Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　At the same time, Zhou Quan brought over all the processed pork knuckles, splitting the large ones in half and throwing them all into the soup pot.

　Take some scallions and ginger, tap them with the back of a knife to loosen them, and then set them aside for later use.

　This is because the soup takes a long time to cook, and if you cut it, it's easy for it to fall apart. Putting it whole in the soup, because it's loosened by the shaking, affects the flavor.

　They were released.

　Of course, the prepared scallions and ginger should not be put into the pot immediately. It is best to wait until the water boils and all the impurities rise to the surface and are skimmed off before adding them.

　"boom."

　At the same time, a small bowl was placed next to him, containing finely chopped chicken breast, to be used for the final clear broth.

　Looking up at Zhou Quan, who was preparing ingredients, Zhou Tai smiled. This kid is quite clever!

　Chapter 188 Soul Eater!

　"Goooooooooo."

　A commotion came from the pot, and large swathes of white foam surged up from the bottom, which Zhou Tai then skimmed off with a spoon, allowing the soup to rise to the top.

　This part of the scum has a strong fishy smell, and if cooked for too long, it will dissolve back into the soup, affecting the taste of the whole pot of soup, so it needs to be skimmed off in advance.

　After skimming off the foam, the soup in the pot becomes much clearer. This is the first step in making this dish, and the soup in the pot at this point is called "hairy soup".

　Used to describe the roughness of soup.

　In the kitchens of high-star hotels, broth is usually used as water. A spoonful is added to every dish to enhance its flavor.

　And if you want to go further...

　Beside him, Zhou Quan placed the chopped scallions and ginger down, and at the same time handed Zhou Tai a bottle of Shaoxing wine, the latter having a more precise grasp of the amount to add.

　The cooking methods may be the same, but some people can make their dishes look absolutely gorgeous. Others, however, can only manage a passable taste.

　The difference lies in the details.

　Looking at the state of the soup in the pot, or more accurately, the boiling bubbles, Zhou Tai silently turned down the heat, his eyes never leaving the bubbles in the pot.

　If the heat is too low and the soup doesn't boil, it will just simmer and lack flavor. Furthermore, the deeper flavors of the offal won't come out, which will greatly affect the taste of the soup.

　If the heat is too high, the soup might turn white before it even starts cooking, which won't achieve the desired effect.

　Therefore, the ideal temperature for the water to bubble is two to three centimeters, which is when it can be called soup.

　It will take five to six hours here.

　After dealing with all that, all that was left was to wait. Zhou Tai glanced at the state of the pot, then looked at Bai Yuan, his cloudy old eyes revealing a sharp glint.

　"So skillful. Even though they're just basic techniques, they seem so natural..."

　In the kitchen.

　Besides the four people competing, there were also girls watching.

　Watching Zhou Tai's every step, seemingly memorized, culminating in him finally putting the lid on the pot, the girls couldn't help but have this thought in their minds.

　Naturally.

　It was as if he wasn't the one cooking.

　Rather, this is how the dish is supposed to be.

　As Zhou Tai finished processing the soup and stopped what he was doing, everyone's attention turned to Bai Yuan and Hojo Miyoko.

　At this moment, Hojo Miyoko had already soaked the dried seafood and was standing beside Bai Yuan, watching him. The rest was no longer something she could get involved in.

　Although she was very unwilling, looking at the ingredients on the table that were not closely related and should have been difficult to connect, she felt overwhelmed and couldn't come up with any ideas after thinking for a long time.

　In this situation.

　Rather than causing trouble, she'd better stay quietly by her side like a wooden doll; at least she wouldn't get in the way, and she could still witness Bai Yuan's amazing skills.

　Thinking of the look Bai Yuan had given her earlier.

　At this moment, Hojo Miyoko felt very at ease.

　Because that was a look of confidence!

　A kitchen knife appeared in Bai Yuan's hand, and he then slaughtered the turtle that had been jumping around in the basin of water.

　After slaughtering, the turtle is washed with running water to remove the mud and impurities from its surface, since all the flavors today will revolve around this turtle.

　Besides.

　On the counter in front of Bai Yuan were many ingredients such as red dates, longan, lotus seeds, goji berries, pigeon eggs, and bamboo shoots.

　Among them, red dates, goji berries, angelica, dried tangerine peel, yam, fennel, and pepper are placed together, all belonging to the category of medicinal materials.

　Lotus seeds, winter melon, shiitake mushrooms, and other ingredients are arranged together and belong to the category of vegetables.

　Bai Yuan's attitude towards medicinal herbs is that they can be added, but the amount should never be too much, otherwise it will not only fail to enhance the flavor, but also affect the overall taste of the soup.

