"The location will be this kitchen. The content of this match will be to use everything available in the kitchen to create a Hunan dish. There's no restriction on type; whoever makes the better-tasting dish wins."
Scanning the kitchen, Li Xiang stated the content of the match: use everything available in the kitchen to create a delicious Hunan dish. Since Dylan was so arrogant, he must have something to rely on, so he wouldn't underestimate him. However, as a Three-Star Special Grade Chef who had been established in Guangzhou for over a decade, he also had a prestigious reputation. Now, facing the provocation of a junior, if he didn't dare to accept the challenge, wouldn't he become a laughingstock!?
Wait, something feels strange... wasn't he the one who came to challenge initially? How did the tables turn so quickly?
Reflecting for a moment, Li Xiang suddenly realized something was wrong. Wasn't he here to test Dylan? Why did it seem like Dylan was even more excited than him!? This expression... like a starved beast suddenly spotting a plump sheep, full of hunting desire!
Thinking this, Li Xiang swallowed hard.
No, how could he be intimidated! This guy was just a junior at best, what hunting desire could he have? He was just eager to fight! There were many belligerent people in this world; it didn't mean being belligerent equated to being strong. Pull yourself together, defeat him in one go!
"Using all the ingredients in the kitchen as the topic, huh? That's quite novel. Unfortunately, it's almost evening now, and after an afternoon of practice, the ingredients have been mostly used up. But what's left is enough. It's just a small match anyway, let's use them for the duel!" Dylan nodded, looked around, mentally cataloged the remaining ingredients in the kitchen, and instantly, dozens of dishes flashed through his mind. Besides common ones, there were several original Hunan dishes, all appearing in that instant.
So-called Hunan cuisine is known for its unique spiciness, rich seasonings, diverse cooking techniques, and deep cultural heritage. In other words, as long as a dish contained these elements, it could be called Hunan cuisine. With this in mind, the range of choices became vast!
"Wanwan, call Wanqing over. With her, there will be exactly five people here, suitable to serve as judges for this match."
"Wanwan..." Hearing Dylan's address for his daughter, Li Xiang's eyebrow twitched, but he didn't say anything, instead finding a seat and closing his eyes in thought. He had never heard of Dylan before, clearly not a Guangzhou local. And in this Special Grade Chef examination, it was said that a Special Grade chef who skillfully combined Guangfu and Hunan cuisines had appeared. Could it be him?! This question surfaced in Li Xiang's mind, and the more he thought, the more plausible it seemed. If Dylan wasn't skilled in Hunan cuisine, how would he dare to challenge him with Hunan cuisine as the theme?!
"I admit you have some talent, but compared to my decades of accumulation, even with great talent, you can only bow down today! Hopefully, through this match, you can properly temper your personality." Looking at the man laughing and joking with the girls, Li Xiang thought silently. Being young and becoming a Special Grade Chef was indeed remarkable. But which Special Grade Chef wasn't a genius?! The depth accumulated over time couldn't be compensated for by mere talent!
"We can begin. I've already thought of what to make. There's no time limit. As long as you can present a dish of the same level as mine, I'll consider it my loss." Li Xiang said, standing up. As he spoke, he started walking around the kitchen. If he saw needed ingredients at various cooking stations, he took them directly, finally gathering these ingredients at a new station.
"Then let's begin. I happen to have some ideas too. Just not sure if they'll succeed. It counts as a trendy dish combining the characteristics of both regions." Same as Li Xiang guessed, Dylan planned to combine Guangfu and Hunan cuisines. With Hunan cuisine as the main focus and Guangfu cuisine as support, he aimed to create an innovative, new-style Hunan dish. Being in Guangzhou and tasting and learning so much these days, Dylan's understanding of Guangfu cuisine had already reached a new level. There were many ingenious Guangfu dishes, not rigidly adhering to tradition but innovating upon it, resulting in impressive new-style cuisine.
