Chapter 233: Claypot Rice Support, Cooking is Like Being a Person
No one knew where Azami Nakiri went after he stepped out into the chilly evening air, and frankly, no one in the culinary world cared.
[Akarin's Note: Nakiri Azami is Erina's father and Mana's estranged husband. He is infamous for his abusive, dictatorial approach to cooking and his obsession with 'true gourmet' perfection, which heavily traumatized Erina in her childhood.]
Azami still had a polite, cultured smile plastered on his face as he walked away from the towering headquarters of the World Gourmet Organization. Yet, no matter how one looked at that perfectly manicured expression, it was infinitely uglier than a weeping grimace.
The WGO had thoroughly rejected him. At this moment, Azami truly felt like a clown performing for an empty theater—a complete and utter joke.
He had never expected such a flawless, meticulously crafted plan to unravel so spectacularly. The humiliation burned in his chest, hot and suffocating.
But he wasn't completely out of options just yet. He still had one final, unsavory trump card hidden in the depths of the culinary underworld.
As he disappeared into the shadows of the city streets, only one dark thought echoed in his mind.
"Help me find someone..." he muttered to his waiting subordinate, his voice dripping with venom.
[Akarin's Note: "Midnight Chefs" (Les Cuisiniers Noirs) refers to the underground syndicate of dark chefs in the Food Wars universe. They operate in the criminal underworld, using illicit and often brutal cooking methods, and are employed by mafias, cartels, and corrupt elites.]
Miles away from Azami's simmering rage, the atmosphere inside Shop Ren was the exact opposite. The quaint little restaurant was a sanctuary of warmth, bustling with lively chatter and the intoxicating aroma of simmering broth.
Unlike Sakura Hibiki, who was practically drooling as she stared obsessively at the bubbling meat, Momobami Kirari found her attention drawn elsewhere.
[Akarin's Note: Sakura Hibiki is the main protagonist of the fitness anime 'Dumbbell Nan Kilo Moteru?'. She is a high schooler at Kōyō Women's Academy who joins Silverman Gym to lose weight because she has a massive appetite and loves eating junk food.]
[Akarin's Note: Momobami Kirari is the main antagonist of the Kakegurui series. She is the 105th Student Council President of Hyakkaou Private Academy and the absolute head of the Momobami Clan, a powerful conglomerate of elite families.]
The Student Council President picked up her chopsticks with practiced elegance. She gracefully plucked a translucent, snow-white piece of coconut meat from the hotpot.
Biting into it, Kirari's icy blue eyes widened ever so slightly. The sweet, tender flesh of the coconut had absorbed the savory essence of the free-range chicken, creating a delicate, melt-in-the-mouth texture that was completely unexpected.
Just as everyone was eating with unbridled relish, the scrape of a wooden chair drew their attention. Ren suddenly stood up, wiping his hands on his pristine white apron, and turned back toward the kitchen.
Hibiki, currently nursing a massive piece of tender chicken in her stuffed cheeks, blinked in confusion. "Huh? Mmph... What's Brother Ren doing?" she mumbled, a stray drop of sweet broth escaping the corner of her lips.
Courage, sitting elegantly beside the chaotic high schooler, simply shook her head with a knowing smile.
[Akarin's Note: Courage and Rantabi are First-Class Book Masters (Inspectors) for the World Gourmet Organization (WGO) from Food Wars!.]
As a WGO Inspector, her palate was peerless. Whether the fat content of a dish was overwhelmingly high or perfectly balanced could be tasted on the very first bite.
It was abundantly clear to her that this Coconut Chicken Hotpot was a masterpiece of restraint.
[Akarin's Note: Coconut Chicken Hotpot (椰子鸡) is a famous specialty from Hainan and Shenzhen. The broth is made entirely of fresh, sweet coconut water. The chicken is boiled in this pure water, resulting in an incredibly tender, sweet meat that is then dipped in a special sauce made of soy sauce, calamansi lime, chili, and sand ginger.]
It was one of those rare, miraculous types of meat dishes that could be devoured even when strictly dieting. The pure coconut water base provided natural sweetness without a drop of heavy grease.
