Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Shinto Hisako ladled several spoonfuls of lard over the taro paste, giving it a glossy sheen. The taro paste now resembled a yin-yang symbol on the plate, adorned with two almonds.

　"What are they doing? Isn't this a waste of ingredients? Adding so much lard all at once, how can this dish possibly taste good...?"

　One audience member muttered to himself, his eyes filled with incomprehension. "Pouring such a large amount of lard directly on someone is unbearable to even look at. How could it possibly taste good?"

　"You don't know anything. Taro is high in starch, while lard is high in oil and has a smooth texture, which can effectively increase the smoothness of the taro."

　The person next to him had clearly cooked taro before, and upon hearing his words, he retorted without hesitation that taro tastes better with lard, which is common sense!

　"We probably don't need that many."

　The person who spoke earlier was clearly unconvinced and muttered to himself, "No matter what, there's something wrong with adding so much lard all at once!"

　"Yes, it is necessary. Adding lard also has an important function, which is to balance the flavor."

　Taro itself has a mild flavor, while lard adds a rich, oily aroma that can stimulate the appetite. This amount of taro paste paired with this amount of lard is just right; it not only avoids the greasiness of the lard but also makes the taro paste smooth and silky.

　Another audience member spoke up, his words resounding and providing a more comprehensive explanation of the benefits of adding lard, clearly indicating he was also a skilled chef.

　Scenes like this happened all over the audience; after all, not everyone is a culinary master, and many people were just there for the fun of it.

　"Half of the steamed taro paste is sieved through a high-mesh sieve, while the other half is left to stand normally, creating two layers of texture that complement each other like the yin and yang of Tai Chi."

　The audience seats, where Bai Yuan is located.

　Watching Hisako Shirato prepare the dish, Hakugen silently nodded in approval, then began explaining it to Alice Nakiri sitting beside him.

　"Red bean paste and taro paste are both excellent ingredients for making desserts. Their sweet flavor makes them a wonderful combination, and it feels like it would be very..."

　tasty!"

　She lightly touched her lips with her finger, a longing look on her face. The faint fragrance in the air made Alice Nakiri intoxicated.

　"I'll have them make this at home later and see how it tastes."

　Seeing Alice Nakiri's expression, Bai Yuan was about to raise his hand to touch her head, but she anticipated his move and naturally pressed her hand against his face.

　"Hmm, this looks delicious!"

　Alice Nakiri praised the dish, expressing her curiosity about the two people's cooking.

　While the two were chatting, Hisako Shinto had already finished cooking. The dish was white on one side and black on the other, arranged in a yin-yang symbol, topped with chopped almonds and raisins.

　"Please enjoy, all three of you."

　After finishing the meal, Hisako Shinoto turned her gaze to the judges in front of her and respectfully gestured for them to eat.

　"Is this a dessert you're making? It seems the theme of the previous round of the competition inspired you."

　Looking at the exquisitely shaped taro paste in front of him, Gin Dojima nodded. Hisako Shirato's choice to make desserts surprised him somewhat.

　"That's right, because taro itself has a soft, delicate texture, a sweet and rich flavor, and contains a lot of starch, making it very suitable for making desserts."

　Among them, the taro from Lipu in Guangxi, China, is the best, with an extra layer of loose and sandy texture. Even without much cooking, its taste is absolutely wonderful.

　Adding more ingredients to taro like this would actually ruin its natural sweetness, so I chose this method of preparation that purely showcases the ingredient's natural flavor.

　Hisako Shinoto's voice rang out from the scene. She had originally planned to make some complicated dishes, but she found that making the dishes complicated would actually suppress the aroma of the taro, which was not in line with the theme.

　Therefore, after several unsuccessful attempts, she changed her approach and chose to bring out the flavor of the Lipu taro itself, allowing it to shine with dazzling brilliance.

　"I see, but the most important thing about a dish is its taste..."

　Upon hearing Hisako Niito's words, Hinako Inui nodded in understanding, then picked up a spoon and scooped some of the white rim of the plate.

　"This flavor... because it's simply steamed, the natural sweetness of the taro is preserved, and it blends with the aroma of lard to create a unique and unforgettable flavor."

　Also thanks to lard, the taro paste has a very smooth and silky texture, as if dancing on the tip of the tongue, giving a delicate sensation.

　Savoring the exquisite flavors on her tongue, Hinako Inui couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

　Despite its simple cooking method, it perfectly showcases the flavor of Lipu taro, making it a dish that specializes in one particular aspect.

　"The addition of almond slivers and raisins to the surface adds a touch of sweet and sour flavor and a rich nutty aroma, making it more colorful!"

　Kikuchi Enka praised softly, saying that the almond slivers and raisins were the finishing touches to the dessert, making it less monotonous.

　"Because it was chilled beforehand, it tastes very refreshing. In addition, the red bean paste on the other end of the yin-yang symbol is soft and sweet, with a light bean flavor that intertwines with the sweetness of the taro."

　Hinako Inui covered one cheek, savoring the sweet and refreshing taste, her expression filled with happiness. Eating icy desserts in the summer is truly a treat!

