“Here’s your fried rice. Please enjoy your meal.” Lu Xinyi served the bowls to the judges. The rich aromatic scent of her fried rice teased their nose. The scent was nostalgic and weirdly familiar to the two judges. It immediately a.s.saulted their nostrils, making their stomach grumble just by the scent alone. All of them gulped; they had tasted several fried rice earlier, but this was the only one that made them feel hungry.
With four pairs of eyes staring at her, Lu Xinyi hesitated to move from her spot as she waited for them to take a taste on her dish. The covers of the bowls were lifted, and the sudden mist that was trapped inside dissipated, surprising the judges.
Qu Shaowei, the head manager of the senior year students was in awe. He hadn’t seen and tasted this familiar dish for years; and when Tian Lingyu made the same thing last year during his entrance exams, Qu Shaowei regretted not being part of the panel of judges back then.
Now… the same dish that Lu Sibai and Tian Lingyu presented before had been served by this woman.
“Your name?” he inquired. Was she related to those two?
“Lu Xinyi, sir.”
‘She’s a Lu?!’ he thought. Staring at the fried rice on his bowl, Qu Shaowei believed that this was really the Lu Style Double-Egg Golden Fried Rice: the iconic fried rice Lu Sibai made years ago.
Qu Shaowei gave a meaningful look at Lu Xinyi before taking the list of examinees to see her profile. He cursed himself when he saw the undeniable connection of this woman to his deceased senior.
‘Senior Lu, is this your way of reminding me of the deal we made before? Sending your two children?’
Jun Simin, another member of the board of directors, had noticed Qu Shaowei’s reaction. She was aware that Lu Xinyi was the daughter of their senior, Lu Sibai. She was also part of the panel of judges last year and had been able to taste Tian Lingyu’s version of this fried rice.
Their eyes widened as they scrutinized the golden fried rice that Lu Xinyi presented to them. Unlike Lu Sibai and Tian Lingyu’s version, her fried rice had a viscous creamy egg yolk on top that slowly ran down and coated each grain of the fried rice. The egg yolk was fully cooked by the retaining heat of the rice. It also had shredded duck meat and green onions to garnish, but overall, the egg was specifically showcased in her dish.
The rich fragrance continuously rushed into their noses. That delicious smell was like the lukewarm water caressing their skin, causing their entire body to relax. Their mind was completely at peace, and the only thing running on their mind was to eat!
Without another word, the four judges took their spoons, mixed the dish, and gently scooped a spoonful of Lu Xinyi’s golden fried rice. Once it reached their palate, the two women judges let out a moan that astonished the audience while Qu Shaowei and the other judge was left speechless and felt a sudden urge to cry.
How good that golden fried rice could be, making women forget where they were and let out an erotic sound?
The camera focused on Lu Xinyi’s dish, and everyone could feel their throats and stomachs reacting to the supposedly common fried rice that was presented. It looked so irresistible that the audience near the judges could almost smell the aroma of the dish. Their appet.i.te surged, and their stomach rumbled like thunder in the sky, but they could only lick their lips and hope that they could find something to eat.
Ignoring the murmurs of the audience, the four judges dug into the bowl of fried rice without saying anything. Their faces remained expressionless, but their actions were clearly saying that they were enjoying the fried rice.
Just when Huo Meili was about to ask the judges if they’re alright, they simultaneously brought down their bowls clean from any residue of the fried rice. Lu Xinyi remained calm and silent as she stood to wait for their scores.
“You used duck eggs instead of using the chicken eggs… why?” Qu Shaowei asked. He knew the answer, but he wanted to hear from Lu Xinyi why she and her father had come up with the same dish.
“Although there aren’t many differences between chicken eggs and duck eggs, duck eggs have a larger yolk. They also have a much higher fat content which lends a rich taste to dishes, but that isn’t necessarily a bad thing. The combination of monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats contains a much higher concentration of omega-3 fatty acids. It’s already considered significantly higher than chicken eggs. I used both eggs on this fried rice actually; the chicken yolks were used to coat and add color to the rice grain while the duck yolks serve as the topping.”
“Why duck yolks on top?” Jun Simin inquired. This was the difference between Lu Xinyi’s fried rice to her adoptive brother. Tian Lingyu hadn’t used any egg sauce or topping on his version.
“Duck eggs have a lower water content than chicken eggs so overcooking them can give them a rubbery texture. Instead of cooking it normally, I just had the residual heat of the rice cook it for me to avoid the problem.”
“The oil you used… what is it?” The other woman asked. The distinct taste of the duck was deeply engraved on each grain of the rice.
“I subst.i.tuted peanut oil for duck fat to stir-fry everything. Duck fat is tastier, and I think it complements with the rest of the ingredients well, ” Lu Xinyi replied without explaining everything about a commoner’s dish.
The four judges stood and discussed their decisions, whispering to one another. They came back to their seats later and gave Lu Xinyi a blank look before giving her her score for the first round of the exam.