Shokugeki No Douluo Dalu (Patreon)

Chapter 41: Exploding Honey Badger Intestines

Qi Han skillfully picked up a piece of honey badger intestine and cut it into pieces about half the length of his forearm. After washing it thoroughly, he kneaded it with flour and then rinsed it again, repeating the process three times.

After washing to this extent, the surface of the honey badger intestine appeared tender and pink, presenting a good appearance. However, if one got closer, they could still detect a faint unpleasant smell.

He placed the honey badger intestine in a pot, completely submerged it in water, and swiftly chopped the prepared scallions and ginger into sections, throwing them into the pot. He turned on low heat and slowly blanched the honey badger intestine.

Although he didn't know how many times he had cooked honey badger intestine, it must have been a hundred times.

Qi Han had become completely proficient, and his skill in cooking honey badger intestines had improved.

If nothing unexpected happened, this time should be successful in meeting the system's evaluation.

He reached for a peculiar-looking fruit nearby, gently splitting it in half with a knife.

This was a magical fruit called Sano Fruit. To call it a fruit might be a misnomer; Qi Han preferred to think of it as a vegetable. Its magic lay in the fact that it presented two completely different flavors when eaten cooked or raw.

The exposed flesh of the Sano Fruit was completely translucent and white. It bore some resemblance to coconut, but it lacked sweetness and instead had a subtle and refreshing fragrance, with a jelly-like texture.

Once heated, the flesh of the Sano Fruit naturally transforms into a creamy white liquid, becoming more mellow in taste and resembling the coating of tofu.

And what Qi Han had his eye on was the cooked flesh that resembled the coating.

Carefully scooping out the flesh, he mashed it into a paste and set it aside. Qi Han reached over and lifted the lid of the pot, where the honey badger intestine had become extremely tender and soft from boiling.

This was, of course, thanks to the system's advanced technology; otherwise, it would be challenging to fully cook the honey badger intestine.

He lifted the honey badger intestine out of the pot, drained it, and placed it directly into a basin filled with ice cubes.

Upon encountering the ice water, the honey badger intestine visibly shrunk and curled due to the thermal contraction effect. The surface tightened while the interior remained soft and tender.

Once the honey badger intestine had shrunk sufficiently, Qi Han removed it from the basin, cut it into small sections about four fingers wide, and set them aside. He then took the prepared Sano Fruit flesh.

Typically, honey badger intestines were cut into widths of two or three fingers, so Qi Han's choice of four fingers was not random.

Wearing gloves, Qi Han spooned a dollop of Sano Fruit flesh into each section of the honey badger intestine, quickly rolled up the four-finger-wide honey badger intestine, forming a shape resembling a donut.

The swollen ring-shaped honey badger intestines were filled with Sano Fruit flesh.

Under Qi Han's skillful hands, the slightly wrinkled surface of the honey badger intestine swelled and became smooth, significantly improving its appearance.

The flesh of a whole Sano Fruit was perfectly distributed among the honey badger intestines.

After dealing with the honey badger intestines, Qi Han neatly arranged the honey badger intestine rings in a dish. He turned on the stove, added a spoonful of sesame oil and several spoons of sugar to the pot, and quickly stir-fried until they turned golden.

He pushed the honey badger intestine rings into the pot and stir-fried them a few times, effortlessly achieving the desired color. He then added various seasonings, covered the pot, and simmered for ten minutes.

Opening the lid, he stir-fried for a while, covered it again, and continued simmering until the broth thickened. Qi Han calmly sprinkled some chopped scallions, stirred it twice, and then transferred it to a serving dish.

A dish that was visually appealing, aromatic, and delicious was completed just like that.

Qi Han casually picked up a pair of chopsticks from the side and picked up a honey badger intestine ring, placing it in his mouth. The rich and mellow texture of the honey badger intestine filled his mouth. With a slight bite, the honey badger intestine ring burst open, and the cooked Sano Fruit flesh hidden inside sprayed into his mouth.

Equally rich but with completely different flavors, the Sano Fruit perfectly absorbed the taste of the enveloping honey badger intestine. Its fresh aroma mixed in, adding a delicate touch to the richness and perfectly balancing out any greasiness from the honey badger intestine.

This taste was truly amazing!

"System, what do you say?"

【Congratulations, Host. Your original recipe has been successful. The system rates it as a one-star recipe with a score of 82 points. Please give the recipe a name.】

"82 points?" Qi Han's eyes lit up suddenly. This score was higher than he expected!

This time, the system automatically provided the evaluation details without Qi Han needing to inquire.

【Evaluation details are as follows:】

【Taste (out of 40 points): 38-5 points (due to the controversial nature of honey badger intestines, 5 points deduction) Ingredient Originality (out of 20 points): 18 points

Method Originality (out of 20 points): 20 points

Cooking Difficulty (out of 20 points): 11 points

Total: 82 points】

Qi Han looked at the evaluation details, feeling a bit puzzled.

The system gave a high score of 38 points for taste, which was beyond Qi Han's expectations.

Honey badger intestines and Sano Fruit were indeed a perfect match, with their fusion taking the taste to a whole new level. It was not surprising to receive 38 points.

But what was the deal with the 5-point deduction?

"System, what does it mean that the taste is controversial?"

【Due to the fact that not everyone can accept honey badger intestines as an ingredient, the taste score will be automatically deducted based on specific circumstances.】

(I see).

In the previous world, that was how it was. Not everyone loved honey badger intestines; after all, it was a bit of an acquired taste.

Well then.

Qi Han shook his head. Although losing five points was a bit regrettable, he couldn't blame others for it.

In terms of ingredient originality, since all the main ingredients of this recipe were sourced from the Kalei Forest, a high score was given. 18 points were already close to the maximum. Unless Qi Han didn't use any Earth ingredients throughout the process, it would be impossible to get a perfect score.

As for the originality of the method, Qi Han received a full score due to the innovative technique of making the coated honey badger intestine rings.

A one-star recipe couldn't demand the creation of an entirely new cooking method from scratch. Having some innovative elements was considered good, and Qi Han's highlight of the coated honey badger intestine rings earned him a perfect score from the system.

Lastly, there was the cooking difficulty, which was slightly higher for this dish compared to the Honey-Glazed Grilled Ribs. However, it was still a medium difficulty, and 11 points were considered average.

Considering all these factors, Qi Han achieved a score of 82 points.

Regardless, he had a safety net now.

If the subsequent brain flower recipes didn't receive ideal scores, at least he could use this recipe as a reward basis.

【Please name the recipe, Host.】

The system's voice resounded once again, and Qi Han suddenly realized that he hadn't given a name to this new dish.

After pondering for a moment, a mischievous look appeared on Qi Han's face. "Let's call it 'Exploding honey badger Intestines.'"

【One-star recipe: Exploding honey badger Intestines. Collection successful!】