280 - - 278 episodes of soybeans,るるる

Nomos built a soy sauce warehouse and a miso warehouse for us, and we finally started making soy sauce and miso seasonings using soybeans. Let's start with the easy one, miso. We put the soybeans into three large pots and assigned each of us to a specific task.

There were a few harrowing moments during the cooking process, but thanks to the support of Ruby and the others, we were able to cook the soybeans without a hitch. Without Ruby's advice, I might have failed. Knowledge is important. I had a faint memory of it, but I had forgotten most of it until Ruby's advice.

"Yuta's brother, don't you need to add water in the middle of boiling the beans?"

"Water?　Why do you put water in it?"

"If you put water in the beans while they are cooking, the temperature will drop once and the beans will be cooked through!"

Uh ...... I think you said surprise water. If I hadn't had this conversation with Ruby, I might have ended up with half-cooked soybeans. That was a close call.

"Yuta's brother, the soybeans are about to boil!　What's next?"

I thanked Ruby in my mind, and she came to tell me that the soybeans were ready to be cooked. Let's move on to the next step.

"The next step is to mash the soybeans while they are still warm. And since this is not enough soybeans, let's cook the soybeans once more in the pot.

"All right, get ready!"

Ruby cheerfully goes to the furnace with the pot to mash the soybeans that I took out of the pot and starts to prepare. Everyone works so actively that I hardly have anything to do at all. I feel awkward, like I'm slacking off.

Normally, I'd like to make tofu at the same time, but tofu needs soy sauce. Until the soy sauce is ready, I'm not going to make tofu. And we need ginger, too. I'll ask Dorie.

I want to pour a little soy sauce over the ginger and green onions on the chilled tofu and drink sake while nibbling. Agedashi-tofu would be nice too... Agedashi-tofu floating in tempura sauce with grated daikon, nori and green onion...... soup stock is hard to find, even if the soy sauce is ready, I don't have dried bonito flakes. I wonder if I can get by with just kombu?

...... I might be able to get by with dried sardines and jaw broth. If fish like sardines or flying fish exist, the possibility of making it increases. I will ask Dine about this. If we can find them, sardines can be dried until dry, and flying fish can be grilled since I think she said grilled sardines.

If either of them work, we can make udon and buckwheat, although the flavor is different from bonito broth. The dreams are growing. We already have fried food, and making tempura and tempura soba or tempura udon would be hard to pass up.

"Yuta's brother, we're ready!"

I was concentrating on my thoughts when Ruby, who had finished her preparations, called out to me. I should concentrate on making miso now, I thought, and do my best to have delicious miso soup.

"Yes, thank you."

I thanked Ruby and approached the soybeans, which were well prepared. The soybeans had been transferred to a large, shallow-bottomed tub for easy mashing, and new soybeans were already cooking on the grill. He has been thinking for quite a long time.

I pull myself together again and take a piece of soybean in my hand. It is still quite hot, and I rush to blow on it to cool it down. After letting the soybean cool down, I crush it with my thumb and forefinger. Yes, it was still hot, but I could crush it easily. It seems that the center of the soybeans is well cooked.

The mashed soybeans are surprisingly tasty with the flavor of soybeans and a slight sweetness. It was the first time for me to try just boiled soybeans, but it might not be so bad.

"Yuta, is it good?"

Bell, who had been watching me eat the soybeans closely, asked me what they tasted like. It's not bad, in my opinion, but it's probably not for Belle and her friends, who have childish taste buds. But it doesn't taste bad, so I'll let her taste it.

"It's not flavored, so I can't say it tastes good, but it's not bad. Let everyone have a taste. Oh, and be careful, it's hot.

I say, and the little army of children plus Gina and Ruby reach for the soybeans, perhaps out of interest. And after eating them, most of them have a delicate look on their faces. I told them it wasn't good, but it wasn't bad either. I don't want them to look at me so disappointed.

Ruby and the others are the only ones who look at me like it's not bad, and Gina, not to mention the little army, is looking at me with a subtle expression on her face. I guess even Gina was not ready for the taste of just boiled soybeans yet. The stares from the little ones are painful, so let's move on to the next task.

We have to mash all these soybeans, but it's hard to do that in this heat. It is hard to mash them unless they are cooled down to some extent, but not too cool, so we have to be very careful. I should ask Sylphy, who is sitting in the guardian's seat and watching us leisurely.

"...... So, I should let the soybeans cool down to the point that they feel a little hot to the touch, right?"

When I went to the parents' table to make my request, Sylphy easily understood what I was asking.

"Yes, it's difficult because you can't let it get too cold. Sylphy, please."

"Okay. ...... that sounds about right. Yuta, it's okay now."

