"Gurgle, gurgle."
A commotion came from the pot, large swaths of white foam emerged from bottom to top, then were skimmed off by Zhou Tai with a ladle, allowing the soup to appear on the surface.
The fishy smell of this foam is very strong; if boiled for too long, it will re-dissolve into the soup, affecting the taste of the entire pot, so it needs to be skimmed off beforehand.
After skimming off this foam, the soup in the pot became much clearer. This is also the first step of this dish. At this moment, the soup in the pot is called 'rough stock,' used to denote the coarseness of the product.
In the back kitchens of high-star hotels, 'rough stock' is often used as water; a ladleful is added to any stir-fry to enhance the dish's flavor layers.
Beside him, Zhou Quan added the chopped scallions and ginger, and at the same time, brought a bottle of yellow wine and handed it to Zhou Tai. The amount to be added, Zhou Tai handled with superior finesse.
The cooking methods might be the same, but some people can make a dish's surface shimmer with 'flowing light.' Others, when they create it, the taste can only be described as merely 'acceptable.'
The difference lies in the details.
Watching the state of the soup in the pot, or precisely, the boiling bubbles, Zhou Tai silently lowered the heat, his gaze never leaving the bubbles in the pot.
If the heat is too low, the pot won't boil, and the soup will taste stewed but not aromatic. Furthermore, deeper internal organ flavors won't fully permeate, greatly affecting the soup's taste.
If the heat is too high, the soup might already turn cloudy before it's even fully stewed, and likewise, it won't achieve the desired effect.
Therefore, when the bubbles rise two to three centimeters, it's optimal, and only then can it truly be called 'boiling soup.'
This process requires five to six hours.
After processing these, all that remained was to wait. Zhou Tai glanced at the state in the pot, then looked towards Dylan, his aged, wise eyes revealing their full acumen.
"So skillful! Even though they are just basic techniques, they give one a feeling of effortless perfection..."
Inside the kitchen.
Besides the four people currently competing, there were also the girls observing.
Watching Zhou Tai's every step, as if by muscle memory, until he finally covered the pot, such thoughts involuntarily surfaced in the girls' minds.
And as Zhou Tai finished the initial processing of the soup and stopped his movements, everyone's gaze at the scene shifted towards Dylan and Miyoko Hojo.
At this moment, Miyoko Hojo had already rehydrated the dried seafood. She stood beside, watching Dylan. What remained was no longer a realm she could participate in.
Although very unwilling, looking at the ingredients on the table, which had very little connection to each other and would logically be difficult to combine, she felt utterly overwhelmed, and after thinking for a long time, she still had no ideas.
In this situation.
Rather than causing trouble by acting, she might as well obediently serve at his side, like a wooden doll, at least not getting in the way, and she could also witness Dylan's astonishing skill.
Thinking of the look Dylan had given her earlier.
Miyoko Hojo felt incredibly at ease at this moment.
Because that was a look of complete confidence!
Just then, a cleaver appeared in Dylan's hand. He then finished butchering the soft-shelled turtle that had been actively thrashing in the basin.
After butchering, the soft-shelled turtle was rinsed under running water to wash away surface mud and impurities. After all, all the flavors today would revolve around this soft-shelled turtle.
Furthermore.
On the cooking station in front of Dylan were many other ingredients such as red dates, longan, lotus seeds, goji berries, pigeon, and green bamboo shoots.
Among them, red dates, goji berries, alongside angelica sinensis, dried tangerine peel, yam, fennel, pepper, etc., were placed together, all belonging to the category of medicinal herbs.
Lotus seeds, winter melon, fragrant herbs, and other ingredients were placed together, belonging to the vegetable category.
Regarding medicinal herbs, Dylan's attitude was that they could be added, but the quantity must absolutely not be too much. Otherwise, not only would they fail to provide benefits, but they would also affect the overall taste of the soup.
He soaked the lotus seeds and other ingredients in water.
Next, he took the butchered soft-shelled turtle to the cutting board, lifted its shell, and removed all the grayish-white fat from inside, discarding it.
Soft-shelled turtle fat is very gamey. Cultivated soft-shelled turtle fat is pale yellow, while only wild ones have grayish-white fat. This soft-shelled turtle is of very high quality.
Looking at the grayish-white fat in his hand, Dylan nodded inwardly. He then removed the soft-shelled turtle's tail and gills, and blanched it in 60-degree water for about one minute.
The blanched soft-shelled turtle was removed, and its surface skin was peeled off, not even sparing its toenails.
This step is crucial for making good soft-shelled turtle soup. If the water temperature is too high, the skin and meat will cook through, making them hard to remove. If the water temperature is too low, they won't separate well, making them hard to remove.
Only at the perfect temperature can the soft-shelled turtle skin be easily removed.
