Reborn in Japan as a Chef God
Chapter 97: The Complexity in "Simplicity

Chapter 97: Chapter 97: The Complexity in "Simplicity

"Instead of making traditional Japanese sushi or omelet rice, you chose to make traditional Chinese snacks?"

Xia Yu laughed.

Even without asking, he could guess the reason.

Traditional Japanese sushi involves mixing rice with egg, but this type of cuisine obviously did not meet Tiqie Helinai’s pursuit of "perfection" and "gorgeousness."

Sushi is a mass-market cuisine. If she made it, it would be like slapping her own face. Once her persistence vanished, Tiqie Helinai’s culinary philosophy would face a breakdown. Such a collapse could likely cause an exceptional chef to disappear.

In truth, glutinous rice with egg was also a rather mass-market dish.

However, compared to sushi, glutinous rice with egg at least did not belong to the "simple techniques" category and allowed a significant amount of operational space.

Just like now, the glutinous rice with egg Tiqie Helinai served was full of artistic flair, practically a fine sculpture!

Holding an egg between his thumb and index finger.

The glutinous rice was crystal clear, and the richness was overwhelming, not to mention, the diced ham, corn kernels, and diced mushrooms mixed into the glutinous rice ball were vibrant, achieving a perfect visual effect.

This version of glutinous rice with egg was a modified one. The original version should have used salted duck egg. But once Xia Yu took a bite, he found his mouth filled with a unique salty and savory flavor, effectively countering the greasiness of the glutinous rice.

"Where does this salty savory taste come from..."

Xia Yu was startled.

He looked down and realized it was the beautifully shaped salted egg yolk at the center of the glutinous rice ball.

With Xia Yu’s knowledge of cooking, turning a chicken egg yolk into a salted egg yolk would take at least two days.

Could it be that salted egg yolk was also available at the contest ingredient supply?

Xia Yu felt like laughing inexplicably.

Someone who loudly claimed to hate mass-market dishes, had mastered the essence of glutinous rice with egg and mixed in her philosophy and refined culinary skills. It could be said that the "Divine Tongue" had managed to package this common snack as an upscale delicacy.

Deceptive to oneself!

That was what made Xia Yu want to laugh.

Fundamentally, glutinous rice with egg was still glutinous rice with egg; no matter how many techniques she used, it was still a mass-market snack, only now made by her "Divine Tongue," it seemed only natural for it to be expensive.

"How is it?" Tiqie Helinai intently stared at him.

"Delicious, a killer dish!"

Xia Yu gave a thumbs up in admiration, without a hint of insincerity.

Indeed.

This glutinous rice with egg had the quality of a "killer dish." Tiqie Helinai, with her "perfect" and "refined" culinary skills, had forcefully transformed a common snack into an art piece, with a hint of turning decay into magic.

Sadly, even the most splendid castle was hollow inside.

"Does that mean I win?"

Tiqie Helinai’s lips curved into a cool smile, which made Xia Yu pause briefly before waving his hand, "You should try it yourself first."

"Hm?!"

Her expression composed, Tiqie Helinai pursed her lips, picked up a glutinous rice with egg, peeled off the outer aluminum foil, and swallowed the exposed glutinous rice ball in one bite.

Her "Divine Tongue" immediately fed back the three-dimensional information of the dish.

Castle!

A huge white castle emerged in her mind. Upon closer observation, one would see that the castle walls were shiny eggshells, with intricate artistic carvings on the surface.

Diced ham, corn kernels, and diced mushrooms turned into little soldiers, colorful, scattered within the white castle, standing in strict formation. And within the palace of the castle was the Salted Egg King on his throne.

The scene was like a beautifully animated scene, and Tiqie Helinai was very pleased; this was the Dream Kingdom she had intricately woven into her cooking!

But as the situation changed rapidly, the next moment the castle faced a cataclysm.

Boom.

A colossal slime monster suddenly appeared outside the pristine castle walls, its semi-solid body rolling over the walls, which crashed down with a loud snap.

The soldiers inside the castle scattered in all directions, and as Tiqie Helinai stood dumbfounded, the slime boss took over the palace, declaring atop the ruins that this territory now belonged to the Slime Empire. A large swarm of smaller slimes cheered and surged into the castle.

The air above sizzled with searing heat, and Tiqie Helinai looked up to see a group of Flame Demons wielding giant scythes staring down at the castle, one of the leaders letting out a deep chuckle, "Empty castles are too easy to conquer, heh heh heh!"

"My kingdom... has collapsed!"

Tiqie Helinai stepped back slightly, her face turning pale and her shoulders trembling slightly.

Slimes, flesh jellies, enough!

She recalled her recent training experience with the "Divine Tongue," roaring inwardly.

"Miss Eriina!"

At the examination venue, Niho Fuyuka saw "Divine Tongue’s" eyes swiftly well up with tears and quickly steadied her.

Tiqie Helinai bit her lip hard, her hands braced on the table, stubbornly staring at Xia Yu.

"What do you think is the difference between your dishes and mine?"

Xia Yu, unconcerned about her emotional state, said on his own, "Your exquisite culinary skills, your pursuit of perfection are right. Just discussing culinary skills, it would still take me a long time to catch up with you, but your dishes, they lack soul."

"Do you remember the Far Moon two-star evaluation from the other day, Mr. Dubian? I know you were there, and your problem is actually the same as Mr. Dubian’s."

"But you are way better than Mr. Dubian, just keep improving your culinary skills, and it wouldn’t be difficult for you to become a nine-star chef in the future."

On the subject of "adding flavors," Xia Yu still felt he was in a position to advise Tiqie Helinai.

Common, simplified dishes aren’t necessarily unappetizing, and the skills they involve aren’t necessarily inferior to haute cuisine.

Take his "Transformed raw egg rice bowl" for example.

Cooking rice over charcoal is actually a "Bursting Flame" flavoring step. Having mastered this culinary technique, Xia Yu is very sensitive to heat levels and, using an air-blower, he can even out the temperature of the charcoal, and the rice ultimately gains an additional taste of fire!

Then there’s the "Heart of Cooking."

He doesn’t have to activate this talent deliberately; while cooking, he’s not just a chef, he’s a Culinary Kingdom engineer, turning every ingredient into a brick and mortar of the kingdom.

The combination of culinary skills and culinary heart is the scope of unfettered creativity.

Xia Yu dared to initiate a culinary battle because he had ample confidence in his own culinary skills.

This confidence was not blind arrogance.

He distinctly remembered how about a week ago, the female top-class chef, Liangzi Lina, after tasting his strong version of Dark Explosive Flame Stir-fried Meat, praised it.

With that ultimate dish of fire, he could even compete with Si Yingshi, the top-ranked master chef of Ten Masters of Far Moon, who had mastered the Heart of Cooking!

And now, his control over "Bursting Flame" had improved, stronger than he was a week before.

Furthermore, Xia Yu also showed enough respect to Tiqie Helinai.

Before starting, he allocated his two unused Talent Points entirely to "Heart of Cooking," meaning he was now even better at flavoring.

Looking at Tiqie Helinai’s frustrated expression, Xia Yu slowly said:

"Always aloof, self-proclaiming nobility, if that’s the case, your culinary world will be just that."

"How about it? Is my Transformed raw egg rice bowl delicious?"

"If it’s tasty, give a squeak—"

However, Tiqie Helinai, wiping away the tears from her eyes, turned and walked off, Niho Fuyuka chasing after her.

The hall echoed with the "Divine Tongue’s" voice, trembling as she shouted:

"It tastes awful!!!"