The strongest anime shop owner

"Oh! Tadokoro's here too!" Soma replied somewhat slowly. "How should I put it! This place really makes me feel a lot more relaxed!"

Yoshino Yuuki replied readily and naturally, "Megumi is the refreshing agent of Polaris..."

"Alright, everyone, come over here!" At this moment, Isse called out to the crowd.

Soon, the group headed toward the place that Isse had pointed out, where several kinds of vegetables were growing.

"Understanding how ingredients grow is also part of cooking lessons. You can call this place Polaris Garden, or Isshiki Garden, whatever you like!" Isshiki said with a smile to everyone.

"Here, have a bite." After seeing everyone come over, Ise slowly picked a few fruits from the vegetable branches next to him and handed them to everyone.

"Ah! Thank you..." Everyone politely accepted the fruit.

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Chapter 82 Megumi Tadokoro's Rice Balls

"Delicious - the fruit is plump and sweet... the quality is so good that I want to stock up on it at home! I can't believe they can make such a great crop!" Soma said after taking a bite of a tomato.

Su Luo received a cucumber, wiped it with her hand, and took a big bite. A refreshing taste filled her mouth, and it was very juicy. After swallowing, she commented, but it wasn't as exaggerated as Chuang Zhen had said: "The taste is very refreshing and juicy. A cucumber as fresh and crisp as this is perfect for making a cold salad."

This must be the legendary green vegetable.

"Oh dear! Actually, I've been focusing all my attention on this, so I haven't been going to class much lately!" Isshiki shrugged, showing no remorse for missing class, and said casually.

Seriously, is it okay for you to say such things with such self-righteousness? It's completely putting the cart before the horse!

"What the hell is this?" Upon hearing this, Su Luo was speechless and couldn't help but complain in her heart.

Next, everyone took baskets to pick the ripe vegetables. Time flew by in the midst of their busy work, and soon it was noon.

"Phew, I really can't go on." Although Su Luo now has the stamina of an ordinary chef, she couldn't withstand the morning's work. A wave of exhaustion washed over her. Under the scorching sun, sweat kept dripping from her skin, and the sticky feeling of her clothes clinging to her body was very uncomfortable. She would tug at her clothes from time to time.

"Ouch~ My back hurts so much." Soma rubbed his back, looking very tired.

"I'm hungry!" Yoshino Yuuki complained, rubbing her rumbling stomach.

It seems that the others are also feeling the strain after a morning of work.

Just then, Tadokoro's sweet voice rang out: "Everyone - lunchtime!"

Looking towards the sound, one could see Tadokoro carrying a box wrapped in a floral cloth, smiling at the crowd as he slowly walked towards them.

Upon hearing that it was lunchtime, Yoshino Yuuki immediately perked up and walked over ahead of the others, who followed closely behind, slowly making their way towards Tadokoro.

"Oh? Did Tian do this?" At this moment, Isshiki also put down his hoe and walked over. After seeing the package in Tian's hand, he asked.

“Yes, I got up early today—” Tadokoro nodded and explained.

When the box was opened, the contents were revealed: Tadokoro's sister's special three kinds of rice balls. Each rice ball was delicately shaped into a triangle, wrapped in a sheet of seaweed, and topped with various toppings. It seemed that there were several flavors of rice balls, and each one looked very beautiful and exquisite.

"Great, great! We can eat rice balls after we finish our farm work!" Soma said excitedly, stroking his chin.

Meanwhile, Yoshino Yuuki was rubbing her hands together, looking excited. After saying, "I'm going to eat!" she immediately grabbed a rice ball and took a bite, looking like she was really starving.

"...Mmm." After swallowing the rice ball, Yoshino Yuuki immediately gave an answer, saying with a smile, "Wow! It's so delicious! It must be salt and green onion sauce!"

"I mixed the salt and green onion sauce with the blanched chicken breast... and then coated the rice ball with the sauce!" Tadokoro, the rice ball maker, explained at this point.

"This saltiness is so appetizing!" Clearly, Yoshino Yuuki was already won over by this dish.

"After exercising, I feel like eating something salty..." Ryoko Sakaki said, picking up a rice ball with salt and green onion sauce.

"After an afternoon of hard work, my body is almost completely depleted of salt. These rice balls are just in time," Su Luo said, eating a salted and scallion-flavored rice ball.

"This one's seaweed flavored, right? It's a classic rice ball flavor!" Iroha said quickly, making her judgment as she ate the rice ball in her hand. After opening the rice ball, the filling inside was revealed: "Hmm!? Braised seaweed and cheese...!"

After being seen through, Tadokoro readily admitted, "Yes! The rich sweetness of the braised meat surprisingly goes well with the cheese!"

"So what flavor is the last one?" Soma picked up the last flavor of rice ball, ate it as he spoke, and when he found out the result, he said, "It's delicious! The garlic flavor is just unbearable!"

“That’s honey and garlic marinated pork!” Tadokoro explained, “I boiled pork belly and garlic until tender, then added miso, sake, and honey, and marinated it for a day. Because it tastes great with white rice, I tried chopping it up and putting it into rice balls.”