　Indeed, the delicious flavors of taro and red beans complement each other perfectly, interspersed with occasional hints of nutty aroma and the sweet and sour taste of raisins...

　Close your eyes, and the wonderful sensation in your mouth gradually becomes tangible. It feels like being sandwiched between taro paste and red beans, which is incredibly satisfying!

　"This is truly a wonderful dish, perfectly suited to the theme! Lipu taro truly lives up to its reputation as a tribute food in ancient China; simply showcasing its original flavor is already comparable to top-tier cuisine!"

　Kikuchi Sonoka's praise brought a smile to Hisako Shinomiya's face. Her dish was entirely centered around taro, showcasing its deliciousness to the fullest.

　"Xiao Hui, let's see how you win this time! Teacher Bai Yuan should be focusing more on me..."

　Hisako Shirato thought confidently to herself that the ingredients she used were the best in the world, and the purpose of cooking was to bring out the true flavor of the ingredients. There was no way she could lose!

　On the playing field.

　Unaware of her thoughts, Tadokoro Megumi's gaze was fixed on the casserole dish in front of her, her nose twitching occasionally as she sniffed the aroma.

　Suddenly, someone noticed her brow twitch, and then she reached out and quickly lifted the lid of the casserole, her eyes gleaming with a sharp light.

　The top layer is the pot lid, below that is a towel. Don't get me wrong, there's a plate covering it below that. The towel is added to prevent any extra smells from escaping and to increase the temperature inside the pot!

　This is a little trick that Megumi Tadokoro learned a couple of days ago when she went to the countryside. The older generation in the countryside cooks food this way, which can effectively lock in the flavor of the food.

　After the lid was lifted, a rich aroma filled the air, instantly captivating the audience in the front row and causing them to salivate profusely.

　"Such an overpowering fragrance, it's captivating!"

　Someone murmured softly, their Adam's apple bobbing involuntarily. If they weren't quite a distance from the competition field and separated by a partition, they would have rushed up there immediately!

　"Such a simple combination, yet it brings out such a rich aroma! The complex flavors of the sauce and the taro..."

　The scent of the head itself resonated with it.

　Dojima Gin murmured softly as he smelled the fragrance.

　He noticed the dish in Megumi Tadokoro's casserole: taro stuffed with slices of pork belly, with various spices underneath, the aroma of which was brought out by these spices.

　"If I could have just one bite of this, I'd do anything!"

　Some girls squeezed their legs together, their faces flushed, and cried out. Some even bit their fingers, imagining that it was food in a casserole.

　Tadokoro Megumi paid no attention to the comments of others. At this moment, she was highly focused, staring at the taro that had turned sandy in front of her and nodding in satisfaction. Then she used a spoon to scoop up the soup from the bottom and pour it over the taro.

　After being simmered over a low flame, the originally thin sauce has become thick and clings firmly to the taro. Tadokoro Megumi quickly covers the plate with the sauce.

　"People say that the best way to cook taro is to steam or fry it, but actually baking and stewing are just as good. For example, the dry aroma of this dish has already come out."

　Sensing the subtle changes in the fragrance in the air and watching Tadokoro Megumi's movements, Bai Yuan admired her in his heart, thinking how quickly she had improved during this time!

　"It's done!"

　Cover the plate and bake for another five minutes. When Tadokoro Megumi lifted the plate, an even richer aroma wafted out, and she sprinkled chopped green onions on top.

　"This is the taste!"

　Taking a deep breath, Tadokoro Megumi's face showed a satisfied expression. Then she looked around and found that everyone looked hungry and eager, as if they wanted to snatch her food away.

　Such a direct gaze made her subtly nervous. She then carried the dish to the judges' table, glancing at Bai Yuan along the way. Seeing that his expression was calm, her nervousness instantly dissipated.

　"Please enjoy the taro stew."

　"The aromas of scallions, ginger, and garlic blend together and converge on the taro at the top—it's a truly brilliant preparation!"

　Looking at the taro casserole that Megumi Tadokoro brought out, although it wasn't as neat as Hisako Shinto's, the color combination made it very appetizing.

　"Taro and pork have been a perfect combination since ancient times. Taro is glutinous and pork is fragrant. Only sandy, fresh and fragrant can describe this taro."

　Without any hesitation, she put a piece of taro into her mouth, savoring its texture, and said as she chewed.

　"It also contains abalone. Taro is considered a delicacy, and the abalone releases its aroma after being baked. The combination of the two brings together a feast of delicacies from both the mountains and the sea!"

　Picking up abalone from the casserole and pairing it with taro, Dojima Gin closed his eyes, savoring the deliciousness of the abalone and the sweetness of the taro, which intertwined in his mouth.

　"What a rich flavor!"

　Besides taro and pork, Megumi Tadokoro's sauce also has a particularly unique flavor.

　The flavors weren't immediately apparent, but as they ate more and more taro and their appreciation deepened, the subtle tastes began to unfold in their mouths.

　"The addition of Sichuan peppercorns and dried chili peppers adds a spicy kick to the overall flavor, while the mellow aroma of Shaoxing wine permeates the entire dish!"

