God of Cooking Chapter 35:

First, Jo Minjoon poured some sesame oil in the rice, and mixed thegochujang(고추장) and doenjang on a 1-1 ratio and mixed it with the rice . Normally, what differentiated korean bibimbap was this process . To already have mixed the sauce with the rice, or to present it separately . At times, the sauce was used as garnish .

There was a reason Jo Minjoon mixed the sauce beforehand . The first was because this was a mission . To let the judges to do the seasoning as they pleased, he didn’t know what kinds of words they would tell them . And basically, Jo Minjoon didn’t really like to present gochujang or sesame oil separately in a korean dish . Because he thought that a chef from a restaurant was the one who had to complete the dish with his own hands . If it was completed by the hands of the customer, then it was pointless . That was Jo Minjoon’s way of thinking .

Secondly, it was because of the cleanliness . There were many cases where the vegetables or the meat that were used as garnish would rip and crumple when you mixed the sauce . That sight was one that didn’t make you want to eat it .

After placing the steaming bibimbap in a small plate, Jo Minjoon placed the entire plate in a bigger and flatter one . Near the round plate bibimbap, were various garnishes placed as flower petals . And placing the yolk on top of the rice, was the end . Jo Minjoon looked at the bibimbap .

[Bibimbap]
Freshness: 94%
Origins: (Too many ingredients to show)
Quality: High (Average ingredients)
Cooking score: 6/10

6 points . It was as expected . Jo Minjoon didn’t get shaken and looked at the time . 17 minutes . It was enough to make the gamjajeon .

Jo Minjoon grabbed some potatoes and started to grate them . He put the potatoes in a sieve to take off the moisture and sliced some chives and red chili . The reason he couldn’t call this a temple dish .

God’s five vegetables (오신채) . Chives, korean wild chives, green onions, garlic and heunggo (흥거) . These five vegetables were prohibited from being eaten in temples . And he had already used two of them . Garlic was used in the miyeokguk, and the chives was used in the gamjajeon . But of course, the theme wasn’t even temple cooking, so there was no need to pay it any heed . What was important right now was the flavor and the nutrients .

Jo Minjoon put flour on the grated potatoes, and mixed after putting in the chives and the red chili . And then, brought it to the hot frying pan . He had to use a small amount of cooking oil . If he put too much, not only the edges, but also the center would be burnt like like a cookie and losing all of it’s stickiness .

But because of that, he couldn’t put in too little . Because the gamjajeon could stick to the pan and the shape would break .

Fortunately, Jo Minjoon cooked it better than ever .

[Chives gamjajeon]
Freshness: 92%
Origins: (Too many ingredients to show)
Quality: High (Average ingredients)
Cooking score: 6/10

6 points . Jo Minjoon’s eyes twitched . He didn’t even have 2 minutes left . He served the miyeokguk in a bowl . Westerners weren’t really familiar with ingredients like seaweed, but they wouldn’t be able to not eat it being a judge in a cooking program and such . Also, he added perilla seeds powder at the last minute just in case . Of course, perilla was also an ingredient westerners weren’t familiar with, but it could save the flavor of miyeokguk a little .

Jo Minjoon placed the plates on the tray . Perilla miyeokguk, chives gamjajeon, cabbage roll, and bibimbap .

An unexpected thing happened at that time . The state windows that were over the plates flinched, and a bigger and clear window appeared over it . Jo Minjoon looked at that situation dumbfoundedly . Soon, another window popped up in front of his eyes .

[You made a harmonious korean table meal . It’s composition belongs to a certain theme . ]
[A new function that let’s you evaluate multiple dishes at a time ‘composition score’ has been added . ]
[The skill ‘comprehension towards korean cuisine’ mastery has increased . ]
[Will you check the score of the composition?]
Yes / No

Jo Minjoon still looked at it perplexed . It was at that moment . A new window appeared before him .

[Jo Minjoon’s vegan korean meal . ]
List: Bibimbap, perilla miyeokguk, cabbage roll, chives gamjajeon .
Average cooking score: 6/10
Composition score: 7/10
Evaluation: It’s a meal made for the vegans . It’s characterized for it’s graceful plating and clean flavor . So it’s a good meal to have without any burdens .

Jo Minjoon’s eyes twitched . A new function appeared . Even before any emotions could surge up because of that, the buzzer rang along with Alan’s voice .

“Everybody hands off! The cooking score is over!”

