Everyday Life Starting with Food Wars

Takumi gave a confident snort, turned around, and just then saw Chen Yuxing striding in through the door.

He was taken aback at first, because Chen Yuxing's current look was really too abstract.

Chen Yuxing was carrying a pheasant with disheveled feathers in his left hand and protecting a bulging coat pocket in his right. His chef's uniform had also changed; it was a bit dirty from catching the chicken, so he spent some time cleaning it and folding it up when he returned.

“The Aldini family has passed the test.” Takumi crossed his arms, a barely suppressed smile playing on his lips. “I’ve been waiting for you for ages, and all you bring back is a chicken?”

"Good food is worth waiting for, isn't it?"

Chen Yuxing said something casually and walked straight past him without even stopping.

Takmi frowned, about to say something, when Isami tugged at his sleeve from the side: "Brother, he bled the chicken very cleanly, only making such a small incision. A normal Japanese chef wouldn't kill a chicken like that; this should be a Chinese cooking method."

Takumi looked in the direction his brother was pointing, his blue pupils suddenly contracted, and he looked down at the plate of herb-roasted sweetfish in front of him that had just been praised by the judges. The pride that was about to overflow instantly subsided.

Chen Yuxing placed the pheasant on the worktable. Several students who were plating the pheasant next to him turned around and were all stunned. They didn't expect that he had actually caught a pheasant.

"Holy crap! He actually caught a pheasant?!"

"We were so focused on fishing in the river that we didn't even think about the pheasants, such a high-quality meat, that we found in the woods!"

"What good is it if you think of it? Do you think you can catch a pheasant just by giving you a net?!"

Ignoring the envious and jealous looks around him, Chen Yuxing walked to the workbench and turned to look at Tadokoro Megumi. She had already processed all the ingredients in the basket: the two plump sweetfish had been neatly gutted, their internal organs cleaned, their bellies intact, without any broken gallbladders or scratches on their skin.

The celery and angelica root were cut into one-inch sections, the matsutake mushrooms were cleaned and sliced, and the bracken was blanched to remove its bitterness. They were arranged in a small dish next to it. The stove was already preheated, and the frying pan and soup pot were cleaned. The work surface was arranged according to the procedure.

"Ah Xing! You're finally back!"

Upon noticing Chen Yuxing's return, Xiao Hui immediately looked up, her yellow eyes still showing seriousness, though her speech quickened slightly due to the urgency of the situation.

"I've prepared all the necessary vegetables, mushrooms, and sweetfish for the base, and plated them all. Is there anything else I need to do?" She finished speaking and lightly tapped the edge of her apron with her fingers.

"Well done, Xiao Hui."

Chen Yuxing gave her a very appreciative look and gave her a thumbs up. This was the sous chef who had grown rapidly under pressure: "First, boil a pot of water for me. We'll be scalding the chicken and plucking its feathers later. Have you washed the rice yet?"

Hearing the question, Tadokoro Megumi paused slightly in her work, blinked twice, and said, "Ah, there's still rice! I was so busy preparing those fish, I'll go wash it now!"

After saying that, she turned around and walked quickly toward the rice bin. Her movements were a little hurried, and when she turned around, the strap of her apron brushed against the bamboo basket on the cutting board and almost knocked it over. She quickly steadied it with her left hand.

Then, he picked up the rice measuring bowl from the worktable, poured the rice into the filter basin, quickly walked to the sink, turned on the tap and began to rinse the rice. He rinsed the rice very carefully, scrubbing it thoroughly each time, gently rubbing the rice grains between his fingers until the water became clear.

"Xiao Hui, you need to slice the fish thinly later. Remember, you have to cut at an angle, never cut vertically downwards. Cutting vertically will cut the most important fibers of the fish meat, and it will become tough when you blanch it in boiling water." Chen Yuxing instructed while preparing the pheasant.

“Okay, I understand.” Tadokoro Megumi nodded emphatically.

Chapter 21 Mountain Stream Blood Jade Whirlwind Omelet Rice

Tadokoro poured the drained rice into the clay pot, added water, and even put in a small piece of kelp to enhance the flavor. Finally, she put the lid on the clay pot, turned on the stove, and set it to a stable medium heat.

Then she returned to the cutting board, picked up the knife and began to carefully slice the fish. She had listened to every step I had just explained. The fish slices arranged on the plate were so evenly thick that they were translucent, with smooth edges and no rough edges.

Chen Yuxing carried the pheasant to the edge of the water trough, quickly scalded it with hot water, and then began to pluck its feathers. The feathers of the wild pheasant were much denser and finer than those of the domestic chicken.

After plucking the hair clean, he reached into the knife rack and pulled out a sharp boning knife.

