Chapter 95 Seven Ways to Eat Pufferfish

Chapter 95: Pufferfish Seven Ways

The theme for the final round was "Feast."

Since it was a feast, a single dish wouldn’t suffice. It heavily tested their ability to pair dishes, and time was limited. Crafting a well-matched table of dishes within a limited timeframe, while ensuring each one tasted excellent, was no simple task.

Not only that, the host added, the contestants could only choose one type of food as the main ingredient.

That meant they had to showcase the versatility of a single ingredient, transforming it into a full "feast."

This undoubtedly tested each chef’s capabilities—not just their culinary skill, but also their creativity in devising an entire menu on short notice.

"This is so hard! Such a short time to make so many dishes from one ingredient, and they all have to taste good."

"It’s like solving the final exam problem—not only do you have to crack it, but you need to provide multiple solutions."

The audience whispered among themselves about the round’s rules, and even eliminated contestants felt relieved they didn’t have to face such a challenge.

However, the six chefs on stage were all seasoned competitors. At the very least, they appeared calm and collected, exuding a master's composure.

"The challenge is difficult, but I believe in each chef’s ability to deliver dishes that will truly amaze us," Felix said encouragingly with a smile.

"It seems all the chefs already have a plan in mind," the host said. "Let’s wait and see. Let the competition officially begin."

The ingredient chosen to form the centerpiece of a feast couldn’t be arbitrary. It had to be adaptable to various cooking methods and, ideally, offer something novel and refreshing.

This round, the chefs clearly took longer to deliberate. For a while, no one moved to select their ingredient.

The first to move was Yu Xin.

Under everyone’s gaze, he walked to the ingredient area. Curiosity grew as to what he would choose. He went straight to the fresh seafood section, picked up a net, and scooped up a pufferfish from the tank.

A pufferfish?

Not only the audience and contestants, but even the judges were baffled by Yu Xin’s choice.

Wasn't pufferfish an unusual choice?

Whether in the past or in the Interstellar Age, pufferfish remained a specialized ingredient. The reason was simple: though incredibly delicious, it contained a lethal toxin. If not properly handled, it could be life-threatening.

Handling pufferfish under the pressure of this competition was no small challenge.

"This round is a life-or-death situation for the judges, hahahahaha!"

"Yu Xin is extremely bold… The judges aren’t ordinary people. If something really happens, what will he do?"

"Relax, the production team wouldn’t let anything happen. They’ll definitely conduct toxin tests before anyone eats it."

"But what if residual toxin is detected? They can’t let him redo it—that wouldn’t be fair to the others—and the judges won’t eat it. Wouldn’t that disqualify him completely?"

"Stop questioning and just watch the broadcast. Haven’t you been proven wrong enough times?"

In fact, since ancient times in China, there was a history of consuming pufferfish. As the saying goes, "Once you taste pufferfish, you’ll never long for any other fish." For that exquisite flavor, despite its deadly toxicity, many gourmands risked their lives to eat it.

Pufferfish isn’t just about its white and delicate flesh and tender, fresh, and delicious taste. Even its skin is rich in collagen, thick and smooth, and the most prized part, the milt (known as shirako in Japanese), is creamy and melts in the mouth, known as "Xishi's Milk" (a delicacy named after the ancient beauty Xishi).

One could say the entire fish is a treasure.

Yu Xin was confident in handling pufferfish because, in his previous life as a search team member, he was once trapped in a forest surrounded by mutated plants and animals. The only edible thing around was pufferfish in the river.

Those pufferfish had just migrated upstream from the sea, with less exposure to pollutants and minimal mutation levels. After removing the toxic parts, they were safe to eat. During that time, Yu Xin ate hundreds of pufferfish and honed his skills in preparing them.

This time, he planned to prepare seven dishes from pufferfish.

After selecting a sufficient quantity, Yu Xin began preparing them.

Pufferfish toxin is a potent neurotoxin, over 1200 times more toxic than cyanide, and it is heat-stable, meaning common cooking methods like frying, boiling, deep-frying, or grilling cannot break it down. Just 0.5 milligrams can be fatal. In the pre-Interstellar Age on Earth, chefs legally allowed to handle pufferfish had to undergo years of strict apprenticeship and pass a national exam to obtain a special "pufferfish handling license."

Yu Xin, of course, didn’t have such a license. But having eaten so many pufferfish without poisoning himself, he was fairly confident.

The toxin is concentrated in the internal organs and blood. Yu Xin first drained the blood, then meticulously removed the organs. The ovaries and liver, being the most toxic, had to be removed intact without damage. The intestines, skin, and eyes, which also typically contain toxins, were thoroughly removed.

Watching him skillfully handle the pufferfish, the judges felt relieved. It seemed they wouldn’t be poisoned.

The others had also chosen their ingredients. Lu Qian opted for the safe choice of chicken, Song Yu selected lobster, and Lucas went for snow crab.

He remembered that Yu Xin had first defeated him with a crab dish. This time, though not expecting to beat Yu Xin for the championship, he hoped to at least redeem himself and show everyone that his crab dishes were just as good.

Aside from Yu Xin’s unconventional choice, the other contestants selected more common ingredients.

The competition resumed intensely. This was the final round, and the champion was about to be decided. Not only the contestants but also the audience and judges were exceptionally excited.

The show’s popularity soared rapidly, reaching its peak since the broadcast began. The top spots on the Starnet trending list were almost all occupied by the Supernova Cooking Competition.

After Yu Xin chose pufferfish, the topic engagement exploded. More people flooded into the live stream, eager to see how Yu Xin would handle the highly toxic fish.