Upon seeing these garlic rice balls and such, Su Luo immediately rejected them because she didn't like them, and the lingering garlic smell after eating was unbearable. After hearing about the preparation method, Su Luo became even more determined not to eat them. What kind of combination was this?

"Ah! We also have stubble tea and roasted tea here. Please choose whichever you like to drink." At this moment, Tadokoro suddenly remembered something and took out two thermos bottles from a bag, saying to everyone.

call···

After finishing the rice balls, everyone poured themselves a cup of their favorite tea and drank it.

"That's the charm of Tadokoro's cooking! It can calm the heart of the person who tastes it," Isshiki said with a happy expression after taking a sip of tea.

"The chicken breast isn't dry at all, and the pork is very tender... Every dish is so well-prepared!" Soma ate Tadokoro's cooking and thought it was all very good, so he looked at Tadokoro with great doubt and asked, "But why can't you cook well in class?"

bang~

Soma's words struck a chord with Tadokoro, causing him to clench his fists in frustration and slowly explain, "Waaah... I've always been like this... I get nervous in front of people, and then my mind goes blank, and I fail at everything I do..."

"Ah...you really have worked hard!"

"Tadokoro-neechan, you need to relax a bit when you're cooking!"

"Yes, yes! Xiao Hui will be a great chef and a great wife in the future!"

Seeing Tadokoro's dejected look, everyone offered words of encouragement and comfort.

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Chapter 83 The Making of Salt Koji

After eating, we busied ourselves for a while, tidying up the fruits and vegetables we had picked, and then went home.

On the way back, Ryoko Sakaki said to Su Luo, "Little brother, do you want to come with me now, or tomorrow?"

"Please, sis, just say what you mean by being so suggestive? And what's with that ambiguous expression on your face? Finally, please don't call me 'little brother,' I'm not little anymore." Looking at Ryoko Sakaki's expression, Su Luo was utterly speechless. What on earth was going on here?!

"Go!" Su Luo knew that she would receive the notification for the [Living and Studying] today. If she didn't go now, she might not be able to find any time. After all, the autumn selection competition would start soon after the study ended, and she might need the salt koji in those situations.

Although I know a little about salt koji, I'm not very proficient at it. However, I've heard that it's quite simple to make. After all, salt koji wasn't popular in China at the time. It was only in Japan that I heard about its health benefits and weight loss effects, so it started to become popular and was favored by many women.

"I'm going to my salt koji workshop. Do you want to come with me?" Ryoko Sakaki turned to the group and said.

"Me! I'll go with you!" Soma immediately raised his hand and shouted, seemingly very enthusiastic about it!

At this point, Isshiki said he had something to do and wouldn't go. As for the others, they were all interested in salt koji. Since they were chefs, they naturally wanted to see if there were any useful ingredients.

Although a few people know about salt koji and how to make it, the quality and taste of salt koji are affected by different production steps and materials. Ryoko Sakaki is a specialist in salt koji and naturally has some real skills.

"You guys go ahead! I won't go. Just give me what you're carrying!" However, with so many vegetables picked, Isshiki really couldn't carry them all back by herself. Tadokoro, being kind and gentle by nature, said this.

Actually, Tadokoro didn't need to do that at all. After all, the garden is only a few steps away from the dormitory. He could have easily moved the vegetables back to the dormitory first and then gone there.

No one said much about the decision made by Tian.

"Well then, we'll be going now." Everyone waved to Isshiki and Wada and said.

And so, they split into two groups.

"I know about wine koji and rice koji, but what exactly is salt koji?" At that time, salt koji had not yet spread in China, so Su Luo really didn't know anything about it, so she asked while walking.

"This koji is a fermented food made by the microorganism 'koji mold' multiplying in steamed rice and wheat. It is also an indispensable ingredient in the production of traditional Japanese fermented foods such as miso soup, soy sauce, and sake. Salt koji is made by adding salt and water to koji and then fermenting it." Ryoko Sakaki explained when Su Luo asked.

Ryoko Sakaki's workplace was very close by. While chatting, the group soon arrived at her studio. Ryoko Sakaki opened the door and said, "Please come in, everyone!"

Upon entering, you'll see a large pile of boxes, all covered with plastic wrap. Through the plastic wrap, you can clearly see individual grains of white rice inside.

"These are salt koji that are still in production. They should be finished in a while," Ryoko Sakaki said, pointing to the salt koji that were still being made.

"Huh? What's this?" Yoshino Yuuki asked curiously, looking at the rows of shelves, each with a label on it.

“These are their material components,” Ryoko Sakaki said, looking over.

"Ingredients?" At this moment, Yoshino Yuuki was completely confused. Wasn't the standard recipe for salt koji just like that? How could there be so many labels?

Seeing Yoshino Yuuki's puzzled look, Sakaki Ryoko said in a serious tone, "Yes, as everyone knows, salt koji is relatively easy to make, but even so, it takes at least ten days. If something goes wrong during that time, it may not be successful..."

"Ryoko, why are these two different colors?" Just then, Soma's voice suddenly rang out. Soma pointed at two salt koji molds that were being made and asked with a curious expression.