The precise degree needed here can only be understood by those who frequently cook soft-shelled turtle. This is also a detail crucial for making good cuisine.
"Do you intend to make an improved version of the Five-Circle Soft-Shelled Turtle? Given the complexity of the ingredients you've purchased, it's indeed a good solution, provided there aren't so many medicinal herbs..."
Strolling towards Dylan, Zhou Tai looked at the ingredients he had singled out. He stroked his chin, and after a moment of thought, voiced his idea.
If he wasn't mistaken, Dylan was probably trying to make a delicacy from Hunan, the Five-Circle Soft-Shelled Turtle Soup.
Besides Five-Circle Soft-Shelled Turtle Soup, there's also Five-Circle Sunflower Chicken, both specialties from Hunan. This young fellow isn't old, yet he knows quite a lot.
Zhou Tai put away his surprise, unable to help but sigh in admiration.
"Soft-shelled turtle is known as the 'Five-Flavor Delicacy Meat,' as it simultaneously combines the flavors of beef, lamb, chicken, deer, and pork. And since you've called it an 'improved version,' then this is naturally a modified dish."
The 'Five Circles' correspond to five types of umami.
Using them to stew soup couldn't be more suitable.
As for the remaining parts, Dylan prepared to use medicated cuisine methods to process the soft-shelled turtle, then use the 'Five Circles' to complement the 'Five Flavors.'
The processed soft-shelled turtle was cut into equal-sized pieces, massaged with salt and white wine, then rinsed clean with water, and stir-fried in a pot until fragrant.
This is for removing gamey odors and enhancing texture. At the same time, the braised soft-shelled turtle meat will not fall apart during the stewing process, allowing one to eat the meat while drinking the soup.
After stir-frying until almost done, add huadiao wine, then cold water. When the water temperature rises, add fennel, large red dates, codonopsis root, angelica sinensis, rhizoma polygonati, and a small bag of pre-mixed spices.
It's worth mentioning that a large portion of spices in this world are actually medicinal herbs. Because they contain flavors that humans enjoy, they are used as spices and are generally harmless to the human body.
"Well, I'm certainly looking forward to it! Smelling this rich aroma, I can't help but drool!"
He took his seat and smelled the rich aroma in the air. A faint blush appeared on Zhou Tai's aged face, a look of pure enjoyment.
Seeing this, Dylan said no more. He simply butchered the chicken in the cage beside him. After quickly processing it, he took out the chicken breast, placed it on the cutting board, rapidly minced it with his knife, and simultaneously used chopsticks to pick out the fascia.
And the soaked pigeon meat, red dates, and other 'Five Circles' were also ready.
The lotus seeds were cored and set aside. The rehydrated longan, salt, MSG, and ginger slices were added to the pot in sequence. With this, the first step was complete.
The green bamboo shoots were placed on the board, peeled, and their inner cores cut into small spheres, then set aside with the lotus seeds.
Because of their rich umami, adding them too early would easily compete with the soft-shelled turtle's flavor, so they needed to be added in the middle stage of stewing the soup.
"Let's take a break first."
Looking at the 'gurgling' bubbling soup in front of him, Dylan set down what was in his hands. He spoke to Zhou Tai, then returned to the living room with a relaxed air.
Seeing this, Zhou Tai also didn't wait in the kitchen. After exchanging a glance with Dylan, he silently returned to the living room to drink tea and chatted idly with Dylan.
Zhou Yuyu sat opposite the two, propping her face with her hands, staring at Dylan with an infatuated expression. Meanwhile, Alice Nakiri, to assert her sovereignty, remained by his side, adopting the posture of a hostess.
Zhou Quan and Miyoko Hojo stood before their respective soup pots, simply gazing at the boiling soup in front of them, their eyes clear and bright, not a hint of displeasure.
The chicken soup was rich and mellow, and the soft-shelled turtle soup was equally full of flavor. The aromas of the two occupied separate corners of the kitchen, transforming into the Vermilion Bird and the Black Tortoise, vying invisibly.
From the chicken soup pot, the rich steam rose, transforming into a Vermilion Bird with wings spread, ready to take flight.
This Vermilion Bird was not a physical entity, but condensed from rich aroma. Golden light flickered within the mist, making it appear incredibly sacred.
On the other side, the aroma of the soft-shelled turtle soup slowly rose, transforming into a steady and majestic Black Tortoise, carrying a mountain-like aura.
The form of the Black Tortoise, interwoven by a turtle and a snake, had a deep and restrained aroma, exuding the dual essence of ocean and land, making one unable to help but sigh in awe.
And as the aromas took form, steam billowed around the kitchen. The Vermilion Bird cried out, the Black Tortoise roared, and after a moment of confrontation, they fiercely clashed.