Without hesitation, he cut into the pheasant's breastbone with the tip of his knife, and with a "sizzle," the sharp blade sliced ​​through the flesh.

His movements were so fast they were dazzling. The blade moved smoothly between the bone and the flesh, like a master butcher carving up an ox. He deboned, skinned, and separated the chicken thighs and breasts with effortless grace.

In less than three minutes, he perfectly disassembled a whole wild pheasant into chicken leg meat, chicken breast meat, and a complete chicken carcass.

Put the removed chicken carcass into a soup pot, add cold water, a few slices of ginger and a small piece of scallion, and simmer over low heat.

Next, cut the tenderest chicken breast and the firmest chicken thigh meat from the chicken, dice them, and marinate them with soy sauce, mirin, and a little ginger juice.

As for the remaining parts, such as chicken neck meat and chicken wing tip meat, he waved his hand and piled them all on the cutting board, using both hands simultaneously.

Two cleavers flashed through the air, "crack, crack, crack!" They chopped bones into minced meat that could be rendered into fat.

"This knife skill...it's terrifying." Several students who had been watching the spectacle couldn't help but stop what they were doing and stare at him in disbelief.

Next, he took out a bowl, put the diced chicken in, cracked in a regular egg white, then added a little salt, white pepper, and cornstarch, and finally poured in a small spoonful of peanut oil to seal the surface.

“The Chinese ‘sizing’ technique.” Hinako Inui, sitting on the podium, had a slight glint in her eyes and straightened up a bit from her previously languid posture.

"Using egg whites and starch to coat diced meat with a 'protective coating' locks in the juices the moment it's stir-fried in oil. This is a common trick in Chinese cuisine to keep tough meat tender. However... just that isn't enough to conquer my taste buds."

Ignoring the stares around him, Chen Yuxing turned to the other side and said, "Xiao Hui."

"Here!" Xiao Hui stopped wielding her sashimi knife.

"When the rice in the clay pot is about 70% cooked, take it off the heat immediately. Do not lift the lid. Let the residual heat in the pot finish cooking the rest of the rice," Chen Yuxing instructed as he set up an iron pot.

He placed the wok on the stove, turned on the high heat, and waited for the wok to heat up before pouring in the oil.

As soon as the oil hit the pan, a wisp of smoke began to rise from the edge of the wok. At that moment, the chicken giblets and minced meat were poured in and stir-fried over high heat. The surface of the minced meat quickly turned golden brown and slightly crispy, and the aroma of the charred oil and the savory aroma of the soy sauce wafted out at the same time.

Next, relax the matsutake slices. As soon as the matsutake is heated, its unique resinous aroma bursts forth, instantly filling the entire work surface with the fresh scent of the forest. Then, add diced carrots and onions and stir-fry until the onions become translucent. Take the cooked rice from Megumi Tadokoro and pour it in to stir-fry quickly over high heat.

"One and a half spoonfuls of salt, half a spoonful of white pepper," Chen Yuxing said as she took the seasonings from her and sprinkled them into the fried rice one by one.

Next up is a brutal aesthetic show of Chinese cooking techniques involving tossing food in a wok.

In Chen Yuxing's hands, the heavy iron wok was pushed forward and pulled back with each forceful push of his left wrist, like a tidal wave, while his right hand used a long-handled iron spatula to scoop and flip it diagonally upward.

All the rice grains formed a near-perfect parabola in mid-air, each grain distinct, with the white grains even faintly casting afterimages at their highest point in the air.

Every grain of rice, during the tossing process, is coated from every angle with a layer of golden oil and the umami flavor of matsutake mushroom slices.

Less than two minutes later, the surface of the fried rice was already shiny and oily, making it look very appetizing.

Just before taking it out of the pot, he took out the sealed bag of fresh chicken blood from his pocket. He had collected some of it when he slit the pheasant's throat before returning to the teaching building.

Chen Yuxing took a spoon, dug a small hole in the center of the fried rice, quickly mixed the chicken blood and a pinch of minced ginger, poured it in, and immediately covered it with rice, letting the residual heat cook the chicken blood.

Meanwhile, Xiao Hui used a small strainer to quickly pour all the sliced ​​wild sweetfish meat into the large pot of boiling water that was already boiling nearby.

The ayu fillets are blanched in boiling water for eight seconds and then rinsed in ice water to tighten the meat. After draining, they are mixed into fried rice. The fish meat is broken into small pieces during the stir-frying process and mixed with the rice. Every spoonful contains fragrant chicken giblets and minced meat, tender ayu meat pieces and chewy matsutake mushroom pieces.

After the fried rice was cooked, he scooped a spoonful of fried rice into the center of the white porcelain plate and gently pressed it into a flat, round shape with a flat bottom. The rice grains, which had been braised with chicken blood, were a darker brown than regular fried rice, with a thin layer of oil on the surface. You could even clearly see the light pink pieces of sweetfish and golden matsutake mushrooms mixed in between the rice grains.

