NOVEL WEB Chapter 148.2
Using The Salt-Cured Salmon I Received, I Made A Chilled Dashi Chazuke
With a smile, Yakk went to call everyone who was likely playing in the living room. Meanwhile, Yuuri continued placing the flaked salmon into the bowls. Once the salmon was evenly distributed, the crispy skin was divided and added to each bowl. In no time, the bowls were filled with warm rice and hot salmon.
With Etol’s help, Yuuri carried the bowls to the table and prepared tea and spoons for everyone. Spoons are easier to use for chazuke.
By then, everyone had arrived, with Ridi climbing onto his chair, his face glowing with excitement. Meanwhile, Rooks, who had just finished cleaning, was seen gently lifting Ridi from below as he struggled to climb up. ……It was a heartwarming sight.
“Sorry for the wait. Here’s the dashi chazuke with the salt-cured salmon we received. The dashi is in this pitcher, so feel free to pour as much as you like.”
“Huh? Yuuri, the dashi is still cold?”
“Yep. Since the rice and salmon are warm, pouring cold dashi over them should make it just the right temperature. Besides, hot dashi chazuke is hard to eat in this heat, right?”
“True.”
Satisfied, Camille happily poured the cold dashi into his bowl. Yuuri explained what dashi chazuke was to Crest and Fia, who didn’t know what it was. Meanwhile, Ridi was tapping the table, demanding to be fed. ……Children are honest about their desires.
Etol, who was trying to pour the dashi into his own bowl, looked a bit unsteady with the large pitcher, so Aroru offered to help. Etol thanked her sincerely, and Aroru poured the cold dashi into both Etol’s and Ridi’s bowls.
Instantly, Ridi’s face lit up. He couldn’t quite hold the spoon properly, but he managed to mix the contents of his bowl with a clattering sound. ……It seemed he had instinctively figured out that mixing everything together was the way to go.
“Nya~!”
Ridi happily ate the chilled dashi chazuke, clearly satisfied. As werecats, they have a low tolerance for heat, so regular hot dashi chazuke would be too much for them. But with the rice and salmon warm and the dashi chilled, the temperature was just right.
Everyone couldn’t help but smile at the sight of Ridi eating so happily. His twitching ears and tail were a clear sign of how much he was enjoying it. After enjoying Ridi’s antics, the others also started eating the chilled dashi chazuke.
The rice, freshly taken from the rice cooker, was soft, and the flaked salmon was fluffy. In contrast, the salmon skin was crispy, adding a fun texture. The chilled dashi, made with kelp and bonito, was lightly seasoned with soy sauce and salt. It was like a clear soup chazuke. The saltiness of the salmon added a nice accent.
Above all, the umami of the salmon was exceptional. Just seeing the thin layer of pink fat floating in the dashi was enough to whet the appetite. The thick meat was juicy, and the more you chewed, the more the umami spread. It was amazing how delicious it was with just the salt and the salmon’s natural flavor.
“I’ve eaten grilled salmon before, but this is the first time I’ve had it like this.”
“In my hometown, rice is the staple food, so we often eat it this way.”
“I see.”
Yuuri smiled warmly at Fia, who seemed impressed. In this area, bread is the main food, so chazuke might be a rare dish. But as long as it’s delicious, there’s no problem. Dashi chazuke is delicious, so no complaints here.
“Young master, what are you doing……”
“Unyaa……”
“No, no, you have to eat properly.”
“Huh? What’s wrong, Etol?”
“Ah, no, the young master……”
Ridi, holding his bowl, was pushing it toward Camille, who was sitting across from him. He was pushing it insistently, as if asking for seconds.
“……He wants more, so he’s asking for seconds.”
“”…………””
Everyone fell silent at Etol’s troubled muttering.
Even though he had already eaten lunch, the kitten was asking for seconds of the dashi chazuke, which was only a third of a bowl. What kind of stomach does he have? It’s true that he once had three servings of cat food on an empty stomach.
As Ridi pushed his bowl toward Camille, Crest and Fia tried to calm his down. After all, this chilled dashi chazuke itself was an irregularity born out of his whims. If he ate too much and got a stomachache, it would be a problem.
“If you eat too much, you’ll feel sick.”
“Unya nya~!”
“Besides, we’re going to make dinner together later. Don’t you want to save some room?”
“Unya?”
Yuuri smiled at the confused Ridi. That’s right, the main event of the day hadn’t even started yet. Knowing that the curious kitten would come to play, Yuuri had prepared to cook dinner with him.
Ridi looked at Crest and Fia, his caretakers, as if asking if it was true. Etol also nodded along with them. Instantly, Ridi’s face lit up. It seemed he had thought they would be returning to the inn by evening. The surprise was a success.
And so, after enjoying the delicious salt-cured salmon chilled dashi chazuke, everyone took a break before starting the slightly early preparations for dinner.