 1/3 spoonful of five-spice powder, 1/3 spoonful of white pepper powder, 1/3 spoonful of salt, and half a spoonful of sugar to the pork.

　After mixing well, add the scallion and ginger water in two batches.

　Next, add the chopped water chestnuts and stir well with chopsticks. The filling is now ready, and you can start making dumplings.

　"Taro dumplings?"

　Watching Ueno Sugi's actions, Nakiri Senzaemon made his own guesses, but he didn't say anything and just watched calmly.

　Soon, an hour and a half had passed.

　Ueno Sugi finished making the dumplings first. As he scooped the taro dumplings out of the pot, he glanced at Yukihira Soma and strode towards the judges' table.

　"Teacher Bai Yuan."

　Ueno nods respectfully to Bai Yuan and hands him the first serving of taro dumplings, his eyes filled with anticipation.

　"Is that all? Have you forgotten something?"

　Unexpectedly, Bai Yuan noticed that the taro dumpling in front of him had a slight frown and was looking at Ueno Sugi with a half-smile, so he casually reminded her.

　"There should be no missing steps."

　After closing his eyes and carefully recalling the cooking steps, Ueno Sugi nodded affirmatively, confirming that he had not forgotten any of the steps.

　Both the dough and the filling are the result of his careful preparation, and the proportions have been adjusted several times to finally achieve the most perfect state.

　"Then let's give it a try."

　Seeing Ueno Sugi's determined look, Bai Yuan didn't say anything more, but picked up a taro dumpling.

　After being boiled in boiling water, the taro dumplings become translucent, with a slight sheen of the taro's natural color, making them both beautiful and tempting.

　"The creamy texture of taro and the smoothness of sweet potato starch are a perfect match, resulting in a soft and glutinous texture with a slight chewiness, which is truly delicious."

　Take a bite and you can clearly feel the unique delicacy and smoothness of taro, perfectly combined with the smooth texture of sweet potato starch.

　This texture is neither too sticky nor too chewy, yet it has just the right amount of chewiness.

　"After being seasoned, the pork is delicious, juicy, and has a delicate texture."

　The addition of dark soy sauce, light soy sauce, oyster sauce, and other seasonings makes the filling visually appealing and rich in flavor. This simple combination further highlights the deliciousness of the pork; the clear and distinct flavor profile is truly remarkable!

　The Mediterranean-looking old man, wearing a pinkish-brown coat, exhaled hot breath and his face was full of happiness.

　"The subtle aromas of five-spice powder and white pepper powder add a complex fragrance to the filling, which not only removes the fishy smell and enhances the aroma, but also improves the overall flavor."

　Beside him, another bald old man with a beard clicked his tongue, began to savor the taste of the taro dumpling filling, and finally gave a fair evaluation.

　"The crispness of the water chestnuts, interspersed among the tender pork, brings a refreshing taste to the filling and effectively neutralizes the greasiness of the pork."

　With the lingering taste of water chestnuts in his mouth, Senzaemon Nakiri nodded. Pork and water chestnuts are a classic combination.

　The refreshing water chestnuts accentuate the aroma of the pork without making it overly greasy, perfectly complementing the richness of the taro dumplings.

　"It's clear that you've done considerable research. Taro dumplings are a relatively niche type of dumpling, mainly popular in Jiangxi, Fujian, and Zhejiang."

　Senzaemon Nakiri opened his eyes, looked at Ueno Sugi, and slowly said, "This dish is excellent from every perspective."

　However, it has one fatal flaw.

　"My meal is ready, please enjoy!"

　Just as he was about to point out the shortcomings, Soma Yukihira's voice suddenly came from below the stage, and everyone immediately looked over.

　Soma Yukihira walked onto the stage carrying a soup pot with flames burning underneath, the pot bubbling away inside.

　"Yukiheiryu-style Vegetarian Dumplings, please enjoy!"

　Open the copper pot lid, and the dumplings inside are boiling, looking like plump, white babies.

　Chapter 178 Victory and Advancement, Round Two Theme: "Chicken"

　"Wangdao vegetarian dumplings?"

　Looking at the bubbling dumplings in front of him, Senzaemon Nakiri propped his chin on his hand, a smile on his face.

　A puzzled expression.

　The dumpling wrappers in the pot were tightly stuck to the filling, with no gaps in the middle, and they kept spreading to both sides as the boiling water simmered.

