"Once everything is ready, add a generous amount of oil to the pot, heat it on high to about sixty percent oil temperature, and then add the
"Once everything is ready, add a generous amount of oil to the pot, heat it on high to about sixty percent oil temperature, and then add the shrimp. The purpose of this step is to quickly preheat their surface, creating a crispy and tender texture."
Dylan spoke as he stirred with a spatula to ensure even heating. "Too high a heat will create black spots on the surface, so moderation is key. This technique is called 'oil-poaching' in China."
As he spoke, he lifted the pot and poured out the oil and shrimp, filtering them through a strainer.
Leaving a base layer of oil in the pot, he added chopped green onions, ginger, garlic, and carrots and stir-fried them until fragrant.
"What a wonderful aroma."
Sensing the fragrance filling the air, Kikuchi Sonoka sniffed, a look of ecstasy on her face.
"Ginger, garlic, and scallions are a chef's secret weapon. Ten seconds in the pot is enough for the shrimp, allowing the aromas of the seasonings and the ingredients to blend. Then, add the sauce to thicken."
Dylan said as he poured the shrimp into the stir-fry pan.
After eight seconds, he poured the prepared sauce into his ladle, tossed the wok to mix it evenly, then added the sauce a second time, ensuring every shrimp was evenly coated.
"Finally, a little bit of finishing oil to brighten its color, and it's ready to serve!"
A spoonful of finishing oil went into the pot, and the aroma was once again stimulated. Dylan then ladled out the Jade Hairpin Prawn Balls and arranged them on a plate with chopsticks.
"It looks quite good. But, isn't this cooking method too troublesome? The efficiency seems a bit low..."
"Efficiency isn't the issue. What's important is the cycle time for cooking one dish. Without stopping, one pot of this dish can be finished in less than ten minutes, which comes out to four portions."
Hearing Kikuchi Sonoka's doubt, Dylan's voice rang out.
With his Silver Chopstick Ten-Wok Revival, he naturally didn't have to worry about not being able to finish the dishes.
As long as the cooking cycle was short, his cooking speed could even surpass the customers' purchasing speed, and he might even have leftovers to some extent.
In other words, no matter what method Joichiro Yukihira used, it was impossible for him to surpass Dylan. The absolute gap in skill was difficult to overcome with a sudden burst of effort.
He not only wanted to win, but he also wanted to win in every aspect!
"I see. I almost forgot that not only are you good at cooking, but you've also mastered all sorts of techniques we've never seen before. Can I taste it now?"
Seeing Dylan's confident look, Kikuchi Sonoka had a moment of realization. She then turned her gaze to the Jade Hairpin Prawn Balls on the plate and swallowed.
"Go ahead and try it. I learned this dish from a Cantonese master chef back then. Later, I combined it with the methods of Shandong cuisine and made some simple innovations."
Dylan said as he picked up his chopsticks and was the first to take a Jade Hairpin Prawn Ball.
He had thought of this dish while strolling through the seafood market this morning; this was the first time he had ever cooked it.
However, he had a super sense of smell. He only needed to smell the aroma to know the taste of the dish, saving him the time of trial-and-error seasoning.
"Time to eat."
Picking up her chopsticks and clasping her hands together, Kikuchi Sonoka said this, then took a prawn ball and, without any hesitation, put it in her mouth and began to chew carefully.
"Refreshing, crisp, clean, and fragrant! Because it wasn't cooked at a high temperature, the original flavor of the shrimp hasn't been lost at all; it's completely revealed!"
Chewing slowly, savoring the rich flavor of the prawn ball, an ineffable look of enjoyment appeared on Kikuchi Sonoka's face.
"The most important thing is the 'clean' taste. Only with minimal seasoning can the essential flavor of the shrimp be brought out. The customers who love shrimp are in for a treat."
Dylan also nodded. The threads of green bamboo shoot, carrot, and bamboo shoot interspersed within the prawn ball not only provided rich color but also added a layer of textural complexity.
In addition, the thin slurry poured over it during the stir-fry made the prawn balls look crystal clear, making the dish even more appetizing.
