LGHTNOVELBOOK Chapter 131.2
Chicken Wings And Boiled Eggs Simmered In Ponzu Sauce
As Urgus looked at the bowl full of chicken wings, Yuuri answered with a smile. By the way, these chicken wings were from a monster called Cuckoo, which was about the same size as a regular chicken. Like most monster meat, Cuckoo was delicious and considered high-quality chicken.
Though not as cheap as Big Frog or Viper meat, Cuckoo was commonly used in everyday meals by the common folk. This time, the group had brought back a large number of Cuckoo wings as part of their reward for a subjugation request, so they decided to make a simmered dish. They also brought back other parts, so Yuuri was grateful they wouldn’t run out of meat for a while. Chicken is versatile, after all.
Yuuri added equal parts water and ponzu to the large pot and tasted the mixture. Since the goal was to flavor the meat, it was slightly on the stronger side. They weren’t planning to drink the broth, after all. If the ponzu alone was too sour, adding sake, soy sauce, or dashi to adjust the flavor to taste was also an option.
Then, he tossed the chicken wings into the pot one by one. After adding all the wings and making sure they were fully submerged, he turned on the stove and started simmering. First, he brought it to a boil, then reduced the heat to low or medium to let it simmer gently without reducing the broth too much.
“How long do we simmer it after it boils?”
“Hmm, about an hour with the lid on, keeping it at a low heat so it doesn’t boil over. Once the meat is tender and the flavor has soaked in, it’s done.”
“Got it. So, while it’s simmering, we’ll prep the other stuff. What about the eggs?”
“We’ll soak them in the broth after it cools down.”
“Alright.”
Urgus, who was getting used to cooking duty, was starting to understand the basic flow of preparing other dishes while the main dish simmered. Together with Yuuri, they started preparing the side dishes—salads, sautéed greens, and a variety of vegetable dishes. Of course, they also made a hearty soup.
As they worked, the chicken wings simmered nicely. The aroma wafting from the pot was mouthwatering. When Yuuri opened the lid to check, the wings had absorbed the broth’s color and were now a light brown, waiting for him and Urgus.
To taste-test, Yuuri picked up a slightly larger wing and placed it on a small plate. Thanks to the gentle simmering, the meat easily fell off the bone with a little pressure from his chopsticks. Grateful for the result, Yuuri ate the part that came off and handed the bone-in portion to Urgus. Gnawing on the bone seemed to amplify the enjoyment for meat lovers.
“Mmm, it’s refreshing and delicious.”
“The meat comes off easily, so it’s easy to eat.”
“Right?”
“So, will the boiled eggs taste like this too?”
“Yeah.”
“Cool.”
As the two munched on the chicken wings, they chatted casually. They could afford to be so relaxed because the other trainees had left for their studies. If they were still here, they would definitely be staring at the food, thinking, “That looks delicious!”
Once the broth had cooled slightly, they added the boiled eggs and left them to soak until dinner. They didn’t need to simmer the eggs; just soaking them in the cooled broth would infuse them with enough flavor. If they heated the eggs, the yolks would harden, so they added them to the slightly cooled broth to prevent that.
Dinner time arrived.
Even though the mysterious combination of chicken wings and boiled eggs simmered in ponzu was on the table, the members of Scarlet Lynx didn’t bat an eye. After all, Yuuri’s dishes were rarely bad. Even if they sometimes seemed a bit unusual, it was usually due to differences in culinary culture, not because the food itself was bad.
Also, Urgus, who was on cooking duty, eagerly reached for the chicken wings and made it clear he was looking forward to the boiled eggs, which made everyone else curious. When someone eats with such obvious enjoyment, it’s hard not to want to try it yourself.
“Yuuri, the eggs are delicious too!”
“Right?”
Urgus, who already knew how the chicken wings tasted, was delighted by the slightly ponzu-flavored boiled eggs. They were different from regular simmered eggs, but just as delicious. The chicken wings were refreshing thanks to the ponzu, and the meat came off easily, making it seem like they could eat endlessly. Indeed, the large platter of chicken wings was steadily being devoured by everyone. It was a good thing.
“If you leave the boiled eggs a little soft-boiled, the yolks are creamy and delicious, right?”
“Yeah. The soft yolks in simmered eggs were really good.”
“I think it’d be fun to try this with smaller eggs.”
“Smaller eggs?”
“Like eggs small enough to eat whole. Wouldn’t that be tasty?”
“Ah, I see.”
As Yuuri and Urgus chatted casually while eating, they were just making small talk. However, Yuuri had forgotten one thing. This was a treasure hunter training clan for beginner adventurers. There were plenty of capable fighters here. People who took on missions involving gathering or monster subjugation lived here.
Yuuri hadn’t really thought about that. He just saw them as fun companions. That’s why he overlooked something.
A few days later, everyone returned with eggs that were about the size of quail eggs, saying, “Make that simmered egg dish with these!” It was probably just as expected.