But making omelet rice is only half done.

The most crucial element is the egg skin!

Chen Yuxing took out the wild eggs he had just found in the mountains, held them in one hand, and the six thick-shelled eggs "crackled" and fell into a wide-mouthed glass bowl along the edge of the cutting board.

The yolks of wild eggs have a rich orange-red color, and when you stir them with chopsticks, you can even feel their sticky consistency.

Next, add a little milk to the egg mixture and whisk quickly until a layer of fine foam floats on the surface.

Next, heat the frying pan, cut off a small piece of butter and put it into the pan. Wait for the butter to melt, making a soft "sizzling" sound and releasing a rich milky aroma.

"Now!"

Chen Yuxing poured all the egg mixture into the pot.

The bottom of the egg mixture begins to solidify rapidly the moment it touches the pan, but the surface remains liquid.

This method of spreading the egg crepe at high temperature and quickly makes the outer layer of the crepe slightly crispy and the inside tender, which is the most crucial part of making omelet rice. He uses chopsticks to hold the edge of the crepe and quickly spins it in the pan. A "whirlwind crepe" that looks like a golden tornado is instantly formed in the pan!

"What amazing technique!" The knowledgeable students around couldn't help but exclaim.

This "whirlwind egg skin" requires extremely high standards of heat control and hand feel.

If you're a second too early, the egg mixture will break apart; if you're a second too late, the egg skin will become tough, preventing it from achieving that dreamy, semi-cooked, runny custard.

With a flick of his wrist, Chen Yuxing tilted the frying pan, and the golden whirlwind egg crepe perfectly covered the fried rice.

The folds of the egg skin resemble a blooming golden rose, with the semi-cooked egg liquid at the very top still trembling slightly, slowly flowing through the gaps in the rice.

Finally, the key to finishing touches is the special honey sauce that enhances the flavor!

He filtered out the bones and ginger slices from the chicken bone broth he had previously prepared, poured it into a small pot, and reduced the broth over high heat until it was reduced to only one-third of its original volume. He then added a small spoonful of soy sauce, a little mirin, and crushed sansho sprouts.

A spoonful of hot sauce is poured over the egg skin of the omelet rice. The sauce slowly flows down from the top of the egg skin along the fine folds, seeping into the gaps between the egg skin and the fried rice. The egg skin trembles slightly from the heat of the sauce.

Hinako Inui could already smell the aroma from the judges' table. The umami of matsutake mushrooms and the spiciness of sansho peppers were mixed together, coated with the caramelized aroma of fried rice and the buttery sweetness of egg skin, wafting from the innermost workbench of the classroom all the way to the podium.

Even she, known as the "Empress of Mist," stood up from her chair the moment she smelled the aroma, leaned over to look at Chen Yuxing, her eyes narrowing into slits. She called out across the classroom, "Bring your dish up here. I can't wait for you to finish pretending with this smell."

All the students present were incredulous after hearing this urging tone. What kind of dish could possibly make a graduate, known for his strictness, lose his composure and urge the candidates to finish their dishes?

"This is my dish—Mountain Stream Blood Jade Whirlwind Omelette Rice." Chen Yuxing placed the white porcelain plate on the judging panel. "Chef Qian, please enjoy."

The omelet rice is placed neatly in the center of the white porcelain plate. The egg skin is golden yellow with a glossy sheen and slightly browned edges.

A spoonful of sauce is poured on top, and the juice flows down the naturally unfolded folds of the egg skin, forming a shallow layer at the bottom of the plate.

The sauce is dark, the egg crepe is shiny, and the fried rice underneath is faintly visible—the egg crepe is tightly wrapped, but you can see the oil squeezed out between the rice grains from the side.

"Gudong."

I don't know who swallowed first, but soon the sound of swallowing echoed from one person to another.

Takumi stared intently at the plate of omelet rice, his hands clenched into fists, his nails almost digging into his flesh.

However, he had to admit that, just by looking at the presentation and smelling the aroma, this omelet rice already surpassed the grilled fish he had just made.

"Oh my, what an unexpected combination!"

Hinako Inui didn't stand on ceremony at all. She picked up the metal spoon from the table and used the back of the spoon to press down on the edge of the egg skin.

After the surface of the eggshell was pressed down a little, it bounced back very elastically.

She used a little force, and the spoon cut into the egg skin, making a slit.

The moment the egg crepe is torn, the fried rice hidden inside bursts forth with an incredibly powerful aroma, like a wild beast being released.

