NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7: Local Cuisine
As the line in front of the food stall was long but moving quickly, it was evident that the preparation of this snack didn’t require much time.
As Qi Han approached the stall, he finally saw the sign: “Grilled Zun Ball.”
Grilled Zun Ball?
Clearly, this was a delicacy Qi Han had never heard of before. Just as he was wondering about it, a timely introduction from the system appeared.
【Grilled Zun Ball, a specialty of the Bluewave City in the Star Luo Empire of the Douluo Continent. Bluewave City is a coastal city with unique seafood in its nearby waters, known as the Qing Zun Fish. The Qing Zun Fish is large in size, reaching over three meters in length when fully grown. Its flesh is unpalatable and cannot be eaten, but its roe is extremely delicious. Grilled Zun Ball is made primarily from Qing Zun Fish roe, mixed with seasonings and grilled, making it a local specialty.】
‘Bluewave City…’
Qi Han became more interested in this fish that had inedible flesh but delicious roe. As the line moved forward, it was soon his turn.
The stall’s owner was a kind-looking woman who smiled at Qi Han and began the preparation.
Qi Han carefully observed the women’s movements. He saw that she used a cooking utensil that resembled the iron plate used for making takoyaki in his previous life, but it was larger, about the size of half a fist.
The woman scooped a sticky white mixture with a large spoon from a big bucket and poured it into each hemisphere-shaped hollow in the cooking utensil.
The white mixture seemed to be a combination of flour and water, with some added ingredients like spring onions. It quickly solidified within the utensil, forming a bowl-like shape.
Then, the woman carefully placed one Qing Zun Fish roe after another into the bowl, covering them with another layer of the white mixture.
The Qing Zun Fish roe was reddish in color, translucent, and about the size of a longan fruit. They fit perfectly within the woman’s specially made cooking utensil.
Once the second layer of mixture began to solidify, the woman took a bamboo skewer and swiftly flipped the Grilled Zun Balls over.
Qi Han blinked his eyes, realizing that this technique was very similar to making takoyaki in his previous life.
‘It seemed that even in a different world, culinary techniques had some commonalities’
As the Grilled Zun Balls were flipped, they emitted a slight sound, and the strong aroma started to spread. Qi Han, being the first in line, sniffed the air and tears welled up in his eyes uncontrollably.
Puff!
A crisp sound came from within the Grilled Zun Balls, and they instantly took on a reddish hue.
‘Did the Qing Zun Fish roe burst open due to the heat?’
Following the first light popping sound, a series of “puff, puff, puff” sounds followed suit, and the Grilled Zun Balls on the iron plate turned red one after another.
The sound was oddly satisfying, like a release of pressure.
As the fish roe burst open inside the Grilled Zun Balls, a distinct seafood aroma filled the air, giving the dish its soul.
Simultaneously, the woman had a paper box in her hand, skillfully took out one Grilled Zun Ball, placed it in the box, sprinkled some unknown seasoning on top, and handed it to Qi Han.
The Grilled Zun Balls were priced at 2 Silver Coins each. To save room for other foods, Qi Han conservatively bought only one.
Qi Han looked at the Grilled Zun Ball, about half the size of his fist, and a smile exclusive to a food lover appeared on his face.
He took a gentle bite, as if breaking a seal, and the unique fragrance of the Grilled Zun Ball instantly burst out from the opening. The rich aroma wafted directly into Qi Han’s nostrils and mouth.
Subconsciously, Qi Han took another bite, going deeper. This time, he tasted the Qing Zun Fish roe concealed within the Grilled Zun Ball.
The Qing Zun Fish roe had turned into a jam-like consistency, similar to the coating of a snack from his previous life. Its freshness even surpassed the fish roe he had tasted in his previous life.
‘I wonder if I can use this Qing Zun Fish roe to make other dishes…’
With a crispy outer shell and a delicious coating, Qi Han understood why so many people loved this snack.
‘Great, let’s move on to the next one.’
…
For a food lover like Qi Han, time was always fleeting. Several hours passed in the blink of an eye, and Qi Han, with a satisfied stomach, returned to his own small shop with a touch of regret.
The regret wasn’t because the food wasn’t delicious but because there were too many tasty things to try.
Indeed, this was the Food Street of Shrek City, which boasted a wide variety of delicacies from all over the Douluo Continent. Qi Han had only covered less than a tenth of the street and had already eaten seven or eight delicious snacks. He couldn’t eat anymore and had to give up, vowing to continue next time.
The Grilled Zun Ball was just an appetizer. Each subsequent snack was equally delicious. Perhaps due to the extraordinary powers in this world, there seemed to be an abundance of delicious ingredients on the Douluo Continent, and they didn’t rely on various additives like in his previous life. Qi Han felt that the cuisine in the Douluo Continent far surpassed what he had eaten in his previous life.
After receiving the rewards for completing the Main Quest, Qi Han opened the door of his shop and prepared to start the evening’s business.
He had 85 Gold Coins remaining before completing the second Main Quest. Qi Han sat in his chair, his eyes fixed on the passersby, as each one looked like a Gold Coin to him.
Two girls passed by the front of the shop and stopped their steps upon noticing the small shop. Qi Han, who had been staring at the entrance, felt a surge of excitement.
After whispering to each other for a while, the girls took a step and walked into the shop.
Both girls were young, around 14 or 15 years old, but their figures were already starting to show signs of maturity, likely due to being Spirit Masters. However, what drew the most attention was the clothing they were wearing.
Anyone in Shrek City knew what the green school uniform represented.
It was the uniform of Shrek Academy.
Given the age of the two girls, they should be lower-grade students at Shrek Academy.
As Qi Han observed the two girls, they also secretly assessed him.
The girl with red hair seemed bolder and asked, “Mister, is this a restaurant?”
‘Mister..’
Qi Han was momentarily stunned but soon realized they were addressing him.
The new body’s age that he got in this world was already twenty-five years old. Although Qi Han took care of himself and no longer looked unkempt, wearing a clean chef’s uniform actually made him quite handsome. However, considering his age, it seemed normal for a young girl to call him “mister.”
Qi Han pointed to the menu on the wall and asked, “Yeah, what would you like to eat?”
Both girls looked up, glanced at the menu, and then turned their heads to look at Qi Han.
An eerie silence hung in the air.
The girl with red hair softly spoke, “Do we have any options?”
Qi Han coughed lightly, feeling a bit embarrassed. Just as he was about to respond, the black-haired girl beside the redhead gently tugged on her sleeve.
“Shuang, let’s eat somewhere else. This place is too expensive.”
The redhead patted the black-haired girl’s hand and grinned. “Today, our Unrivaled Duo won three matches in a row and earned quite a few Gold Coins. Don’t worry, today I’ll treat you.”
She turned to Qi Han and said, “Boss, bring us two servings of egg fried rice.”
“But…” Ying Shuang squinted her eyes, “if it’s expensive and not delicious, don’t blame me for being impolite.”
As they spoke, 3 Spirit Rings appeared around Ying Shuang’s body.
Yellow, Yellow, Purple.
This young girl, only around 14 or 15 years old, was actually a Spirit Elder with 3 Spirit Rings.