NOVEL NEXT Chapter 90.1
Softshell Turtle Hot Pot
Right now, I was trying to prepare a softshell turtle in Nina-san's room.
Nina-san's kitchen is spacious. It's probably because of its older design. Therefore, it has a floor space of more than one tatami mat. Unlike my apartment, where even the entryway doesn't add up to one tatami mat.
On the other hand, the design is very simple. The upper shelves are held in place by L-shaped brackets with long, narrow boards. Therefore, it's almost impossible to place heavy objects there. Yes, Nina-san could only put lightweight things there. The storage below the sink is also very simple. It consists of only a metal framework. So, pipes and such are exposed. These places are where cockroaches hide, so in older buildings, this kind of design might be the right choice.
(Wait a minute. Before I prepare the softshell turtle, maybe I should ask Nana to show me her fridge.)
"Nina-san, if there's anything in the fridge I can use, may I use it?"
"Sure… (nod nod)"
Alright, I got the green light from Nina-san while she was sipping ginger tea. Let's open the fridge. Oh, it's not black like mine. It's just a regular refrigerator.
Hmm, small vegetable juice packs, some bottles of wine. Miso, soy sauce… Wait, is Nina-san storing condiments in the fridge? There's even salt and pepper in there.
Well, forget it. Some half-used carrots, onions, and tofu, right? I see, Nina-san seems to cook for herself as well. There's also a well-used rice cooker.
(Alright, let's use the tofu and these carrots to add color to the softshell turtle hot pot. We can also use the wine. Let's go for it.)
[Sounds of chopping]
When I beheaded Softshell Turtle-san, its red blood dripped out, so I caught it in a nearby glass.
(Hmm, they say softshell turtle's fresh blood is good for vitality, right? Oh, but eating raw wild animals is dangerous.)
There are probably parasites or something. Yeah, there must be a way to kill them, like low-temperature pasteurization for milk… Oh, I've got a good idea. I'll add some acid to the blood in the glass using my skills for sterilization and disinfection.
[Fizzing sound]
Ugh, it's weird. It's foaming up, like a mini witch's cauldron. Well, it should be about done by now. But when I neutralize the acid I added with magic, it's strange. The softshell turtle's fresh blood has become oddly watery.
(Huh, did this break down the red and white blood cells? Well, it might make it easier to drink this way, so it's okay.)
And now, just to be safe, I'll add some salt for sterilization.
There we go, solidified the blood with salt.[Squeeze! And with a little muscle power, squeeze! Yeah, if I sterilize it like this, it should be fine. Finally, I pour in the wine, and the first course is complete – softshell turtle fresh blood wine.
Nina-san ate the bitter part of a turban shell like it was delicious during our trip, so she should be able to handle some unconventional dishes.
"Here you go, Nina-san, try this. It's softshell turtle fresh blood wine."
"What are you trying to make a sick person drink?"
"Well, it's because you're sick. I heard that if you drink this, it will boost your energy and help you recover."
Even after explaining it, Nina-san gave me a stern look, so I reluctantly took a sip.
"[Gulp). It's thick and tastes like strong, clinging blood. It's not delicious at all. But I think it could be more drinkable with more wine."
Seeing Nina-san's face, which seemed to say, ‘Have you seen this before?' as she looked at me, I added some wine and exchanged her teacup with the ginger tea she was holding.
Yes, I want her to drink this and get well.
"It's alright. Come on, think of it as medicine!"
"Gulp Gulp Cough"
Nina-san, either out of resignation or just because I was staring at her, pinched her nose and, teary-eyed, downed the softshell turtle fresh blood wine. Watching a beautiful woman in her sickbed swallow blood like this, I couldn't help but find decadent beauty.
"Excellent job! Now, let me prepare some ginger tea to cleanse your palate."
"Oh, this is terrible…"
No, no, it's all for the sake of Nina-san getting better. I have no other intentions.
After giving Nina-san some additional ginger tea, it's time to get serious about cooking the softshell turtle. I pour hot water over the turtle that I've cut up and remove the shell on the cutting board.
That's supposed to remove any unpleasant odor and make it easier to peel off the thin skin on the surface at least according to the knowledge I acquired from online videos.
During my salaryman days, I found solace in anime, games, and internet videos. But games required a dedicated chunk of time for in-depth play, and while I recorded anime episodes, I rarely found the time to watch them. I wanted to engage with anime and games with a certain mindset.
So, at times like that, internet videos that I could watch in about 20 minutes were right for enjoying dinner with a beer. They were easy to watch and entertaining. I used to enjoy a variety of videos, but survival-themed videos were one of my favorite genres.
It's about individuals going into the mountains, the sea, or by a river to catch food, cook, and eat it. It was interesting and even educational. That's why. Even though I'm an amateur, I could cook this softshell turtle.
"Wow, it's really easy to peel off the thin skin!"
I was genuinely impressed by how easily the softshell turtle's skin came off. Knowledge is indeed a powerful thing. But because this was something I had learned a long time ago, I didn't forget to search (softshell turtle cooking method) on my phone to ensure that I wouldn't make any mistakes while cooking softshell turtle for the first time.
I was well-prepared with such information; there was no room for mistakes.
…..