The strongest anime shop owner

It's worth noting that some dishes are named after water.

Moreover, this is for making sushi. The most basic sushi is not particularly special, so the rice that is steamed or cooked is definitely the key to the whole dish, so it cannot be taken lightly.

There are many types of water to choose from, such as mineral water, distilled water, well water, rainwater, and so on, which can be overwhelming.

However, the best water to use for steaming sushi rice is pure natural water, or at the very least, bottled mineral water. If you use tap water, the quality of ordinary tap water varies and it may contain impurities and a slight odor. These factors will affect the delicate fragrance of the rice, so this is the least desirable option.

Therefore, as long as you don't choose tap water, there shouldn't be any major problems. Of course, the taste will be different, but it won't be as serious as with tap water. As for how to choose tap water, Su Luo really doesn't know. However, as long as you choose the water you want, that's fine.

Soon, Su Luo chose a type of water that tasted very refreshing and had a slightly sweet taste. She figured it must be spring water to have such a flavor, and it would be perfect for making sushi.

I checked the time and realized that almost half of it had already passed. I couldn't help but marvel at how quickly time seemed to fly by.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. They had already spent a lot of time choosing the ingredients. Seeing that there wasn't much time left, Su Luo stopped hesitating and started cooking after preparing the ingredients, otherwise it would really be too late.

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Chapter 109 Caviar Sushi

Before making sushi, you need to start by preparing sushi vinegar. Sushi vinegar is an essential condiment for making sushi. The preparation of sushi vinegar is basically based on Japanese white chrysanthemum vinegar because Japanese white chrysanthemum vinegar has a clear, light yellow color, moderate acidity, and a light fragrance.

However, Su Luo didn't choose Baiju Vinegar; instead, she chose Xiguan Vinegar. "Xiguan" refers to an official in the ancient imperial court specifically in charge of vinegar brewing. Xinhe, using the name "Xiguan," is dedicated to brewing high-quality vinegar. "Original Rice Vinegar," as the name suggests, refers to the first brew of vinegar without any additives or blending. It has a mellow, sweet aftertaste and is rich in the nutrients of grains. Xiguan Vinegar uses precisely this "original vinegar." The product contains no preservatives, colorants, glacial acetic acid, etc., and guarantees 100% high-quality rice as its brewing raw material. It adheres to the principles of naturalness and health.

Since this is caviar sushi, it doesn't have many special features to begin with. So, we chose this natural vinegar, which is better suited to the rice and blends well with the whole dish, giving it a natural and pure feel. White chrysanthemum vinegar is more suitable for sushi that uses a lot of ingredients.

Take out a clean, oil-free cup and pour in an appropriate amount of salt, sugar, and vinegar. Because you want to achieve the desired effect, these seasonings are in a certain proportion. Since this is for caviar sushi, Su Luo prefers a slightly sweeter taste. This is to ensure a perfect blend with the sweet rice and the freshness of the caviar. Su Luo chose a ratio of 1:5:7. Of course, this ratio can be changed according to your own needs or the requirements of the dish.

To ensure the salt and sugar dissolve better and more evenly, you can increase the temperature appropriately and stir. It's best to keep the mixture clean and clear, without any sediment. After doing this, you can let it cool and set it aside for later use.

Next comes washing the rice. Generally, in order not to wash away the nutritional value of the rice, you only need to wash it lightly once. However, it is different when making sushi.

To ensure that the cooked rice is clean, sticky, and not sticky, add an appropriate amount of cold water to rinse it. Rinse repeatedly. If the rice water becomes cloudy, pour it out and add clean water to continue rubbing and rinsing until the rice water is still clear after rubbing the rice.

Of course, if time permits, you can drain the washed rice and refrigerate it overnight. This will make the cooked rice taste and texture even better.

After washing the rice, it's time to cook it. Of course, it's best to cook rice over a wood fire, but that's not possible here, so we'll have to use an electric rice cooker. Make sure the ratio of water to rice is about 1:1, and then cook it until it's done.

To ensure the texture of the rice, after it is cooked, put it into a clean, flat container and loosen it evenly with a rice board. Be careful not to squeeze it too much to avoid breaking the rice grains and sticking together, which would affect the texture of the sushi. Then add the prepared vinegar and mix it evenly again with the rice board.

Finally, spread the rice out to cool until it's lukewarm at room temperature, then put it back into the rice cooker and cover it to keep it warm. Since rice for sushi should be kept neither too hot nor too cold, using a rice cooker to keep the cooled rice warm is the best and most convenient option.

