Chef Hua
Chapter 177: Episode 112 Three-flavor Chicken (Part 3) (Third Update)_2

Chapter 177: Episode 112 Three-flavor Chicken (Part 3) (Third Update)_2

The clamor from the crowd was like thousands of flies buzzing and circling around his ears, making his head spin. He shook his head vigorously, gritted his teeth, narrowed his eyes, and finally managed to utter the words to Hua Xiaomai.

"How do you want to compete?"

Ah, she had finally fallen into the trap!

Hua Xiaomai wanted to laugh uproariously towards the heavens three times, but she still appeared very calm on the surface, "I don’t know what the stakes were for your competition with Chef Tan, and I don’t care to know. Since you’ve already had two rounds, let’s settle the winner in one go, how about that?"

"Fine!" Boss Huang bared his teeth and nodded, "I refuse to believe that I can’t beat a little girl like you!" He then called for his apprentice to come and wash his wok.

"Don’t be hasty," Hua Xiaomai stopped his action and continued to smile gently, "Since you’re competing with me now, we should reestablish the rules. To ensure fairness, let’s both take over a stove inside the house to cook. After we’re done, we’ll bring out the dishes for everyone to taste. Is that okay?"

Boss Huang’s heart skipped a beat.

He had chosen to compete on the street precisely because those "onlookers" who were paid could easily tell which dish was his, preventing any complications. But if they went inside, the people outside wouldn’t be able to see them cooking, and if something were to happen...

"You’re not willing?" Hua Xiaomai raised her eyebrows in surprise, "We don’t have a professional judge, so this is the only way to be truly fair to both of us. If you have real skills, what difference does it make where you cook? If you’re worried about me playing tricks, you can arrange for someone you trust to stay by my side and watch me, so even if I wanted to pull something, I wouldn’t be able to."

The crowd became noisy again, and with no choice left, Boss Huang had to agree. He really dispatched a follower to stick closely to Hua Xiaomai’s side.

They borrowed the kitchen from Tan’s Tavern nearby and immediately stepped inside.

Since Boss Huang refused to share a room with Hua Xiaomai for cooking, he had someone move the stove at the entrance to the backyard to prepare his cooking there. Hua Xiaomai couldn’t be bothered with him, and just took a ready-made whole chicken. She chopped off half of it to blanch and get rid of the blood, and then cut it into rough strips before tearing them into thin shreds by hand, lightly marinating them with egg white and salt.

In a hot wok, she added ginger slices to release fragrance, poured a little Shao Wine, then stirred the shredded chicken in the wok, added soy sauce and sugar, and made a light sauce with bean powder to thicken it. Once the meat was cooked, she set it aside in a bowl for later.

The chicken bones, which had been set aside, were dipped in flour and fried until fragrant, and placed at the bottom of a plate; they also required a little seasonal vegetables to cut through the richness, enhancing the visual appeal with their colors. Finally, the stir-fried chicken shreds were placed on top of the chicken bones, completing a dish that was brightly red and aromatic – the soy sauce shredded chicken was ready.

This dish was also one of the methods in "Three-flavor Chicken." The hand-shredded chicken had an extra bite to it and was particularly well-seasoned. It absorbed the salty umami from the soy sauce and the refreshing taste of the vegetables. With just one chopstick-full placed into the mouth, it was an intense burst of flavor;

The chicken bones fried in oil were cooked just right, crackling in the mouth with a burst of crispiness from the oil. Wrapped in a leafy green and stuffed into the mouth, the flavor was rich yet clean, without a hint of greasiness.

Back in the courtyard, Boss Huang had taken the chicken legs and made a dish of red-braised leg meat, putting in extra effort for his competition with Hua Xiaomai. When served, the dish was equally beautiful in color and rich in fragrance. However, when compared, the "soy sauce hand-shredded chicken" was undoubtedly more suited as a complement to alcohol and as an appetizer, stimulating a greater appetite.

Both dishes were placed on the table, and the onlookers were each given a pair of chopsticks, one after another they went forward to taste and choose the side of the dish they preferred.

After trying both dishes, Hua Erniang and Wen Huaren did not hesitate to stand behind the soy sauce hand-shredded chicken. Among the real passersby, nine out of ten also moved to their side. Since they did not know who made each dish, those "onlookers" who were paid found themselves in a dilemma. They wanted to glance at Boss Huang’s face, but under the watchful eyes of the crowd, Boss Huang couldn’t give them any secret signals, and could only watch as the majority of them moved to Hua Xiaomai’s side.

Although Hua Xiaomai had always been confident in her culinary skills, the matter concerned Master Tan’s restaurant, so she inevitably felt a bit nervous. It wasn’t until that moment, when her long-standing anxiety finally settled, that she laughed heartily and went up to Boss Huang, looking him in the eye, "We agreed earlier that one round would decide the winner. Now that the result is clear, what do you have to say, Boss Huang?"

"What? That hand-shredded chicken was made by that young girl?" There was a stir among the onlookers, "I thought..."

Those who stood on the wrong side, afraid their earned money would be taken back, were fraught with anxiety, while the few lucky ones who had stood on Boss Huang’s side let out a sigh of relief.

But... at this point, what good was it which side they stood on?

Boss Huang felt he had lost face and swept away indignantly without giving Hua Xiaomai any attention. He went straight to Master Tan and pointed at his nose, "I’m a man of my word, but don’t you get too cocky. I’ll give you another six months, and if you still can’t pay me back, then I’m coming to take over the shop, no further mercy!

With that, he led his few followers through the crowd, departing in a huff.

Wen Huaren’s face was alight with joy as he quickly ran up to Hua Xiaomai, winking and grinning, "I told you, Miss Xiaomai, your cooking skills are invincible, never to be bested. How do things stand now?"

Hua Xiaomai gave him a grin that was more a baring of teeth, then turned to look at Master Tan, who stood there dazed, and said softly, "Although today’s affair has come to a temporary close, you only have six months left to safeguard your restaurant. You should measure your next steps carefully. If you lose this family business, it’s not just about not being able to answer to your ancestors. I think you yourself wouldn’t be able to take it, would you?"

Having said this, she took Hua Erniang by the arm and walked away.

There Master Tan stood, dazed for a moment, but then hurriedly followed, calling out, "Miss, please wait!" (To be continued. If you like this work, we welcome you to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation ticket and monthly ticket. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)