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67. Chapter 67
Yu Antong drew the eleventh main course, Peacock Display Fish.
This dish is relatively simple to make, involving merely steaming the fish. However, the cut and presentation of the fish are crucial. As the name suggests, the fish should resemble a peacock displaying its feathers.
Once all participants had drawn their dishes, the host announced, "The minimum cooking time for this competition is forty-five minutes. The first dish must be ready by then. Each subsequent contestant will get an additional two minutes. Anyone who fails to present on time will be disqualified."
Everyone drew a different dish, with varying degrees of difficulty. Generally, the more challenging dishes were allocated later, ensuring a reasonably balanced time distribution.
As soon as the host announced the start time, Yu Antong calmly selected all his ingredients, then handed a fresh pomfret to Lin Haoning. "Haoning, handle this fish. We have ample time. Ensure it's cleaned properly."
Lin Haoning replied, "Don't worry."
"Yuxiu, slice the onions, ginger, and garlic uniformly thin. Soak the dried mushrooms in water and slice them. Take this plate," Yu Antong passed her a circular plate, "use it to lay the fish later. Remember, it's enough for three servings."
Jiang Yuxiu and Lin Haoning both got busy as directed. Meanwhile, Yu Antong casually strolled to the yard, asked a staff member for a small stool, brought it to a corner in the kitchen, and began leisurely sipping porridge from the thermos Xing Lixuan had given him.
The thermos was incredibly efficient at retaining heat, and since porridge is naturally thick and slow to cool, it still felt slightly scalding.
Yu Antong sipped the porridge, blowing on it gently between sips, his demeanor reminiscent of a retired official enjoying a tea ceremony.
A contestant, who forgot an ingredient, almost slipped on a cabbage leaf on the floor while rushing past Yu Antong.
"Easy there! Watch out for slips," Yu Antong exclaimed, relieved that the contestant didn’t fall.
Compared to the frantic pace of other contestants, Yu Antong stood out. The host soon noticed him, approached, and asked, "Why are you so relaxed? Everyone else is hustling. Are you that confident today?"
Yu Antong waggled his index finger and said, "This is strategic."
"Oh? Can you elaborate?" The host looked intrigued.
Yu Antong explained, "By sitting here so leisurely, I'm inadvertently increasing the psychological pressure on the other contestants."
Just as he finished his sentence, there was a crash. Another contestant had accidentally knocked over a plate, breaking it.
"See? Xie Wenchang is clearly nervous." Yu Antong cheekily shouted to the other contestants, "Why so nervous? Take it easy. If you need, come over and take a break with me."
As soon as he spoke, Yu An Tong was immediately "ambushed" by the other contestants.
"Watch out, if you don't present your dish on time, you'll be eliminated right away!"
"Don't get cocky. Did you forget how Lu Lu was eliminated last time because of a dish she was confident about?"
"Yu An Tong will lose!" One contestant started chanting, prompting others to join in, chanting, "Yu An Tong will lose!"
Yu An Tong secured the lid of his thermos, looking visibly ruffled by the other contestants. He said to the host, "I can't sit still any longer, I need to get cooking."
The host playfully held him back, "Come on, stay a bit longer. Weren’t you all composed just a moment ago?"
Yu An Tong replied, "Should I stay a bit more?"
Though the host pretended to hold him back, he wasn’t genuinely trying to restrain him. The host was expecting Yu An Tong to plead a bit before letting him go but was caught off guard by such a response.
Now, with Yu An Tong's remark, the host found himself at a loss. He discussed, "So, do we stay or not?"
Glancing at the kitchen clock, Yu An Tong said, "Let's stay a little longer."
"Are you sure you're not in a rush?" The host preemptively said, "If you can't serve your dish on time, don't blame it on me. I didn’t truly stop you from leaving."
In this competition, each contestant’s dish is unique. Rather than competing against others, it's more about competing against oneself, seeing who remains the most composed and performs best.
Given the change in venue and rules, all contestants felt varying degrees of nervousness, which could easily lead to underperformance.
Yu An Tong's antics seemed to alleviate some of the tension in the kitchen. Although contestants continued to work rapidly, they appeared more organized than before.
Yu An Tong remarked, "I'm really not in a hurry. This dish doesn't take long. If I start too early, it'll get cold before serving, and a cold fish dish can develop an off taste."
While the dish indeed tests knife skills, for someone proficient like Yu An Tong, it is a quick task and time isn't a concern.
On the other side, Lin Hao Ning was cleaning a fresh pomfret, descaling it and chopping off its head and tail. The head was set aside for later. Normally, the fish would be gutted by slicing open its belly, but this dish required a different approach.
The belly should remain intact, and the innards should be removed through the opening near the head, then thoroughly rinsed to wash off the blood.
After preparing three fish, Lin Hao Ning called out, "Master Yu."
Yu An Tong told the host, "I really can't chat anymore."
The host chuckled and went to check on the progress of the other contestants.
