Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　"Yes!"

　Despite her flushed face, Ryoko Sakaki gave a firm answer, then put the scooped-out ingredients back in and began calculating the blanching time.

　It was said that the cooking time was slightly off, but in reality, it was only about ten or twenty seconds off.

　However, even a small detail can lower the quality of the final soup by one or two stars, which can be considered a rather serious mistake.

　"Yuki, you blanched the ingredients for too long. If you don't take them out soon, they will become mushy, and a lot of moisture will be lost during the subsequent braising process, making them less chewy."

　Have some judgment. Don't stop what you're doing just because I mentioned Ryoko earlier; that's clearly wrong.

　As he spoke, Bai Yuan raised the ruler again and struck Yoshino Yuuki's buttocks. The slight stinging sensation and shame made her cover her bottom, her face turning bright red, looking incredibly shy.

　"Okay, oh..."

　Yoshino Yuuki squeezed her legs together and held onto the table. The sudden movement made her feel a little awkward, but she still quickly poured the ingredients in.

　"After blanching, wash the ingredients carefully to remove any impurities, as these will ruin the braising liquid."

　Because his broth was still simmering, Bai Yuan was very patient. If he saw anything wrong, he would use a ruler to discipline the people below, leaving them speechless.

　Even Erina Nakiri made a small mistake under Shiro's watchful eye. When she was reprimanded, she covered her bottom, her face flushed, and she was indignant.

　However, since she knew she was wrong and had learned something from Bai Yuan's words, she gritted her teeth and accepted it, but she dared not look at his face again.

　After going around in this way, every girl's face was flushed, and some had even been hit more than ten times. Because the blows were quite strong, they were certain that there were red marks all over their skirts.

　There's no way to take it off and check it here.

　"It's almost cooked!"

　Suddenly, Bai Yuan stopped walking, sniffed slightly, and soon smelled the top-quality aroma that only pure broth could give off.

　Without any hesitation, he strode towards his soup pot, then picked up a high-mesh sieve, swapped it for a smaller pot, and filtered out the solids.

　After completing this step, the remaining task was to season the broth. Bai Yuan dipped his hand into the broth, tasted it briefly, and then began to add salt.

　Add MSG and chicken bouillon, then add the previously prepared braising oil to the pot. After adding the braising oil, the broth in front of you visibly becomes smoother.

　Looking at the broth in front of him, Bai Yuan showed a satisfied expression. He then put the previously prepared spice packet into the pot, added about 20 grams of rock sugar to enhance the flavor, and clapped his hands.

　"That's it. Next, we'll empty the pot to let the aroma of the spice packet spread throughout the pot, so that the flavor is even."

　Simmer over low heat for half an hour. This will allow some of the ginger broth to evaporate and release the full flavor of the spice packet. Then you can add the ingredients to be braised.

　"Give me a portion of all your ingredients. I can use it as a reference after I've finished cooking."

　As he spoke, Bai Yuan looked at the girls who had somehow surrounded him. They were watching intently, their eyes filled with a thirst for knowledge.

　Bai Yuan didn't stand on ceremony and asked them to bring over the processed ingredients.

　"okay!"

　"I'll be right there, just wait a moment."

　"It smells so good, I can't even imagine how delicious the food made with this sauce would be."

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan's words, the previously quiet scene instantly erupted into a frenzy.

　The girls rushed back to their positions, placing the ingredients they had prepared earlier in front of Bai Yuan, hoping he would put them into the braising pot.

　"Fish, shrimp, and crab are out of the question; my recipe isn't suitable for ingredients with a strong fishy smell. Pork, chicken, duck, pigeon, and eggs are good options."

　Looking at the ingredients laid out on the counter, Bai Yuan raised an eyebrow, picked out several ingredients that were not suitable for white braising, and kept the suitable ones.

　"Oh, what a pity."

　Watching her ingredients being taken away, Alice Nakiri showed a regretful expression, then went forward to retrieve the ingredients she had left there.

　"Braised fish, braised shrimp, braised crab, and other braised foods are quite rare when made with seafood."

　As Alice Nakiri put away the ingredients, those around her were surprised to see seafood all over her counter.

　"Actually, I haven't seen it much, but I wanted to try something new, so I bought it. I wonder what kind of taste it can make."

　Alice Nakiri said with a smile that for her, ingredients such as braised chicken, duck, pork, beef, and lamb were too ordinary, and she wanted to try something new.

　"Innovation is not necessarily a bad thing. I look forward to the taste of your cooking."

　Bai Yuan nodded encouragingly. In his understanding, there was no ingredient in the world that couldn't be braised; the key was how to match the braising ingredients.