"That's exactly what I wanted to say. The salt koji sold on the market is the more common kind. But if you want to make a more delicious salt koji, the first thing to consider is the ingredients. So, to research this, I used different types of salt, koji, and water. Of course, the most important thing is the ratio of them, which directly affects the taste of the salt koji." Ryoko Sakaki became serious when she got to this point and started talking non-stop.

"Then how can we make a more perfect salt koji?" Su Luo asked immediately after hearing this.

"I really don't know about that," Ryoko Sakaki said, shrugging.

Upon hearing this answer, Su Luo and the others assumed it was a secret of Sakaki Ryoko that she wasn't telling them. However, Sakaki Ryoko's next sentence immediately dispelled their doubts. It turned out that things weren't as they imagined: "Salt koji is relatively simple to make, but different ingredients and combinations can produce different flavors and qualities. So, these can all be adjusted according to the chef's own needs. For example, if you're going to use salt koji as a dipping sauce, then you can add less salt."

After Ryoko Sakaki's explanation, everyone suddenly understood.

"Then, could you tell us how to make salt koji?" Su Luo asked Sakaki Ryoko. The others also stared at her intently.

Seeing their tense expressions, Ryoko Sakaki covered her mouth and couldn't help but chuckle, "Of course there's no problem! I thought it was something serious!"

Following this, Ryoko Sakaki explained, "The method for making salt koji is very simple. Put rice koji and salt in a bowl, mix well, and then put it into a sealed container. It's best not to use metal utensils during this step. Pour in about 150 ml of water, just enough to make it slightly watery. Cover with plastic wrap, put the lid on, and leave it at room temperature. In summer, put it in the refrigerator. The next day, the rice koji will absorb all the water. Just like the day before, add about 30 ml of water, mix well, and continue to leave it. Stir it once a day (without adding water) or slightly open the lid once a day to let air in. This will make the salt koji sweeter. Fermentation is complete in 10-14 days."

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Chapter 84 I'm just here to take a look

"Then I wonder, what kind of dishes are best made with salt koji?" Sakaki Ryoko is very knowledgeable in this area, having specifically studied the preparation of salt koji dishes, so she asked shamelessly.

Ryoko Sakaki didn't mince words and replied, "There are many ways to use salt koji. To put it simply, you can think of salt koji as a milder type of salt. Using it for marinating is a great choice. Korean barbecue is marinated with salt koji. Doing so removes some of the excess oil. You can then serve it on lightly blanched lettuce. This makes for a very authentic and fragrant dish. Of course, salt koji can also be used to make dipping sauces and even desserts."

“Actually, I think that in a while, koji will definitely replace salt,” Ryoko Sakaki said after a pause.

"Why?" Everyone was baffled by Sakaki Ryoko's words, thinking it was impossible! Although salt koji was indeed better than salt and relatively simple to make, it still took at least ten days to make! If you needed it every day, wouldn't that be quite troublesome? So they were very puzzled.

Ryoko Sakaki held up one finger and explained seriously, "It's very simple. Not only does salt koji have a milder flavor, but it also acts like dietary fiber, restoring the intestinal environment and improving constipation. Salt koji is also rich in vitamin B, which can boost immunity and beautify the skin. It can be said to be a treasure for many overweight people and women. Meat products made with salt koji are practically weight-loss-free. It's an extremely healthy ingredient. Do you think this ingredient won't be popular in the future?"

After listening to Ryoko Sakaki's words, I thought about it and it seemed that there was a high probability that this situation would occur in the future. After all, putting everything else aside, the fact that it could help with weight loss and that meat made with salt koji would not make you fat no matter how much you ate was attractive enough.

As for whether this function really exists, we really don't know, since there doesn't seem to be any news about it so far!

"If that's really the case, then we can just package and sell it directly, or sell the yeast directly. Wouldn't that be very profitable?" Su Luo's mind worked very quickly, and for some reason, she brought up this topic immediately.

"Hmm, this is something we can really consider! After all, Ryoko is an expert in this area!" Upon hearing Su Luo's words, Yoshino Yuuki's eyes lit up, and she said to everyone with a grin.

"Hmm... I really haven't considered that yet," Ryoko Sakaki said slowly, touching her chin.

"If that's really the case, my family's shop will definitely come back to stock up! We certainly won't miss out on good stuff." Clearly, Soma is indeed quite slow-witted in some ways, but when it comes to things related to cooking, he always has such insightful ideas.

"How about we open a factory to make salt koji?" Yoshino Yuuki said, her eyes lighting up again.

“Yes, I think it’s pretty good,” Soma said, rubbing his chin.

"I said, you two, that's enough! I only said one thing! And you two have gone this far? Are you all greedy?" Watching the two of them talking so enthusiastically back and forth, Su Luo was speechless and wondered to herself what was going on!

Meanwhile, Ryoko Sakaki, standing to the side, looked rather dazed, lost in thought. However, she quickly interrupted them, otherwise, the conversation would have escalated to the point of spreading all over the world. She said, "Would you like to take a look at the finished products and take some with you? You can use them to cook tonight and try them out."