Taking the essence. Just looking at these new-style dishes broadened Dylan's thinking. He had also used his super taste to secretly learn quite a few dishes. Even if the preparation was complex, for Dylan, it was just a matter of a few more bites. Any dish that passed his lips, he could deduce its recipe without much effort. This was the power of super taste!
"Fresh shrimp, squid, scallops, fresh abalone, enoki mushrooms, a few shiitake mushrooms, half a baby cabbage, and then the characteristic seasonings of both regions..." Looking at the limited ingredients in the basket, Dylan quickly made his selections. Because Guangzhou was near the sea, seafood products were exceptionally abundant. The ingredients they had bought during the day were mostly seafood. Even though much had been used, there was still enough for a meal.
"Planning to use seafood? Hunan is an inland province, not coastal. Although adjacent to Guangdong, its cuisine still primarily uses land-based ingredients. Trying to defeat me with seafood-based Hunan cuisine is simply wishful thinking!" Seeing the ingredients Dylan found, Li Xiang, who initially felt uncertain, immediately felt relieved. This fellow was too young; making such a mistake was normal. However, cooking competitions wouldn't grant leniency for such reasons! The moment Dylan chose seafood, he had absolutely no chance of losing this match!
Thinking this, Li Xiang turned his attention back to the station before him.
A cleaned one-year-old young hen went into the pot with cold water, ginger, Sichuan peppercorns, and yellow wine. He turned the heat to high to cook the chicken until just done. He cleaned the cutting board, finely shredded a large amount of ginger and scallion, and diced green, red, and yellow peppers, setting them aside. With this, the preliminary work was done.
"These side dishes... you're making Dong'an Chicken, right?" Observing Li Xiang's prepared side dishes, Dylan spoke directly. Although he wasn't particularly proficient in Hunan cuisine, he still recognized such a famous dish.
"Correct, I am making Dong'an Chicken. The ingredients are relatively simple, all available in the kitchen. And this is the soul of Hunan cuisine!" Hearing Dylan's inquiry, Li Xiang nodded in response. This was indeed the most suitable dish to make now, as all the necessary ingredients could be found here. As long as he perfectly executed this dish, no matter how skilled Dylan was, he wouldn't stand a chance. After all, the ingredients here were limited, and there weren't any high-end ones available. In this situation, Dong'an Chicken was the ultimate solution!
"I see. I'll look forward to it." Dylan nodded, a faint look of anticipation on his face. Dong'an Chicken, cooked personally by a Hunan cuisine master—what would it taste like? Thinking this, Dylan's mouth began to water. Seeing him standing idly at his station, Li Xiang frowned. "Aren't you going to cook your dish?"
"Mine is quite simple, 20 minutes should be enough, no rush. Let's taste each other's dishes later, see the strengths and weaknesses."
"Make your dish first before talking!" Li Xiang retorted irritably. He found Dylan somewhat unreliable. He wondered how someone like this passed the Special Grade Chef examination. And his daughter, where did she find such a character? How did these two even meet? Their circumstances seemed completely incompatible.
"Fine." Sensing the dismissal in Li Xiang's words, Dylan nodded. He knew without showing his skill, he wouldn't gain this old father-in-law's approval. He then returned to his own station.
Seeing him finally ready to cook, Li Xiang breathed a sigh of relief, then refocused his attention on the pot. At this moment, the young hen in the pot was cooked through under the high heat, emitting an enticing aroma thanks to the various added spices. He lifted the hen from the pot. The piping hot chicken was at its prime for handling. As if insensitive to the heat, Li Xiang placed his hands directly on the chicken, rapidly deboning it, tossing the bones aside until they formed a small pile. This dish couldn't tolerate even a single piece of cartilage, otherwise, both the texture and taste would be greatly affected!
"Amazing! A whole chicken deboned just like that! Not a speck of meat left on the bones!" Although unsure why the situation had evolved into a duel with such a tense atmosphere, it didn't stop them from learning techniques. At this moment, the girls gathered around Li Xiang, watching his hands deboning the chicken with fascination.