After preparing the rice, Su Luo took out the seaweed to ensure a crispy texture. She placed it on the baking rack in the preheated oven and baked it for 3 minutes before taking it out.

Next comes the rolling of the sushi. In order to make the sushi achieve the desired effect, you will often choose a suitable sushi rolling method. There are many ways to roll sushi, and Su Luo chose the gunkan roll, which makes the sushi look more delicate and beautiful.

Su Luo picked up a ball of rice, shaped it into an oval with her hands, then cut a small rectangle of nori seaweed slightly higher than the rice ball and wrapped it around the rice ball. The sushi looked like a warship. The last step was to add garnishes and decorations.

When rolling, leave a little space at one end, place a leaf with only the stalk remaining on a flat brown wooden board, place two rolled sushi on it, and add crystal clear caviar to the space between the sushi.

Su Luo chose salmon roe, which is orange in color, large in size, and looks very appealing. It also tastes great. After finishing these, she garnished the side with broccoli and half a cherry tomato.

Caviar sushi, done!

By the time this dish was finished, almost all the time had passed, and some people were still busy preparing it.

Since it was already prepared, Su Luo didn't hesitate much and directly served the dishes she had made. After all, if she waited any longer, there might be a queue. As long as she passed this assessment, she would have nothing to do this morning and could basically arrange her own time.

"Caviar sushi, please enjoy." Since very few people had finished making it, it was quickly Su Luo's turn. Su Luo brought out her dish and said.

After Su Luo brought the dishes up, their appearance caught Guan Shouping's eye. The people who were waiting in line behind Su Luo also looked at the dishes, their eyes filled with a hint of curiosity.

On a brown wooden board lay a bare leaf, its intricate veins possessing an artistic beauty. Atop the leaf were two ship-shaped sushi pieces, wrapped in dark green nori seaweed, topped with jewel-like caviar that shimmered beautifully under the light. Nearby, a sprig of broccoli added a touch of green, and nestled among the broccoli was a cherry tomato, like a red flower blooming amidst the green leaves. This vibrant decoration added life to the dish, evoking a sense of nature.

"A very beautiful dish." That was Guan Shouping's first impression upon seeing such a dish.

However, you can't tell what it tastes like just by looking at it. Guan Shouping picked up a piece of sushi with his chopsticks, put it in his mouth, and took a small bite.

Click~

The moment he bit into it, a crisp sound rang in his mouth. Then, as the caviar burst open like bombs, a fresh aroma finally filled the air. The salty seaweed and the freshness of the caviar made Guan Shouping feel as if a wave was crashing over him, engulfing him completely and filling his body with the taste of the sea.

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Chapter 110 Passed

"I didn't expect this seaweed to be so crisp. It gives me a really different feeling. I guess this seaweed must have been reprocessed!" Guan Shouping said to Su Luo after taking a bite.

"Yes, I baked it in the oven. This makes the seaweed not only crispy but also gives it a richer flavor," Su Luo nodded in acknowledgment.

"That's really good, Su Luo! I suppose the main reason is to better pair it with caviar? After all, something as richly marinated as caviar can't be paired with anything without a strong flavor. The freshness of the caviar and the saltiness of the seaweed are like an endless ocean." Guan Shouping's words hit the nail on the head regarding the core of the dish, but Su Luo didn't think so, because that flavor was just the taste of the ingredients.

Upon seeing this, Su Luo smiled mysteriously. He didn't believe that this was the whole dish, because the real flavor was yet to come!

After saying that, Guan Shouping couldn't resist taking another bite, but just as he was about to take a bite, his hand stopped involuntarily, as if he had realized something.

However, Guan Shouping felt that as the ocean-like taste disappeared, a sweet taste began to gradually spread in his mouth. This sweetness was not a manufactured sweetness, but a natural sweetness bestowed by nature, like a rainbow after a storm, full of charm.

At this moment, Guan Shouping realized that the sweetness behind it was the true flavor of the whole sushi, like a ray of hope after despair. And the rice was obviously the most important element of sushi! So the flavor of rice is essential, otherwise it would not be sushi, but just a flavor piled up with ingredients. If that were the case, would it still be considered sushi?

"This dish is so pure! It's full of natural flavor, like a cup of Chinese tea that tastes bitter at first but sweet later, leaving you with an unforgettable aftertaste." Guan Shouping commented again after the sweetness of the sushi had been rising in his mouth.

After pausing, Guan Shouping ate the piece of sushi he had on his chopsticks. After swallowing, he said to Su Luo, "You passed. You can arrange the rest of the morning as you see fit, as long as you can attend the assessment on time this afternoon."