"Then let's continue. For the beef, I plan to make something sweet and spicy. The cooking time can't be too long, so let's make Orange Black Pepper Beef Cubes."
Snapping his fingers, Dylan placed the beef he had bought at the market early in the morning on the cutting board, his face full of fighting spirit.
"Let me be the assistant this time. I haven't done anything but eat since I got up. I feel a little bad about it."
Looking at the ingredients filling the cooking station, Kikuchi Sonoka spoke up. Just standing by and waiting to eat without doing anything made her feel a little guilty.
"Then the job of processing the oranges is yours. Cut them into cubes slightly smaller than the beef cubes. The specific size..."
Seeing the young woman's eager eyes and not wanting to dampen her enthusiasm, Dylan assigned her one of the easier tasks.
"Okay!"
Kikuchi Sonoka exclaimed excitedly, picked up an orange from the side, and began to peel it. With each movement, she could scrape off a piece of peel without damaging the fruit's flesh.
Dylan glanced at her faintly, then turned his gaze to the beef tenderloin on the cooking station.
The next moment, the Wuqu Knife appeared in his hand. With a flash of silver light, the beef in front of him was cut into two-centimeter square cubes, scattering from the large piece of beef and covering the entire cutting board.
"What amazing skill! Cutting beef into two-centimeter square cubes? I see!"
Watching Dylan's technique, although she was prepared, Kikuchi Sonoka couldn't help but marvel, the shock in her eyes unconcealable.
"Be sure to remove the white membrane on top, which is the pith. Although it has some health benefits, it affects the texture and taste, so it's not needed for the dish."
While processing the remaining ingredients, he turned his head to speak to Kikuchi Sonoka, only to find that she had already begun to remove the pith.
"Don't worry. I've been by your side for so long; you don't need to specifically remind me of such small things."
Kikuchi Sonoka said with a slight, playful pout, a reliable smile on her face.
"Alright, my mistake. Let's continue cooking."
Seeing this, Dylan nodded, then lowered his head and continued to cook. Kikuchi Sonoka did the same. She didn't have Dylan's superb skills; removing the pith would take her a lot of time.
Dylan didn't rush her, just silently slowed down his pace. After finishing, he watched her, enjoying this quiet moment that belonged exclusively to them.
The sun gradually set.
In front of Restaurant Yukihira.
Dylan and Joichiro Yukihira stood opposite each other.
Outside the shop, two cooking stations of equal length and width were set up. The only difference was that under Dylan's station, there were ten stoves.
So much so that there wasn't even a place for him to chop vegetables, leaving people wondering how he was going to cook.
"Soma, what's going on? It's not time for a festival, why are the cooking stations all moved out?"
This unusual scene naturally attracted a large crowd. They stood at the entrance of Restaurant Yukihira, watching, their gazes filled with curiosity. Finally, someone squeezed forward and asked.
"Kurase, it's you."
Seeing the person who ran forward with a worried look, Soma Yukihira smiled and greeted her. This was a girl from his class and his childhood friend.
Kurase Mayumi.
"My old man is going to have a Shokugeki with a chef from out of town. They've agreed to start selling at five o'clock sharp, and the winner will be determined by the number of dishes sold. Today's food is really good; you can look forward to it."
Thinking of the dish the two of them had developed all night yesterday, Soma Yukihira said with a smile, his words filled with strong confidence.
"Someone is actually competing with the old man? Isn't that just asking for trouble... The old man is the most skilled chef on this street!"
Kurase Mayumi looked astonished. She had come over because she was hungry after finishing her cram school class, originally intending to eat, but she saw this scene as soon as she arrived.
Joichiro Yukihira and Dylan had set up their stations at Restaurant Yukihira. Such a commotion, coupled with them being local celebrities, brought out almost everyone from the entire commercial street.
And the customers on this street were mostly regulars of Restaurant Yukihira. In a competition like this, if the skill levels were similar, the scales of their hearts would naturally tip towards the one they were closer to...
"Let the two little ones be the servers. We two will just focus on cooking. The time is set from five to nine in the evening. Whoever sells more set meals wins this Shokugeki."
