Just because it smells bad, you dare not taste the food? That's the mindset of a us

Chapter 969 Just because it smells bad, you dare not taste the food? That's the mindset of a useless chef!

"No, I still want to try this ramen."

"But, Lady Erina, even I don't think this ramen smells very good. With your divine tongue, I'm afraid you'll—"

Hisako Shinto hadn't finished speaking when Erina Nakiri interrupted her: "It's just a mere stench."

"There are many dishes in this world that are famous for their stench, such as natto from our country, stinky tofu from China, canned herring from Sweden, blue cheese from France, and dried shark from Iceland. If I wouldn't dare to try them just because they smell bad, what kind of chef would I be?!"

Despite Hisako Niito's persuasion, Erina Nakiri did not give up. Perhaps because she had tasted Broly's fried rice and stew, she had some expectations for the Nagahama-style tonkotsu ramen in front of her, which smelled rather unappetizing.

Of course, having certain expectations is one thing, but managing one's facial expressions when actually experiencing it is difficult to completely control.

The girl carefully picked up the noodles wrapped in the thick soup with her chopsticks, holding her breath as if she was about to taste something unpalatable. She first stuck out her pink tongue and used the delicate tip of her tongue to carefully test the taste of the noodles.

Broly watched in a daze, feeling that Erina Nakiri was like an orange cat tentatively exploring something unfamiliar.

"Miss Nakiri, it's best to eat this kind of ramen noodles in big bites."

"I know, you don't need to tell me."

Erina Nakiri replied, and only after confirming that the taste on her tongue was not the unpleasant smell she had smelled did she actually put the noodles on the chopsticks into her mouth.

With just a light bite, the ramen seemed to come alive, bouncing in her mouth. The texture made Erina Nakiri let out a muffled groan: "This ramen is so chewy and elastic! How did you make it?"

"The chef who taught me how to make ramen told me to use high-gluten flour, saying that the higher the protein content in the flour, the chewier the noodles will be."

"I know that. I've made ramen myself before, but I never achieved the same level of chewiness as you."

"Besides flour, the ratio of flour to water is also very important. It needs to be controlled between 100:30 and 100:35. Water should be added slowly in three batches, kneading as you add it."

During this process, salt and baking soda also need to be added. Add 3-5g of salt and 1-2g of baking soda to 500g of flour. Salt makes the dough more elastic, and baking soda makes the gluten structure more compact.

Broly recited exactly what the ramen chef had told him the night before when he was teaching him how to make ramen, and then told Nakiri Erina what he had said.

However, for Erina Nakiri, all of this was just noodle cooking knowledge she had learned at Totsuki Culinary Academy during her middle school years.

"I know the golden ratio. Some people even add eggs to replace some of the water. Egg whites are rich in protein, which can strengthen the gluten network. Egg yolks contain lecithin and fat, which can make the noodles smoother and more golden in color. But even if you add eggs, I can assure you that they won't be as chewy as your noodles."

"Uh, I don't know. I just used those materials to make it."

Broly pointed to the ingredients for making noodles in the kitchen.

Erina Nakiri hesitated for a moment, then said, "Now, can you make noodles for me again right here?"

"Sure, but both resting and kneading the dough take time. Making noodles again would probably take more than an hour."

"It's okay, I can wait."

While Broly went to get the ingredients for making noodles, Hisako Shinoto finally asked the girl, "Erina-sama, is your tongue alright?"

"It's okay. Although this ramen smells bad, it doesn't taste bad at all."

On the contrary, the charred aroma formed by the fat and protein of the pork bones after boiling over high heat is indeed unique. Combined with the incredibly chewy noodles, this bowl of ramen ranks in the top ten of all the ramen I've ever eaten.

Of course, if it didn't taste like it did before, it might rank even higher.

As Erina Nakiri spoke, she slurped up another mouthful of noodles before picking up another piece with her chopsticks and turning to ask her secretary beside her.

"Hisako, would you like to try some?"

If it were someone else's invitation, Hisako Shinoto would definitely refuse without even thinking.

But when it was her own young mistress inviting her, Hisako Shinto immediately nodded and said she wanted to try it.

This was definitely not something she wanted to do by sharing a bowl of noodles with the young lady and indirectly kissing her.

As Broly kneaded the dough, the happiness stats of his two new romantic interests on the Crystal Palace panel kept rising.

Hisako Niito, in particular, jumped the fastest.

Broly turned his head and saw Hisako Shinto gently sucking on her chopsticks.

This made him realize that it wasn't his tonkotsu ramen that was the result, but rather Yuri's.

Sure enough, if people with this attribute happen to be the targets of your romance, then when you increase your happiness level, their happiness level will increase more than the sum of its parts. Yomi and Kagura from the Food Reaper world are good examples of this.

"The first resting time was 30 minutes, followed by two more 10-minute kneading sessions and 10-minute resting sessions, for a total of three kneading and three resting sessions. Now I understand why this dough is so chewy."

Erina Nakiri was unaware of Hisako's subtle actions. She watched Broly make ramen and drew her own conclusion afterward.