"My dad has deboned thousands, if not tens of thousands, of chickens. He knows every part of a chicken like the back of his hand. That's why he can debone it so cleanly and swiftly now, even with his eyes closed, he wouldn't miss a single bone." Li Wanwan explained proudly nearby. As Guangzhou's top Hunan cuisine master, her father's restaurant business was exceptionally prosperous. Many customers came specifically for his fame, and this Dong'an Chicken was a must-order dish! Even Guangzhou locals, known for their preference for lighter flavors, became converts, frequenting the Hunan restaurant. It's just that they couldn't handle much spice, often requesting a mildly spicy version, which led to many jokes.
"It has to be said, Special Grade Chefs are no slouches. Unfortunately, his opponent is Teacher Dylan. This match's outcome was decided from the start." Kinokuni Sonoka couldn't help but praise, then added with a slightly strange expression. Dylan's performance in the Dueling Arena, Granny Deft Hands' recruitment offer—all were still vivid in her mind. A chef capable of easily creating luminous dishes was at least a Five-Star Special Grade existence. How could a mere Three-Star possibly win!
"What do you mean? Although Father is formidable, Teacher Dylan doesn't have zero chance of winning, right? The gap between Special Grades isn't that huge. Maybe he'll perform exceptionally." Li Wanwan frowned slightly, thinking Kinokuni Sonoka was predicting Dylan's loss, and immediately spoke up for him. After all, this trouble was brought by her father. However, she also knew in her heart that Dylan's chances of winning were indeed slim. After all, her father was a veteran Hunan cuisine Special Grade Chef.
"Uh... you'll understand when you see it later." Although wanting to explain, the words caught in her throat. How could she explain that Dylan had made luminous cuisine? Seeing it once was more effective than a thousand explanations! Let the bullets fly for a bit!
The cooking continued. Li Xiang finished deboning the chicken, then disassembled the various parts, quickly dicing the cooked chicken meat into uniform small pieces, placing them in a large basin to set aside. He added peanut oil to the wok, sautéed dried chilies until fragrant, then added a large amount of shredded scallion and ginger, stir-frying until aromatic, before adding the diced cooked chicken meat. He added the original chicken broth, yellow wine, MSG, and salt for base flavor, then added a large spoonful of vinegar, simmering over low heat.
Watching the sauce gradually thicken, Li Xiang added white pepper powder and strips of red, yellow, and green bell peppers to the wok, then tossed the wok to mix the ingredients evenly. He added more vinegar, a thin cornstarch slurry to thicken slightly, Sichuan peppercorn powder, and sesame oil, continuing to toss the wok until everything was perfectly combined. Thus, the Dong'an Chicken was complete.
"Taste it, the most authentic Dong'an Chicken!" Scooping the dish from the wok onto a pristine white porcelain plate, Li Xiang looked calmly at the girls discussing their relative strengths. How pitiful. Even his own disciple didn't trust him. It showed how average his skills usually were. Perhaps he passed the exam based on a familiar theme, and there were no particularly strong competitors in his group. Such things happened occasionally.
Thinking this, Li Xiang turned his gaze towards Dylan. In front of him were several clay pots, bubbling away, releasing a fragrance that smelled like a seafood stew! Hunan cuisine, seafood stew? Was this guy trying to be funny?
"Don't rush. You'll know the taste once you try it. It definitely won't disappoint you. This is the most authentic Hunan cuisine!" Turning his head, catching Li Xiang's complex expression, Dylan raised his hand and waggled his finger, speaking in a teasing tone.
"I look forward to your masterpiece." Although somewhat unhappy, Li Xiang wouldn't lose his temper at this point. He silently carried his dish to the judging table. Kinokuni Sonoka and the others had moved several wooden tables from somewhere, sitting neatly in a row, looking quite like a judging panel.
