And so, for dinner, we’re going all out with tofu.
Let’s show the power of soybeans!
First, the main dish will be deep-fried tofu stuffed with cheese.
Then, a champuru made with pork and various vegetables.
For the side dishes, we’ll have stir-fried soy bean sprouts and a white sesame dressing with spinach and carrots.
And for dessert, a soy milk shake.
Of course, for Chocola’s meal, I’ll make a dish with tofu and meat simmered in soy milk.
I work quickly but carefully, aiming to finish before Mint gets sleepy.
In the evening, just before the sun sets, we gather around the table and say, itadakimasu.
「Wow… everything is made from soybeans. That’s amazing.」
Mother exclaims as she picks up her chopsticks.
「Hmm. Everything is delicious.」
Karen says, her usual compliments infused with surprise.
「Fuwaa! …..Mint, sweet, like!」
Mint hugs her cup of soy milk shake, her eyes sparkling with delight.
「Nom, nom… bark!」
Chocola is completely absorbed in his meal. I hope he doesn’t get too carried away and spill it!
「Everything turned out well. I’m relieved.」
I say, tasting each dish with satisfaction.
I’ve only made tofu from soybeans a handful of times. Back in Japan, I tried it a few times just to see how it went. But it seems those experiences paid off. Having a book with the recipe in my study helped too.
「Honestly, this tofu has a richer flavor than what you find in Japan. The texture might not compare, though.」
The texture might feel lacking because it’s freshly made. Ideally, I should let it sit under a weight for about a night. I’ve saved some for that purpose, so I’ll taste it tomorrow.
「I think I especially like this champuru. The okara is also good.」
「Traditionally, champuru is made with bitter gourd, but I haven’t seen any here yet. But maybe it’s for the best, since it might have been too strong otherwise.」
I used a wild green that’s somewhat similar to it as a substitute. Since it’s been cooked and doesn’t have much volume, the bitterness is quite mild.
「I really like this fried dish. It’s rich and creamy, and when I eat this after the fry, it refreshes my mouth.」
「The sesame on the white sesame dressing was bought in Sidera, but it’s sourced from the capital. The slight spiciness really works well.」
While the tofu turned out well, the differences in the ingredients mean I can’t claim to have perfectly replicated Earth’s versions. Fortunately, I didn’t fail; everything falls into the category of ‘slightly different but good’.
The deep-fried tofu pairs beautifully with the rich cheese, and the crispy coating gives way to a creamy filling. The smooth texture and the combination of flavors invade the mouth delightfully.
The champuru includes fish sauce as a hidden flavor. The umami from the fish sauce binds the tofu, pork (actually boar), and egg together. The aroma and bitterness of the wild greens add an interesting accent, creating a unique taste.
I’m glad the stir-fried okara was well received. I mixed it with root vegetables and mushrooms that mother and the others foraged. Without standard ingredients like fried tofu or konjac, I feel like something is missing, but this is everyone’s first time having okara anyway.
I was most concerned about the white sesame dressing since it’s not a particularly strong flavor. Thankfully, the key was that the tofu turned out flavorful, resulting in a deep taste. The crunchy carrots, the aroma of spinach, and the slight spiciness of the sesame from the capital all harmonized beautifully.
And finally, for dessert—Mint’s main dish.
A soy milk shake made with bananas and strawberries.
「This is so satisfying. It doesn’t even feel like a drink.」
「Hmm, I can see why Mint likes it. It’s more like food than a drink.」
「Uuu! This, taste like meat? Knew it!」
「Mint knows her stuff. That’s impressive!」
Soybeans are referred to as ‘meat of the field’ and soy milk, made from them, is also rich in protein.
Despite the differences between animal and plant proteins, the nutritional value is comparable to meat.
On Earth, soybeans were used as a substitute for meat.
This means that soybeans will likely help Mint with any potential ‘meat shortage’ she may face during winter.
