Teacher Chan Yi wiped her mouth and commented, "The porridge hotpot may seem ordinary at first glance, but it tastes light yet complex, leaving diners with a very good experience."
Chef Qiuxuan agreed. "I was worried that the spiciness of this light dish would be overshadowed by the spiciness, but Xiao Jin's cooking proved there was no need to worry. He must have carefully selected the ingredients. The white clams are incredibly fresh and sweet. After cooking them in the porridge, the juicy shellfish remains in the base, blending with the flavors of the oysters, shrimp, fish, chicken, and beef, ultimately creating a truly delicious dish."
"This is the first time I've ever finished the entire hot pot soup base," Chef Li joked. "We actually already offer seafood porridge, so I wasn't particularly surprised by the porridge-based hot pot format at first. But after trying it, I realized it allows customers to enjoy their own experience, and the essence left after cooking is also very delicious."
Chef Li continued, "This dish is a perfect match for hot springs, as ingredients like oysters are great for replenishing energy, and the gentle texture of rice milk allows guests to relax while eating. The congee at the end creates a wonderful finishing touch. If served for dinner, I believe it will be very popular."
While the judges were commenting, the eagerly awaited audience members finally got to sample the porridge-based hotpot.
The ingredients mixed with the porridge base look a bit like a luxurious seafood porridge.
But when I put the ingredients into my mouth, I found that this is completely different from seafood porridge. Because the rice milk is relatively thick, all the ingredients can be easily covered with a layer of smooth porridge base. It is smooth, tender, refreshing and sweet in the mouth, and paired with soy sauce and sand ginger to enhance the flavor, it really is just one word.
fresh!
The rice soup at the bottom of the porridge may seem ordinary, but it actually contains a magical power. It is like an invisible bond that closely connects all the ingredients together.
Various ingredients blend and complement each other in the porridge base.
These ingredients coexist harmoniously in the embrace of rice soup, as if performing a wonderful feast.
With every bite, you can feel the satisfaction and pleasure brought by this harmonious beauty.
One customer exclaimed while tasting the dish, "Why is there no fishy smell even with so many ingredients in it?"
Mingyue answered smoothly, "There should be some sand ginger powder in the porridge base, and a little bit of white pepper."
This answer attracted the attention of the people on the stage.
Xiao Jin raised an eyebrow. "You can actually tell. Yes, that's right. I didn't use shredded ginger. Instead, I added some powder I mixed myself, consisting of sand ginger and white pepper. Firstly, it's to remove the fishy smell, and secondly, it's to suit public tastes. Many people don't like shredded ginger, so I used sand ginger, which has a lighter flavor, and ground it into a powder. I added a small amount to the porridge base so it doesn't cover up the flavor of the porridge and actually removes the fishy smell and enhances the flavor."
Teacher Chan Yi exclaimed, "I see, you've also taken the public's taste into consideration and made some optimizations."
Chef Qiu Xuan smiled and said, "I think this dish is perfect for eating after a hot spring bath. This dish makes me realize what it means to be soft but strong."
The hotel manager immediately picked up the phone and said, "It seems like Master Qiu Xuan is planning to vote for Xiao Jin."
Chef Qiuxuan nodded. "Yes, of course. Wushuang's dregs beef hotpot is also very good, but I personally prefer this porridge hotpot. Spicy hotpot is also delicious, but when I go back to rest and sleep, my stomach may still be burning. But this porridge base makes me feel very comfortable until the end. I think it is more suitable for the state after taking a hot spring bath."
After receiving Master Qiuxuan's answer, the manager turned the microphone to the other two judges and asked, "So, what do the other two judges think?"
Teacher Chan Yi said, "Both of them prepared excellent dishes. The spicy flavor of the mala hot pot stimulates the taste buds and invigorates the spirit, which is a perfect match for hot springs. On the other hand, the porridge hot pot is more mellow, and the concentrated umami flavor is also impressive, which is perfect for the relaxed state after a hot spring bath. Honestly, I can't decide. I think Wu Shuang and Xiao Jin are evenly matched."
Chef Li touched his chin and gave his verdict, "I think Wushuang's method of adding beef tendon to the Zha Zha beef hot pot is very innovative. When mixing it with rice, the chewy beef tendon will give people a pleasant surprise. Add to that the impact of the spicy flavor. I think people who like spicy food will definitely not be able to refuse this dish after soaking in the hot springs. So I will vote for Wushuang."
"Surprisingly! After the three judges made their decision, Wushuang and Xiao Jin ended up in a tie?!"
"It looks like the final decision will fall to the audience. We'll give you 30 seconds to think. After 30 seconds, please make your choice!"
"Please choose which dish is best to eat after a hot spring bath. Once you've made your decision, those who support Wushuang please stand on the left side of the conference room, and those who support Xiao Jin please stand on the right side of the conference room."
The audience immediately started discussing.
Some believe the gentle nature of congee hotpot helps the body regain balance.
Others suggest that the energizing properties of spicy hot pot can boost spirits, and each has its own merits.
"I like porridge hotpot. Besides being fresh, the ingredients are really tender."
"Yes! And after eating it, it really feels good in my stomach, just like the judge said."
"That's because you guys have a bland palate. For those of us who like spicy food, the porridge hotpot is delicious, but it's too bland and not exciting at all."
"I can't understand the world of you spicy people."
"It's that feeling that if a meal isn't spicy enough to make you sweat, it feels like something is missing."
"So, in the end, it all comes down to taste and preference."
"No, I like spicy food, but I think hot springs are for recuperation, so I would choose porridge hot pot."
"After eating the spicy hot pot, I worked up a sweat and then had to take a shower. So, considering this, I would choose the porridge hot pot."
"But the sweat you get from eating spicy food is like getting rid of the bad air in your body. I quite like that feeling. I can just take a shower and then have another one. I'll choose the slag beef."
During the discussion, everyone stood up and took different positions. Some people could not make a decision and finally stood in the middle.
Mingyue and her friends obeyed the majority and finally stood at the position of porridge hot pot.
She observed the current situation and found that the number of people on both sides was about the same, with no major difference.
"Time's up! Wow, it looks like both sides are evenly matched. Everyone in the audience, please stand up so we can check the numbers."
The hotel quickly counted the number of spectators, wrote the result on a piece of paper and handed it to the hotel manager who was the host on the stage.
The manager opened the note and took a look.
"Wow, the situation is very close this time. The gap between the two sides is very small."
"But since there is a gap, it means that someone is still slightly better."
"Let's reveal the final result of this cooking competition. Who is the winner?"
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