"Traditional Eight Treasure Rice always adds lard, but since Muslims cannot eat pork, you boldly added fox oil to it, which must be said is a daring innovation."
"Indeed, even in halal cuisine, usually peanut oil or similar vegetable blended oils are added. Using animal fat is quite a unique idea."
Chewing on the delightfully chewy glutinous rice, savoring its flavor, Gin Dōjima couldn't help but exclaim in admiration. It was hard to imagine that she would actually use fox oil to steam the Eight Treasure Rice; it truly was a daring innovation.
"After countless attempts, I found that fox oil has the mildest flavor, which won't affect the dish's inherent taste, making it the most suitable ingredient for Eight Treasure Rice!"
Seeing that the judges were all satisfied with her dish, Wang Jing's face broke into a smile. Her efforts had not been in vain after all, and she proceeded to explain.
This Eight Treasure Exquisite Rice was the result of a week of experimentation. Based on the recipes for traditional Eight Treasure Rice and halal Eight Treasure Rice, she improved it to create an Eight Treasure Exquisite Rice that better highlighted the rice's flavor.
"Brown sugar added a rich caramel flavor to the blood glutinous rice, dried sweet potato provided a unique texture, and the sweetness of red dates blended with the fresh aroma of lotus seeds, bringing a refreshing note to the blood glutinous rice. The fragrance of longan and the sweet-sour taste of raisins complemented each other, bringing a fruity aroma to the blood glutinous rice, while the addition of red bean paste elevated the taste of this dessert to a new height. The delicate texture and sweetness of the red bean paste resonated with the soft and enduring sweetness of the blood glutinous rice, forming a perfect balance.
Feeling the flavors spread across her palate, Sonoka Kikuchi couldn't help but hum, closing her eyes in comfortable delight.
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last month.
The deliciousness of the Eight Treasure Exquisite Rice astonished her and him; various elements made the rice unique. Without a doubt, this was the dish most perfectly suited to the theme of "rice"! Wang Jing, using just a few ingredients, had perfectly expressed the deliciousness of glutinous rice.
"Truly a dish that has been passed down for a thousand years; it is indeed extraordinary!"
Praising from the bottom of his heart, Gin Dōjima set down the bowl he held, then looked towards the person behind Wang Jing, where Soma Yukihira was currently stepping forward with a bowl.
Also a dish with the theme of "rice," what kind of surprise would this guy bring him?!
"You've waited a long time, haven't you! I really went through a lot of trouble for this dish. Fortunately, I successfully developed it the day before the competition, otherwise I wouldn't have had a dish to compete with today."
Looking at the five judges who simultaneously turned their gazes to him, Soma Yukihira's face showed confidence, and he then placed a small bowl in front of them.
"Isn't the theme rice?!"
After seeing the dish Soma Yukihira presented, the judges present were dumbfounded. Simply because the dish before them looked, in every way, like an ordinary ice cream. Although it had many fresh fruits on top and looked very luxurious, it still couldn't change the fact that it was ice cream.
Rice Cream, after creative improvement!
Soma Yukihira's voice was filled with a certain fervor as he then introduced this ice cream to the judges, or more accurately,
"You call it Rice Cream, so that means it's made from rice, right?"
Although it looked no different from ordinary ice cream, when one put their nose to it, they could indeed smell an incredibly rich aroma of rice, proving it was made from rice. This scent was truly intoxicating!"
Hinako Inui was the first to discover the dish's unusual nature. Although equally snow-white, the ice cream's color before them seemed slightly yellowish. So she leaned her face forward, then vigorously sniffed, and a rich aroma of rice immediately wafted into her nasal cavity.
"Ice cream made from rice? Rice Cream? That's certainly very creative."
Hearing Hinako Inui's explanation, the few people present became interested, looking at the bowls before them, their eyes sparkling with curiosity, clearly seeing it for the first time.
"I just don't know what it tastes like. Rice as a staple food can actually be made into ice cream. This is the first I've heard of it; today has certainly been an eye-opener."
Fuyumi Mizuhara looked at the Rice Cream before her, her expression subtle.