When I explained this, mother nodded in appreciation, while Karen furrowed her brow in thought, and Mint, not quite understanding but excited, squealed in delight. Chocola, on the other hand, said,
「Kyuu… kuu…」
「Oh, you want a refill, huh?」
He looked up at me with hungry eyes. Well, I suppose I can’t refuse him.
「That said, it’s amazing how soybeans can transform into so many different foods.」
「Hmm, I’ve only thought of them as just a type of bean.」
Come to think of it, soybean processed foods developed mainly in the East. In the West, they didn’t take off much because the soil wasn’t suitable for cultivation.
「Our soy sauce is also made from soybeans.」
「Really?」
「Is that so…?」
When I said this, both Karen and mother looked incredibly surprised.
「In Japan, soybeans are as important a crop as rice. Tofu, soy milk, okara, kinako, yuba, and then there’s soy sauce. Though we don’t have it here, miso as well.」
Perhaps it’s because they didn’t have the habit of cooking or maybe it was simply forgotten—father apparently overlooked bringing a few essential items, and miso is a prime example. By the way, other items include a microwave.
It’s a bit amusing that they have soy sauce and mirin but not miso, and that they have a pressure cooker and outdoor stove but no microwave. I can’t help but laugh when I think about how he forgot to bring them, but I’m grateful that he did bring some things.
However…
While we’re managing fine without a microwave, miso is currently a bit of a challenge.
「I wish I could make it… but I don’t have any koji mold.」
About six months ago, I tried making miso for the first time. However, it ended in complete failure. Without koji, the soybeans wouldn’t ferment.
Afterward, I looked it up in the books in my study and discovered for the first time that the mold used to make miso and soy sauce, Aspergillus oryzae, exists only in Japan.
Perhaps there are places in this world with climates and soils similar to Japan. However, there’s no evidence that anything resembling miso or soy sauce is imported into the kingdom. So even if such lands existed, they’re likely outside of human activity zones.
Even if I can’t find Aspergillus oryzae, if I could find some of the koji molds used in mainland China, like Rhizopus oryzae or Mucor, maybe I could manage somehow. I’ve been checking the goods coming into Sidera for that reason, but I still haven’t found any signs of it.
「If you have that koji, you can make that ‘miso’?」
「Yeah. As long as I have koji, making miso isn’t that difficult. In ancient Japan, families used to make it themselves.」
Well, even though miso is familiar to Japanese, it’s a rather acquired taste globally, so I’m not sure if it would suit Karen or mother… I think I’ll just keep looking patiently under the pretext of that excuse.
—And then…
「Sui, troubled?」
Mint, who was eagerly sipping her soy milk shake, tilted her head and asked, noticing my expression.
「It’s not that I’m troubled. I’m just having a bit of trouble finding something.」
Unable to resist her cute gesture, I patted her head.
But Mint kept her gaze fixed on me.
And then she said something quite peculiar.
「Koji? Is sweet smelling? Or black one?」
「…Huh?」
‘The black one’—you mean soy sauce?
If so, then ‘the sweet-smelling one’—is it mirin?
「Sui, black one, sweet one, let me see?」
「Ah… y-yeah, sure.」
Feeling a bit lightheaded, I took the bottles of soy sauce and mirin from the kitchen cupboard. I poured a little of each into two cups and returned to the living room.
「This is it, right?」
「Uuu!」
I placed the cups in front of Mint. She immediately dipped her finger into the soy sauce and took a taste. Then she did the same with the mirin.
As I worried about whether the alcohol content was okay for her, Mint chewed thoughtfully for a while, her gaze distant. Then, suddenly, she stood up with a start.
「Mint…?」
She hurried over to the sliding glass door, opened it, and dashed out to the garden.
「Hey, hey!」
As I hurried to put on my sandals, Mint’s next words stunned me into stillness.
With a big smile, she exclaimed,
「Same stuff! Lot down here. Mint can get it!」
She pointed to the soil in the garden—the very soil that had come with our house and us from Japan.
Leave a Reply