While the girls murmured in puzzlement, the soft rumble of wheels echoed from the hallway. Ren emerged from the kitchen pushing a sleek silver dining cart.
Resting atop the cart was a single, heavy black ceramic claypot with its lid securely fastened. Beside it sat a small porcelain bowl filled with a dark, glistening, viscous sauce.
For some inexplicable reason, a collective shiver ran down the spines of everyone in the room. Staring at that unassuming black pot, their culinary instincts screamed that their current meal would only be truly complete after consuming whatever was hidden inside.
Ren had no intention of keeping them in suspense. With a gentle smile, he reached out with a thick towel and lifted the scalding hot lid.
A massive plume of thick, fragrant steam erupted into the air, instantly filling the entire dining room with an intoxicating, smoky aroma. Inside the deep claypot was a stunning, breathtaking mosaic of ingredients resting on a bed of perfectly cooked jasmine rice.
Slices of glossy, ruby-red cured sausages overlapped with tender greens, all surrounding a perfectly cooked sunny-side-up egg in the center. That's right, the ultimate partner for the light, sweet Coconut Chicken had finally arrived.
Its legendary name was...
"Here is your Cantonese Claypot Rice," Ren announced, his voice smooth and welcoming. "Now the meal finally feels complete, doesn't it?"
Everyone at the table nodded in synchronized hypnosis, completely mesmerized by the heavy, savory aroma of cured meats and toasted grains. It was a stark, magnificent contrast to the light, fruity scent of the hotpot they had just been eating.
Ren smiled, picking up the small porcelain bowl. He tilted it, pouring the secret black sauce—a masterfully balanced blend of premium soy, dark soy, oyster sauce, rock sugar, and sesame oil—directly over the steaming ingredients.
Tssssssss!
The moment the dark sauce hit the blisteringly hot ceramic walls of the claypot, it erupted into a violent sizzle. The liquid caramelized instantly, sending up a secondary wave of scorched, savory fragrance that made everyone's mouths water uncontrollably.
Ren picked up a wooden rice paddle, ready to fold the magnificent dish together. But before he could ruin the beautiful plating, a sudden shout echoed through the room.
"Mr. Ren! Wait just a moment!" Courage shouted, abruptly standing up from her seat.
Ren paused, blinking in surprise, his paddle hovering just inches above the glossy egg yolk.
He watched in amusement as Courage hastily whipped out her high-end smartphone. She leaned over the table, adjusting the lighting and snapping a rapid series of photographs from multiple angles.
When she was satisfied, she let out a long breath and smiled sheepishly. Ren chuckled, lowering the paddle. "It seems, Courage, that you really are carrying a heavy investigative mission."
Courage laughed, a faint blush dusting her cheeks as she sat back down. "Not bad at all, right?"
"The WGO needs to see this! Mr. Ren, you can go ahead and mix it now."
Ren nodded. With a swift, practiced motion, he dug the wooden paddle deep into the bottom of the pot.
With a few vigorous folds, he thoroughly stirred the impatiently waiting ingredients into a chaotic, glorious mess. The beautiful, pristine layout was instantly disfigured.
The golden yolk broke, coating the glossy grains of rice in a rich, creamy velvet. But in exchange for its visual perfection, the dish released the kind of overpowering, soul-shaking aroma that all truly transcendent meals must possess.
Claypot rice was, simply put, a marvel of culinary engineering. There were undoubtedly more complex ways to prepare rice, but it had to be admitted that this traditional method possessed a unique, irreplaceable deliciousness.
It was a deliciousness born entirely from the concept of savory, scorched aroma.
The secret began at the very base. Brushing a meticulous layer of premium pork lard or peanut oil on the bottom of the claypot before cooking was an absolute necessity.
This single action was enough to give the rice an unparalleled, dual-layered texture. But Ren, knowing that the claypot rice's partner was the elegantly simple Coconut Chicken, had put the rice through several additional processes to elevate it.
Even before the rice hit the fire, the soaked grains needed to be thoroughly stirred and coated with salad oil for initial processing. This ensured that every individual grain remained distinct, plump, and fiercely independent during the cooking process.