"What's the reason?"

Broly was somewhat bewildered. He was the type of person who only knew how to operate something, but had only a vague understanding of the principles behind it.

"It's naturally your kneading technique. Your kneading technique is not only fast but also powerful. This fast and powerful kneading technique gives the ramen its excellent elasticity."

After Erina Nakiri finished speaking, she let out a breath. This ramen-making technique was something she herself couldn't learn; only someone with enough strength could learn it.

Otherwise, it would be difficult to knead the dough as quickly and forcefully as the person in front of you.

When Erina Nakiri tasted Broly's ramen again, perhaps because she had just witnessed the entire process of making ramen, some strange images came to mind.

With each bite of ramen, it's as if you've transformed into dough, being kneaded and manipulated by a pair of large hands.

Erina Nakiri's face quickly flushed red, and her body unconsciously twisted in the chair, occasionally letting out strange humming sounds from her nose.

Broly was completely bewildered by what he saw. He scanned Erina Nakiri's body several times with his aura, but still couldn't figure out what was wrong with her.

Of course, Broly was no stranger to Erina Nakiri's reaction; it was something that would happen when some of his wives were being caressed by him.

However, he didn't know why a bowl of noodles could make the girl in front of him react as if she were being caressed.

There doesn't seem to be anything strange in the noodles, does it?

Broly was completely baffled. "The exam is over. Let me give you my evaluation of your cooking."

After finishing her noodles, Erina Nakiri wiped her mouth with a tissue and prepared to begin her review.

Broly stood to the side, looking all ears.

"First of all, the fried rice is good. The result of using leftover rice is indeed better than yesterday's fried rice."

Secondly, the stew was excellent; it even reminded me of the flavors of my childhood.

As for the tonkotsu ramen, the ramen itself is excellent, but the tonkotsu broth in the Nagahama school is not good.

Before eating it, my opinion was that it was not good.

Even after eating it, I can only give it a neutral evaluation.

If I were given the same ramen noodles, and other tonkotsu broth options that didn't smell bad, I would not hesitate to choose them.

I hesitated before choosing pork bone soup, which didn't have a foul smell.

Of course, the Nagahama school of tonkotsu soup also has its advantages, namely the caramelized aroma that comes from boiling the soup over high heat, a flavor that is hard to find in other normal-tasting tonkotsu soups.

Well, my suggestion is that the fried rice can remain the same, the stew can be garnished with some chrysanthemum for a refreshing aroma, and the tonkotsu ramen should have its tonkotsu broth flavor improved, especially that unpleasant pork bone smell.

If I could eliminate that, I'd give your tonkotsu ramen a high score.

"Yes, Ms. Nakiri, I will try to improve the taste of the tonkotsu ramen when I get back. Thank you for your guidance."

"I'm looking forward to it. Well, if there's nothing else, I'll have Hisako escort you away."

"May I add your phone number, Ms. Nakiri?"

Broly pulled out his smartphone, which he had just bought yesterday, and asked.

"Hey, you! You want to add Erina-sama's phone number? Are you trying to do something nefarious to her?"

Erina Nakiri remained silent, but Hisako Shinoto became wary. She was right, though Broly would never admit it.

"I just want to contact Ms. Nakiri as soon as possible after I finish optimizing the tonkotsu soup so that she can help me taste the improved tonkotsu soup."

Broly found a suitable excuse to explain, then paused and added, "Of course, Ms. Shinko can come along too. If it's alright, I'd also like to add your phone number."

"Me?"

"Yes, then you'll be able to enjoy soup and noodles with Ms. Nakiri and savor my tonkotsu ramen."

After hearing Broly's words, Hisako Shinoto swallowed hard, her face flushing slightly, as if she were thinking of some scenes that she couldn't let outsiders know.

"Hisako, give him her phone number."

"Erina-sama?"

"Of course, if there's nothing else, it's best not to bother me."

Erina Nakiri tilted her chin up, speaking like a proud peacock.

"Call me first if you need anything, don't bother Lady Erina, understand?"

Hisako Niito gave Broly these instructions on the way to the entrance of Totsuki Academy.

"If there's nothing else, may I call you, Ms. Niito?"

Broly asked.

"Why are you calling if there's nothing wrong?"

Hisako Shindo frowned and looked at him.

"When I'm a little bored, I want to find someone to chat with."

"You're really boring."

"So, is that okay?"

"That won't do. Don't contact me unless it's absolutely necessary, or I'll blacklist you."

Hisako Niito warned.

"May I ask, what constitutes 'something wrong'?"

"Anything related to cooking is considered 'something,' and anything unrelated to cooking is considered 'nothing,' understand?"

"Understood. I'll contact you again if anything comes up."

"I've dropped you off at the gate. After school starts tomorrow, study the school map in the Totsuki Academy handbook carefully, so you don't get lost again."

"Okay, thank you, Ms. Niito."

Hisako Shinoto nodded and turned to return to the academy.

"See you tomorrow, Ms. Shinto."

The girl didn't respond, and Broly didn't pay any attention.

