Reborn in Japan as a Chef God
Chapter 205 - 204: Time Changes Everything

Chapter 205: Chapter 204: Time Changes Everything

Shigong’s cooking had swiftly progressed to a crucial stage.

Meanwhile, Xia Yu’s soybean residue was ready to come out of the pot.

But before frying, Xia Yu had used numerous sheets of kitchen paper to meticulously extract the moisture from the soybean residue, bit by bit.

Preferring to take extra time, he strived for perfection.

Removing moisture was a critical step; otherwise, the clumping soy residue would not transform into individual granules upon entering the hot oil, thereby ruining the texture of the "soybean minced meat."

Aspiring to create a flawless, luminous dish, there could be no oversight!

"Szzzz.."

Having the right kitchen tools, Xia Yu placed the soy residue into a dense wire strainer; in fact, he equipped a strainer in each hand. Channeling the fiery sensation granted by the "Bursting Flame" cooking technique, he concentrated on detecting the exact temperature of the oil before swiftly making his move!

Hissss!

Dipping the strainers quickly into the hot oil and circling around the pot, he instantly lifted them up!

Next was the strainer in his left hand—same procedure, the oil bath lasting less than 5 seconds!

The newly hardened soybean minced meat tumbled into a clean bowl, creating a pleasing sound, akin to beans. Disregarding the heat, Xia Yu pinched a piece of the soybean minced meat between his fingers and, as if eating a sunflower seed, placed it by his teeth and gently bit down.

Crack. A definitive snap.

Upon being fried, the minced meat was fragrant and delicious, breaking apart to unleash a rich beef flavor that immediately engulfed his mouth!

"The heat control is perfect; success on the first try!"

Xia Yu’s heart relaxed a moment.

The "soybean minced meat" was a secretive key to the original "Magical Mapo Tofu" recipe, and similarly, in the improved recipe, the minced meat was crucial. Otherwise, Xia Yu would not have specially prepared spiced water to enhance its flavor.

Now, the "soybean minced meat" he had fried was not just about the intense beef flavor, but as one chewed, it unveiled an overpoweringly delicious mix of spices!

Transformation—perfection!

"Click"

That was the sound of a valve opening as the flame on the stove was set ablaze, scorching the iron pot that had just been placed upon it.

The first step—aromatizing the pot!

First, he poured in peanut oil and waited for it to boil. Once bubbly, he added Sichuan peppercorn and chili pepper to the hot oil to stir-fry. With the flames roaring, Xia Yu controlled the temperature until soon after, he filtered out the chili and peppercorns, leaving only the oil.

The second step—salt and soy sauce, minced garlic, fermented black bean sauce, sweet bean sauce, more minced garlic, and of course, the soul of Shuchuan cuisine—bean paste, were almost haphazardly thrown into the hot pot and stirred together!

"Stock—"

The ladle flew through the stockpot, scooping up a full ladle of broth and drizzling it over the sizzling sauces.

So, as the stock and oil from the sauces sufficiently blended, the whole pot took on a vibrant red hue!

"The first taste—spicy!"

Xia Yu’s eyes too were tinted with the brilliant red of the pot.

The exhaust fan above was working at full capacity, yet the pungent spice aroma still pervaded the entire kitchen space.

"Wow, that’s spicy!"

"Shuchuan cuisine? I don’t like spicy food; what can I do..."

Several graduates cast surprised glances.

Qian Rixiangzi timidly raised her hand to protest, "Instructor Xia, could you possibly use less chili pepper?"

With an amused glance, Xia Yu shook his head and continued at his own pace.

Tofu, already cut into pieces, was neatly stacked on a plate. Holding the dish in one hand, Xia Yu tilted it over the edge of the iron pot, and with a splash, the beautifully textured tofu blocks tumbled into the pot.

He seasoned with cooking wine and other flavorings.

After heating briefly on low heat, he sprinkled the tender leaves of garlic into the pot.

This is tender green garlic!

Not far away, Qian Rixiangzi sniffed the air and exclaimed with wide eyes, "Such a rich aroma of garlic leaves, blending in with the spiciness, so harmonious!"

"The second flavor, fragrance—"

Xia Yu murmured to himself, inhaling the strong aroma that filled the air, a touch of excitement shining in his eyes.

So far, every step has been perfect!

He lowered his head to observe the dish in the iron pot.

The red of the chili sauce, the white of the tofu with its beautiful snowy pattern, and the freshly sprinkled tender green garlic leaves, three resplendent colors creating a splendid symphony that captivated the eyes!

"This is the third flavor, color—"

The fourth flavor was coming up. Xia Yu took a deep breath, his gaze regaining the calm of a deep, ancient well, he turned around, fetched a small bowl from behind, tore open a bag of ingredients, and poured the white powder into the bowl, stirring it with water to mix evenly.

"Cornstarch!"

Seeing this, Dojima Yin said in a deep voice, "This is raw potato starch, which is sticky enough, white in color, and fine in texture. When mixed with water and heated, it turns into a transparent, thick consistency. In Chinese cuisine, cornstarch is an extremely important thickening agent, which can make the sauce thicker, enhance the appearance, and bolster both ’color’ and ’shape’!"

"Thickening!"

Upon hearing this, Tiqie Helinai’s gaze instantly became distant.

It’s been about a month and a half since she had first encountered Xia Yu in that unpretentious little shop and sampled his ’Magical Mapo Tofu’.

At that time, Xia Yu’s culinary skills could be described as immature; even the most fundamental thickening technique was not mastered, and Helinai remembered she had severely ridiculed him for it.

But times have changed.

Now, as she watched Xia Yu bustling behind that kitchen counter, even someone as arrogant as Tiqie Helinai had to admit that this guy was a cooking prodigy who progressed astonishingly fast!

"Let me see how tonight’s Mapo Tofu in the underground kitchen compares to that Mapo Tofu you served on a rainy day in Tokyo!"

In Tiqie Helinai’s pupils, there was only the reflection of that person.

"The flavor of heat!"

"Completely flavored, this is the fourth taste, heat—"

"Now is the moment!"

Xia Yu felt the temperature in the dish climbing layer by layer, without any hesitation, his spatula danced, and he quickly transferred the bright red dish into a waiting, oversized white ceramic plate.

"The fifth flavor, numbness!"

Beads of sweat beginning to show on his forehead, Xia Yu didn’t pause for a moment, grabbing several different kinds of spice powders in succession, including Sichuan pepper powder that creates the ’numbing’ flavor, and sprinkled it over the dish that was just out of the pot.

"Boom"

The moment he sprinkled the powder, it was as if he had opened the devil’s spice bottle!

The underground kitchen seemed as if a barrel of spice gunpowder had exploded.

Xia Yu was prepared and moved quickly, hastily fetching a sealed stainless steel lid to cover the entire dish, containing the saliva-inducing explosive spice aroma.

"It’s done!"

Without waiting for the system to score, Xia Yu didn’t know the final result. It took several deep breaths to steady his racing heart.

He glanced over at Shigong’s side and paused for a moment.

At this moment, Shigong Xiaoci Lang had also just completed the final step. He drizzled the last bit of white sauce onto the dish and then, with an air of relief, he raised his head.

Their gazes met mid-air, neither willing to yield.

"Time is up—"

Dojima Yin, who had been keeping time, suddenly spoke in a stern voice.

In the underground kitchen, there was a faint scent of gunpowder.

The tension was palpable!