Food Wars, my food not only glows!

　Take yesterday's dessert competition, for example. The contestant with the radiant complexion focused on three core ingredients that could be paired with anything.

　As Yukihira Soma and Liu Yu handed notes to the host, different opinions arose among the audience, and arguments ensued.

　"The two are indeed evenly matched. It won't be easy for either of them to defeat the other, so being so cautious is the right thing to do."

　At this moment, Erina Nakiri also spoke up. In this life, she had not had much interaction with Soma Yukihira and had only watched a few matches, so she felt that the two were about the same.

　"Yukihira Soma has a better chance of winning this match."

　Upon hearing Erina Nakiri's words, Shirobuchi's voice rang out, surprising everyone present. He actually supported Soma Yukihira.

　"Why do you say that?"

　Erina Nakiri turned her head and asked in confusion, "The two are about the same strength, so the outcome should be fifty-fifty. How come Soma Yukihira has a higher chance of winning?"

　"Liu Yu's choices are too limited. Although she is careful when selecting ingredients, she has a bias."

　It's far too obvious; they clearly don't want to take a gamble.

　In this situation, if Soma Yukihira were to take away the most essential ingredient of the dish, forcing the other person to use a substitute, even if they were still able to cook that dish in the end, the taste would be inferior to the other person's due to the decline in the quality of the ingredients.

　After all, her cooking skills weren't much better than Soma Yukihira's.

　Alice Nakiri's voice rang out, answering Erina Nakiri's question.

　In contrast, Soma Yukihira's choice of ingredients is rather limited, with many repetitive and not classic dishes, making it difficult to understand his true purpose. There are also many possible combinations of dishes to choose from.

　If we quantify the kidney calculation, Liu Yu, who was not exposed, is superior to Yukihira Soma. However, Liu Yu, who was exposed, is far inferior to Yukihira Soma.

　After some deliberation, Soma Yukihira chose to focus on pork tenderloin, preserved eggs, and salted duck eggs.

　Rain, on the other hand, focused on pork belly, peanut oil, and sugar.

　Now we will move on to the mutual selection phase. Each player should select three ingredients from their opponent.

　After glancing at the contents of the slip of paper, the host displayed it in front of the drone and loudly read out the ingredients anchored on it, allowing the two contestants to choose one from the other.

　"Have the peanut oil and sugar been anchored? It seems that even if people know what she's going to cook, she's still determined to go all the way."

　Upon hearing the host's words, Soma Yukihira's face showed a hint of sarcasm, and he then said, "Although choosing the classic will increase the chances of winning, since it is a flavor that everyone likes, there is one prerequisite: that is, the opponent does not interfere in any way."

　But in this kind of competition, the opponent is destined to choose the ingredients, and that premise will never happen. I want her sesame oil, scallions, and potato starch.

　"Then I want his cornstarch, garlic, and eggs!"

　At the same time, Liu Yu's voice rang out, first taking back the starch she needed. Then she took the other party's seasonings and eggs.

　Although it's unclear what dish he's going to cook, garlic and eggs are both popular ingredients in Chinese cuisine due to their versatility.

　It is used in almost every dish.

　Eggs play a very important role in pork dishes.

　It not only increases the stickiness of pork, but also enhances its texture, making it more tender, while changing its surface color and increasing its appetite.

　However, this means that another egg is being wasted, a goose egg. I wonder what role the goose egg plays in his cooking, perhaps as a substitute for a chicken egg?

　Liu Yu's mind was filled with doubts. Soma Yukihira had chosen so many eggs, and even anchored the seemingly most useless preserved eggs and salted duck eggs, which proved that the dish he was going to make had a significant connection with eggs.

　"After making your selections, please exchange the ingredients you have chosen."

　As they spoke, Soma Yukihira and Liu Yu had already exchanged their ingredients and stood in front of the cooking station, waiting for the host to announce the start of the competition.

　"The theme for this round is pork dishes. The cooking time is two hours. Both contestants are requested to manage their time reasonably and complete the dishes within the allotted time."

　Now, the game begins! "

　After explaining the rules in a routine manner, the host stepped back from between the two, stood quietly to the side with a microphone in hand, and looked for an opportunity to explain.

　"Hey!"

　Upon hearing the start signal for the match, Soma Yukihira gave a soft shout, and then chopped the pork tenderloin in front of him into minced meat and put it into a bowl.

　Season with pepper, scallions, and ginger, then crack in a goose egg and whisk vigorously clockwise until it becomes sticky.

　Next, add a little sesame oil for lubrication and to enhance its aroma, followed by an appropriate amount of starch to increase its viscosity, and continue to pound and knead until it becomes elastic.

　"What dish is Yukihira-kun preparing? Why is he using preserved eggs, and why did he bring so many salted duck eggs? Is he going to use the salted yolks...?"

　Tadokoro Megumi sat next to Shirabuchi, watching Yukihira Soma cut the preserved egg into small pieces after finishing the minced meat. She rested her chin on her hand and pondered deeply, unsure of what Yukihira Soma wanted to cook.