The Vermilion Bird's aroma was as scorching as flames, attempting to devour everything, while the Black Tortoise, with its unique steadiness and gravitas, constructed a solid defensive line with its aroma, resisting the Vermilion Bird's attacks.
The two intertwined in the air. At times, the Vermilion Bird's aroma gained the upper hand, like the scorching sun in the sky, illuminating all directions; at other times, the Black Tortoise's aroma quietly rose, like twilight descending, bringing a hint of coolness and tranquility.
The two entwined, neither gaining an advantage. And Dylan and Zhou Tai, at some unknown point, had returned to the kitchen, standing before their respective cooking stations, their faces full of seriousness.
Dried clams, dried scallops, conpoy.
Dylan added the ingredients to the pot one by one.
As the ingredients were added, the aroma representing the Black Tortoise in the sky suddenly trembled. Immediately after, the Black Tortoise roared in fury and stood directly upright.
The dried clams, dried scallops, and conpoy boiled in the pot. Wisps of flavor surged from them into the soup, then transformed into balls of aroma scattered across the sky.
The next moment, the Black Tortoise that had stood upright had a snake entwined on its arm, and layers of pale yellow armor appeared on its body, greatly increasing its defense.
And the armored Black Tortoise wasted no time. It swung a fist at the Vermilion Bird. The Vermilion Bird cried weakly, flapping its wings to retaliate, but caused little damage.
The battle, which had originally been evenly matched, tilted towards the Black Tortoise the moment it gained heavy armor.
On the other side, looking at the soup that had been boiled down to just a thin layer, Zhou Tai did not add any new ingredients. Instead, he filtered the ingredients from the pot.
The filtered soup was returned to the pot, brought back to a vigorous boil over high heat. Then, he brought a basin, poured water into it, and added the previously minced chicken breast.
He quickly stirred it open with his hands, added scallions and ginger, yellow wine, pepper, salt, and sugar for simple seasoning, then poured it into the chicken soup.
Simmering slowly over low heat.
As time passed, the adsorbing agents formed by the chicken breast rapidly absorbed the impurities in the soup, and the soup in the pot visibly became clear.
At the same time, the Vermilion Bird in the sky suddenly cried out. A layer of white flames abruptly appeared around its body, rapidly engulfing and consuming it.
A few minutes later, the white flames vanished. The Vermilion Bird, whose body had been covered in injuries from the Black Tortoise's attacks, was now completely rejuvenated, and its body had turned a glazed color.
The two sides clashed once again. This time, they became evenly matched once more; neither could overpower the other.
"Amazing!"
Inside the living room, everyone, seeing Dylan and Zhou Tai enter the kitchen, came in from outside. They then witnessed this scene in the sky, their faces filled with immense shock.
Zhou Yuyu muttered to herself. She had long heard that battles between high-star chefs were like martial arts duels, grand and imposing. At the time, she thought it was an exaggeration. After all, it was just cooking; even if the taste was excellent, there couldn't be some grand spectacle.
Looking at everything before her, Zhou Yuyu only felt that all her previous perceptions had been overturned.
The Vermilion Bird and Black Tortoise circling in the sky looked so mighty and imposing. Now, clashing together, even though they were merely spectators, they felt their hearts tremble with fear.
Though they knew these were illusions, they could see them clearly and vividly. It was hard to imagine such a display being conjured by just two dishes.
"So the things in that storybook are actually true? Powerful chefs can imbue food with a spirit, and during battles with other chefs, they can make food spirits appear to interfere with the opponent, thereby achieving ultimate victory..."
Among the crowd, Erina Nakiri closed her eyes, and a scene from a storybook she read as a child inexplicably surfaced in her mind—the storybook had described a similar plot.
At the time, she only thought it childish. Cooking was fundamentally inanimate; how could people battle each other? But now, it seemed she was the childish one.
Looking at the soup in front of Zhou Tai, which quickly became clear, Dylan's lips curved slightly. The other party's dish should be complete.
And he was still one final step away!
These are ingredients that need to be added just before serving, otherwise they will be overcooked by the soup, affecting the final texture.
And as these three ingredients entered the pot, the Black Tortoise in the sky suddenly gained a heavy hammer in its hand. Facing the surging Vermilion Bird, it unceremoniously slammed the hammer down onto its head.
This one blow directly dealt it a heavy blow.
Seeing this, Zhou Tai continuously skimmed out the impurities from the pot, trying to restore the Vermilion Bird's state in the sky, hoping it could rest and fight again.
However, the Black Tortoise's offensive was fierce, giving it no time to catch its breath.
Soon, with a whimper from the Vermilion Bird, the Black Tortoise achieved ultimate victory.
The next moment, the light in the soup in front of Zhou Tai dimmed. Although it looked no different from before, it actually lacked something important, and this caused a bitter smile to appear on his face.
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