　Soak lotus seeds and other ingredients in water.

　Next, take the cleaned turtle to the cutting board, lift the shell, and remove and discard all the grayish-white fat inside.

　The fat of soft-shelled turtles has a fishy smell. The fat of farmed soft-shelled turtles is orange-yellow, while that of wild soft-shelled turtles is grayish-white, indicating that the soft-shelled turtles are of very high quality.

　Looking at the grayish-white fat on his hands, Bai Yuan nodded in his heart, then removed the turtle's tail and gills, and soaked it in boiling water at 60 degrees Celsius for about a minute.

　Take the turtle out of the water and peel off its skin, even between its toes.

　This step is crucial for making good turtle soup. If the water temperature is too high, the skin and meat will be overcooked and difficult to remove. If the water temperature is too low, the two parts will be inseparable and also difficult to remove.

　Only at the right temperature can the turtle skin be easily removed.

　The degree of balance required here can only be understood by those who frequently cook turtle; this is also a detail in making a good dish.

　"Want to make a modified version of Five-Round Turtle? Considering the variety of ingredients you're buying, it's indeed a good solution, provided you don't have that many medicinal herbs."

　Manbu walked towards Bai Yuan's direction, looking at the person he had singled out.

　Regarding the ingredients, Zhou Tai pinched his chin, pondered for a moment, and then spoke his thoughts.

　If he hadn't rubbed it, Bai Yuan probably wanted to make a Hunanese delicacy, Five-Round Turtle Soup.

　Besides the Five-Round Turtle Soup, there's also Five-Round Steamed Chicken, both Hunan specialties. This guy is quite young, but he knows a lot of things.

　Zhou Tai suppressed his surprise and couldn't help but sigh.

　"Soft-shelled turtle is known as a delicacy with five flavors, as it combines the flavors of beef, mutton, chicken, deer, and pork."

　Since you've called it the "improved version," it must be a modified dish.

　The five circles correspond to five kinds of umami flavor.

　It's perfect for making soup.

　As for the remaining part, Bai Yuan plans to process the turtle using the methods for making medicinal cuisine, and then use the Five Elements to cater to the five flavors.

　Cut the prepared turtle into equal-sized pieces, add salt and white wine and rub, then rinse with clean water and stir-fry in a pot until fragrant.

　This is to remove the fishy smell and enhance the aroma. Also, the turtle meat, after being pan-fried, will not fall apart during the cooking process, so you can eat the turtle meat while drinking the soup.

　After stir-frying for a while, add Shaoxing wine, then add cold water. When the water temperature rises, add scallions, red dates, codonopsis, angelica, astragalus, and a small bag of pre-mixed spices.

　It's worth mentioning that a large portion of the world's spices are actually medicinal herbs. Because they contain flavors that humans like, they are used as spices and are generally harmless to the human body.

　"I'm really looking forward to it! The rich aroma is making my mouth water!"

　Sniffing the fragrant aroma in the air, Zhou Tai's aged face flushed slightly, and he looked quite content.

　Seeing this, Bai Yuan didn't say anything. He simply killed the chicken in the cage next to him, quickly processed it, took out the chicken breast and placed it on the cutting board. He then chopped it into minced meat with a sharp knife and used chopsticks to remove the tendons and membranes.

　The lotus seeds, red dates, and other ingredients that had been soaking were also ready for consumption.

　Remove the lotus seed hearts and set them aside. Add the soaked dried longan, salt, MSG, and ginger slices to the pot in that order. This completes the first step.

　Place the bamboo shoots on a cutting board, remove the outer skin, cut the inner core into small balls, and set aside with the lotus seeds.

　As for the dried seafood that was being soaked on the side...

　Because of its rich umami flavor, adding it early on can easily overpower the taste of the turtle, so it needs to be added in the middle of the stewing process.

　"Let's take a rest first."

　Looking at the bubbling soup in front of him, Bai Yuan put down what he was holding, said something to Zhou Tai, and returned to the living room with a relaxed feeling.

　Seeing this, Zhou Tai didn't wait in the kitchen. After exchanging a glance with Bai Yuan, he silently returned to the living room to have tea and chatted with Bai Yuan casually.

　Zhou Yuyu sat opposite the two, propping her chin up with her hand and gazing at Bai Yuan with a lovesick expression, while Nakiri Alice stayed by his side the whole time to assert her dominance, acting like the mistress of the house.

　As time passed, a pleasant aroma filled the kitchen.

　Zhou Quan and Hojo Miyoko stood in front of the soup pot, staring at the boiling soup in front of them with clear and bright eyes, without the slightest impatience.

　The chicken soup was rich and flavorful, and the turtle soup was equally delicious. The aromas of the two filled a corner of the kitchen, transforming into the Black Tortoise and the Phoenix, fighting each other invisibly.