Alan looked at everybody expressionlessly . Jo Minjoon gulped . The dice has been rolled . Could this meal that was made by his own colours move the judges hearts? Jo Minjoon checked his  surroundings . He saw various and different dishes . Ratatouille, lasagna, Cuba sandwich, etc .

Thump . He felt it clearly that was heart was beating . Jo Minjoon licked his lips . Even if he didn’t do that, he couldn’t do anything about his nervousness . The reason he could stay calm and composed when he was being evaluated was because of the faith he had in the cooking score . However, he got to know that the cooking score wasn’t an absolute thing . And right now, the score of this dishes was only 6 points .

What he could trust in right now was only in himself . Perhaps, this could be the first time that he had been evaluated properly .

Jo Minjoon looked nervously at Alan . When he thought that he had made eye contact with him, Alan opened his mouth and said .

“We will start the evaluation . Starting from the front lines . ”

Jo Minjoon was at the second line . The two that were in front of him walked towards the judges with their dishes on their hands . One of those two was Chloe . Jo Minjoon was closely looking at Chloe’s dish . Cooking score of 8 . It was the best Chloe could get .

Chloe’s dish was fried wheat noodles that was accompanied with bok choy and bamboo shoots mixed . The light brown sauce seemed to be made with soy sauce and citron and was beneath the noodles, and she placed a half fried egg in the middle of it as decoration . Because of these many reasons, it could only seem delicious .

It seemed a rather easy dish to make, but it was quite difficult . Frying the egg and not cooking the yolk entirely was also skill, and only the fact that it was a fried wheat noodle dish made it difficult to make . She had to fry the noodle sufficiently for it to not get burnt, and at the same time, it had to be sticky . If she made a slight mistake, then that dish wouldn’t even be considered as food, but as trash .

Alan lifted the pork and split the egg . The thin fried coat separated with the egg white, and on top of that, the watery yolk flowed like orange syrup . It even made the participants that were looking, gulp . Even Chloe was like that . It was a long time that she had felt something she had made to be this delicious .

Alan soaked the noodles and the bok choy in the yolk and put it in his mouth . The first thing that spread in his mouth was the citron and soy sauce flavor . The citron’s strong flavor made so as the soy sauce’s salty flavor was spread faster . When he chewed the bok choy, the citron’s aroma was half gone . And what replaced it was the fresh flavor of the bok choy . The noodles that were between the leaves of the bok choy were transmitting the oily flavor along with the yolk .

Beautiful? No, it wasn’t a flavor that could be described with that soft word . It was full of charisma . It was a primitive and provocative flavor that great generals before a war would eat . Alan desperately tried to stay calm . And it was the same for the two judges besides him . Alan opened his mouth first .

“Chloe . I ate well . ”

Chloe didn’t reply and just laughed awkwardly . It could be seen that she was nervous . Alan asked calmly .

“Is this your first time making this dish?”
“No . It’s a dish that my mom used to make me all the time . Although the half done fried yolk was implemented by me . My mom just put in half done yolk . ”
“……Your mother is surely someone who has a deep understanding in cooking . ”
“Of course . Until now, I have never eaten a dish more deliciously than my mother’s . ”
“So, do you think that you have made the recipe of your mother well?”

At those words, Chloe hesitated . She talked unconfidently .

“Mmm… . . I already told you that this recipe is my mother’s? And you said that my mother had a deep understanding in cooking after trying it . Then that means that you think that my dish was good… . No, at least, it is so for my recipe . And to view well a recipe, then you have to do the same for the dish……”
“Stop . ”

At the words that were getting longer, Alan opened her mouth . Chloe, that was talking by herself, stopped and looked at Alan . She just hit the floor with her forefoot . Alan continued speaking .

“I will go straight to the point . It was a good dish Chloe . And a delicious one, it’s a good dish that made use of the advantage of the fried wheat noodle . Specially, the combination of citron and soy sauce was really good . ”
“I opinion is the same . I didn’t think that I would feel this good by a dish I have tried for the first time . I ate well . It was a good dish . ”

Emily continued to say after Alan . Chloe smiled brightly at Joseph . Favorable criticism from two people, more than half of them had said that it was delicious, so she was already  safe from getting disqualified . Joseph smiled benevolently and said .

“I ate well Chloe . You pass . ”
“Thank you!”

Chloe yelled with a voice full of happiness and went upstairs . But the good atmosphere was broken almost instantly . The participant that was next to Chloe presented a baguette sandwich that contained cucumber, tomato, cheddar and fried potato .