　Since Alice Nakiri wants to try, let her try. Success would be best, but even if she doesn't succeed, it's still valuable experience. He can go and guide her once he finishes making the white braising liquid, which is equivalent to learning another dish.

　"Indeed, we should try something new; we're all limited by our preconceived notions."

　Looking at the duck meat in front of her, Yoshino Yuuki couldn't help but murmur. This was a duck she had raised herself, which had just been slaughtered at the Polar Star Dormitory and was now being used.

　They thought their idea was novel, since braised duck meat is quite rare. Who would have thought that a bizarre braised seafood would emerge?

　"Whether or not there is innovation is actually secondary. The key is the final taste. If the taste is good, then it is truly good. Everything else is just empty talk."

　Erina Nakiri snorted softly. Seeing Alice Nakiri being praised by Shirai, she felt inexplicably annoyed, and her competitive spirit, which had been hidden deep inside her, suddenly rose up.

　"Oh? What? How about we make a bet? The loser has to grant the other person a request."

　Upon hearing Erina Nakiri's words, Alice Nakiri chuckled. This girl dared to question her! She then said with a hint of teasing.

　"Let's compete, who's afraid of who!"

　Provoked in public and feeling the intense gazes of the girls around her, Erina Nakiri suddenly felt trapped and decided to accept the challenge.

　While Alice Nakiri has grown considerably during this time, she is no pushover. Thanks to Bai Yuan's training, she now possesses the strength of a top-tier fighter!

　In a clash between two Super-class fighters, she also possesses the God Tongue, giving her the advantage!

　Thinking this, a confident look appeared on Erina Nakiri's face. Her expression, which seemed to say "Bring it on, I'm not afraid of you" yet also showed a hint of apprehension, made people want to laugh.

　"I'll be the referee for you two."

　Seeing this, Bai Yuan also laughed, looking like he was watching a good show.

　So, Erina Nakiri and Alice Nakiri returned to their respective cooking stations and focused intently on their dishes, neither willing to be easily defeated.

　Needless to say, Erina Nakiri has never won since Alice Nakiri returned; she has been completely dominated by her in every aspect.

　And what about Alice Nakiri? As the older sister, she also didn't want to lose to her younger sister, otherwise the older sister would lose face and it would be difficult to educate her in the future.

　Bai Yuan watched all this with great interest, but he didn't forget the food in the braising pot. He would stir it with a large spoon from time to time, then put the lid on, leaving only a gap for a chopstick to release steam.

　As time went on, the braising sauce permeated the ingredients, giving them a rich aroma that drew frequent glances from the women in the kitchen, some of whom seemed distracted.

　"Gudu."

　The sound of swallowing began. At first, only one person was swallowing, but gradually, like a plague, the entire kitchen was filled with the sound of swallowing.

　"Teacher Bai Yuan, is the braised food ready?"

　Because it was nearby, Hojo Miyoko was the first to be unable to resist. She put down everything she was doing and stepped over to Shirayuki's side, her eyes revealing longing.

　"About five minutes left."

　After glancing at the state of the braised food in the pot, Bai Yuan replied that he had done some simple processing when the ingredients were put into the pot to ensure that they reached their optimal state at the same time and were then taken out of the pot at the same time.

　"Five minutes...?"

　Hojo Miyoko's face was full of longing. For the first time, she felt that five minutes was so hard to endure. She stared at the pot of braising sauce, looking like she was longing for it.

　At first, only Shirai and Hisako Shinto were behind her, but gradually, the girls who were further away from the cooking station also gathered around.

　In an instant, Bai Yuan was surrounded by a crowd of people again, all eager to be the first to eat the braised food in the pot, and no one was willing to give way.

　"Ouch."

　One of them, propelled by the force from behind, slammed into Bai Yuan with the ball. It felt like hitting an iron wall, incredibly hard, which made her cry out in pain.

　After all, the entire thing was pressed on top, even squeezed into shape.

　Bai Yuan also felt the pressure. Judging from the weight, the other party was very large. Among the many people behind, the largest was undoubtedly Mito Ikumi, and only her touch was so clear.

　Of course, a more accurate basis for judgment is the sound she made; it must be said, this girl's figure is very...

　People are satisfied.

　A slight ripple arose in his heart, but he remained calm on the surface. At the same time, his nose twitched slightly as he caught the lingering aromas in the air. The moment the heat was just right, he scooped the braised food out of the pot.

　"Such a pure color!"

　When the lid was lifted and the braised food was scooped out, everyone's eyes were drawn to it. Looking at the braised food placed on the plate, the women's expressions varied.

　The person who reacted the most was Hisako Shinto. She had been following the whole process of making this braised dish, which was perfect in every aspect, and she was very excited when she saw the dish come out of the pot!