　Could this be an original dish?

　Bringing out original dishes to a competition like this is undeniably a courageous act.

　"Yukihira's cooking is so imaginative that sometimes even I can't guess what it is. You'll know what it is once it's made."

　Bai Yuan smiled. Yukihira Soma's cooking was quite interesting. He often won by surprise. Moreover, he was a genius at improvisation. The higher the pressure, the better he performed, and the more delicious his dishes were. Bai Yuan had a deep understanding of this.

　"Using preserved eggs in meat dishes is indeed quite imaginative."

　Mito Ikumi spoke, her brow furrowed so deeply that she could kill a fly; she simply couldn't fathom what Yukihira Soma was up to.

　He had originally intended to make a sarcastic remark, but upon hearing Bai Yuan's praise, he quickly changed his tone.

　Since Teacher Baiyuan is so optimistic about this cooking method, she will give it a little support. She will wait for the dish to be made before giving a specific evaluation.

　"I really don't know what kind of dish they'll serve in the end."

　"it should be no problem."

　"There's definitely no problem, he's Yukihira!"

　Yoshino Yuuki and Sakaki Ryoko chatted back and forth, their eyes fixed intently on the match, their words filled with trust in Yukihira Soma.

　After all, they were roommates in the same dormitory and spent time together before the Summer Selection, so it's normal that they knew some of each other's strengths.

　situation.

　At this moment, after cutting the preserved egg into small pieces, Soma Yukihira began peeling the salted duck egg, removing the egg white and leaving only the oily yolk.

　Soon, the plate was full of salted egg yolks.

　Looking at the plate of salted egg yolks in front of him, Soma Yukihira pondered for a moment before finally placing them on the cutting board and quickly chopping them into small pieces.

　Then, grab a handful of loose salted egg yolks, place them on an electronic scale, determine the weight, and then use the meat filling to wrap the loose salted egg yolks.

　"Why chop the salted egg yolk before wrapping it? Wouldn't it be better to just wrap it whole? This seems a bit redundant, or perhaps..."

　Hojo Miyoko's face showed doubt. At this moment, she could see through Yukihira Soma's idea. Although she didn't know if it would taste good, the salted egg yolk and meat together would definitely taste good.

　After all, both are salty, and the rich oil in salted egg yolks makes the meat's aroma more enticing, thus enhancing its flavor.

　"If I had to say, the taste and flavor would be somewhat different."

　The chopped salted egg yolks are evenly distributed throughout the minced meat, ensuring a tangible salted egg yolk flavor in every bite. Simultaneously, the oil from the salted egg yolks is released more fully, blending seamlessly with the minced meat for a smoother texture, richer flavor, and without any noticeable graininess.

　Bai Yuan answered the question from the side. Don't underestimate the small detail of cutting or not cutting; it actually has a huge impact on the taste.

　That's the power of cooking; a small change can completely transform the flavor.

　"It's really a matter of how well the flavors blend. Chopped salted egg yolks blend better with the minced meat, resulting in a more harmonious flavor, and the meat is the main ingredient. If the salted egg yolks are not chopped, the flavor of the salted egg yolks is concentrated in a certain area, and when you bite into them, you will have a strong salty and oily taste."

　At the same time, Alice Nakiri's voice rang out, providing some additional explanations.

　Salted egg yolks are a very good ingredient. Bai Yuan once gave her a special lesson, introducing her in detail the famous salted egg yolks from various regions, as well as the ways to use salted egg yolks and what the differences are.

　"So, chopped salted egg yolks are primarily meat-based, while unchopped salted egg yolks are centered around the salted egg yolk itself, and this time the theme is pork..."

　Upon hearing Bai Yuan and Nakiri Alice's explanation, Hojo Miyoko suddenly realized what was going on and inwardly marveled at Yukihira Hajime's skill, as even she hadn't thought of that.

　Break the salted egg yolks into smaller pieces and incorporate them into the meat.

　This way, the meat can perfectly absorb the flavor of salted egg yolk. Is everything within your calculations?

　Xingping Somajun.

　On the other side, Liu Yu rubbed a thin layer of white vinegar on the pork belly, then placed oil-absorbing paper on it to promote the removal of acid.

　Next comes the waiting. Good things come to those who wait. To make the lychee pork even more tender, she needs to let it ripen for at least an hour and a half.

　During this process, Liu Yu chose to prepare a sweet and sour sauce.

　Minced garlic, sugar, balsamic vinegar, cornstarch slurry.

　Because the scallions were taken away, she could only use this to make a simple sauce, which she would use as the base for the braised pork with lychees later.

　At that moment, Soma Yukihira wrapped the meatballs in chopped preserved egg, placed them on a plate, put them in a steamer, and prepared to steam them for twenty minutes.

　Time passed slowly. Soma Yukihira sat cross-legged in the chair, his nose twitching slightly, and his brows furrowing unnaturally.