　"These dumpling wrappers are handled very well."

　"Indeed, you can tell at a glance that a lot of effort was put into kneading the dough, otherwise it would be impossible to make dumplings of this quality."

　"Stop discussing it, let's try it!"

　The short, elderly man in the pinkish-brown clothes picked up a dumpling with a longing look on his face. Then, ignoring the heat, he dipped it in the sauce prepared on the table and put it directly into his mouth.

　"Hiss... It's so hot, but it's amazing! The dumpling skin is translucent, chewy, and springy. The filling is rich and flavorful, and the sauce is tangy and spicy—it's fantastic!"

　Savoring the delicious taste, the elderly man in the pinkish-brown clothes spoke with a happy expression. Seeing this, the people around him also picked up dumplings.

　"Wangdao vegetarian dumplings, let me see how many kinds of vegetables are used in this. Trying to beat meat dumplings with vegetarian dumplings is not an easy task."

　The bald, bearded old man spoke while examining the vegetarian dumplings in front of him, then dipped them in the sauce and put them in his mouth.

　"Eggs, dried bamboo shoots, dried shiitake mushrooms and dried tofu... and dried purslane."

　The savory flavor on his tongue almost made the bald old man swallow his tongue. He quickly savored the taste while it was still in his mouth and soon identified all the ingredients in the dish.

　"That's right, this is the method I saw in an old book. I combined these vegetarian ingredients in proportion and seasoned them to complete this kingly vegetarian dumpling."

　Soma Yukihira nodded and opened his arms to explain to the audience and judges.

　The flavor of dumplings made with meat and vegetables was too ordinary, and that's what people usually eat. So he thought of making pure vegetarian dumplings.

　It seems to be working well now.

　"The texture of these dumpling wrappers is truly impeccable. The secret to their resilience lies in the vacuum sealer."

　After kneading the dough until it is even, put it in a vacuum machine to remove the air, which will make the dough more elastic and chewy.

　Of course, that alone won't make perfect dumpling wrappers. You should have added vital gluten, right?

　Bai Yuan's gaze fell almost imperceptibly on Nakiri Alice, who gave him a faint smile, which confirmed his thoughts.

　"Vitamin gluten? You mean when making gluten, you wash all the starch off the gluten with water, and what's left after removing the water is the gluten gluten?"

　The short, elderly man in the pinkish-brown clothes said that as a figure who had dominated the culinary world for many years, he naturally knew what gluten was.

　"That's right. Everyone has eaten gluten. It has a chewy and elastic texture, and that's all thanks to the role of vital gluten. Similarly, by adding vital gluten to dough and then vacuum-sealing it, you can get perfect dough."

　Bai Yuan patiently explained the principle behind why dumpling skins are so chewy, which made the other judges look at him frequently with admiration in their eyes, knowing that there was a reason why he was there.

　"Actually, the most crucial element is the sauce in front of you. It's sour and spicy, delicious, and appetizing, perfectly complementing the flavor of the dumplings!"

　Senzaemon Nakiri, who had been silent all along, suddenly spoke up, looking at the sauce in front of him and then at Ueno Sugi in the corner. This was exactly what he was missing.

　"Taro dumplings use taro and sweet potato starch to make dumpling wrappers, and pork and water chestnuts to make dumpling fillings, highlighting the soft and delicate texture of taro and the rich flavor of pork."

　Wangdao Vegetarian Dumplings utilize vacuum cooking technology and incorporate vital gluten into the dough, making the dumpling wrappers more chewy and elastic. The filling cleverly combines five kinds of vegetables, creating a wonderfully umami world, paired with a deliciously tangy and spicy sauce—it's so good you won't want to stop eating!

　Feeling the energy of the delicious food flowing through his abdomen, Senzaemon Nakiri exhaled a long breath, his eyes shining as he looked at the two people in front of him. Then, his loose clothes burst open.

　"Appeared!"

　"The 'Clothing-Exploding Technique' is a skill only available to the Nakiri clan!"

　"This is truly astonishing! I never expected the school's headmaster's 'clothes-ripping technique' to appear so early this year!"

　"It seems the outcome is already decided!"

　The sudden clothing rip caused an uproar at the scene. Everyone stared in astonishment at Senzaemon Nakiri's muscular upper body, seemingly not expecting him to rip his clothes in the first round of the competition.