The aroma of wild pheasant, the natural sweetness of cucumber from sweetfish, the wild scents of perilla, matsutake mushrooms, and wild celery, and the domineering rich milky fragrance of wild eggs all converged into a storm at this moment, rushing straight to Hinako Inui's face.

Before the steam had even dissipated, she eagerly scooped up a large spoonful, along with the egg crepe, fried rice, diced chicken, and fish slices, and popped it into her mouth in one bite.

The moment she put it in her mouth, Hinako Inui suddenly froze.

What... what is this smell?

The first thing to touch the tip of your tongue is that whirlwind egg skin.

The egg skin itself has a pure egg flavor, and the egg yolk flavor is so rich it's unbelievable. Combined with the creamy aroma of butter, it melts in your mouth like silky golden velvet, gently enveloping all the ingredients. The saltiness is very low, which perfectly brings out the warm sweetness of the egg itself.

The rice is cooked with chicken blood. The protein melts in your mouth and blends with the starch and sweetness of the rice, like a thin film wrapping around your tongue.

The sweetfish's watermelon-like fragrance, instead of being lost after being stir-fried at high temperatures, becomes even sweeter, spreading slowly throughout the mouth like a mountain spring. The matsutake mushrooms, on the other hand, truly awaken their fungal aroma after steaming, blending together with the coarse, oily texture of the caramelized minced meat, creating a contrast of light and heavy, clear and rich flavors.

The sauce coats the egg crepe crumbs and rice grains, leaving a lingering aftertaste of Sichuan peppercorns in your mouth—slightly spicy and refreshing.

As she chewed, she suddenly took a breath, and a refreshing aroma of Sichuan peppercorns rushed up from her nose, sweeping away all the richness she had experienced before.

"what……"

Hinako Inui couldn't help but let out a soft moan of pleasure, cupping her cheeks in her hands, the blush spreading all the way to the base of her neck.

In her hallucination, she seemed to shed her heavy chef's uniform and transform into a young girl in a yukata, running barefoot through an undeveloped primeval forest.

To the left is a crystal-clear stream, where schools of silver ayu leap and splash, the spray carrying a refreshing, sweet watermelon scent; to the right is a dense thicket, where colorful pheasants dart through the woods, their calls echoing through the valley.

She rolled and jumped freely in the embrace of nature, breathing in the fragrance of perilla and wasabi. She felt as if she had become one with the mountains and fields. The sense of freedom and joy made her want to scream.

In reality, Hinako Inui ate one bite after another, her spoon moving so fast it was almost a blur.

In less than two minutes, she finished the whole plate of omelet rice, even scraping off every last drop of the broth at the bottom of the plate.

She placed the spoon on the edge of the empty plate, slowly raised her head to look at Chen Yuxing, lightly wiped a small amount of sauce from the corner of her mouth with her thumb, withdrew her hand and looked at the oily sheen on her thumb tip, "You put chicken blood in the fried rice—how did you come up with that?"

"In Chinese cuisine, blood glutinous rice and roast duck both use blood to enhance their flavor," Chen Yuxing said. "Chicken blood has no fishy smell, and when stir-fried in rice, it makes the rice sweeter and stickier, which perfectly complements the freshness of the fish and matsutake mushrooms."

"Fried rice is the foundation of Chinese cuisine. The dry-fried rice is cooked to perfection, and chicken blood is added to enhance the flavor and minced chicken is stir-fried to make it fragrant. Then, a Japanese-style swirl egg crepe is used to wrap all the wildness and gentleness. Multiple techniques are kneaded into a plate of omelet rice, recreating a small natural ecosystem."

She placed the spoon on the edge of the empty plate, and gently pinched the rim of the plate with her right index finger and thumb, pushing the empty plate forward a little.

"The sweetfish has a firm and sweet texture, which, combined with the rich flavor of matsutake mushrooms and chicken blood, is just like the combination of one ingredient rising and the other sinking in your fried rice. The omelet rice is made by simmering chicken bones to make a sauce, and the aroma poured over the egg skin is combined with the river fish and matsutake fried rice."

Hinako Inui removed her fingers from the edge of the plate, picked up the roster, and drew two circles after Chen Yuxing and Tadokoro Megumi's names.

Hinako Inui stood up, putting away all her joking attitude, and said in a serious tone, "Moreover, this 'Mountain Stream Blood Jade Whirlwind Omelet Rice' is the most perfect dish I have ever eaten in the examination room of the past residential training courses, which perfectly interprets the 'gift of nature'."

"Group F, Chen Yuxing and Tadokoro Megumi, the project is approved!"

Her voice wasn't loud, but it could be heard clearly even through several rows of control panels in the quiet classroom.

A collective gasp filled the classroom, followed by barely suppressed gasps of amazement.

"That Mist Empress actually gave such a high evaluation!"