Because of the oil coating, the rice came out unbelievably soft on the inside, while the exterior crisped up beautifully against the heat. There are two things in the culinary world where a slight, intentional char leads to a fundamental, spiritual sublimation: one is fatty meat, and the other is rice.
With claypot rice, no matter what luxury ingredients sit on top—whether it's premium cured sausage, tender beef, or marinated spare ribs and char siu—they are ultimately secondary. This dish is called 'Claypot Rice' for a reason; the absolute core, the very soul of the dish, lies in the rice itself.
Cooked with intensely flexible, precise heat, the grains at the bottom transformed into a magnificent golden crust known as guoba.
That slightly charred, crispy rice, heavily saturated with the caramelized seasoning sauce and rendered animal fat, took on a brilliant amber color.
Hibiki scooped a massive spoonful into her bowl and shoved it into her mouth. Her eyes rolled back in pure ecstasy.
One bite delivered an earth-shattering crunch, yet it didn't lose the inherent, pillowy softness of the inner grains. The three distinct sensations of savory umami, fresh sweetness, and scorched fragrance rushed directly to her brain like an electric shock.
The row of slightly curled Cantonese sausages on top exuded the deep, smoky aroma of wind-cured meat and sweet rose wine. The oiled bok choy vegetables were exceptionally vibrant and crisp, providing a much-needed textural snap.
The soft-boiled egg tied everything together, offering a rich, flowing creaminess that smoothed out the sharp, salty edges of the soy sauce.
Rich in nutrients. Rich in premium ingredients. Overwhelmingly rich in flavor.
Who would have ever thought that a simple pot of rice could possess such terrifying depth? Just by stirring the layout into a mess, Ren ensured that absolutely every spoonful delivered a concentrated burst of utter satisfaction.
With every ravenous bite, the guests experienced the smoky cured meat, the rich aroma, the deep savory notes, the subtle saltiness, the glass-like crispiness, and the cloud-like softness.
How to resist this temptation was no longer an important question. They simply had to eat it. In fact, the rice was so profoundly flavorful that it didn't even require any side dishes to be a complete meal.
If one hadn't personally tasted it, seen the steam rising from the cracked crust, and smelled the caramelized soy firsthand, they would never believe a pot of rice could taste this divine. It was a feeling of absolute culinary mastery that only Ren could provide.
Courage closed her eyes, analyzing the pairing with breathless reverence.
The savory, slightly spicy, crystal-clear, sweet, and refreshingly tender taste of the Coconut Chicken Hotpot... combined seamlessly with the heavy, rich flavor and violently diverse texture of the Claypot Rice.
It left a lingering, smoky aroma and an endless, satisfying aftertaste with every alternating bite.
No wonder these two legendary southern dishes were needed to complement each other. One was the pure, cleansing water; the other was the roaring, savory fire. They truly were a match made in heaven.
"Cuisine is never absolutely perfect on its own, nor is there any single, solitary dish that can be called flawless," Ren murmured, leaning against the counter as he watched them eat.
He crossed his arms, a gentle, philosophical smile on his lips. "Every dish needs a partner."
"Perhaps it's another main course, or a simple bowl of rice, or a delicate soup. Sometimes, all it takes is a tiny sprinkle of chopped green onion and cilantro, or a small dipping sauce to elevate a meal to perfection."
When a dish meets the companion that fills its gaps, the meal becomes complete, leaving behind absolutely no regrets.
"And people are exactly the same," Ren continued softly, his gaze sweeping over his diverse group of customers. "As I've said before, cooking is just like being a person. You learn a lot about harmony, and you gain a lot of insights into the heart."
At this moment, Hibiki and the others could only be described as aggressively, ecstatically happy.
Ren knew this euphoric reaction would be the exact result, which was why he hadn't just prepared a massive amount of Coconut Chicken, but also an absurdly large portion of Claypot Rice to match.
Looking at Sakura Hibiki and Cerberus at this very moment, if one word were to describe them, it would be 'Bliss'.
[Akarin's Note: Cerberus from Helltaker is a single soul occupying three separate bodies. She can seamlessly merge back into a single physical form with dog ears whenever she desires.]
If one sentence were to describe them, however, it would be: 'These two gluttons have completely lost their minds!'