　At the same time, the flavors of the Sichuan peppercorns and dried chilies added later are also released, forming an excellent three-layered flavor profile!

　"If Hisako Shinto's cooking is the ultimate expression of taro, then Megumi Tadokoro's cooking surpasses the limit by 100 points."

　After a long pause, Dojima Gin gave it a very high evaluation, which caused Shinoto Hisako's expression to change slightly, and her fist under her sleeve suddenly clenched.

　"That's right. One is a perfect representation of taro, and the other is using other ingredients to give taro a gorgeous outer layer, which is also a perfect representation of its flavor."

　Kikuchi nods in agreement, saying that in terms of taste alone, Tadokoro Megumi is undoubtedly better, but both of them performed very well in terms of the theme.

　Since that's the case, the outcome is already decided.

　They exchanged a glance, already having their answer in mind. Finally, Dojima Gin spoke up: "Hisako, your cooking is very good, but you're a little too focused on expressing the flavor of taro."

　The reason why chefs are called chefs is that they can add new flavors while preserving the original taste of the ingredients, so as to give customers a completely new experience.

　The taro paste dish you made truly brought out the best in the taro, allowing us to experience the exquisite flavor of Lipu taro.

　but.

　A dish that limits its score from the beginning, even if it gets a perfect score in the end, will only get a hundred points, and it will be difficult to beat a dish that gets a perfect score.

　Unfortunately, the dish Tadokoro Megumi served exceeded a perfect score. Therefore, I declare Tadokoro Megumi the winner of the second semi-final match!

　As soon as he finished speaking, the room fell silent. Dojima Gin looked at Tadokoro Megumi in front of him and found her calm and composed, as if she had known this outcome all along. His eyes widened in surprise.

　At the same time, the audience below went from being completely silent to erupting in uproar, especially the students from Totsuki Academy.

　"That bottom-of-the-class student has pulled off another upset! Aren't they all students taught by Teacher Bai Yuan? How did she make it to the finals?!"

　Some viewers couldn't believe it and even slapped themselves to make sure they weren't dreaming. Only after feeling the pain did they mutter to themselves.

　"I don't know! But she has indeed made significant progress in the past six months. In the classes she teaches, she almost always gets a super S-level rating."

　A student who took the same class as Megumi Tadokoro said that since returning from the midterm exams, this girl has been like she's been injected with chicken blood, and her cooking skills have improved by leaps and bounds!

　"That's how you see it."

　That seems to make some sense. Teacher Bai Yuan truly lives up to his reputation as a high-level chef; with just a little guidance, he can transform a bottom-of-the-class student into one of the academy's top experts!

　"That's right, Teacher Bai Yuan is truly amazing; he can even turn rotten wood into exquisite reliefs!"

　When Bai Yuan is mentioned, almost everyone in the academy admires him, and suddenly all the illogical things become reasonable.

　"It's not just a casual lesson. Besides, Xiaohui wasn't originally a bottom student; that was just a disguise she put on before she showed her true colors."

　Sitting in the center of the audience, Bai Yuan naturally heard the conversation of the students around him. He shook his head helplessly, thinking to himself.

　While he played a significant role in getting Tadokoro to where she is today, it wasn't really him who helped her, but rather her decade-long, unwavering effort!

　His guidance merely accelerated the process of Tadokoro Megumi transforming her efforts into strength; in other words, without her previous accumulation, she wouldn't be who she is today.

　However, Bai Yuan wouldn't bother to explain anything. He was just happy for Tadokoro Megumi in his heart and hoped that she would grow up quickly and reach the point where she could compete with him on the same stage as soon as possible. That was what he wanted to see.

　"Xiao Hui is also an amazing person. She has made such great progress in just half a year. It's really hard to imagine that she was just a bottom-of-the-class student half a year ago."

　There are not many people who know the inside story about Tadokoro Megumi's sudden increase in strength, and Nakiri Erina is clearly not one of them.

　At this moment, she sat in the VIP seat on the high platform, muttering to herself, her eyes filled with a hint of inquiry as she looked at Tadokoro Megumi.

　Hisako Shinto lost, lost completely. Erina Nakiri was somewhat disappointed, but didn't think much of it.

　Victory and defeat are common occurrences in war. Both of them were taught by Baiyuan, so it's normal that they couldn't break each other's moves. I just hope Hisako won't take it to heart.

　Thinking of this, Erina Nakiri looked at Hisako Shinoto with worry in her eyes. She knew that this girl had a strong sense of pride, and she didn't want her to do anything foolish just because she lost a match.

　"Let me try your cooking, Xiaohui."

　Fortunately, Erina Nakiri's worries were unnecessary. Hisako Shinoto was only briefly distracted before smiling and speaking to Megumi Tadokoro.

　"That's exactly what I was thinking. I've prepared a special dish for you, so let me try your cooking too."

　As they spoke, Megumi Tadokoro took out the dish she had prepared for Hisako Shinto, and Hisako had also prepared one for her. The two then exchanged dishes and began to enjoy them.

　"I see, it's a truly gentle flavor. No wonder it won over the judges."

　Taro stuffed with pork, served with broth, is like being enveloped in soft marshmallows with every bite, feeling light and airy.