Glancing at the well-behaved Kikuchi Sonoka standing beside him, and Soma Yukihira who was chatting with the girl, Dylan turned his head and said.
"That works. I was also troubled about not having a helper."
Hearing Dylan's suggestion, Joichiro Yukihira readily accepted. A chef's competition was about culinary skill and should not be constrained by other external conditions.
And because the father and son often coordinated, they had long formed a rapport, which in a sense gave him an advantage over Dylan.
"But are there really this many people on this commercial street? When I came over yesterday, I felt this place was sparsely populated and on the verge of closing down."
Watching the ever-growing crowd, Dylan couldn't help but comment, a flash of excitement in his eyes.
"People always love to join in on the fun. Many people live on this street, but they all like to go to the bustling big shopping malls, so it's naturally hard to see them around. Today, it's probably because of our Shokugeki that they've curiously stopped in their tracks. A Shokugeki duel, no matter where it is, is always very attractive."
Glancing at the outer circle of the crowd, most were familiar faces. Joichiro Yukihira explained. Whenever there was a Shokugeki duel, even with unknown chefs, people couldn't help but stop and watch, let alone when one of the participants was him.
The recognized number one chef on this street.
"Go Joichiro, crush him!"
The crowd gathered, surrounding the front of Restaurant Yukihira, their discussions buzzing. Suddenly, someone in the crowd shouted.
"Take him down! Show him the strength of our commercial street's number one chef!"
"Go, Joichiro! We'll support you no matter what!"
"Joichiro! Victory!"
"Joichiro! Victory!"
And after that sudden shout, the scene instantly erupted with cheers of support, but the object of the cheers was solely Joichiro Yukihira.
This was the prestige he had accumulated from running his shop on this commercial street for so long.
"Dylan Sensei, this..."
Watching everything unfold, a worried look flashed across Kikuchi Sonoka's face. All these residents were the judges; they couldn't all be on the opponent's side!
"This is how it is on someone else's home turf. It's very disadvantageous for us. But don't worry, I'll use my cooking to change their minds."
Dylan patted Kikuchi Sonoka's hand, which had grabbed onto him in nervousness, but he wasn't worried. In fact, this was exactly the scene he wanted to see.
Only with enough pressure could he be motivated to become even stronger!
"I feel everyone's enthusiasm, and I'm truly flattered. Tonight, our shop will be bringing you a special dish developed for winter. Please look forward to it."
Sensing the situation was getting out of control, Joichiro Yukihira took two steps forward, raised his hands to quiet the crowd, and the scene instantly fell silent.
"A winter special? It's early this year!"
"I've been waiting for this for so long! In previous years, it only started selling in December. This challenger has actually done a good thing!"
"I can't wait anymore! Let's start already, I'm getting impatient!"
Hearing Joichiro Yukihira's words, the surrounding customers started discussing again, their faces filled with excitement and glee, everyone looking forward to his winter special.
And the time was now exactly five o'clock.
"Alright, it's time. Let's begin."
Taking off the watch on his wrist and gently placing it in Kikuchi Sonoka's hand, Dylan's resonant voice rang out, interrupting the crowd's discussion.
"Okay."
Joichiro Yukihira nodded, strode to his own cooking station, but didn't rush to cook. Instead, he curiously looked towards Dylan's station.
For the other party to bring such a cooking station, it couldn't possibly be a joke, but he also couldn't figure out how such a station could be used, so he decided to observe.
"How do you even use this kind of station? There's not even a place to chop vegetables."
"Is this guy a fake chef? He looks young and handsome, and even has a nice scent on him. He doesn't look like a chef at all."
"Why are you smelling him? You pervert."
"He just passed by me, you know? When I see a handsome guy, I can't help but look, so sniffing a bit is also normal!"
"Let's wait and see, we'll know how he's going to cook soon enough..."
Many people shared the same thought as Joichiro Yukihira. Most of the audience focused their attention on Dylan, waiting for his move.
"Bring the things over."
And Dylan didn't keep them waiting. He instructed the pre-arranged assistants to bring over the ingredients like beef and fresh shrimp and place them in front of the cooking station.
"Silver Chopstick Ten-Wok Revival: Seven-Star Army Breaker!"
