Who Is the World’s Strongest Appraiser? ~Living in Another World With Satisfying Meals~

Bamboo Shoot-Filled Bamboo Shoot Rice

“Ah, just a moment.”

“Yes?”

Yuuri, having finished his daily shopping, was beaming with satisfaction after finally getting the fried tofu he had been longing for. This shop, run by an old lady who claimed it was her retirement hobby, often had odd items in stock. Among these uncommon items, Yuuri sometimes found familiar ingredients for Japanese cuisine.

Today, he was able to purchase the fried tofu he had reserved earlier. With this, he could make miso soup with wakame and fried tofu. Plus, it would enhance the broth when cooking leafy vegetables.

“You seem to know some pretty rare ingredients, don’t you? How about this one?”

“Bamboo shoots!”

“Ah, so you do know it.”

In the bowl of water that the old lady brought from the back, there was a white object. It was a bamboo shoot, already boiled and with the bitterness removed, ready to be cooked. Of course, Yuuri knew bamboo shoots and even liked them.

From the moment bamboo shoots are dug up, they release bitterness. If not boiled immediately after being dug up, the bitterness becomes overwhelming. Often, you find morning-dug bamboo shoots with skin at the supermarket, but even if you boil them with rice bran at home, the bitterness has already spread. Honestly, in terms of freshness, they are no longer good.

Think of sashimi. Freshness is key. The sashimi that fishermen eat just after catching the fish is the best. Similarly, the freshness of bamboo shoots before boiling is extremely important. Even tuna loses its flavor as time passes. Fresh fish must be handled immediately. Therefore, it’s best to boil bamboo shoots right after digging them up.

And this bamboo shoot that Yuuri was looking at…

—Boiled bamboo shoots.

Freshly dug this morning and immediately boiled, a first-class product.

Both the aroma and taste are superb. The bitterness is completely gone along with the astringency.

Not only the tip but also the root part is packed with umami.

The usual quirky description. But whether it’s because Yuuri possesses certain skills or because the [God’s Eye], a cheat-like skill, is playful, he doesn’t mind. Also, Yuuri is used to such quirky displays, thinking that’s just how appraisals are.

It was fortunate for Yuuri and other appraisers (specifically guardian representative Arlie) that they couldn’t see each other’s appraisal results.

“Grandma, where did you get these bamboo shoots?”

“A friend of mine picked them in the mountains. They gave them to me after boiling, but I can’t finish them all. If you’d like, take some home.”

“Is it okay? Oh, let me pay you.”

Yuuri, who instinctively took the offered bowl, hurriedly tried to take out his wallet, but the old lady gently stopped him. She smiled warmly at the bewildered Yuuri, her eyes crinkling with a joyful expression.

Though this strong old lady had a reputation for chasing away unwanted customers with a broom, she had taken a great liking to Yuuri, showing him only gentle expressions.

“No need. It’s a thank-you for always keeping this old lady company. If you want, bring some nice sweets next time.”

“Got it. I’ll make something.”

Yuuri, used to receiving such kindness, smiled in response. He carefully placed the bamboo shoots into his magic bag to avoid spilling the water. He was thrilled with the unexpected large haul. Yuuri’s figure as he left the market was one of great happiness.

Returning to the hideout, Yuuri stored the purchased ingredients in the fridge and began working. He needed to prepare the bamboo shoots he had received from the old lady.

There were several large bamboo shoots in the bowl, enough to be considered substantial, but not quite enough as a side dish. Today, the entire team was present. The Scarlet Lynx had 20 members plus Yuuri, making 21 in total, a rare occurrence since someone was usually away on a trip. Being treasure hunters, they were often out.

Yuuri decided to use the bamboo shoots for bamboo shoot rice, which would stretch the quantity. Besides, he had just acquired the fried tofu. Mixing them with rice would make them go further. And, Yuuri had been craving bamboo shoot rice. With fried tofu in one hand and bamboo shoots in the other, making bamboo shoot rice was the only option for Yuuri.

“Yuuri, what are you making?”

“Oh, Kurresh, welcome back.”

“Thanks. What’s that?”

“Bamboo shoots.”

“Wow, how did you get bamboo shoots? They aren’t common.”

“Really? The old lady suggested they weren’t well-known.”

“I grew up in the mountains.”

“I see.”

Yuuri nodded at Kurresh’s grin. Today, Kurresh was off except for delivering a requested item to the guild, so he was eagerly peeking into the kitchen from the counter. With a look of excitement, he resembled the young apprentices. Despite being a full-fledged adult at 18, Kurresh had a childlike enthusiasm.

