Dragon Ball: Saiyan's Culinary Journey Through the Heavens

Chapter 1004 Three-Flavor Rice Balls

"I made some rice balls, would you like to try some?"

The training camp was held at the Totsuki Academy Resort near Mount Fuji. It was still nearly three hours' drive from the Totsuki Academy headquarters in Tokyo. After the bus had been traveling for two hours, Tadokoro Megumi suddenly remembered the bento she had made that morning and said to the person next to her.

As soon as she finished speaking, the girl realized that the person she was talking to was Erina Nakiri, one of the Ten Heroes. The young lady, who was resting her chin on her hand, opened her eyes from her rest and looked at the girl with braids next to her with a slightly scrutinizing gaze.

"It's okay if you don't want to eat it."

Tadokoro quickly added.

"Rice ball, what kind of rice ball?"

Erina Nakiri was a little hungry. She usually didn't eat much for breakfast, and at this time of day, she was usually in her own kitchen, researching or practicing cooking, so she was never hungry.

"Ah, I made three kinds of rice balls: salt and green onion sauce chicken breast rice ball, braised kelp and cheese rice ball, and honey and garlic marinated pork rice ball."

Upon hearing Erina Nakiri's question, Megumi Tadokoro quickly answered, and in doing so, opened the double-layered insulated bento box in her hand, revealing three different colored rice balls inside.

"This is supposed to be a rice ball, but it looks more like sushi, doesn't it?"

Hisako Shinto, sitting in the back, also noticed the contents of the insulated lunchbox in Megumi Tadokoro's hand through the gap between the seats and subconsciously commented on it.

"Indeed, I specifically ordered the small portion because it wasn't a full meal; I just intended it to have a small bite on the way."

Tadokoro Megumi nodded in explanation.

Do you have chopsticks?

Erina Nakiri asked.

"Lady Erina, would you like some?"

Hisako Shinto looked somewhat surprised.

"The bento box looks pretty good, so it wouldn't hurt to try a little."

Erina said, but what she actually said was that she was easy to get along with.

However, Erina Nakiri doesn't actually have much practical experience in how to get along with others.

Normally, the relationships around her are rarely equal; they are more often superior-subordinate, such as the situation between Mito Ikumi and herself.

Or the relationship between the taster and the tasted, such as the chefs who come to her door to ask her to taste their dishes.

Ordinary students who want to talk to her need to get past her childhood friend and secretary, Hisako Shinto.

It can be said that Hisako Akito usually handles interpersonal relationships for her, so Erina Nakiri doesn't need to worry about it at all.

But things are different now. Having just said that she's easy to get along with, she can't just leave the task of handling interpersonal relationships to Hisako Akito.

Therefore, Erina Nakiri could only rely on her limited theoretical experience in interpersonal relationships, which she had learned from manga books.

In this kind of school trip scenario, when classmates share food, you definitely have to try it to show that you fit in.

Erina Nakiri thought to herself, even if she wasn't hungry, she still needed to eat in order to maintain the easy-going persona she had just established.

"Uh, Ms. Nakiri, you wouldn't be judging my rice ball dish like a connoisseur, would you?"

Hearing that Erina really wanted to eat it, Tadokoro Megumi became nervous. Not every student at Totsuki Academy had the courage to let God's Tongue judge their cooking.

"this----"

Erina Nakiri initially wanted to say yes, but considering that this was just a normal situation of classmates sharing food, it would be a bit much for her to make it a food tasting, so she changed her mind and said, "Of course not."

"That's good."

Tadokoro Megumi felt relieved.

"However, I didn't bring chopsticks, only disposable gloves."

Of course, if it weren't for the fact that this is being eaten in the car and it's not convenient to wash hands, perhaps gloves wouldn't even be necessary.

"I don't need it."

Everyone was given disposable gloves, which Mito Ikumi initially wanted to refuse.

"You're welcome, I made quite a few rice balls."

However, Megumi Tadokoro was very enthusiastic.

Is he trying to prove his skills to me with his cooking?

Mito Ikumi thought so, and did not refuse outright.

【Alright, then let me see your culinary skills. They say the way to a man's heart is through his stomach. If your cooking skills aren't as good as mine, don't blame me for stealing Broly away from you.】

Megumi Tadokoro held out insulated lunchboxes, letting each person take a type of rice ball they liked. When it was Mito Ikumi's turn...

Then she noticed that the man was looking at her with intense eyes, which left the girl with the braided hair completely bewildered.

"The chicken breast rice ball has very tender shredded chicken, yet it still has a bit of chewiness. Did you briefly blanch the chicken breast in chicken broth, then shred it, mix it with salt and scallion sauce, and top it with the rice ball?"