The management at Penguin Video was overjoyed. Even before the competition ended, they were already planning a victory celebration. Jing Yun once again proved her capability as a gold-medal producer, reaching new heights in her career.

Various business collaborations poured in incessantly. To allow Yu Xin to focus on the competition, Qi Wei and Cheng Zikun managed them for the time being.

But these were all off-stage matters. On stage, both contestants and audience were fully immersed in the competition.

As time drew to a close, the contestants began serving their dishes, awaiting the final judgment.

"I present: Pufferfish Seven Ways."

Yu Xin stepped forward to introduce his dishes.

The first was an appetizer—a cold dish. Yu Xin chose a Japanese-inspired approach, dressing simply blanched and chilled, springy pufferfish skin with ponzu sauce, soy sauce, and bonito flakes. The refreshing citrus notes of the ponzu perfectly balanced any fishiness from the skin, offering a clean and refreshing start.

After tasting, the judges nodded in approval, becoming even more anticipatory for the next dish.

The second dish embraced simplicity. Pufferfish itself is sufficiently sweet and fresh-tasting; serving it as sashimi was the best way to showcase its flavor.

He sliced the plumpest part of the back into translucent, paper-thin slices, arranging them like a flower on the plate. Dipped in soy sauce and wasabi, each bite offered an intoxicating combination of extreme sweetness and tender springiness.

The third dish contrasted sharply with the previous light and fresh ones—it was an assortment of fried items: Pan-Fried Lemon Milt and Shiso Pufferfish Tempura.

The pufferfish milt was lightly blanched to set its shape, coated in a thin layer of breadcrumbs, and pan-fried in butter over low heat until golden and slightly crisp. Biting through the crispy exterior revealed a creamy, custard-like interior. Served with a squeeze of lemon juice, the acidity balanced the richness of the milt, making each bite irresistibly decadent without being cloying.

"So aromatic, so fragrant!"

That was everyone’s first impression upon tasting. The first bite was aromatic, and the second didn’t feel greasy at all; instead, the silky texture left a lasting impression.

The other fried item was a piece of pufferfish wrapped in a fresh shiso leaf, coated in a light tempura batter, and deep-fried. It was served with a dab of spicy radish paste and finely shredded scallions. The unique aroma of shiso effectively cut through any richness, and the fried pufferfish melted in the mouth, crispy on the outside and tender inside, with the coating shattering delicately.

The production team’s audio equipment was top-notch, capturing the crisp "crunch" as the judges took their first bite and transmitting it clearly to every viewer watching the live stream. Countless people swallowed saliva at the same moment.

"I can’t take it anymore! Why did I have to watch this during mealtime?"

"No one can resist fried food! No one!"

The fourth dish is a traditional Chinese stir-fry. Thick pieces of fugu are scored with a fine crosshatch pattern, then diced and briefly fried to form "fugu balls." Onions and bell peppers are stir-fried in hot oil until fragrant, followed by the fugu balls. A pre-mixed black pepper sauce is added, and everything is quickly tossed to coat evenly. The result is a dish bursting with wok hei, featuring crisp texture and a perfect harmony between the spicy aroma of black pepper and the sweet freshness of the fugu.

The fifth dish serves as the main course of this feast: steamed fugu with white sauce and ham. Whole pieces of fugu are arranged in a deep dish with thin slices of ham, tender tofu, and winter bamboo shoots. Shaoxing wine, ginger slices, and a small amount of lard are added, followed by a drizzle of broth. The dish is covered with pork caul fat or plastic wrap and steamed quickly over high heat. The resulting broth is milky white, the fugu tender, and the savory flavor of the ham fully infused into the fish.

This dish exemplifies the ultimate pursuit of "freshness" in Chinese cuisine, pairing inherently fresh ingredients with the exceptionally fresh fugu. One bite is enough to make one's eyebrows jump with delight.

So fresh, so exquisite.

By this point, the judges are almost intoxicated from the flavors, their faces flushed as if they had been drinking, feeling as though they are floating on clouds, drifting weightlessly, their spirits leaving their bodies. After tasting this, they would die content the very next moment.

The staple dish is a fugu and conch seafood rice soup. Yu Xin makes the most of the ingredients, using leftover fish bones and scraps to simmer a rich broth with fresh shrimp and conch. The broth is poured over crispy toasted rice, topped with scallions. The savory soup pairs perfectly with the crispy, slightly charred rice, warming the stomach and soul-satisfying.

The final soup course features the thickest cut of fugu fillet, scored with delicate crosshatch cuts. Seasoned minimally, the fillet is placed in a bowl with baby bok choy and ham slices, then poached in boiling broth. The heat causes the fillet to curl naturally, resembling a blooming chrysanthemum. The resulting soup is clear as water, with a pure and mellow flavor. Sipping the hot broth slowly elicits an involuntary sigh of contentment from deep within, perfectly concluding the feast.

Slowly coming back to their senses, the judges realize this is already the last dish.

"No more? Is that really all?"

Still unwilling to accept it, they strain their necks looking at Yu Xin, but there is indeed nothing left beside him. Disappointment instantly washes over their faces.

Though the dishes seemed plentiful, each portion was only a bite or two. Before they could fully savor one dish, the next was already served. Yet each was so delicious, leaving them longing to savor it again but given no opportunity, their hearts aching with desire.

The key point is, unlike other chefs, Yu Xin doesn't operate a restaurant—he only does livestreams. Once the show ends, there won't even be an opportunity to taste his cooking again.

Oh heavens, the thought of never being able to eat such a meal again makes life afterward seem meaningless.

At this moment, everyone silently hopes that after the show concludes, Yu Xin will be headhunted by a restaurant or simply open his own.

They would definitely become regulars!