　The chicken soup pot, with its rising steam, resembles a phoenix spreading its wings, ready to take flight.

　This phoenix is ​​not a physical entity, but rather formed from a rich fragrance. Its golden radiance shimmers in the mist, making it appear incredibly sacred.

　On the other side, the aroma of turtle soup slowly rose, transforming into a calm and majestic black tortoise, carrying an aura as imposing as a mountain.

　The shape of Xuanwu is formed by the intertwining of a tortoise and a snake. Its fragrance is deep and restrained, exuding the dual charm of the ocean and the land, making people unable to help but murmur.

　As the aroma materialized, steam filled the entire kitchen, a phoenix cried out, and a black tortoise roared. After a brief standoff, they suddenly clashed.

　The phoenix's fragrance is as fiery as flames, attempting to devour everything, while the Black Tortoise, with its unique composure and gravitas, uses its fragrance to build a solid defense against the phoenix's attack.

　The two scents intertwined in the air, sometimes the fragrance of the phoenix taking the lead, like the blazing sun shining in all directions; sometimes the fragrance of the black tortoise rising quietly, like the night falling, bringing a touch of coolness and tranquility.

　The two were intertwined, neither gaining the upper hand, while Bai Yuan and Zhou Tai, who had returned to the kitchen at some point, stood in front of their respective counters, their faces full of seriousness.

　Dried clams, dried scallops, dried conch.

　Bai Yuan put the ingredients into the pot one by one.

　As the ingredients were added, the aroma representing Xuanwu (Black Tortoise) in the sky suddenly intensified, followed by an angry roar from Xuanwu, which then stood up abruptly.

　Dried clams, scallops, and dried oysters boil in the pot, their flavors wafting into the soup and then spreading as a fragrant aroma.

　The next moment, the Xuanwu stood upright with snakes wrapped around its arms, and strips of pale yellow armor attached to its body, greatly increasing its defense.

　Xuanwu, now clad in armor, didn't remain idle. He swung a punch at the phoenix, which cried out in pain and flapped its wings to retaliate, but it didn't cause much damage.

　The battle, which had been evenly matched, tipped in Xuanwu's favor the moment Xuanwu acquired the heavy armor.

　On the other side, watching as it was boiled down to just a thin layer at the bottom...

　Zhou Tai did not add any new ingredients to the soup, but instead filtered the ingredients in the pot.

　Put the filtered broth back into the pot and bring it to a boil over high heat. Then take a bowl, pour water into it, and add the previously chopped chicken breast.

　Quickly stir with your hands, add scallions, ginger, rice wine, pepper, salt, and sugar for simple seasoning, then pour it into chicken broth.

　Simmer over low heat.

　As time goes by, the absorbent material from the chicken breast quickly absorbs the impurities in the soup, and the soup in the pot visibly becomes clearer.

　At the same time, the phoenix in the sky suddenly cried out, and a layer of white flames suddenly appeared around its body, quickly engulfing it completely.

　A few seconds later, the white flames disappeared, and the phoenix's body, which had been covered in wounds from the Black Tortoise, was now completely renewed, its body turning a glassy color.

　The two sides clashed again, and this time the battle became evenly matched, with neither side able to gain the upper hand.

　"Is this really something that cooking can do? It feels like reading a martial arts novel... But more accurately, it should be the Classic of Mountains and Seas!"

　Inside the living room, everyone saw Bai Yuan and Zhou Tai enter the kitchen and then came in from outside. They were all shocked by what they saw in the sky.

　Zhou Yuyu muttered to herself. She had long heard that the duel between high-star chefs was like a martial arts duel, with a grand scale. At the time, she thought it was an exaggeration. After all, it was just cooking a meal. Even if the food tasted very good, it was impossible for it to be a big event.

　But now...

　Looking at everything before her, Zhou Yuyu felt that all her previous understanding had been overturned.

　The phoenix and the black tortoise circling in the sky looked so majestic and powerful. Now that they were fighting together, even the onlookers were terrified.

　Even though I know it's all fake, I can still see it clearly. It's hard to imagine that such a spectacle was created by just two dishes.

　"The things in that storybook are actually true. Skilled chefs can imbue food with souls, and when competing against other chefs, they can let the food spirits leave their bodies to interfere with their opponents, thereby achieving final victory."

　In the crowd, Erina Nakiri closed her eyes, and a similar plot from a storybook she read as a child inexplicably surfaced in her mind.

　At the time, she thought it was childish; cooking is essentially an inanimate object, how could it possibly compete with each other? But now, it seems that she was the childish one...

　"It must be that they've run out of steam."