They shouldn't have set a high expectation of Meng Jiao's dish. This was what the judges thought at the same time. It was impossible for Meng Jiao to recreate and surpass Lu Xinyi's double-egg fried rice on her current skills.
This alone was enough to let everyone know the difference between the two women.
It was already given that Lu Xinyi had an upper hand on this competition. The Lu-Style Double-Egg Fried Rice was one of her family's signature dishes; did people expect that an outsider could easily learn it from scratch? Aside from Lu Xinyi, Tian Lingyu was the other one capable of making this dish.
Which sibling could produce better fried rice was a different matter.
Lu Xinyi only needed to take a spoonful of Meng Jiao's fried rice to know what mistakes she had done while cooking. As she slowly chewed the rice, the intrusive scent and flavor of the duck spread to her taste buds and senses. Meng Jiao had used too much duck fat, making the rice grains covered with oiliness. The wok was also too hot when she added the chicken yolk.
Meng Jiao knew that she failed for the first dish, but she refused to let Lu Xinyi enjoy her misfortune. Had Lu Xinyi known from the start that this would happen? Was this the reason why she was confident that even if the academy didn't expel her, this event was enough for her to fail?
Meng Jiao lowered her head and went back to her assigned countered. She couldn't believe she had to suffer such humiliation in public.
Lu Xinyi hadn't set her expectations high on Meng Jiao. Heh, even if Meng Jiao was able to recreate the three dishes, what made her think that she'd give her a chance to advance? Didn't Meng Jiao like competing with what she already had? Then, Lu Xinyi didn't mind if Meng Jiao attempted to recreate her dishes.
It was then Lu Xinyi's turn to serve her Khao Pad Goong to the judges.
When the version of her fried rice flashed on the big screen, the audience let out a gasp—some even started to drool.
Her plating was beautiful. The original common takeout/street food dish had become a piece of art, worthy to be served in a high-class restaurant.
Different from the usual fried rice, Lu Xinyi's Khao Pad Goong used jasmine rice rather than the long grain rice everyone used. It also contained similar kinds of meat like chicken or shrimp; however, it didn't have as many vegetables one could find from the rest of fried rice. The aromatics on this dish were garlic, onion, and peppers.
Like the usual fried rice, Lu Xinyi's fried rice didn't contain scrambled eggs; but the eggs were mixed in with the rice while still slightly runny, coating the rice grains and creating an incredibly creamy and delicious dish.
Aside from the prik nam pla, the other key components of this dish that come into play were the fresh herbs and a lime wedge.
Although the judges' faces betrayed their excitement they felt inside, one look from Lu Xinyi's Khao Pad Goong was enough to make their throats dry and their mouth water. On one side of the plate, there were thin slices of fresh cucumber and a wedge of lime accompanying the fried rice.
Lifting their spoons up, they didn't forget to pour some prik nam pla and squeezing the lime on their fried rice. They gave it a good stir before taking a mouthful of rice to their mouths. Initially, the judges were skeptical to add lime. Having experienced Meng Jiao's Khao Pad Goong that was a little bland and weak, they knew how the sourness of the lime juice overwhelmed the layers of flavors on it.
However, with just one bite from Lu Xinyi's Khao Pad Goong, they realized how important for a cook to know how to play and balance the flavors of a dish. For an inexperienced tongue—if one dish could turn their culinary experience upside down in a very delicious way, this fried rice might just be that dish.
The prik nam pla really took the fried rice to a new level with a unique depth of flavor. It would make the diner hook and in love with it. This condiment helped to create that beautiful balance of sweetness, acidity, and spiciness of flavors that was so prominent from the countries where it originated.
To add another depth and dimension to it, the thin slices of cucumbers gave the creamy rice with enough crunch to complement it.
When Qu Shaowei tasted it, his eyes lit up.
"The rice grains were cooked just right. It isn't mushy or clumping together. The shrimp maintained its flavor and tender to bite. The prik nam pla and the sourness of the lime successfully stimulated my taste buds without ruining the flavor of the fried rice itself. This version of Khao Pad Goong deserves 100 points!"
Jun Simin smiled and put down her spoon, realizing she'd finished the plate of Khao Pad Goong served to her. She agreed on Qu Shaowei's assessment.
"The fresh herbs used and freshly ground pepper sprinkled on top couldn't be overlooked. I never thought that using fish sauce and adding a squeeze of lime on fried rice can make me eat more. It added a nice kick on my fried rice. I couldn't stop myself from finishing the plate."
This simple fried rice had showcase Lu Xinyi's ability to balance the flavors, an ability that not everyone could master easily. Aside from being a chef, Lu Xinyi could be a popular food critic if she could able to train her palate.
The audience could only swallow the lump on their throats. It was a pity that they didn't have a chance to taste Lu Xinyi's Khao Pad Goong. Just listening to the judges' comments, they were able to imagine how delicious it could be.
When the screen showed the tally of the scores and each student's credit points, the audience wasn't surprised to see Lu Xinyi's name on the top of the ranking with Ye Xieren's score following behind with a difference of 60 points.
"I know this isn't the first time I watch Xin'er cook, but I couldn't help but get excited whenever she presents her dish." Tang Shui leaned on his side to whisper on Shen Yi.
Shen Yi had a smug look on his lips as he nodded in return. With his legs crossed beneath the table, leaning on his chair in a relaxed pose, Shen Yi had an air of authority and the appearance of one who demanded instant obedience.
"What can I say? My wife loves to give surprises." Khao Pad Goong is commonly known as Thai Shrimp Fried Rice
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