As Formidable as His Father

Mandarin fish, also known as Chinese perch. This substitution has been used for hundreds of years without error, a testament to the wisdom of the common folk.

Now, take a mandarin fish.

Slowly descale, remove the innards, the bloodlines, and the fishy membranes...

Then with a "thud," swiftly use a chef's knife to slice off the fish head right next to the fins at the head.

In an instant, blood splatters, and the head is completely severed, set aside for later use.

Continue by pressing down on the main bone and using a straight knife to slice into the fish flesh two-thirds deep, evenly spaced and of equal depth.

"What kind of knife technique is this?" Ryoko, who specializes in fermentation cuisine, was stunned to see Zane using a very peculiar knife technique on the mandarin fish.

"Scoring technique!"

Satoshi, squinting slightly, smiled.

"If I remember correctly, isn't this a common technique used in Chinese cuisine?"

Beside them, Soma pondered; he had seen this technique before from his father, Joichiro.

"Yes."

"It's a technique unique to Chinese cuisine," confirmed Satoshi, nodding.

...

In Chinese cuisine.

Not all cutting techniques are simply called "cutting."

The so-called cut generally refers to a blade perpendicular to the cutting board, the wrist powering the knife in a smooth downward action.

Besides that, there are other techniques, like using a chopping or slashing motion for tougher ingredients; some thin, soft, or tough ingredients require slicing by placing the blade flat or at an angle, this action is called "slicing"...

There's also a technique where cuts are made on the ingredient but not all the way through, called "scoring."

"Soma, watch carefully."

"I believe you'll understand from his dish why I told you not to rush to prove your strength like Alice" Satoshi continued with a mysterious smile.

"Oh!" Soma, somewhat confused, straightened up and continued observing Zane.

Next, Zane seasoned the surface of the mandarin fish with salt, ginger, sugar, cooking wine, and let it marinate for ten minutes to let the meat absorb the flavors.

He then dusted each part of the fish with starch, ensuring an even coating. Every crevice needed to be covered, then he shook off the excess.

This step is meant to prevent the fish meat from hardening due to high temperatures later, maintaining its delicate texture.

He dried the pan, poured in a moderate amount of oil, and when it was about 70% hot, he added the fish and fried gently for 5 minutes, then removed it to a plate.

He emptied the pan and added a little oil again, then added salt, sugar, and white vinegar, and simmered on low heat.

He then added water and starch, stirring to a paste, removed it, and poured the prepared tomato sauce over the mandarin fish, sprinkling it with pine nuts and green peas.

Finally, he placed green leaves and the fish head on top, arranging them to resemble a squirrel.

...

Sizzling!

Sizzling!

As soon as the dish was served, he quickly poured hot gravy over the fish.

Since the fish itself was still hot, and the gravy was also hot, it immediately made a sizzling sound!

This sound of gravy penetrating the crispy fish meat also resembled the squeaking of a squirrel.

Especially the whole mandarin fish, prepared with the scoring technique, looked like a blooming chrysanthemum, also resembling a squirrel.

On closer inspection, one could see the fish head, which had been cut off and then reattached, with its mouth wide open.

Beside the fish head, sprinkled with pine nuts, it looked as if a squirrel had just finished eating pine cones and dropped the nuts.

Such a presentation was truly stunning!

"Wow!"

"It's amazing!"

"This... this... really looks like a squirrel, and even the sound of the gravy on the fish sounds just like it~"

Yuuki, startled by the sight, exclaimed in amazement.

Seeing the slices of fish still connected to each other without breaking.

Not only her, but everyone present couldn't help but feel a shift in their expressions.

"I didn't see it clearly just now."

"Now that this squirrel-shaped mandarin fish is served, I realize that Zane's scoring technique has truly reached a masterful level," Satoshi inwardly marveled.

Objectively speaking, the dish of squirrel-shaped mandarin fish is extremely complex to make.