Erina Nakiri's first bite was of the salt and green onion chicken breast rice ball. As soon as the small rice ball entered her mouth, she could taste that it was different and asked a question. But rather than asking a question, it would be more accurate to say that she directly deduced how the rice ball was made.

"Yes, chicken soup retains its original flavor, and shredding it into strips allows it to better absorb the salt and scallion sauce."

Tadokoro Megumi nodded.

"Slow cooking at a low temperature can achieve this level of tenderness, but for a fuller flavor, it's better to use a method that retains some of the fibrous texture."

Hisako Niito also gave her approval after tasting it.

"Delicious!"

Broly is already eating his second piece.

"As expected of Xiaohui, as long as she's not nervous and performs to her normal level, the rice balls she makes are just so delicious."

Yoshino Yuuki also chewed the small rice ball in her mouth with a satisfied look on her face, not holding back her praise.

The taste is indeed impeccable, but the rice is the most important thing.

Erina Nakiri looked at the small rice ball in her hand; the rice grains were distinct and had a better chewy texture.

Clearly, this wasn't made in a rice cooker, but rather in a wooden bucket, where the rice was first soaked and then steamed.

Otherwise, it would be impossible to control the moisture so well.

Erina Nakiri quickly finished the chicken breast rice ball in her hand, and then took a second flavor.

The combination of mozzarella and Parmesan cheese creates a rich yet not overpowering cheese flavor, perfectly complemented by the sweet and savory taste of kelp.

Next is the third type.

The pork belly has some fat removed, and after long-term stewing, it is taken out and dried. Then it is cooked with miso, minced garlic,

The meat was marinated in honey and sake, meaning it was marinated at least overnight. In the morning, the chopped meat was wrapped in hot rice, allowing the solidified fat to melt and seep into the rice.

Even Erina Nakiri's divine tongue found the honey garlic pork rice ball to be delicious and of high quality.

[Tadokoro Megumi, not a transfer student, but I'd never heard of her before. I thought she was just an average cook, but it turns out her cooking skills are actually pretty good.]

"Did you do all of this by yourself?"

After tasting the three flavors of rice balls, Erina Nakiri thought for a moment and then asked the girl with braided hair next to her.

"Uh, cough cough, I did it all by myself."

Tadokoro Megumi almost choked, coughing twice before answering her question.

"That's very thoughtful; it must have taken a lot of effort, right?"

"Fortunately, it didn't take much effort."

At most, you just need to marinate the pork in advance, control the soaking time of the rice, and pay attention to the heat when cooking the mixed cheese and kelp sauce, etc.

"Would you be interested in joining my Sixth Culinary Restaurant?"

"?"

Erina Nakiri's sudden invitation surprised not only Megumi Tadokoro, but also everyone else.

"Lady Erina, isn't it a bit much to invite her to join the Sixth Culinary Restaurant?"

Mito Ikumi was the first to jump out and express her doubts.

"What, you think she's not qualified to join?"

Erina Nakiri turned around and asked her.

"No, I just think that to join your Sixth Culinary Building, one must have excellent grades at the academy."

"Indeed, but achievements on paper are not the only standard. Now that I've eaten her food and acknowledged her skills, that's enough."

A chef's attention to detail can reveal how meticulous they are in cooking. Many ordinary chefs tend to think that as long as the food tastes about right, it's fine.

Little did they know that, in the face of her divine tongue, even the slightest difference in how she subtly prepared a dish could determine the difference in a chef's skill level.

Whether the girl next to her has any culinary talent to speak of is another matter, but as a chef, her serious attitude towards cooking is already considered acceptable in Erina Nakiri's eyes.

"So, what's your reply?"

Erina Nakiri looked at Megumi Tadokoro.

"Ah, Ms. Nakiri, I'm so glad that my cooking skills have been recognized by you, but I've already joined the Local Cuisine Research Club."

Tadokoro Megumi snapped out of her daze and answered in a trembling voice.

"That's simple. Just leave your original club and join my Sixth Cuisine Restaurant. I can promise you double the resources you had in your previous club."

Erina Nakiri said magnanimously that although the Local Cuisine Research Club was a relatively strong school club, it was still a bit lacking compared to the Sixth Culinary Building, which she led. At least, few people in the school could match her in terms of providing resources to others.

"No, it's not about resources. It's just that the Sixth Cuisine Restaurant mainly studies French cuisine, while I prefer local cuisine."

"Oh, really? Well, there's nothing I can do about that then."

"Um, Miss Nakiri, you won't make things difficult for me or make me drop out of school just because I rejected you, will you?"

Seeing her calm expression, Tadokoro felt a little uneasy and couldn't help but ask.

