Hiehh!? What’s going on?!
“Well then, let’s get back on track. I’d like to cook a dish using this Idika flour.”
“Ou!”
“Looking forward to it!”
“This is my first time cooking with Idika flour, so I’m not sure how it’ll turn out... Shin, could you help me?”
“Huh? M-me?! … Me?!”
Suddenly called out, Shin flusteredly stepped forward under everyone’s gaze.
“Yes, it’s *that* dish we first made together. I think you’ll make it even better than I can.”
“First… Oh, I see. Sure thi… ah, understood!”
Shin, about to reply in his usual casual tone, noticed the Head Chef glaring at him and adjusted his language.
“Head Chef, could you prepare a broth with chicken? Either breast or thigh meat, simmered with ginger, garlic, and green onions?”
“Understood!”
The Head Chef swiftly got to work. Other cooks also began moving, fetching ingredients and dividing tasks.
“Shin, please start.”
“O-okay. Then...”
Shin poured the Idika flour into a bowl, gradually adding water while kneading it into a dough.
Once it started coming together, he kneaded it more firmly with his hands.
I don’t have much strength, so I used to put the dough in a bag and step on it.
Shin seemed to decide that hand-kneading alone would be enough to develop elasticity. He used the “kikumomi” technique he had somehow picked up.
This kneading method, also known as “kikuneri” in pottery, removes air from the dough by folding it inward from the edges to the center, creating a chrysanthemum-like pattern—hence the name.
Even though I hadn’t taught him, Shin naturally arrived at this method, proving his talent for cooking. Truly impressive.
“... Okay, normally, you’d let the dough rest for about 30 minutes at this stage, but I’ll try making it right away.”
Saying this, Shin dusted the surface with flour and began rolling out the dough with a rolling pin.
“Wow...”
“He’s got great technique!”
When it comes to udon, even the Head Chef couldn’t rival Shin.
His skills came from years of experience back in the territory.
Besides, this dish is a nostalgic one from Shin’s father’s homeland, so it holds special meaning for him.
With skilled hands, Shin rolled out the dough and began preparing to cut it. I hurriedly called out to him.
“Shin, could you make the dough thinner and cut it into wide, flat noodles this time?”
“...? Yea… understood!”
Oh, I noticed the Head Chef glancing at us while keeping an eye on the broth.
Shin stretched the dough thinner than usual, dusted it with flour, folded it into manageable widths, and cut it slightly wider than usual. He showed me for confirmation before cutting the rest the same way.
Flat rice noodles—essentially faux pho—were complete.
“... All done. Ojou—sama, should I boil these as usual?”
Shin seemed uncertain since these noodles were different from what he usually made.
Honestly, I’ve only ever used dried pho noodles, so I wasn’t sure about the boiling time either. Let’s boil a few as a test.
I told Shin as much, then boiled water in a large pot and tried cooking a few noodles.
After considering the usual boiling time, I pulled them out when they seemed ready and checked the texture with Shin.
Yep, they seemed just right.
“Cristea-sama, the broth is ready.”
The Head Chef reported back, and I instructed him to remove the chicken and season the broth with fish sauce, salt, and pepper.
I asked for the boiled chicken to be sliced, along with thinly sliced onions, basil, green onions, and lemon wedges.
The apprentices quickly fetched everything from the pantry.
I asked Shin to boil the rest of the noodles while I prepared small bowls for tasting.
Hmm, our chefs can use chopsticks, but should Prince Kaldor and Tika-san use forks instead?
As I deliberated over the utensils, Prince Kaldor’s gaze landed on the chopsticks in my hand.
“Are those chopsticks?”
“Huh? Yes, do you know about them, Prince Kaldor?”
“Yes. Long ago, a traveler from Yahatul left beautifully inlaid chopsticks, asking they be used as hair ornaments. Along with that, they taught their original use. The royals at the time found it amusing and adopted them, and it became part of court manners.”
Wow. Yahatul people seem to pop up everywhere, don’t they?
By the way, before that, eating with hands was customary. Hand-eating traditions still exist, apparently.
Hair ornaments, like kanzashi? Beautiful chopsticks could definitely work as hairpieces.
In any case, if the prince can use chopsticks, we’ll go with those. I brought out decorative ones for the guests.
“The noodles are done boiling.”
Shin reported back, and I instructed him to rinse them in cold water.
The apprentices then brought over serving bowls.
The rinsed noodles were drained and portioned into individual bowls. There wasn’t much Idika flour, so the portions were small, but it was just for tasting.
I ladled the chicken-based broth made by the Head Chef into the bowls, added slices of boiled chicken, onions, and basil, and garnished them. The chicken pho was complete!
Pho made with beef broth is delicious too, but beef is rarely eaten in Samonar, so I went with this version.
“Noodles from Idika...?”
“Looks delicious...”
I heard someone gulp.
“Well then, let’s all try it.”
I handed bowls and chopsticks to Prince Kaldor and Tika-san, while everyone else grabbed their own and began eating.
The slippery noodles slid into my mouth, and just like in the test boil, the texture lacked the elasticity and firmness of wheat noodles.
But this was pleasant in its own way, wasn’t it?
Maybe adding some potato starch as a binder would give it a chewier texture.
Would using a little bit of Lars help?
No, there’s no need to force rice flour into noodles; it can be used for bread or other dishes too.
By the way, this chicken broth is amazing!
If I had cilantro, I’d add a ton.
In my previous life, I was all about adding extra cilantro.
While I mulled over the possibilities for Idika flour and the broth, Prince Kaldor and Tika-san, having finished their bowls, knelt before me. Hah?!
What do you think about this chapter?