Slight inaccuracies in heat control or sauce preparation can affect the entire dish's taste and texture.

And the demands on knife skills are extremely high.

Normally, dozens of cuts

 are required on the mandarin fish's body, and different parts require varying degrees of force. Even experienced chefs sweat profusely after 'torturing' the fish with cuts.

Because during the angled cutting, the angle between the knife and the fish's body cannot be too small, otherwise the "fur" looks too long and messy, being overly done and thus regrettable.

That is to say, this dish not only tests the chef's scoring technique but also his skill in balancing flavors and his ability to control the heat...

Thus, industry insiders are well aware.

To perfect "Squirrel-Shaped Mandarin Fish," it isn't just about the technique. It requires time for the skills to mature.

...

"Chef, how many cuts did you make?"

"I scored 108 cuts," Zane responded casually to Satoshi's question, shrugging.

"I'm convinced!"

"What else can I say?"

At that moment, what else could Satoshi say?

Even as the seventh seat of the Elite Ten, knowing that Zane had made 108 precise cuts, each as practiced as if done a thousand times, he felt a deep admiration.

Finally, as a few more dishes were served and the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish took center stage, the whole meal felt enhanced.

"Then, let's first congratulate Megumi for successfully passing the first exam after school started!"

Surveying the room, feeling the atmosphere was right, Satoshi raised his teacup, "And then, let's welcome Soma, the new transfer student, to our Polar Star Dormitory!"

With that, he and all the residents toasted together.

At that moment, a party welcoming the new students was successfully held in the tavern...

...

The sharp aroma of the drink.

Carrying the mature fragrance of glutinous rice, the bitterness of tea leaves, and the floral notes of rose marinade...

Just a sip revealed a full, smooth body of the liquor.

And the flavor transition from sweet at the entry to bitter in the throat, followed by an immediate sweetness that stimulated salivation was seamless.

In the mouth, it was like chewing fresh orange peel.

A spicy sensation burst on the tongue and palate, leaving behind a hint of bitterness and a fresh sourness, like the tannins in wine but without the astringency.

"Huh?"

"This cup, it wasn't jasmine tea like last time but... tea liquor?"

Ryoko, discerning the truth, couldn't help but look towards the tea liquor in her cup.

"I see."

"Glutinous rice and tea leaves, fermented together with yeast."

"After fermentation, it's distilled to sterilize, retaining both the fragrance and flavor of the tea and the characteristics of the liquor."

"And strictly speaking, this type of tea liquor could be considered a tea-flavored liquor!"

Although Zane had previously used various brewing methods to reduce the alcohol content of the drinks in the tavern without affecting their flavor or mouthfeel,

There were still incidents of patrons getting drunk.

Also, to allow minors to experience drinking "alcohol" in the tavern,

Zane brewed this alcohol-flavored tea.

To create this top-quality tea liquor, he experimented with all six major types of tea leaves, mixing and brewing hundreds of times until he finally succeeded...

...

"Ah!"

"Whether it's tea or liquor."

"With so many dishes, if we don't eat them quickly, they'll cool down, and we'll miss out on a lot of experiences!"

Yuuki, seeing the glistening squirrel-shaped mandarin fish,

The clear lines on the fish's back and the firm texture of its flesh, was already drooling.

So, she put down her teacup, impatiently picked up a small piece of fish with her chopsticks, opened her mouth wide, and took a bite.

Immediately, a distinctive fresh taste spread out, the fish was especially elastic, offering a delightful chew.

And despite its rich stewing, it remained refreshing, prompting her to grab another bite and swallow it down, the superb flavor reaching deep into her palate.

After swallowing, she felt the fish was particularly fresh and tender, the taste was supremely fresh, the sauce sweet and sour, and the texture was crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, truly exceptional.

Still not satisfied, Yuuki paused and took another bite of fish.

"The tenderness of the meat, the freshness of the fish, and the unique taste, different layers of flavor immediately make one..."