After listening to Guan Shouping's words, Su Luo did not hesitate any longer and turned to leave.

Su Luo walked out of the classroom, crossed her arms, and lazily held her head. To be honest, there really wasn't anywhere else to go in this place except for the exam. If there were a lot of people, that would be fine.

Bored, Su Luo originally wanted to go back to her room, but after thinking about it, she decided against it and just went out for a stroll. Besides, this place is one of the most famous scenic spots in Japan, so it's worth a look.

Just as Su Luo was walking around bored, a familiar voice suddenly came from behind her: "Isn't this Su Luo? What are you doing here?"

Su Luo turned her head and saw a bald man in a neat suit and a woman in a white apron walking towards her. Su Luo recognized both of them; they were Dojima Gin and Inui Hinako.

"Oh! It's you! Bald Uncle." Su Luo is a rather casual person and particularly likes to call others old because of her age, but she would naturally not call them that in formal occasions.

"Bald Uncle?" Dojima Gin, who was usually seen as quite composed, twitched at the corner of his mouth after hearing this address. Then, a large "well" shape appeared on his forehead as he yelled at Su Luo, "You brat, who are you calling bald uncle? I have hair, okay? It's just short."

"Whoever yells at me is the one who says that." Faced with Dojima Gin's roar, Su Luo calmly picked her nose, looking completely unperturbed.

"You." After being spoken to by Su Luo, Dojima Gin was speechless. Meanwhile, Inui Hinako, who was standing to the side, covered her mouth and chuckled after seeing Dojima Gin's discomfiture. She had never seen Dojima Gin like this before. In her mind, Dojima Gin had always been a tall and dignified figure.

However, Dojima Gin quickly calmed down, as if he had remembered something, and said to Su Luo with a playful expression, "Oh, let me think, I remember yesterday at the bathhouse."

Upon hearing this, Su Luo immediately lost her composure, her face turning bright red as she gritted her teeth and shouted, "Bastard! What did I do yesterday? It was just..."

Okay! Su Luo really couldn't bring herself to say it. She couldn't very well say that she didn't like going to bathhouses because she was afraid of being seen by others or something! That would be so embarrassing! She was sure she would be laughed at if she said it! Although this was just Su Luo's personal opinion.

"What is it?" Dojima Gin said in a threatening tone, seeing that he had Su Luo's lifeline in his grasp.

"It's nothing!" Su Luo looked at Dojima Gin, who was smug and displeased, and turned her head away, saying this. It turned out that Dojima Gin, who was very serious and solemn in the manga, also had such an annoying side. But thinking about it, it made sense, since the manga mainly depicted formal occasions. As for his real life, that was anyone's guess.

Seeing Su Luo's blushing face and her adorable, haughty expression, Inui Hinako immediately rushed to Su Luo's side. Before Su Luo could react, she hugged her tightly, pinched Su Luo's cheeks, and said, "You're Su Luo-kun, right? You're so cute! You look like you'd taste pretty good."

After hearing what Inui Hinako said, Su Luo immediately took several steps back. Could this person be a pervert? She really didn't like this kind of woman.

"Oh, right, Su Luo, you haven't said what you're doing here yet?" Dojima Gin quickly returned to his original state, looking very dignified, as if the scene just now was an illusion.

"It's nothing. I've already completed my assessment and this morning's tasks, so I had nothing to do and came out for a stroll." Su Luo shrugged, looking quite bored, and spoke in a relaxed tone.

"Would you like to come with me somewhere?" Dojima Gin said to Su Luo after thinking for a moment.

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Chapter 111 The Villa

"It doesn't matter." Su Luo naturally understood what Dojima Gin was talking about, but after thinking about it, she said this. After all, there was still a lot of free time. Since it was going to be a waste, she might as well go and take a look. This way, she could see how much her strength differed from that of the graduates.

“Then come with us! If you have time in the future, Su Luo, you must come to my shop…” Before Dojima Gin could speak, Inui Hinako said to Su Luo.

"I'm not going!" Su Luo resolutely refused before Inui Hinako could finish speaking.

"Why?" Faced with Su Luo's answer, Inui Hinako was stunned and couldn't help but ask, while Dojima Gin, who was standing to the side, was also quite curious about this.

"I'm afraid that if I go in, I'll come out without even my underwear." What a joke! Do you think things are cheap at your shop? Su Luo's words implied that your food was too expensive and she couldn't afford it.

"Huh? Really? Then I'll treat you to a free meal!" After hearing Su Luo's words, Inui Hinako's expression clearly froze for a moment before she spoke.