　"So... what Teacher Baiyuan wanted to remind me of was the dipping sauce."

　Looking at the dipping sauce in front of each judge, Ueno Sugi had a wry smile on his face. He had considered every detail, but he had overlooked this one.

　"The dipping sauce is the soul of dumplings. The same dumplings will taste different depending on the dipping sauce."

　Seeing that Ueno Sugi was somewhat lost in thought, Bai Yuan offered an explanation.

　If this kid had even a thought to make a dipping sauce, and had just given the judges the simplest dipping sauce, he wouldn't have lost this competition so badly.

　Yeah, we won't lose that badly.

　"Eggs, dried bamboo shoots, dried shiitake mushrooms, dried tofu, and dried purslane—your recipe must be from some cookbook, Soma Yukihira."

　Turning his gaze to Yukihira Soma, who was waiting to the side, Bai Yuan slowly spoke.

　As he finished speaking, many people in the audience turned their attention to him, curious about him.

　What should I say next?

　"That's right. This is a special vegetarian fried egg dish that I saw in an ancient book. It is said to have been invented by Li Yan, a top-level two-star chef."

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, Yukihira Soma was taken aback at first, and then answered.

　"Invented by him? You're really flattering yourself. Although you made the right choice by accident, as your teacher, I still have to tell you the true origin of this dish."

　To everyone's surprise, Bai Yuan scoffed at his words, pondered for a few seconds, and finally decided to tell him the true origin of the dish.

　"The true origin?!"

　Soma Yukihira was surprised, as were the audience members. It was as if they had stumbled upon a shocking piece of gossip, and they all pricked up their ears to listen.

　The room fell silent; everyone waited for Bai Yuan to speak.

　"There are two types of dumpling making. One type emphasizes the flavor of a particular ingredient, like the pork and water chestnut dumplings in Ueno. The other type integrates the flavors systematically, so that the sum of its parts is roughly equal to the sum of its parts."

　Instead of explaining directly, Bai Yuan talked about the two types of dumpling flavors, then picked up a dumpling from Yukihira Soma's bowl and broke it apart with chopsticks.

　"Eggs, dried bamboo shoots, dried shiitake mushrooms, dried tofu, and dried purslane are actually all part of the filling for another famous dumpling."

　Those dumplings were a special imperial dumpling made for the royal family in ancient times. They required a filling of nine different vegetarian ingredients to create a perfect flavor.

　Looking at the expectant expressions of the audience, Bai Yuan remained silent for a while before speaking. He said that he had made these dumplings more than once, because they were originally a product of the era he came from.

　"Nine kinds of vegetarian dishes? Which nine are they...?"

　Yukihira Soma was puzzled, his eyes filled with longing. The dumplings made with five kinds of vegetables were already so delicious, it was hard to imagine what dumplings made with nine kinds of vegetables would taste like. They were truly royal dumplings!

　"The more traditional ones are dried purslane, dried bamboo shoots, dried shiitake mushrooms, black fungus, dried gluten, daylily, dried tofu, eggs and carrots."

　A skilled chef can alter the overall flavor by adjusting the vegetarian ingredients.

　For the specific proportions, you can experiment at home if you're interested. But before that, you can continue to refine your Wangdao dumplings. Although they're already quite good, the filling ratio isn't quite perfect.

　The best way to improve the quality of a dish is to refine the details.

　However, for many people, even if they want to refine the details and increase the level of completion, they simply don't know where to start. This is the most fundamental difference between a master chef and an ordinary chef.

　However, as far as student cuisine is concerned, Soma Yukihira's cooking is undoubtedly top-notch!

　"Bring me a pen!"

　They exchanged a glance and saw the same thought in each other's eyes.

　Senzaemon Nakiri shouted loudly to those around him, and immediately the staff member serving him ran over with a pen.

　A huge sheet of white paper was spread out under the judges' seats.

　"The winner of the first round is—Soma Yukihira!"

　Bare-chested, with powerful strokes, he wrote the four characters "Yukihira Soma" on the huge white paper, and then announced the final winner of the match!

　This is an indisputable conclusion.

　"Poor hospitality!"

　Upon hearing Senzaemon Nakiri's words, Soma Yukihira removed the bandage from his head, held it in his hand and let it sway in the wind, and shouted to the crowd.

　"Won!"