…In silence, Kurresh had a decent appearance. Standing seriously, he could probably attract admiring glances from girls as a handsome type. However, once he spoke, his boyish demeanor and quirky atmosphere meant he wasn’t popular, and no one recognized him as handsome. Even Yuuri hadn’t noticed Kuure’s good looks.

“So, what are you going to make with it?”

“I thought I’d make bamboo shoot rice. There are many people today, and this won’t be enough as a side dish.”

“Yeah, it wouldn’t be enough as a side dish.”

Kurresh nodded earnestly. Even with half the number of people, it probably still wouldn’t be enough. After all, the clan members were big eaters. Their bodies were their capital, so who would believe adventurers could be small eaters?

As Yuuri chatted with Kurresh, he finely chopped the bamboo shoots. He cut them smaller than bite-sized, so they wouldn’t be a nuisance when mixed with the rice. His knife skills were impressive enough to elicit awe from Kurresh. Today, too, his cooking skill was hard at work.

Yuuri tossed the chopped bamboo shoots into a deep frying pan that already had kombu dashi waiting. He brought the dashi with the bamboo shoots to a boil, adding a little salt and soy sauce to taste, but not making it too strong. The idea was to have a clear soup-like flavor, simmering the bamboo shoots over low heat.

“Why are you simmering the bamboo shoots first?”

“Because bamboo shoots have no flavor otherwise.”

“Yeah.”

“If you cook bamboo shoots with rice without seasoning, they won’t absorb any flavor.”

“Really?”

Technically, they might absorb some flavor, but not enough to make them taste like soy sauce-soaked bamboo shoots. At least, that’s Yuuri’s experience. His mother had taught him that the secret to delicious bamboo shoot rice was to pre-simmer the bamboo shoots. Additionally, you can freeze the finely chopped, simmered bamboo shoots in portions, making it easy to prepare bamboo shoot rice anytime.

He simmered the bamboo shoots over low heat until the liquid almost evaporated, allowing the flavors to soak in further as they cooled. Meanwhile, Yuuri occupied himself with hanging laundry, tidying up, doing mending with the apprentices, and having a productive day. This was his usual routine.

As the bamboo shoots finished simmering, Yuuri smiled with satisfaction. He then added sake, soy sauce, salt, and a piece of kombu to the rice he had washed and soaked earlier. Without any granulated dashi, he used kombu as a substitute.

After mixing and checking the flavor, he added the simmered bamboo shoots and chopped fried tofu to the rice cooker. Once the bamboo shoot rice was set to cook, he turned his attention to preparing the main dishes.

However, he returned to find the kitchen counter unusually crowded. Besides Camille, the designated cook, there were Kurresh, Lelei, Yakk, Magg, Urgus, and even Tifaana and Jeiku, all drawn by the enticing aroma from the rice cooker.

“…What are you all doing?”

“Huh? I’ve been here all along.”

“Oh, Yuuri, don’t mind us!”

“I can wait patiently!”

Everyone was gathered in the kitchen, lured by the tantalizing aroma. Yuuri, realizing that he needed to hurry to prepare the rest of the meal, rushed to finish cooking.

The moment the rice cooker signaled the rice was ready, everyone’s attention shifted. In a world where bread was the staple, bamboo shoot rice was a novelty, adding to the excitement.

“Hey, Camille.”

“Yeah?”

“If we don’t have dinner ready by the time the bamboo shoot rice is done, there’ll be a riot, right?”

“Probably.”

“Let’s hurry!”

As soon as the rice cooker beeped, everyone eagerly awaited the bamboo shoot rice. Yuuri mixed the rice, spreading the delicious aroma. Dinner consisted of grilled fish, miso soup, stir-fried dishes, and simmered dishes, all centered around the bamboo shoot rice.

The clan members eagerly dug into the bamboo shoot rice, their excitement evident.

“This seasoned rice is so good!”

“Wow! This bamboo shoot is amazing!”

“Delicious.”

“Yuuri! This is fantastic!”

Yuuri calmed the excited group, ensuring there was enough for everyone. The soy sauce-flavored rice, enhanced by the seasoned bamboo shoots and fried tofu, was a hit.

In the Kugimiya household, bamboo shoot rice was traditionally filled with bamboo shoots and fried tofu, a luxury afforded by the family’s access to fresh bamboo shoots.

“…Where did you get the bamboo shoots?”

“From the elderly lady at the market.”

“…You got them from that old lady?”

“She’s kind, you know?”

“…I see.”

Arī sighed, amazed by Yuuri’s luck. The others shared the sentiment, wondering if Yuuri had a mysterious aura that neutralized hostility.