　"I've been braising it for so long, but it doesn't seem to have taken on any color at all. Did I forget to add dark soy sauce and caramel coloring? Impossible, Teacher Bai Yuan wouldn't make such a basic mistake..."

　Looking at the unchanging color of the braised pig ears in front of her, Yoshino Yuuki was puzzled and muttered to herself, waiting for the other party to explain.

　"The white braising method mainly aims to bring out the original flavor and color of the ingredients. The ingredients are braised until flavorful but their color remains unchanged. Nowadays, very few people know how to do this."

　Miyoko Hojo spoke, her eyes filled with surprise. She was the only one among the crowd who recognized the value of white brine, as it wasn't very well-known abroad.

　However, I never expected Bai Yuan to use this. It seems that the purpose of this dish is to bring out the original flavor of the ingredients.

　With Hisako Shinto by her side and the cooking she lost in the semi-finals, the truth all came to light: Shirai was giving her special treatment.

　"I'm curious, how does this taste different from regular braised food?"

　"Hurry up and cut it open so we can have a taste!"

　"It looks so pure and simple. This kind of back-to-basics cuisine must be delicious!"

　The girls all looked anxious, their eyes fixed on the pig ears in front of them, but Bai Yuan remained calm and made no move.

　"Haste makes waste. The most important thing about braised food is to let it cool down naturally, otherwise it will fall apart when you cut it, and the taste will be much worse."

　Hearing the girls around him urging him on, Bai Yuan showed a helpless expression, then scooped out the ingredients from the pot one by one and placed them on the counter to rest.

　The rich aroma lingered in the kitchen and even drifted into the living room, enveloping the entire house, which startled Kobayashi Rindou, who had come to visit from outside.

　Instead of knocking, he pressed his face against the door, his nose twitching like a puppy, sniffing the air inside, before stepping into the yard.

　"As expected, this is Professor Bai Yuan's cooking! Coming today was definitely the right decision!"

　"Hey, let me in! I want to try Chef Bai Yuan's cooking too!"

　Seeing Bai Yuan being fawned over in the kitchen, Kobayashi Rindou's face flashed with excitement. She then patted the courtyard window to make a noise, hoping the people inside would open it for her and let her in.

　However, everyone in the kitchen was focused on the braised food, and no one paid any attention to her despite the noise she made.

　Helpless, she could only take out her phone and dial Bai Yuan's number.

　"What a rare guest! What brings you here?"

　"I have some questions I'd like to ask you, and I'd also like to mooch a meal from you. Looks like I've come at the right time."

　Three minutes later, Kobayashi Rindou entered the kitchen, naturally placed his hands on Shinoto Hisako's shoulders, and leaned over to look curiously at the braised pig ears emitting an enticing aroma in front of Shirai.

　Why isn't the other person cutting it when they've placed it on the cutting board? With such a strong aroma, they'll probably start snatching it up after a while!

　No, she needs to find a good spot.

　Thinking this, Kobayashi Rindou released her grip on Shinoto Hisako's hand and squeezed forward. The others made way for her because she was their senior.

　Soon, Kobayashi Rindou arrived behind Shiro Awakening. Feeling the warmth of the strong body in front of her, she couldn't help but blush.

　"More minced garlic, less minced ginger, and some hot oil, and the aroma will waft up instantly!"

　Bai Yuan didn't care about this. At this moment, he was preparing the condiment bowls, chopping garlic and ginger separately and putting them into the bowls, with more garlic and less ginger. At the same time, he heated oil in a wok and poured the boiling oil over both of them.

　This step is to bring out the aroma of the minced garlic and ginger. After the aroma is released, stir well with chopsticks and let it stand.

　"All that's left is to season it."

　He tasted the sauce and found it too bland, so he added MSG, chicken bouillon, white sugar, a little sesame oil, and a spoonful of the original braising liquid, as the saying goes, the original broth helps digest the original food.

　Pick up a knife, chop two small red chilies into rings, then add them to the prepared sauce and stir until they are indistinguishable.

　Thus, the seasoning part is complete.

　"Is this braised food? It has no color at all."

　Looking at the clean, white pig ears on the cutting board, Kobayashi Rindou asked the same question as Yoshino Yuuki. White brine isn't popular worldwide; unless one is extremely knowledgeable, they might not even recognize it.

　So, the people at the scene explained it to her, which made Kobayashi Rindou look thoughtful and even more excited.

　Unlike the mainstream braising methods, this method emphasizes highlighting the original flavor and color of the ingredients. What kind of taste will the resulting braised dishes have?

　the other side.

　Although Alice and Erina Nakiri were keeping a close eye on them, they remained in their positions, their eyes fixed on their own braising pot.