"Dong'an Chicken, try it." Looking at the makeshift judging panel before him, Li Xiang's expression didn't change much, silently dividing his dish into five portions. Wang Wanqing hadn't arrived yet, but it didn't matter. As long as these four sided with him, the match was still his win.
Making a seafood stew using Hunan cuisine methods? "Isn't this just messing..." Wait? That spiciness!
Just as he brought the dish to the judging table, Li Xiang's nose suddenly caught a rich aroma. The spiciness was particularly prominent, fully meeting the standards of Hunan cuisine! Maybe it tastes quite good? Suddenly, Li Xiang swallowed hard, this thought appearing in his mind, startling him instantly. How could he have such a thought?!
"The heat is just right. Take mine too, let's evaluate them together." Dylan's voice came from not far away. Looking over, Li Xiang saw the confident smile on his face, filled with youthful arrogance and wildness. As he spoke, he directly lifted the Hunan-style Guangfu Seafood Stew from the stove with a flick of his hand. Dylan's movements looked rough, yet each pot landed accurately in front of the judges, placed side-by-side with Li Xiang's Dong'an Chicken.
"Of course, there's one specially reserved for you." Dylan brought a clay pot over on a tray to Li Xiang, placing his other hand on the lid. As a gap appeared, dazzling golden light burst out uncontrollably, illuminating the entire kitchen. Li Xiang saw all this, his previous composure gone, replaced by utter shock.
"Lumi... Luminous cuisine?!"
At the same time, Li Wanwan also opened the lid of the clay pot before her. The blinding golden light made her close her eyes, murmuring in disbelief.
"Really... It's really luminous cuisine! Didn't they say only Five-Star Special Grade Chefs can make luminous cuisine? Why can someone who just became Special Grade do it too?" Hojo Miyoko was equally shocked, and quite bewildered. The scene before her somewhat exceeded her cognition. Who told her that only Five-Star Special Grade Chefs could make luminous cuisine?
"Because Teacher Dylan's strength isn't just Special Grade. Calling him Five-Star Special Grade would be modest. You know, even Granny Deft Hands of the Four Heavenly Kings praised his cooking endlessly."
"This fellow is much more formidable than you imagine! Don't judge him by ordinary Special Grade standards, or you'll suffer greatly." Watching the shocked expressions of the three, Kinokuni Sonoka and Kakuzaki Taki, who had expected this, explained one after another. Having long known Dylan's strength, they were the calmest ones present. Li Wanwan, hearing their explanations, finally understood the meaning behind their earlier words – they meant her father was doomed to lose!
"Alright, stop arguing about Special Grade stars. The important thing is the taste of the dish. Stars mean nothing. Hurry up, pick up your chopsticks and try it!" Dylan clapped his hands, stopping their debate. Without needing further instruction, everyone had already extended their chopsticks towards the Hunan-style Guangfu Seafood Stew before them. Li Xiang was the fastest among them.
"The tenderness of fresh shrimp, the chewiness of squid rings, the sweetness of scallops, and the fineness of abalone slices—these various seafood flavors intertwine at the tip of the tongue, collectively creating a fresh and elegant seafood style." Picking up all the seafood with one chopstick, Li Xiang closed his eyes to savor the taste. Like waves constantly crashing on the shore, layers of umami bloomed on his tongue!
"The spicy element of Hunan cuisine is cleverly integrated. This seafood stew must have added chopped chili paste and fermented chili bean paste! The spicy and fragrant flavors they bring not only elevate the dish's overall texture but also make the freshness of the seafood stand out even more." Li Wanwan exclaimed nearby. The characteristic spiciness of Hunan cuisine blended perfectly into this seafood stew, complementing the ingredients perfectly. Furthermore, considering Guangzhou people's lower tolerance for spice, the spiciness of this stew was just right—enough to taste the fragrance of the spice without being overwhelming.
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