I can’t cook.I can make the occasional bacon and eggs and the only dish I’ve made that required me to follow a recipe was my grandma’s Adobo. But as someone who has watched multiple seasons of AustralianMasterchef,some dishes made me think, “Dang, I wish I was skilled at making them without burning my house down.” That all changed when Netflix released the first season ofreality competitionseries,Culinary Class War.
For those who haven’t seen this show, it’s a South Korean reality series best described as “IfPhysical 100had a child withMasterchef.” Essentially,100 Korean chefs compete in a variety of cooking challenges. 80 of them are everyday cooks, like small restaurant owners, school chefs, content creators, etc. Meanwhile, the remaining 20 are the biggest names in the cooking world, both in South Korea and internationally. Each dish is judged by its flavor, sometimes presentation, and if the contestant can achieve certain tasks.
One of the contestants on the show isIron Chef Americawinner ChefEdward Lee.According to hisNetflix bio, he’s a nine-time James Beard Award nominee and has served as a visiting chef at the White House in 2023. His reason for competing in this series was to learn more about his Korean identity through cooking,despite his lack of ability to speak the language. Out of all the dishes season 1 has to offer, he presented a dish that receives praise for its creativity and taste.
The ‘Culinary Class War’s Tofu Dish Challenge
Episodes 11 to 12 featured the second knockout elimination round called “Infinite Cooking Hell.” This challengetests the chefs’ endurance and creativity as they create different dishes that showcase tofu- a condensed soy milk ingredient that is very nutrient-dense, according toHealthline.If you tried this before, you know how bland it tastes by default unless you add something to it. During round 5 of this challenge, Lee presents his creation -Kentucky Fried-Tofu,inspired by his time living in Kentucky and wanted to make KFC chicken at least once.It is deep-fried tofu but tastes like chicken. This tofu dish recieves applause from the judges for its unique take on the ingredient, giving him a spot for the next round. It looks pretty simple and would be fun to make if it wasn’t for one problem -the recipe is not available on the internet.
Unlike the winning dishes seen in theConvenience Store challengein episode 8, the steps to make this fried tofu dish are not available. Fortunately,Lee shared his step-by-step process during his presentation, and in theory, it’s like making fried chicken. If fans want to recreate this unique take on this ingredient, the best thing to do is make it from scratch… which is what I did. What could possibly go wrong?
How to Make Kentucky Fried Tofu
This is how Lee made this dish in under 30 minutes.He makes his chicken fat by cooking a whole chicken. He also makes his own chicken mix that he coats the tofu in, deep-fries it, and then adds lemon and vegetables. Unfortunately, not everyone is confident about doing things from scratch. Also, you don’t want to waste a whole chicken just to make one ingredient. The next best thing is to make some adjustments and use store-bought items to hopefully produce a similar result. It does mean that the cooking time will increase due to the added set of instructions found on the packet.
The ingredients I used to recreate the dish are500g of tofu, vegetable oil, powdered chicken broth, water, and fried chicken mix.Just like Lee, I first prepare my chicken fat, which in this case, is powdered chicken boiled in a small pot with a few cups of water. I then cut my tofu into a smaller shape so it would be easier to marinate the fried chicken mix in a bowl. After pouring my oil on the pan and setting my stove at a high temperature, Ishallow fry my marinated tofu until each side is golden. Once that’s done, put the fried tofu on a plate and coat it with the chicken broth.
You know you have a good jobwhen your fried tofu doesn’t taste like tofu at all. Using the same techniques of making homemade fried chicken, I was able to transform an ingredient that I tolerate into something I can eat. If there is anything I learned during this experience, it’s that cooking can be fun if you’re willing to try it.
‘Culinary Class Wars’ Introduces Unique Ways to Make Dishes With Complicated Ingredients
Reality TV cooking shows have showcased many dishes, but many of them are hard to pull off due to the rushed nature of these programs, making them inaccessible for those starting out. What makesCulinary Class Warsdifferent is that not only do we see how it’s done, but the chefs also share their process. Most of the meals prepared are ones that have already existed, but are reimagined versions or use existing simple cooking techniques to make something new. This Netflix cooking show has introduced a variety of meals that can be made through the use of creativity and out-of-the-box thinking that anyone at any skill level can do.
It has been confirmed thatCulinary Class Warwill return for a second season. Hopefully, this show extends from its South Korean borders and explores more types of cuisine. It has the potential to inspire people to cook meals that aren’t too complicated and can be completed in a short period of time. I know it did for me and I look forward to making Kentucky Fried Tofu once more.