Yu An Tong washed his hands and approached the chopping board. With precision, he made an incision down the fish's back and expertly sliced the whole fish into thin, one-centimeter-thick segments without cutting through the belly, ensuring each slice was still connected.
Jiang Yu Xiu had already prepared ginger and spring onions, spreading them on a plate. The next step was to arrange the fish slices on the plate in an arc, resembling a peacock's tail, placing the fish head between the start and end of the arc, mouth facing upwards.
Bright green cucumber slices and segments of red chili were then added to each fish slice, creating a vibrant color contrast.
The red and green combination vividly recreated the appearance of a peacock's feathered tail.
Yu Antong seasoned the fish, drizzling a mix of steamed fish soy sauce, rice wine, and white pepper evenly over each piece.
Jiang Yuxiu inquired, "Master, should we start boiling the water now?"
Gauging the time it would take to boil water and steam the fish, Yu Antong responded, "Light it up."
At this point, the first contestant had already presented his dish at the table, seemingly confident about his performance. He sauntered back, noticing Yu Antong's fish was yet to be cooked, "Your fish is still raw. Will you make it in time?"
A hint of schadenfreude colored his tone, a payback for Yu's earlier display of confidence.
Yu Antong replied, "We still have eighteen minutes. Why the rush?"
A while later, with the water boiling, Yu Antong set the fish to steam on high heat.
Concurrently, he heated a pot of oil.
Eight minutes in, the host announced, "Dish number ten is served! Next up, the 'Peacock's Splendid Tail' fish! Ready in two minutes!"
Yu Antong's dish was still in the pot.
Several contestants who had already served their dishes huddled around Yu Antong, a mixture of anxiety and anticipation evident in their demeanor.
Secretly, many hoped for Yu Antong's downfall, seeing him as a major competitor. His defeat could pave their way to the championship title.
Yet, it would be a pity if someone of Yu's caliber was defeated by such a dish.
Xie Wenchang, who'd earlier had a mishap with his plate, was particularly on edge, finding this wait more nerve-wracking than his own performance.
Reflecting upon Yu Antong's earlier banter with the host, he realized it wasn't out of arrogance, but rather an attempt to lighten the atmosphere and alleviate their tension.
But now, with time ticking, had Yu misjudged his timing?
Not wanting to miss out on returning the favor, Xie Wenchang urged, "Get it out, whether it's fully cooked or not. It has to be served, or it's game over."
An undercooked fish might garner lower scores from the judges, but not presenting a dish meant direct elimination.
Jiang Yuxiu remained composed. With Yu Antong silent, she continued her task, placing her faith in him.
Amidst the watchful eyes of concerned and eager contestants, Yu Antong told Jiang Yuxiu, "Turn off the heat. Let's plate."
Once plated, Yu Antong drizzled the hot oil over the fish, eliciting a sizzling sound and intensifying its aromatic allure.
At the Small Book Pavilion,
Since the fish was plated before steaming, there was no need for additional presentation. It was ready to be served immediately.
The trio meticulously wiped away any oil splatters from the edges of each plate. Just as they finished, the host called out, "Number eleven! Serve!"
Three elegantly dressed waitresses in traditional cheongsams approached, each carefully lifting a plate of the 'Peacock's Splendid Tail' fish.
Yu Antong followed them, awaiting feedback from the judges seated at three different tables.
——
"How was it? Tired?" After the show wrapped up, Xing Lixuan opened the car door for Yu Antong, letting him in and asked with a hint of concern.
As Yu Antong settled into the car, buckling his seatbelt, he remarked, "It's just three dishes. I was actually prepared to make thirty today."
"Do you even realize what making thirty dishes entails?" Xing Lixuan pinched Yu Antong's slender arm, "Your culinary skills are impressive, but you've never done strenuous work. Making thirty dishes might leave you too exhausted to even lift your arm."
Yu Antong retorted, "Don't I have Haoning and Yuxiu to assist me? I wouldn't let it get that bad."
With a serious expression, Xing Lixuan responded, "Their help can only go so far. If the intensity of the upcoming competitions is really that high, even if it means withdrawing, you must not jeopardize your health. Got it?"
"I got it," Yu Antong, understanding Xing Lixuan's genuine concern, unbuckled and leaned over to plant a kiss on Xing Lixuan's chiseled cheek, "I'm not foolish. I know my priorities, and I'll always put our son and myself first."
"Hmm," Xing Lixuan hummed in approval, then inquired, "You aren't finding me too naggy, are you?"
Even he was surprised at the depths of his newfound care for another.
Had someone told him before he met Yu Antong that he would dote and fuss over someone to this extent, he would have deemed them insane.
A playful thought crossed Yu Antong's mind, "When you call me 'baby,' do you secretly want to be my dad?"
Xing Lixuan coldly retorted, "… It seems you're itching for a spanking."
Deserved it!
Yu Antong chuckled and teasingly whispered, "Itchy, indeed. Care to remedy that, hubby?"
A note from the author:
Thanks to all the lovely angels who supported me with their votes and nourishing rewards between 2020-02-16 23:39:31 and 2020-02-17 23:33:57~
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