"You should have said so earlier! I'll go after I finish studying," Su Luo said directly.

"···"

Dojima Gin's lips twitched at this; he was truly speechless. As for Inui Hinako, she clearly wanted him to come to her shop, but now she felt strangely unhappy.

Soon, the group arrived at the front of a classroom, where they heard several voices coming from inside, and those voices were incredibly familiar.

"Food Wars - Ah... what a nostalgic word! To challenge someone to a food war outside of school... while it's not unprecedented... the basic requirement for a food war is that both parties agree, right? But I'm sorry, I have no interest in competing with you. No matter how anxious you are, Tadokoro Megumi's expulsion is already executed—"

"Wait a minute, don't be in such a hurry." Su Luo and the others had been listening to this scene at the door when they arrived. As they were talking, Dojima Gin pushed open the door, leaned one hand against it and casually put the other hand in his pocket, and said to the inside, "Oh my - it seems things are getting interesting... Shinomiya."

"Dojima-senpai...?" Shinomiya Kojiro was clearly surprised to see Dojima Gin here.

"Tadokoro Megumi's cooking...isn't it delicious...!" At this moment, Hinako Inui had somehow gotten to Tadokoro's dish and taken a bite of Megumi's cooking, then surrounded Kojiro Shinomiya and said, "For something this good, it's okay if it's just enough to pass her, right? Shinomiya-senpai is such a stubborn person! And he has such a big head, and he's such a narcissist!"

"Hinako, shut up!" Shinomiya Kojiro got annoyed and grabbed Hinako's head, roaring.

"I...I'm sorry," Hinako said immediately, clearly frightened.

Ignoring Hinako, who was clutching her head, Shinomiya Kojiro turned to Dojima Gin and said, "Dojima-senpai, shouldn't I be the one to handle this assignment?"

“Of course! Shinomiya, I have no complaints about the topics you set and the criteria you used for evaluation.” After saying this, Dojima Gin paused, then added, “But… at least she tried to handle some unexpected situations, right? Don’t you think her courage is enough to make you reconsider?”

"I don't think so! I don't think so at all." Shinomiya Kojiro said with his arms crossed, showing no mercy.

"I think that's enough." Hinako waved her small hand and said, "Hmm. What? This means it's a tie... This is a real dilemma."

"These two guys...!" Shinomiya Kojiro was clearly not happy with Dojima Gin's attitude.

"Heh... there's no other way." At this point, Dojima Gin said again, "I'll host the informal food battle! It's a competition between private individuals."

At this point, Dojima Gin seemed to remember something and said, "The training schedule can't be disrupted, so we'll have you two compete against Shinomiya after today's classes are over."

"Hey... wait a minute, Dojima-senpai. Why do I have to play along with this farce...?" Shinomiya Kojiro immediately spoke up as he listened to Dojima Gin talking to himself.

"Accept it, Shinomiya." Before Shinomiya Kojiro could finish speaking, Dojima Gin's voice rang out.

"Phew - I understand. I'll play along with Dojima's whim. OK, Soma, if you win, I'll cancel her punishment." Seeing Dojima Gin's serious expression, it seemed there was no way to change things, so Shinomiya Kojiro had no choice but to accept it. As he said this, he revealed a terrifying look in his eyes and looked at Su Luo and the others, saying, "But if you lose... I'll kick you out of here too."

"Alright then, Soma and Tadokoro... After you finish your afternoon assignments, just come to the hotel." Seeing that Shinomiya Kojiro had agreed, Dojima Gin said to Soma and Tadokoro, "Let me see your worth—"

After saying all that, Soma and Tadokoro left, while Su Luo... seemed to be completely ignored by them, probably not even seeing them. This really saddened Su Luo. Seriously, am I really that invisible? Just because I'm a little shorter, is it really that big of a deal?

Time flew by, and soon it was six o'clock in the afternoon. In the main hall of the Totsuki Imperial Villa, Yoshino Yuuki rushed over, panting, and said, "Oh no—Megumi isn't in her room—"

Ryoko Sakaki was on the phone, saying, "I can't get through to her either - I didn't see her name on the list of those who failed, so she should be back at the hotel! That's strange - what happened...? I'll go ask someone who did the same project as her."

"Strange? Now that you mention it, it seems like Soma should be in the same group as her..." As she said this, Yoshino Yuuki stroked her chin, as if she had remembered something.

"They've dealt with the Rice Bowl Research Club before... and were even forced to participate in the Food Wars, right? Or should I say Soma?" Thinking of this, Ryoko Sakaki and Yuuki Yoshino suddenly had a bad feeling.