NOVEL NEXT Chapter 95.2
A “Fake Namul” Using Granulated Dashi
Camille is known for being captivated by delicious food, and perhaps because of this, he sometimes comes up with new ideas. The desire to eat tasty dishes might be a source of hidden creativity… similar to certain broth enthusiasts.
Next up was komatsuna. This time, it needed a bit of a twist. Yuuri mixed in bite-sized pieces of tomato with the komatsuna. Tossing them together with sesame oil, he used beef bone broth granules. The green of the komatsuna and the red of the tomato made for an appealing visual balance. He chose the beef broth because he’d once tasted a dish with that same flavor.
“Why tomato?”
“No clue.”
“Seriously?”
“But it was tasty, you know?”
“Well, if it’s good, then whatever.”
Camille’s inquiry was met with a nonchalant reply. Still, deliciousness is justice, so that was that. A taste test revealed the rich beef flavor blended well with the refreshing taste of the komatsuna and tomato. This was sure to make one crave more rice.
The last step was cucumber. After mixing with sesame oil, Yuuri added Japanese-style broth granules. While the flavor matched that of the bean sprouts, the cucumber’s crunch made it uniquely satisfying. Honestly, it felt like a snack you could keep munching on without realizing it.
“…This cucumber, I think we need more.”
“Huh?”
“It’s the easiest to eat. So, can I prep more with salt?”
“Go ahead.”
Since the request came from the one who’d be eating more, Yuuri granted Camille’s request. As he agreed, Yuuri pondered about mixing things up a bit for variety. …In response, he grabbed some shiso leaves and ground sesame seeds. How did it come to this?
After washing the shiso, he removed the stems and finely chopped them—relentlessly so. It was almost excessive. Then he tossed the minced shiso into the prepared cucumber bowl. Camille watched, bewildered, but Yuuri remained focused.
Next, Yuuri added the ground sesame, mixing it evenly. A gentle aroma wafted from the shiso and sesame, contrasting with the earlier strong sesame oil fragrance.
“…Yuuri, what are you doing?”
“Well, if I’m making more, I thought I’d change the flavor.”
“…It’ll probably taste amazing, but you’ve got this wrong, Yuuri.”
“Huh?”
“If you change the seasoning, you’ll have to make more of that, too.”
“…What?”
Camille sighed as he faced Yuuri’s confusion. Even though it was just cucumber, different flavors made it a separate dish. That would inevitably lead to competition for food. Camille foresaw this future.
With silent resignation, Camille handed over more cucumbers. His meaning was clear—help with the extra prep. Without another word, Yuuri began cutting more cucumbers into bite-sized pieces. While salt-massaging the cucumbers in a bowl, Camille sighed. Yuuri was as offbeat and carefree as ever.
“To begin with, Magg will eat enough for five people on his own.”
“…Think so?”
“He’ll definitely hoard the sprouts and cucumbers.”
“Why does Magg care so much about broth…?”
“Beats me…”
Yuuri’s distant gaze was met by Camille’s grumbling. The one who had turned Magg into a broth fanatic was, undeniably, Yuuri. If Yuuri hadn’t taught him about the wonders of kombu broth, Magg wouldn’t have become so obsessed. Surely. Magg had always been a peculiar boy, but he hadn’t always hoarded food this way. It was clearly Yuuri’s doing.
Accepting a bit of blame, Yuuri continued chopping cucumbers. Beside him, Camille prepped extra bean sprouts as if it were second nature—undoubtedly to handle Magg.
As it turns out, the various namul dishes were not only excellent as side dishes but also well-received as drinking snacks. …As for Magg’s reaction, well, that went without saying.