Sichuan peppercorns were stir-fried in a hot pot until fragrant and then removed. Then, Er Jing Tiao peppers were added and stir-fried in oil until fragrant, followed by aromatics (scallions and ginger). The rich chili aroma made even the closest audience members cough, involuntarily covering their noses with their sleeves. Hoshino Sora was no exception; to prevent saliva from splattering, he could only hold his breath.
But it was still a bit spicy for the eyes.
"Holy cow, it's so spicy! It's got kick! I'm already looking forward to the judges tasting this dish."
"Dog: Is this even human food?!"
"But it really smells good, much more elaborate than the chili stir-fried pork next door. I just wonder what the final taste will be like."
"With this seasoning, even stir-fried slippers would taste good!"
At the same time, Sawa Narubu's chili stir-fried pork had already been plated and served, emitting a rich and robust aroma. It was brought to the judges' table. Airi, Zhenli, and Chika exchanged glances and simultaneously picked up their chopsticks to taste the chili stir-fried pork.
"The meat is crispy and fragrant, the chili is refreshing. Even I, who can't eat spicy food, find it delicious. 9 points!"
(I don't like chili peppers. Why are there so many green peppers? So annoying.)
Covering her face with her hand, Chika spoke with exaggerated happiness, but she genuinely disliked green peppers, so she didn't feel much about this dish.
"Whether it's the texture or the taste, it brings out the characteristics of the ingredients, and the serving efficiency is also very high. I also give it 9 points."
(It's quite good with rice, savory and delicious. It's a pity there's no rice. This kid is really clueless.)
Airi gave a thumbs-up with a praising smile. Although the taste wasn't very amazing and it was a rather ordinary dish, she had been instructed to show surprise.
"The taste is good, but the pork belly was stir-fried for too short a time, making it slightly greasy. 8 points."
Zhenli said coldly. To appear as authentic as possible, they couldn't give the same scores. Having both positive and negative reviews was the most suitable choice.
They exchanged glances and nodded slightly. After all, this was a live-streamed food show, and being too obvious with fake reviews could lead to complaints and bad ratings.
"I really don't know what kind of deliciousness takes so long. Do your restaurant's customers wait this long for a single dish?"
Looking at Hoshino Sora who was still stir-frying his dish, Sawa Narubu, who had already submitted his work and received a high score, immediately mocked him. Knowing that he was the pre-determined winner, he wasn't afraid of being proven wrong.
At this moment, with the live broadcast, letting everyone see him win effortlessly was undoubtedly the best promotion for their family's restaurant.
"Sawa-kun, do you know? Your dish has two fatal flaws."
Hearing the scores given by the three sisters on stage after tasting the dish, Hoshino Sora was momentarily stunned. Then, as if he thought of something, he suddenly spoke loudly.
"How could my dish have flaws?"
"First, you added oil when stir-frying the pork belly, and you also coated it. For chili stir-fried pork, the correct method is to dry-fry it without coating to render out the oil. After all, pork belly already has a lot of oil content, and adding more oil will make it especially greasy."
Stir-frying the dish in front of him over high heat, he poured a spoonful of vinegar from the side of the wok, sprinkled the pre-fried and crushed peanuts, then tossed and stir-fried evenly before plating and serving.
The color was bright red, with clear gravy and a glossy sauce. The dish emitted a rich aroma, making the nearby audience members' mouths water. Some even shouted for Hoshino Sora to throw them a couple of pieces of meat to taste.
"As for the second flaw, your kind of chili needs to be dry-fried until soft. Only by stir-frying it until fragrant and cooked can the meat flavor from the subsequent stir-frying penetrate into the chili."
Putting the lid on and sealing in the aroma, Hoshino Sora professionally pointed out the two flaws in Sawa Narubu's dish, along with explanations. This made the audience below nod repeatedly, exclaiming that they had learned something.
At this moment, the audience's favor had shifted towards Hoshino Sora because what he said was truly professional.
This also deflated the arrogant Sawa Narubu, but he still stubbornly said, "Everyone's cooking method is different. I've been working in kitchens for ten years, and I just like this method, and I only think this method tastes good."
"Is that so? Then let's see my dish. Unless the judges are bribed by you, it's absolutely impossible to win against me with just that one chili stir-fried pork!"
As he spoke, Hoshino Sora opened the lid, and a rich aroma exploded like a bomb. The fragrance of the chili after stir-frying was exceptionally enticing, and the audience in the first few rows, who were close by, immediately became restless upon smelling the aroma.
Especially the chefs who had been eliminated earlier, as it was a championship showdown, most of the eliminated contestants had come. The moment they saw Hoshino Sora present his dish, they understood that the championship belonged to this young man.
"Yu Zan Chicken Wing Ball, please enjoy!"
His voice was loud. The moment the serving dish was opened, the camera zoomed straight in, showcasing the full appearance of the dish to the audience and to the friends watching the live stream.
Everyone saw the dish at the same time. Its appearance was bright red, translucent, and coated with a crispy layer of crushed peanuts, making it look very appetizing.
Just based on its appearance and the aroma it emitted, when compared to the bland chili stir-fried pork next to it, it completely surpassed it by a mile.
Looking at the dishes with such obvious differences, the judges found themselves in a difficult position. They picked up their chopsticks, their expressions somewhat hesitant. They were idols, and faking reviews on a live broadcast would have a huge impact on their reputation.
If it were just dishes with subtle differences, a few words could turn the tide, but these two dishes were completely on different levels!
Picking up a pair of chopsticks and gently taking a piece, Airi's eyes unconsciously revealed a longing gaze as she looked at the Yu Zan Chicken Wing Ball, which was emitting a faint aroma, and her mouth began to salivate profusely.
What an irresistible temptation!
She slightly parted her lips and took a bite of the plump, round Yu Zan Chicken Wing Ball. A rich burst of juice erupted in her mouth, accompanied by a spicy flavor—a wonderful taste far surpassing chili fried pork!
That feeling was like her body had returned to eighteen years old, when he first joined the club. At that time, he was so vibrant, always full of an inexhaustible drive, and even if his head was bleeding from a fight, he never retreated a single step.
Spicy, representing passion and enthusiasm, he seemed to return to when the first club mission ended. The boss led everyone to eat hotpot and drink beer, saying that a man must eat spicy food. Those days were truly nostalgic!
"Delicious! 10 points."
His mind was filled with beautiful memories of being a man, and tears flowed down uncontrollably. This was definitely the most delicious spicy dish he had ever eaten in his life!
(Wait, if we give such a high score, the boss will kill us!)
Hearing Airi's score, Chika's expression froze slightly, then she turned her gaze to the plump Yu Zan Chicken Wing Ball in front of her. The rich aroma rushed to her nose, and she could no longer resist, swallowing it in one bite.
The meat was tender and chewy, and most importantly, it had no bones, which were replaced by green pepper and carrot strips. The sweetness produced by the two when heated perfectly neutralized the spiciness of the chili, and with the layer of crushed peanuts on the outside, the dish's texture became even richer.
Her cheeks turned rosy, and her eyes sparkled with a different kind of light. Her thighs under the table couldn't stop fidgeting. As idols, they had participated in many food shows, and this dish was absolutely the most delicious she had ever eaten in her life!
How could such a dish possibly be given a low score!
"10 points. This is the most delicious dish I have ever eaten in my life. I feel like I can die without regrets."
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