Suddenly, Yuuki was at a loss for words.

Even though she had many thoughts on how to describe the flavor of the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, she couldn't articulate them.

Because her mind was gradually lost, with only the word "delicious" remaining!

...

As a sophisticated dish.

It requires scoring, marinating, dusting, drizzling, and sauce pouring in one go.

And the making of the soul sauce for the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish is the most critical part, even more so than the scoring technique!

Clearly, while most chefs in restaurants use simple tomato sauce and white sugar for the sauce, Zane's fish sauce uses rock sugar.

This makes the sauce more visually appealing and includes ingredients like preserved plum and lemon.

So, the eating experience is rich in layers, very fruity, and when poured over the fish, it's simply "delicious."

"Strange, why do I feel so familiar with this?"

When Soma also tasted the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, he vaguely saw his father's influence in this dish!

Unwilling to believe it, he took another bite, the superb squirrel-shaped mandarin fish first presenting a sour taste from the nasal to the oral cavities, then a sweet taste with fruitiness as it was chewed, and finally a sweet juiciness of the fish itself.

And this final sweetness not only tests the quality of the mandarin fish but also the marinating before dusting:

With salt as a base, it actually enhances the sweetness.

"Could it be..."

"Chef, even though the fish flesh is already firm, why proceed with a double fry?"

Thinking of something, Soma couldn't help but ask Zane.

Hmm?

Truly worthy of being Joichiro's son.

Although his current skills might not be top-notch,

Having run a restaurant with his father for so long, he has more knowledge of cooking than his peers.

Zane was somewhat moved, then explained, "As you know, double frying is also a cooking technique in Chinese cuisine."

"The first fry in hot oil cooks the fish, though it's still soft inside. So, a second quick fry is used to achieve that crispy on the outside, tender on the inside texture."

"Of course, fire control during the second fry is crucial. If it's not removed in time, the fried fish will become tough!"

"I see."

Soma nodded upon hearing this.

...

For some reason, he saw in Zane what he felt from his father, Joichiro.

Thinking back to a few days ago, when Yaeko Minegasaki used various underhanded methods trying to force him to hand over Yukihira's restaurant, which he refused.

Annoyed, Hoshino had someone vandalize the restaurant, destroying all the kitchen's ingredients!

Then she demanded Soma prepare a dish for her tasting; if she was satisfied, she would acknowledge his capability to run Yukihira's restaurant and give up her demands.

If not, he had to sell the restaurant to her unconditionally.

Thinking the kitchen's ingredients were sabotaged, Hoshino thought she had the upper hand.

Unexpectedly, Soma readily agreed and managed to prepare a satisfactory dish with limited ingredients!

Always emotionally connected to Yukihira's restaurant, Soma dreamed of taking over from Joichiro.

Yet, just when he was struggling to keep the restaurant, his father chose to close it and forced him to enroll at Totsuki.

This life plan was not what Soma wanted or was willing to follow.

...

"Dad!"

"Why did you have to do this?"

Musing over the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, Soma murmured to himself.

Indeed, upon his arrival at Totsuki, he was stunned by the scale of the Culinary Academy.

And knowing that many students here had talents and skills no less than his own, he couldn't help feeling an urgent need to prove himself.

Especially Alice's performance in the culinary competition further solidified this idea.

But Satoshi stepped in to stop him.

Telling him that with his current capabilities, he wasn't yet ready to compete against everyone at Totsuki!

"Dad, what exactly do I need to do here at Totsuki to make it meaningful? Can't I just take over Yukihira's restaurant from you?"

Clutching his fists, Soma's gaze turned complex.

"Soma, how do you rate the strength of this tavern's chef?"

Observing Soma, lost in thought due to the squirrel-shaped mandarin fish, Satoshi asked with a light smile.

"Strong!"

"Really strong."

"I can feel the oppressive presence from my father in him!"

Soma replied without hesitation.