It was eatable, but it wasn’t anything special . From the judges expression could be clearly seen what they were thinking . The judges ate a bite of the sandwich and chewed . In mean time, it was as if it was really hard to chew, but Alan spat what he had in his mouth to the bin .

And after that, there were many things he said . It is too ordinary . I’m getting suspicions on how you survived until now . Did you think that this dish would get a good score? They said many things but the conclusion was the same .

“Jamie . You are one of the disqualifying candidates . Go back to your place . ”

And next, was Jo Minjoon’s turn . Alan raised his voice .

“Jo Minjoon . Helena . Bring your dishes . ”

Jo Minjoon walked towards them with the tray in his hands . The first one to be evaluated was Jo Minjoon . The judges approached him . Alan looked down at the miyeokguk .

“Is this… . Miyeokguk?”
“Yes . I put perilla seeds in it and boiled it . ”
“I did eat miyeokguk before, but it’s a first with perilla seeds in it . How do I have to eat it?”
“You can do it however you want . ”
“This is… . All eaten in Korea right?”
“Yes . I improved a bit the temple cuisine . ”

The judges first drank the miyeokguk . Next, it was the bibimbap, and after they ate the rolls they did it too with the gamjajeon . Emily let out a sigh .

“This……is…… . difficult . ”
“I sympathise with you . ”

Alan nodded and looked at Jo Minjoon . It was hard for Jo Minjoon to understand what was difficult . Difficult to accept the flavor? Or to evaluate? It was at that time . Joseph hesitated to speak and finally said .
“Minjoon . We will be having a discussion . Step back please . ”

Jo Minjoon didn’t say a word and stepped back 5 steps . Emily whispered in a low voice .

“What are you going to do?”
“… . . It was tasty . ”
“It was also tasty for me . For normal people, rather than being exotic, it would not be tasty, but it was good for me . ”
“It’s a well done cooking . I couldn’t come in contact with a temple cuisine, but the colours of korean cuisine were alive . But… . ”

Alan speaked . Emily understood why Alan was hesitating . Joseph said in a regretful voice .

“There’s no main . ”
“……Yes . That’s right . ”

It was as they had said . What the judges were regretting wasn’t about the score Jo Minjoon was worried about, nor the unfamiliar flavor . It was the lack of the main dish . Just that .

They could have said that the bibimbap was the main dish . But the strength of the flavor was really weak to be the main of this meal .

Alan opened his mouth .

“If it was a family meal, then it would be a perfect one with nothing else to add . The side dishes are all delicious, and the harmony between them aren’t bad at all . However… . ”

Alan stopped talking and let out a sigh . Maybe, if he had presented the bibimbap alone, they could have given a higher score . Because the flavor wasn’t bad, and the composition was okay .

But although he presented many dishes, he forgot about the completeness of this meal . That was the problem . Between the similar level of the dishes, there was nothing that stimulated and made your mouth happy . The flavor was really simple, and it made you feel that they protected each other’s flavor .

Of course, that meant that he had a high comprehension in all of the dishes . But… . .

‘It’s weak . ’

Alan’s gaze grew sharp . And after that, the judges started to share their arguments .

And, the conclusion has been made .

“Minjoon . Come here . ”

Joseph opened his mouth . Jo Minjoon put on an uneasy face while Joseph put on a smile .

“Personally, I think that this is the most delicious dish from all of the ones you had made . But the problem isn’t the flavor . It’s the heart . Until now, the catfish meatball stew, and bream, were all delicious, but  your greed could be seen clearly from them . Of course, that’s an obvious thing . If you are a participant you hope to pass, and because of that, you can just cook . ”

Joseph talked until there and stopped . He looked at the judges next to him .

“I think the same thing as Emily and Alan . The dish you have made this time was really warm . It wasn’t greedy, and it showed that you wanted to make a delicious and reassuring meal . Putting it in good words, it felt like a mother preparing it . But in bad words, it wasn’t a dish from a restaurant, but a meal from our house . ”

Jo Minjoon didn’t say a thing . He was only listening attentively at Joseph . Joseph let out a sigh . He seemed to take this evaluation really hard .

“That’s why I can only say sorry . Because it was a really good dish . However, we aren’t customers, but judges……And we can’t just look at your heart and judge . Minjoon . ”

Joseph looked at Jo Minjoon . Jo Minjoon slowly closed his eyes . He could already guess what he was going to tell him . And that guess didn’t go off .

“I’m sorry . You are a disqualifying candidate . ”

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