　"This taste... Could it be that I'm researching in the wrong direction?"

　Lifting the lid of the steamer, the meatball covered with preserved egg was crystal clear and looked shiny. Soma Yukihira picked up a piece with his chopsticks, took a bite and chewed, then his brows furrowed even deeper.

　This tastes completely different from what he imagined!

　"The texture is too hard, it's stuffy, was it not steamed long enough? Most importantly, it's only at the level of a first-class dish, there's no way you can use this dish to enter the competition!"

　With that in mind, Soma Yukihira finished eating all the preserved egg and salted meatballs in front of him, closed his eyes, and began to think about a solution.

　Chapter 243 Fool, your life has only just begun!

　"How did he finish all the food?!"

　In the audience, some people who witnessed this scene were utterly astonished.

　Soma Yukihira only made four preserved egg meatballs, but instead of serving them to the judges, he ate them all himself in just a few bites.

　This situation not only caused a stir among the audience, but even the judges on stage were surprised and looked at each other, wondering what Soma Yukihira was up to.

　Could it be that he gave up the competition? That shouldn't be the case. Just now, this red-haired kid was acting like he was the only one who mattered in the world. How could he have become like this in the time it takes to finish a dish? Anyone who didn't know better would think he had been possessed.

　"Is the meatballs too firm because they weren't steamed long enough? To make them softer, perhaps you could try a pressure cooker..."

　Soma Yukihira didn't care about what others thought; at this moment, his attention was entirely focused on the raw materials and the steamer.

　"The texture of the meat was quite different from what I expected. It should have been softer and more tender, rather than so firm, which disrupted its overall texture. This is most likely due to insufficient steaming time. However, if the steaming time is too long, it will also cause moisture loss, making the ingredients dry and affecting the taste."

　The principle behind pressure cookers is to raise the boiling point through high pressure, reaching temperatures above 120°C, which helps shorten cooking time and is suitable for ingredients that need to be softened quickly. Perhaps a pressure cooker is more suitable for this dish than a steamer.

　幸平

　Soshin's brain started working at high speed. The differences between the steamer and the pressure cooker formed a bar chart in his mind, and their respective advantages and disadvantages were systematically quantified and clearly presented to him for him to choose from.

　The reason he thought about it so carefully was that there weren't many ingredients left, just enough to make one more dish.

　Even though there's still a lot of time left before the competition ends, he can't conduct experiments with half the ingredients as he did at the beginning.

　Nowadays, experiments can only be simulated in the mind...

　Standing in front of the kitchen counter, hesitating and worried that he might choose the wrong option, Soma Yukihira had been standing there thinking for almost half an hour.

　He didn't make any move for half an hour, and his silence made everyone think that he had given up. They all turned their attention to Liu Yu next to him, and then found that she was aging the pork belly, also standing still without moving.

　What a boring match...

　This is what everyone at the scene thought.

　"No matter what, cooking that is limited to thinking will never succeed. In this situation, we must practice. Practice is the only criterion for testing truth."

　"Soma Yukihira, you don't need to be so timid!"

　A voice suddenly echoed in his mind, and his eyes changed from blank to determined. Soma Yukihira acted 'suddenly'.

　The previous steps were exactly the same, except that before the last step into the pot, Soma Yukihira brought out a strainer.

　Pour enough water into the pressure cooker, add the leftover scallions and ginger from the marinating process. As the temperature rises and the water boils, the aroma of the meat will be enhanced.

　Place the steamer rack into the pressure cooker, put the plate containing the preserved egg and meatballs on the steamer rack, then close the pressure cooker lid and cook for 15 minutes after the pressure cooker reaches pressure.

　At the same time, Liu Yu finally took action.

　Remove the pork belly from the absorbent paper and cut it into small pieces along the grain. Then, use the back of a knife to pat the surface of the meat to make it stretch more. Make diagonal cross cuts to achieve a continuous effect, giving the meat a shape that looks like a lychee.

　Cut the meat into triangular pieces after making cross-shaped cuts, and then cut some water chestnuts.

　Season the meat with a little salt. Since there was no red yeast rice, Liu Yu skipped this step and only marinated it with a thin layer of salt. Then she added three spoonfuls of starch and a little egg liquid to increase the stickiness, and stirred it clockwise until it became firm.

　Starch helps maintain the crispness of the lychee flesh on the surface while keeping it tender inside.

　The flour coating on the water chestnuts ensures that the sweet and sour flavor is visible on the outside, while retaining the fruity aroma of the water chestnuts inside. This flour layer serves to preserve the fruity aroma.

　"It feels just like what my mom makes, but my mom is too lazy to even cut it with a fancy knife."

　"Indeed, most families don't pay much attention to the color of their dishes. If they have red yeast rice at home, they'll use it directly; otherwise, they won't insist on it."

　Seeing Liu Yu's actions, the audience immediately started discussing.