Mango, watermelon, and blueberries were arranged on the pristine white Rice Cream, releasing their individual fragrances, adding color, and at the same time, enhancing its flavor.
But if that were all, it would merely be a rice-flavored ice cream, somewhat creative but not special. To win the competition with it would undoubtedly be a pipe dream.
Seeing Soma Yukihira's composed demeanor, the judges present couldn't help to feel a bit more anticipation and, out of nowhere, gained a little more confidence in him. It seemed this Rice Cream might have a hidden trick. What exactly it was, they would only know after tasting it.
Thinking of this, the judge observing the dish no longer hesitated. Picking up the spoon Soma Yukihira had prepared for them, he scooped a spoonful and put it into his mouth.
As his tongue touched the Rice Cream, a rich aroma of rice spread, accompanied by an indescribably mellow flavor.
Closing his eyes, Gin Dōjima felt as if he were in a rice paddy. Autumn winds blew, sunlight spilled onto the earth, and the rice stalks rustled with a cat-hunting sound.
"This feeling, it's like going back to childhood…"
The golden rice stalks gave a sense of home. Not everyone was born in the city, especially in earlier times, many people lived in the countryside. There weren't many things in the countryside, but what left the deepest impression was probably the bright starry sky and the golden rice paddies. Little friends played in the rice paddies. Summer days were scorching, the air thick with heat, but the scene was lively,
"I'm quite curious, how did you make this? To be able to create such a delicate flavor, and the texture…
Because most of her attention had been focused on Wang Jing, she hadn't really observed Soma Yukihira. After tasting a bite of the dish, then freezing it.
The frozen milk rice paste was placed in a large bowl, cream was added in two parts, in a one-to-one ratio, and then one-tenth of condensed milk was added…
"You added rice wine to it."
Soma Yukihira eloquently introduced his dish, and Sonoka Kikuchi's voice rang out at the same time, revealing the secret to its rich flavor.
"That must be it. This rice wine aroma isn't prominent, but instead perfectly blends with the Rice Cream's texture, bringing a…"
Gin Dōjima's voice also rang out at this moment. He too tasted the rice wine, though faint, it was the mellow aroma of rice wine interwoven with the sweetness of the Rice Cream, forming a unique charm.
And atop the Rice Cream were seasonal fresh fruits. These fruits didn't overpower the flavor but instead added a sweet and sour note to the Rice Cream, forming a sharp contrast with the mellow aroma of the rice wine.
"I bet even rice itself wouldn't imagine it would have a day when it becomes ice cream, and whether it's the texture or the flavor…"
Hinako Inui's voice held a teasing tone. As she spoke, she scooped a spoonful of Rice Cream into her mouth, her face filled with an expression of enjoyment.
"Indeed, before tasting it, I also didn't expect anyone in this competition to present such a dish. It must be said it's a bold innovation, which also utilized rice to its fullest, changing its form without altering its taste."
Gin Dōjima cleanly scooped the last bit of Rice Cream from his bowl into his mouth, saying these words. The aftertaste of the Rice Cream made him comfortably close his eyes.
Indeed, there's nothing more satisfying in the world than eating a bowl of cold Rice Cream in summer! If there is, it's eating two bowls!
Looking at the highly praised Rice Cream, Wang Jing mumbled softly not far away, then turned her gaze to the judges, awaiting their final scores.
"The dishes of these two youngsters each have their own merits, making a direct comparison difficult. Moreover, both contestants interpreted this theme in their own way, excellently combining the theme to create their dishes. Every one of them is an absolute talent!"
"Ahhh!"
As both dishes were tasted, the judges did not rush to give scores, but instead spoke one after another, falling into a dilemma. The reason was none other than this: the dishes of these two individuals were both excellent and perfectly suited to the theme, so they could not quickly decide who won or lost, hence their dilemma.
In the audience, Yūki Yoshino grabbed Ryōko Sakaki's hand, holding her breath, her body slightly trembling from excitement, looking
"Relax, we're not the protagonists of this competition anyway. It doesn't matter who wins, there's no need to be so tense."