With a soft cry, Dylan's eyes became incredibly serious.
At this moment, his entire spirit and energy reached their peak. The next moment, a pair of long, silver chopsticks appeared in his hands, flying and dancing in the air.
First, he turned on the induction cookers to light up each stove, then, using the silver chopsticks, he hooked one iron wok after another, letting them land steadily on each stove.
The oil pot was also hooked up at some unknown time, pouring oil into the several woks farther away.
The other woks were filled with clear water.
"What is he preparing to do? Does this guy really know how to cook..."
Soma Yukihira was puzzled, staring intently at Dylan, as if trying to see through him. Although brandishing a pair of chopsticks so skillfully was impressive, it had nothing to do with cooking. He couldn't possibly process ingredients with chopsticks, could he?
"The amazing thing about Dylan Sensei is his cooking method. We ordinary people can't even begin to understand it, let alone replicate it. You just need to watch. Be prepared to be submerged in Dylan Sensei's god-tier culinary skills!"
Kikuchi Sonoka's voice sounded from the side, her gaze towards Dylan filled with fanaticism. She trusted him unconditionally.
"The ingredients... are flying?!"
"Not only that, the shrimp shells are rapidly peeling off the shrimp bodies, even the veins are being removed, and also the outer membrane on the shrimp... It's incredible!"
It's unknown who shouted, but the surrounding people looked up towards the sky above Dylan and then saw a scene that made their expressions twist in shock.
Shrimp and beef flew into the sky. Dylan had also put down most of the chopsticks in his hand, leaving only one. In his other hand, the Wuqu of the Seven Stars appeared.
The next moment, the ingredients in the air were rapidly processed. The scraps fell to the left, and the processed ingredients fell to the right, clearly separated.
"How can such a technique exist?"
Seeing this scene, Joichiro Yukihira also cried out in astonishment, his eyes filled with disbelief.
"Is this really something that can be done with cooking? Even a TV drama wouldn't dare to be so exaggerated. The food flies into the sky and lands already processed."
Kurase Mayumi stood beside Soma Yukihira. Wearing glasses, she couldn't see Dylan's movements clearly at all and couldn't stop muttering under her breath.
"Dad..."
While others were in shock, only Soma Yukihira looked worriedly at Joichiro Yukihira, only to see his face filled with excitement, his body trembling slightly.
This made him sigh in relief.
His father, Joichiro Yukihira, had not been intimidated by Dylan's divine technique; instead, his fighting spirit had soared even higher.
"I need to apologize for what I said just now. To be able to process ingredients in mid-air, using only a long chopstick and a knife, there's probably no second person in the world who can do this."
Thinking of his rude words earlier, Soma Yukihira's face turned red, and he spoke with some guilt. Unfortunately, no one at the scene was paying attention to him.
"Look! What happened? After that carrot flew into the sky, a few flashes of light passed, and when it landed, it had turned into a red dragon?!"
"It's true! It was carved in an instant!"
At this moment, everyone was staring at the exquisitely shaped red dragon on the plate. It was carved from a carrot, looking lifelike and carrying an incredibly astonishing presence.
"Oh no, why do I feel like my legs are a bit weak?"
"Me too, to be scared by a carved dragon. If there weren't so many people around, I might have fallen to the ground by now."
It's unknown who started the commentary, but others chimed in one after another, a hint of panic in their eyes, not daring to look directly at the red dragon, afraid of making a fool of themselves.
"There it is, Dylan Sensei's amazing carving skill!"
Compared to the shock of others, the fanaticism in Kikuchi Sonoka's eyes was even greater. This was not the first time she had seen such a scene; it only felt incredibly familiar.
Although it was a work completed in an instant, its level of completion was no less than the meticulous carving of some chefs. This was the specialty of the Wenqu of the Seven Stars.
The Wuqu Knife and the Wenqu Knife.
One was known for its sharpness and cutting speed, able to quickly process large quantities of ingredients and perform cooking techniques that required high-speed cutting.
One was famous for its elegant blade shape and exquisite carving memory, with an emphasis on the decorative carving of ingredients, simply put, the external appearance of the dish.
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