After finding a secluded spot, we took off and returned to Yukihira Restaurant.

Inside the Yukihira restaurant, the red-haired boy was researching a bizarre dish of grilled squid legs when he suddenly heard a familiar voice behind him.

"Soma, have you thought of any ways to improve the taste of Nagahama-ryu Tonkotsu Ramen?"

He turned around and saw Broly, who was looking at him with a serious expression.

"Brother Broly, you've come back from familiarizing yourself with the academy, and you want to discuss optimizing Nagahama-ryu Tonkotsu Ramen with me?"

"Yes, you're right this morning. The tonkotsu broth at Nagahama Ryu Tonkotsu Ramen doesn't taste very good. I think we need to improve the flavor."

Upon hearing this, Soma Yukihira felt a sense of relief, believing that his guidance had had some effect.

While Broly was getting familiar with the academy, he was probably thinking about how to improve the flavor of Nagahama Ryu's tonkotsu ramen soup.

——】

Being interested in optimizing dishes means you've already stepped into the culinary industry; there's nothing better than a source of motivation than interest.

"That's great, let's start studying it now."

"Wait, weren't you researching this before I came back?"

"Uh, I'm going to research how to grill squid legs."

"Grilled squid legs? What's so special about that? They're delicious no matter how you grill them, right?"

Broly looked at him with a puzzled expression.

"Indeed, so I'm researching how to bake it to make it even less palatable."

"What's wrong with you?"

"No problem, it's just about trying different combinations of ingredients. Perhaps some dishes that seem terrible when combined together can be made delicious by using different cooking methods."

"So, did you enjoy the grilled squid legs with chocolate sauce?"

"Would you like to give it a try?"

Seeing the gleam in Soma Yukihira's eyes and the malicious expression on his face, Broly decisively refused.

"That's such a pity."

After being rejected, Soma Yukihira sighed, but didn't dare to force Broly's culinary disaster upon him.

After all, his strong physique was there for all to see, and he, a relatively weak ordinary chef boy, couldn't force him to do so.

"The intense flavor of Nagahama-style tonkotsu soup mainly comes from the cooking time. Boiling it over high heat throughout the process allows the fishy smell to seep into the soup, but if you simmer it over low heat, the caramelized aroma of Nagahama-style tonkotsu soup will disappear."

Broly and Soma Yukihira are working together to improve the Nagahama school of tonkotsu soup, but progress is somewhat slow.

To maintain the caramelized and sweet aftertaste of Nagahama-style tonkotsu, the soup itself will have a strong, slightly pungent aroma. However, if the stronger aroma is removed, the caramelized flavor of the Nagahama style will be reduced.

The two studied the method from afternoon to evening, trying everything they could think of, such as soaking pork bones in running water and adding spices to mask the odor, but they couldn't find a way to extract the essence and discard the dross.

No matter how you try, you always have to choose between a caramelized aroma and a non-stinky smell.

"Soaking the pork bones in running water removes the blood, and adding spices to mask any unpleasant smells, while keeping the water boiling over high heat..."

Skimming off the foam promptly during cooking can reduce the stench and retain some of the caramelized aroma, but it doesn't completely achieve the result of only having a caramelized aroma and no stench.

Soma Yukihira racked his brains but couldn't find a solution.

"Sigh, if only we could separate the processes for removing the fishy smell and creating a caramelized aroma."

Broly sighed, and there were already more than twenty empty ramen bowls in front of him.

"Wait, what did you say?"

"Send it out for processing."

"Yes, that's it!"

"No, can this be separated and handled separately?"

"Of course not, but we can use a different kind of caramelized flavor to replace the caramelized flavor of Nagahama Ryu Tonkotsu Ramen. Hmm, first, cook a pot of normal tonkotsu broth without any fishy or foul smell, then sauté slices of high-quality pork belly to induce a Maillard reaction, and add those slices in—"

At 11 p.m., a bowl of Nagahama-style tonkotsu ramen, which didn't have the smell of pork bones but had a good caramelized aroma, was made.

After tasting it, Broly and Soma Yukihira concluded that this was the taste they wanted, although it was not quite perfect.

"It only has a caramelized aroma and lacks a sweet aftertaste. Perhaps a little licorice should be added for flavor."

Soma Yukihira said.

"Shall we try again?"

Broly asked.

"It's too late today, and I have to attend the entrance ceremony at Totsuki Academy tomorrow. I'll try again later."

Soma Yukihira glanced at the clock on the wall and shook his head.

"Okay, go to sleep then. I'll take care of things here."

",May I?"

"Of course, you were the one who did the main improvements."

"Brother Broly, I'll leave this to you."

After Soma Yukihira left and returned to his room, Broly in the kitchen summoned a water elemental.

Broly, who hadn't slept last night, handed over the tidying up to the water elemental and then went back to his room to rest.

Before lying in bed to sleep, he took out his phone and sent a message to Erina Nakiri and Hisako Shinoto: "Nagahama Ryu Tonkotsu"

A text message stating that the ramen smell problem has been improved.