"Already?"

Sooner the better, huh?

"Yes, I've already cooled the soybeans. The longer we wait, the cooler it gets, so I think we should hurry.

"Oh, I see. Thank you, Sylphie."

I thanked him and went right back to the soybeans, but I was not quite sure what to make of it. I know that Sylphy can easily manipulate the wind remotely, but wouldn't he have come to Soybean's side and cooled him down in an easy-to-understand way before now?

...... I have a feeling that there is some silly reason hidden in Sylphy's appearance. It seems that if she leaves the guardians' seat and approaches the soybeans, she might be forced to help them or something like that. ....... Well, it was enough that he let the soybeans cool down. The next step will be like playing in the mud, so the little army will be happy.

Hmm?　Speaking of which, we are going to crush the soybeans directly with our hands.　I don't have any plastic gloves, and even if I did, I don't think they would fit.

...... is ok, I've never seen any hairs in my room. There are a lot of animal spirits in my house, so it would have been more difficult to clean up if hairs were falling. The only reason I can think of is that they are spirits, but as long as the hairs don't get into the miso, then there is no problem. Then let's get on with it before the soybeans cool down.

"Okay, let's get started on the next task. We are going to mash the soybeans in the pot by hand, and I want you to mash them into a paste as finely as possible. Like this.

As an example, crush the soybeans in the pot vigorously with your palms. It is a little hot, but I think Gina and the others can handle it at this temperature. The little guys look like they're having fun, so I guess this process won't be a problem for them.

Also, the soybeans are still a little hot, so be careful. And be careful with the soybeans because they are still a little hot. Understood?"

The little army + Gina + Ruby and the others cheerfully reply. They are very motivated. When I announce the start of the game, they start to crowd around the soybeans in their respective positions and begin to crush them. The sound of their voices echoing everywhere, as if they are enjoying the sensation of the soybeans being crushed.

Belle pressed her tiny palms against the soybeans happily, and seemed to be satisfied with the mashed beans with a "mwah". Rain is squashing the soybeans with both of her flippers as if she is worshipping them while squealing. They are doing their best, but it is incredibly cute to watch.

Tulu is supporting ...... Tamamo. He's a great Mohler spirit, even in a place like this. Tamamo is happily stepping on soybeans with both paws while cooing. Next to him, Tulu gently moves the soybeans to make sure they are evenly crushed.

Flare and Moon are ...... well, Flare says, "Ora ora ora! He is giving a two-handed rush to soybeans while spouting a line I've seen in a cartoon somewhere. It's definitely an IF influence. Moon is pooning on top of the ...... soybean, which is vibrating at high speed. The soybeans are crushed, so I guess it doesn't matter.

I will observe the other groups while removing the lye from the pot where the soybeans are boiling. Gina and the others seem to be doing fine. Marco and Kikka are having fun playing in the mud, while Gina and Sara are supporting them in mashing the soybeans.

Sarah...... and Ruby and the others are helping them, so they could be having fun with Marco and Kikka instead of taking care of them so much. It seems that they are more interested in taking care of Marco and Kikka than in helping them. Gina has a fatherly expression on her face as she gently watches over the three of them. ......　I feel like a family is forming there. I want in.

Fukuchan and the others are ...... in some kind of chaos. They are jumping into the pot with their small bodies, and smashing soybeans with all their might.

FUKU-chan, Mame-chan, and Puru-chan seem to be enjoying themselves and don't seem to have any problems, but Uri seems to like the feeling of crushing soybeans and is silently crushing them, stepping on all four of his legs alternately. Uri's expression seems to be tripping, but is he OK?

And Shiba, perhaps inspired by Uri's silent crushing of the soybeans, is excitedly waffling and flailing about on the soybeans. Saffi, Citrine, and Onyx are following closely around the vat. Belle and Gina are on high alert, as Ruby and Emme are alone.

I'm glad I asked Ruby and the others to assist me today. I probably wouldn't have been able to handle it on my own. I mean, I surely wouldn't have been able to handle it. I can see myself on the edge of my seat, keeping an eye on Fukuchan and the others.

It would be better to have Ruby and the others participate in the work and learn how to make them perfectly, so that we can increase the production later on, but I guess they can get the general idea even while helping me. I'm sure they'll be able to figure it out if I write down how to make it on a piece of paper and hand it to them later.

Thanks to the efforts of the little army plus Gina, the work of mashing the soybeans was finished sooner than expected. The people who were mashing the soybeans must have had a good time, because they seemed to be satisfied with their work. There are only a few steps left in the process of making miso, and it looks like we are going to succeed in making miso. It would be a disaster if they fail with the miso before the soy sauce.