"Ha, you're overthinking it. You can't force someone to have a preference for cooking. Although I'm good at all types of cooking, I don't think I'm necessarily better than those guys in the Local Cuisine Research Club when it comes to local cuisine. Since I don't have an advantage over the Local Cuisine Research Club, and I don't have much time to personally guide you, I naturally can't make things difficult for you and force you to join the Sixth Culinary Building."

"Phew, that puts my mind at ease."

Tadokoro Megumi let out a long breath.

"By the way, do I give you the impression of being such a petty person?"

Erina Nakiri raised an eyebrow and asked.

"Oh no, you're very generous—"

Tadokoro Megumi quickly waved her hand.

"fortunate----"

Yoshino Yuuki wanted to say something, but Sakaki Ryoko quickly covered her mouth.

"What are you trying to say?"

Erina Nakiri turned around and asked.

"No, she just choked on the rice ball."

Ryoko Sakaki answered in place of the blonde girl with a bun.

"I see. Hisako, didn't you bring some tea? Pour her a cup."

"Yes, Lady Erina."

Hisako Niito poured a cup for Yuuki Yoshino as requested.

"Why won't you let me speak?"

After finishing her tea, Yoshino Yuuki whispered something in Sakaki Ryoko's ear.

[We know about Yukihira's situation, but are you really trying to get him to make things difficult for Megumi by directly confronting him?]

Ryoko Sakaki didn't speak, but instead typed on her phone and showed it to the blonde girl with a bun.

"Well----"

Yoshino Yuuki felt that what she said made perfect sense and she couldn't refute it at all.

[Damn it, he really is a formidable rival!]

Meanwhile, Mito Ikumi had already established a rival relationship with Wadokoro Megumi.

An hour later, the fleet of luxury buses arrived at the Totsuki Resort near Mount Fuji, where the students could see the conical snow-capped mountain through the windows.

Nestled deep in the mountains, this luxurious building, along with its various restaurants, is a truly culinary-themed resort.

"It's said that a night's stay here starts at at least at 80,000 yen —"

"Ha, it's only 80,000 yen."

If it were Soma Yukihira before he ran a night market stall, he would definitely be shocked by this.

As for now, his savings are barely enough to cover one night's expenses.

"So many restaurants."

Broly swallowed hard.

"Do you want to eat?"

Erina glanced at him and asked.

"Yes, I've already tried the food prepared by current students of Totsuki Academy, and it was delicious. Naturally, I'm looking forward to these shops run by graduates."

Broly was telling the truth.

"You can look forward to it, but if you want to eat to your heart's content here, you'd better check your wallet and see if it's full."

"What do you mean?"

"What I mean is that the prices here are not low. If you don't bring enough money, you might not be able to afford the food at the shops across the street."

Hisako answered in place of Erina.

"Don't worry, Broly, if you don't have enough money, I can pay you."

Mito Ikumi, who got off the car behind and followed, interjected.

In the Japanese culinary world, Mito Ikumi comes from a family that is the leading beef supplier, but she is actually a genuine heiress.

Upon hearing this, Broly's eyes lit up, and he was about to say something when Erina Nakiri snorted coldly, "Let's not talk about eating yet. Don't forget we're here to cook."

"Shall we eat after we finish cooking?"

Broly said in a low voice.

"All you care about is eating. Help us carry our luggage to our room first."

Erina Nakiri said something rather irritating.

"OK."

Broly readily agreed and eagerly helped carry the luggage.

Of course, it's not just Erina Nakiri and the others, but also Megumi Tadokoro and the others.

He neatly stacked the suitcases of the six girls and carried them easily in his hands.

Students passing by and employees of the Far Moon Resort Hotel all stared at him.

After putting away their luggage, the group of seven went downstairs again.

Nearly a thousand first-year high school students from Totsuki Academy gathered in the grand hall of the resort hotel.

"Good morning, everyone. Next, I will briefly introduce the content of this training camp —"

Teacher Roland walked up to the podium and quieted down the somewhat restless students.

"Six days and five nights is the time you will spend here. During this period, you will be divided into several groups to deal with cooking-related topics for several consecutive days."

Students who receive low evaluations from instructors will lose their eligibility for the training camp; in other words, they will be forcibly repatriated from the academy and expelled.

Regarding the review of the topics, we invited several guest lecturers, and the Totsuki Academy graduates took time out of their busy schedules to attend this training session.

The side door opened, and a group of young men and women dressed in white chef's uniforms filed in. They were the senior students who had officially graduated from Totsuki Academy, which had a single-digit graduation rate.

Each of them owns their own restaurant, acting as both owner and head chef; they are often featured in cooking magazines.

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