Feeling the somewhat complex emotions of Yūki Yoshino beside her, Ryōko Sakaki raised her hand and pinched her face, saying with a slight tease.
It wasn't just them; everyone present had their eyes glued to the screen, awaiting the five judges' final votes. Both contestants had pushed the "rice" theme to its absolute limit, leaving nothing to criticize. Now, it was just a matter of seeing which one the judges preferred.
At this moment, Gin Dōjima and the others also had conflicted expressions. Looking at the two buttons before them, they hesitated greatly. In the end, they could only close their eyes and savor the two dishes again, to feel their excellent qualities, and then finally make up their minds, giving their answer.
3:2
This result appeared on the large screen.
Soma Yukihira wins and advances!
"As expected, in summer, you really want to eat something sweet."
Sonoka Kikuchi smiled, seeing her chosen contestant win.
"But the rich flavor of Eight Treasure Rice, completely infused into the rice through steaming, is undoubtedly the best manifestation of rice! Why didn't you choose her?"
Taki Tsunozaki frowned slightly. She highly appreciated Wang Jing's Eight Treasure Rice, so she cast her vote for her, but didn't expect that even with her, only two people voted for her.
"Eight Treasure Rice is too old, it's been around for who knows how long. It has no creativity at all. Even though it was improved, it largely remained unchanged. Compared to that, I still prefer the innovative Rice Cream."
Fuyumi Mizuhara spoke her opinion. Compared to the Eight Treasure Exquisite Rice made by Wang Jing, she indeed preferred the sweet and fragrant Rice Cream.
"Eight Treasure Rice has a long history, possessing profound cultural depth. Its flavors are rich and varied. Personally, I quite like it."
Gin Dōjima spoke, also giving high praise to Eight Treasure Rice. Compared to Soma Yukihira's innovation, he preferred something more traditional.
"Creativity is a chef's sharpest weapon. Chefs who lack creativity will sooner or later be eliminated. Rice Cream wins!"
Hinako Inui also spoke at this moment, sharing her viewpoint. This was also the true reason she cast her vote for Soma Yukihira.
For a chef, the importance of creativity is self-evident. Only with abundant creativity can one expand the frontiers of the culinary world!
"Hooray!"
After confirming his victory, Soma Yukihira clenched his fist and cheered, his face beaming with smiles, not hiding his excitement at all.
"Finally, I've made it to the semi-finals. It really wasn't easy. It looks like if I win two more matches, I can compete against Teacher Dylan again!"
Glancing at the judges' panel and then at the audience, Soma Yukihira took a deep breath. From now on, he just needed to seek victory steadily.
Looking at the final score on the big screen, the venue was abuzz with commotion.
The most disheartened person was undoubtedly Wang Jing, who stood opposite Soma Yukihira. She had given her all, so why was the result still unsatisfactory? Two judges chose her, proving her dish was not bad. But unfortunately, only two judges chose her. If one more had, she would have won!
Fortunately, Wang Jing was someone who could pick herself up. She wouldn't be dejected or cry over spilled milk. She quickly accepted the reality of her defeat and extended her hand to Soma Yukihira.
"Thanks, your dish was also very good."
Soma Yukihira nodded, then exchanged a few more polite words with her, before turning and striding towards the audience, specifically towards Polar Star Dormitory.
His smooth victory today was thanks to his frantic research in the previous days. Even this morning, he was still
Fortunately, the final result was gratifying.
He had transformed rice into ice cream, making a unique dessert.
This idea originated from a bucket of chocolate-flavored ice cream Yūki Yoshino made at Polar Star Dormitory. He witnessed the entire process nearby, so he conducted related experiments and finally succeeded in winning the competition!
"Yukihira made it to the semi-finals, that's incredible. When he first arrived, he couldn't even beat you."
Looking at Soma Yukihira, who had come down from the competition stage and was walking towards them, Ryōko Sakaki couldn't help but quietly remark, her voice filled with emotion.
You know, when Soma Yukihira first came to Polar Star Dormitory, he couldn't even beat Yūki Yoshino. Yet now, he has reached the semi-finals.
____
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