NOVEL WEB Chapter 136.2
Firm Tomatoes Can Be Softened And Made Delicious With Noodle Sauce
Arga was genuinely impressed. For him, noodle sauce was almost an unknown seasoning. So, he had no idea what kind of dish it would make.
Seeing Arga’s reaction, Yuuri clapped his hands. He hurried to the refrigerator and took out a bowl. Inside the slightly small bowl, some liquid was sloshing.
“This is the leftover from the other day. Want to try it?”
“Eh, is it okay?”
“Yes, it’s fine.”
Smiling, Yuuri lifted a tomato soaked in the noodle sauce onto a small plate. Handing the plate and chopsticks to Arga, who thanked him and took it.
The tomato, soaked in the noodle sauce for a long time, had absorbed the color of the sauce slightly. Moreover, it was completely softened. Picking it up with chopsticks, Arga made a serious face as he felt the softness of the tomato.
He’s not a cook, so he doesn’t understand the intricate details. But if soaking tomatoes in noodle sauce makes them soft and tasty, he thought he should bring this information back to his father. He’s too busy helping at the inn to handle the eatery, and his sister Sheila is perfect as a waitress but disastrous at cooking. Her special skill of creating mysterious substance X is still intact. …He secretly resolved to find a husband who can cook for his sister.
He popped the tomato into his mouth. The gentle flavor of the noodle sauce spread. The tomato’s acidity and moisture blended into it, making it mellow. While it lost its crisp texture, the tomato’s juicy deliciousness harmonized with the noodle sauce, dancing in his mouth. …Simply put, it was delicious.
“Yuuri-kun, is this really just soaked in noodle sauce?”
“Yes.”
“This alone could be a good snack with alcohol.”
“Ah, right. The other day, Lelei ate a whole bowl with some alcohol.”
“…A whole bowl?”
“A whole bowl.”
Yuuri gestured to show that the bowl was not a small one but a large bowl, and Arga confirmed with a question. Yuuri nodded seriously and gestured with both hands to show the size of the bowl again. Reality is merciless.
But to clarify, Lelei isn’t just a big eater. She inherited her father’s traits as a cat beastman, so she eats more than an average human. Beastmen tend to be big eaters. And they are energetic people who move as much as they eat.
“Can you teach me how to make this? I want to tell my old man.”
“Sure. Let’s prepare some with the tomatoes we got.”
“Thanks.”
“Though, it’s not particularly difficult.”
Yuuri gladly accepted Arga’s request. Originally, Yuuri had no resistance to teaching others the recipes he knew. He just wanted everyone to enjoy delicious food. After all, he’s not a professional chef, nor does he earn money from cooking. He just makes ordinary home-cooked meals, so teaching others was normal for Yuuri.
So, with Arga following behind, Yuuri started cooking. For now, he only took one tomato for explanation. After washing it clean under running water, he placed it on the cutting board and neatly cut it in half. Then, after removing the stem, he cut it into wedges.
“The size of the tomato isn’t fixed, but I think this size is easier to eat, so I cut them into wedges. If you slice them, they might break when they soften.”
“I see. Indeed, the tomato earlier was quite soft.”
“Then, put the cut tomatoes into a bowl and pour enough noodle sauce to cover them.”
“Make sure they’re fully submerged.”
“Yes.”
He tossed the tomatoes into the bowl and poured enough noodle sauce to cover them. Then, Yuuri turned to Arga.
“That’s it.”
“…Really, just soaking them?”
“Yes.”
“No other seasonings?”
“None. Noodle sauce is already a mixed seasoning, right?”
“True.”
Arga nodded in understanding at Yuuri’s words. Noodle sauce contains soy sauce, mirin, dashi, and sake. It’s already a complete seasoning.
“Then, just put it in the fridge and let it sit.”
“How long?”
“Depends on the size and firmness of the tomatoes, but 2-3 hours should be enough.”
“I see. Thanks.”
Arga thanked Yuuri with a tone and expression that showed he was genuinely grateful. Yuuri, not quite understanding, tilted his head. Arga was relieved that he could help his busy father. He knew how hard it was for his father, who had been making sauce every day to prevent the tomatoes from going bad, yet couldn’t even entrust the kitchen to the popular waitress.
“Ah, right. Arga-san, do you want to take the rest back to Darius-san?”
“Huh?”
“I think Darius-san would want to taste it himself before deciding whether to make it.”
“…Is it okay to take it?”
“It’s just leftovers, so it’s fine. We can prepare enough with the tomatoes we got today.”
“I see. Then, I’ll gratefully take it.”
“Okay. Let me put it in a container for you.”
As Yuuri happily started preparing the takeaway, Arga muttered to himself about how considerate Yuuri was. It didn’t feel like something a boy would do, but with Yuuri, it felt perfectly natural. The diligent househusband continued his work without any sense of incongruity.
After packing the tomatoes soaked in noodle sauce into a lidded container to prevent spills, Yuuri handed it to Arga. With a very happy expression, Arga accepted it and returned to Sunshine Pavilion, where his father was waiting.
Later, noodle sauce tomatoes were added to Sunshine Pavilion’s menu and became popular as a refreshing and delicious dish on hot days.