NOVEL WEB Chapter 137.1
Cold Pasta With Men-Tsuyu Tomato
In the morning, a large quantity of tomatoes arrived from Darius, the owner of the popular diner Cicada Pavilion via Arga. These tomatoes, harvested before fully ripening due to damaged seedlings, were edible but slightly firm. Yuuri, however, decided to turn them into Men-Tsuyu tomatoes, a dish he had been making several times recently.
Men-Tsuyu tomatoes are simply made by cutting tomatoes into wedges and soaking them in Men-Tsuyu (noodle soup base) for several hours. This process allows the Men-Tsuyu flavor to seep into the tomatoes, slightly darkening their color and softening their texture. It’s a simple dish that makes even firm or less sweet tomatoes delicious.
By the time lunch preparation began, a large batch of Men-Tsuyu tomatoes was ready.
“So, are we using these Men-Tsuyu tomatoes for lunch?”
“Yeah. Since it’s just us and Tifaana eating, I thought we’d make cold pasta.”
“Got it.”
Camille, today’s cooking duty person, responded with a smile to Yuuri’s explanation. When Yuuri said “us”, he meant himself and the four apprentices. Today, the apprentices had been helping Yuuri sun-dry all the cushions in the hideout since morning. Normally, they would be given study tasks, but today’s work was assisting Yuuri.
This, too, is a valuable form of learning.
Housework may seem simple, but it’s actually quite complex. It involves considering efficiency and procedures to ensure smooth progress, making it a lesson in task management. No matter how convenient the tools, there’s always some waiting time involved in housework.
So, the apprentices occasionally spend time diligently doing housework under the guise of helping Yuuri. They don’t complain and willingly engage in the tasks, showing they understand both the challenges and benefits of mastering housework.
“Should I start preparing the pasta?”
“Can you handle it?”
“Leave it to me.”
While Yuuri rummaged through the fridge for ingredients, Camille carried a large pot to boil the pasta. Camille filled the pot halfway with water and placed it on the stove. He then started boiling the water, carrying a bowl of water to the pot. Filling the pot to the brim would make it too heavy to carry, a task only the strong-armed Ulgus among the apprentices could manage.
Leaving that to Camille, Yuuri took out vegetables for the pasta from the fridge. First, the large batch of Men-Tsuyu tomatoes, including the Men-Tsuyu they were soaked in, was a key ingredient. Yuuri planned to use the tomato-infused Men-Tsuyu as the dressing, envisioning something like tomato cold noodles or tomato somen.
From the fridge, Yuuri pulled out cucumbers, lettuce, and cabbage—mostly leafy vegetables. After a moment’s thought, he also grabbed some eggplants.
“I’ll julienne the cucumbers and cabbage, tear the lettuce, and slice the eggplants lengthwise to fry them.”
Humming a tune, Yuuri cheerfully began preparations. The toppings could be adjusted based on preference, so the lineup changed each time, a common feature of Yuuri’s cooking. The menu was usually built around what was in the fridge or what was cheap at the store. Today, the priority was using up the large batch of Men-Tsuyu tomatoes.
First, Yuuri washed all the vegetables. As he scrubbed them clean, Camille appeared beside him.
“The water’s boiling, so I have some free time. What should I do?”
“Well, you can tear the lettuce, julienne the cabbage or cucumbers, or slice and fry the eggplants. Which would you prefer?”
“…I’ll tear the lettuce for now, since I can leave it midway to tend to the pasta.”
“Got it. Thanks!”
“Sure.”
Camille chose to tear the lettuce, a task he could easily leave if needed. He wasn’t averse to the other tasks but wanted to be free to boil the pasta when the water was ready. Julienning cabbage or cucumbers would require finishing before moving on, and frying eggplants couldn’t be interrupted. It was a sensible decision.
As Camille tore the washed lettuce into bite-sized pieces, Yuuri swiftly julienned the cabbage with a skill level of 65, a remarkable feat that could earn him tips if showcased. Yet, Yuuri remained oblivious to his own skill, continuing his work without a second thought. Even Camille’s admiring gaze went unnoticed. Yuuri, ever the natural, lived at his own pace.
“Yuuri, I’ll go boil the pasta. Can you finish the lettuce?”
“Leave it to me.”
“Alright.”
Noticing the boiling water, Camille left the remaining lettuce and headed to the pot. Since they were making cold pasta, the boiled pasta needed to be chilled in ice water afterward.
First, plenty of boiling water with a pinch of salt was prepared. The pasta was cooked as usual, but for cold pasta, it was boiled a minute longer. After draining, the pasta was plunged into ice water, mixed well, and drained again. A light toss in olive oil prevented the pasta from sticking.
With the pasta ready, the next step was preparing the toppings. Yuuri had already julienned the cabbage and cucumbers, and the remaining lettuce was torn. The last task was frying the eggplants, which Yuuri had sliced lengthwise into six pieces. Since the pasta was dressed with Men-Tsuyu, a hint of sesame oil was added for flavor.
“Yuuri, can I start plating the pasta?”
“Go ahead. The fried eggplants are almost done.”
“Alright.”
Yuuri, smiling as he watched the eggplants in the pan, received a small smile from Camille. Camille portioned the chilled pasta into bowls, ensuring there was enough for seconds without overloading the bowls. Yuuri’s philosophy was to serve moderate portions, allowing for seconds if desired, a practice Camille and the others had adopted.
After plating the pasta, Camille added the torn lettuce, julienned cabbage, and cucumbers. The green vegetables scattered over the white pasta created a beautiful contrast. Next, the star of the dish, the Men-Tsuyu tomatoes, were added, their red color perfectly complementing the green vegetables.