They had abandoned all pretense of manners. With the arrival of the claypot rice, even accidentally gnawing on the hard chicken bones felt inconsequential to the girls.
After all, the rich, savory soy sauce from the rice was now dripping into their bowls, mixing with the sweet coconut broth to create an entirely new, addictive flavor profile.
"No... I can't... I absolutely can't eat anymore..." Gina Boyd groaned, slumping back against her chair and patting her noticeably rounded stomach.
Despite her protests, her hand unconsciously reached out to scoop up another crispy piece of golden rice crust.
"I seriously feel like if I keep hanging around Shopkeeper Ren's place for too long, I'll basically have to live at the gym," Gina whined, chewing happily. "Otherwise, I'll definitely blow up like a balloon... Even low-calorie food won't save me from these portion sizes!"
Everyone at the table nodded vigorously in solemn agreement, though none of them stopped chewing.
Ren just let out a quiet, amused sigh. He poured himself a warm cup of black tea, took a soothing sip, and sat down at the edge of the counter, quietly opening his book to continue reading.
Courage propped her chin on her hands, her sharp eyes staring intently at Ren's relaxed posture. Suddenly, an old rumor about this mysterious restaurant popped into her head.
"Say, Shopkeeper Ren," Courage began, her tone laced with playful curiosity. "Is it really true what they say? Can you actually not eat a single bite of food while the restaurant is open?"
Gina paused her chewing, her blue eyes wide with skepticism. "Yeah, yeah!"
"Brother Ren, I've heard that rumor too, but I don't think it's really that mystical, right? It sounds like an urban legend!"
Ren sighed, closing his book and setting it gently on the counter. He rubbed the back of his neck, a wry smile forming on his face.
"Alright, I guess it is a bit silly," Ren admitted, stretching his arms. "Besides, I worked out and moved around a lot today, so my body is burning through energy. Even if I eat now, a few more customers showing up wouldn't hurt me."
As Ren spoke, he confidently walked over to the dining table. Under the incredibly tense, unblinking gazes of Courage, Hibiki, and Gina, he picked up a clean pair of wooden chopsticks.
He genuinely had every intention of finally eating his own food.
However, the very microsecond his chopsticks extended outward, hovering just a millimeter above the bubbling hotpot...
DING-LING!
The crisp, unmistakable sound of the restaurant's front door bell rang out through the air. The heavy wooden door swung open.
Courage stared at the door, her jaw dropping open in utter disbelief. "Oh my god! This is actually a curse!"
"This is way too ridiculous to be a coincidence!"
Hibiki and Gina sat frozen like statues, their chopsticks halted mid-air, nodding blankly in profound shock. The urban legend was a terrifying reality.
Kirari, sitting quietly at the end of the table, covered her mouth with a slender hand and let out a soft, elegant giggle. "It seems you will simply have to get used to it, Ren. It is time for you to work."
Ren let out a long, defeated sigh. He mournfully placed his unused chopsticks back onto the rest, turned around, and walked toward the entrance to greet the newcomer.
Kirari watched his broad back as he walked away. She slowly picked up the small porcelain bowl she had used for her serving of claypot rice.
Pouring a ladle of the steaming, clear coconut chicken broth into the bowl, she mixed it with the leftover dark soy sauce and toasted rice flakes that clung to the ceramic.
She lifted the bowl to her lips, and a slight, genuine curve appeared on her usually stoic face.
This man... he really isn't bad at all, she thought to herself.
A mouthful of the warm, sweet, and incredibly clear soup entered her mouth. It gently washed away all the heavy, savory, and crispy flavors of the rich claypot rice, cleansing her palate perfectly.
Everything complex and chaotic disappeared, replaced entirely by this simple, grounding sweetness.
After just one sip, all the noise in her head finally ended. The relentless, bloodthirsty gambling politics of the Momobami Clan, the suffocating expectations of the academy—none of it mattered here.
In this bustling, delightfully noisy little restaurant, surrounded by gluttonous girls and a strangely cursed chef, Kirari had finally found a rare moment of absolute tranquility that belonged solely to her.
Not bad at all...
[Akarin's Note:
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