Mister Ajikko 40

Mister Ajikko Volume 5 Chapter 5 Tare Sauce from Within

Page 084

Youichi: I can make it any time!
Youichi: I'll show you that I can make a ten-don that's on par with Tensei's!

Tensei Owner: Fufufu...you talk big, boy.
Tensei Owner: You got guts to pick a fight with Tensei.

Tensei Owner: But you can't make a ten-don with just guts and yelling.
Tensei Owner: It requires a great deal of learning and training.

Tensei Owner: Frying techniques and making of the tare sauce are only a few of the skills required to make the dish.
Tensei Owner: Sorry, boy, but a amateur like you have no chance of winning.

Customer: Tensei-san, are you in?
Customer: A ten-don for me, please.


Page 085

Customer: Oh, why are you smiling like that?
Tensei Owner: Oh, it's nothing...

Tensei Owner: Oh, right.
Tensei Owner: Hira-chan, in two or three days, there will be an interesting ten-don match.
Hira: ...Ten-don match?

Signboard: Hinode Eatery

Youichi: So, this is the bottom layer of the zabuton.
Youichi: Starting from this point, I'll keep piling up the kakiage layer by layer!


Page 086

Youichi: With this...
Youichi: the heat can reach the insides and it'll be the best super-thick kakiage ever.

Mum: But,
Mum: will this method really allow heat to reach the insides?

Youichi: It'll be fine!
Youichi: Leave it to me!

Youichi: On the top of the foundation, add the second layer of tempura.

Youichi: Then, while we're unsure whether the heat has reached the insides...
Youichi: add the third layer!

Youichi: Then add a fourth layer...

Youichi: Right at the end, quickly flip the layers!
Youichi: By doing this, the upper-most layers will cook completely!


Page 087

Youichi: It's done!
Youichi: This is Youichi-style Super-Large Kakiage!

Youichi: Okay!
Youichi: Try it, Kou-chan!

Koutarou: Hmm...


Page 088

Youichi: This has to work!
Youichi: If it doesn't, then I'm out of options!

Koutarou: ...It's delicious!
Koutarou: The insides are thoroughly cooked!

Koutarou: Also, the insides are light and well-fried.
Koutarou: The outside and insides are well-balanced in taste; a superb kakiage!

Youichi: I did it!


Page 089

Koutarou: Honestly,
Koutarou: this is a great idea.

Koutarou: Layering like a zabuton to allow each layer to cook through.
Koutarou: Everything is cooked evenly, the ingredients are scattered everywhere, it even looks appealing!

Koutarou: With this super-large kakiage,
Koutarou: you'll be able to stand a chance against Tensei!

Youichi: Okay, next to work on is the tare sauce for the kakiage...
Youichi: We need to find a flavor that's suitable, Kou-chan!

Koutarou: A flavor, huh...
Koutarou: Normally, we use katsuo, kombu and dashi, mixed with soy sauce and mirin. Lastly, add sugar to taste.

Youichi: If that's all, it'll be a cinch.
Youichi: I'm a pro when it comes to such basic seasonings!

Youichi: Using my tongue to balance the seasonings...
Youichi: I'll make a special sauce.


Page 090

Youichi: Taste the dish properly, Kou-chan!
Youichi: This is just a trial, after all.

Koutarou: Okay!

Koutarou: Tasty!
Koutarou: It's delicious!

Koutarou: An amazing well-rounded flavor!
Koutarou: Not too sweet, not too spicy...

Koutarou: !!


Page 091

Koutarou: What's this?!
Koutarou: The insides are totally flavorless!

Youichi: Ehh?!
Youichi: Really?!

Youichi: The outsides are thoroughly covered with the sauce but...
Youichi: there's not one bit of it on the insides!


Page 092

Koutarou: This is all due to the thickness of the kakiage.

Koutarou: No matter how much you pour, it'll only affect the outsides!
Koutarou: The thickness of the kakiage prevents the sauce from reaching the insides.

Youichi: Dammit!

Youichi: Then, fry it for longer!
Youichi: Frying it for longer...maybe the tare sauce will seep inside somehow!

Youichi: Still no good!


Page 093

Youichi: The coating is all soggy now! / Frying it for a longer time only made the coating into a gooey mess!

Youichi: The tare sauce won't reach the interior. / Longer frying time only made the tempura soggy.
Youichi: I don't have any other options!

Youichi: So close! The tare sauce matched perfectly with the tempura...
Youichi: But getting it to spread evenly everywhere is so difficult!


Page 094

Koutarou: You-chan, it's okay.
Koutarou: I've decided to give up on going back to that restaurant.

Koutarou: From the start, I never had any talent.
Koutarou: That's why the owner of Tensei only had me on cleaning duty.

Koutarou: When I head back to my hometown, I'll do something else.
Koutarou: I...don't want to see you being sad.

Youichi: Who's sad?!

Youichi: There's no way I'm giving up!
Youichi: There's definitely a way!

Youichi: The first step is to try!
Youichi: It's still too early to give up!


Page 095

Youichi: There has to be something!
Youichi: Never give up!

Youichi: Oh.

Youichi: Mum, there's no more coating!
Youichi: Could you get some eggs from the fridge for me?
Mum: Okay.

Mum: Ahh!

Koutarou: Auntie, are you alright?
Mum: I'm sorry.
Mum: Those falling eggs surprised me.

Youichi: Ahh...
Youichi: The eggs are soaking the bag...


Page 096

Youichi: Seeping outwards from the inside...?
Youichi: From the inside...going outwards!!

Youichi: That's it!
Youichi: We can use that method!

Mum & Koutarou: Ehh?!

Youichi: Seasoning from the outside isn't the only way!
Youichi: If we do it from the inside, it'll be okay!

Mum: What do you mean "from the inside"? How will you put tare sauce inside the tempura?
Mum: Even if you managed it, when you fry it, it'll all come out!

Youichi: Well, wait and see!


Page 097

Mum: What in the world...
Koutarou: What is he planning?

Koutarou: What!!
Koutarou: What are these black cubes?!

Youichi: This is...
Youichi: my secret weapon for the kakiage seasoning!


Page 098

Youichi: All right!
Youichi: It's done!!


Page 099

Youichi: This kakiage...
Youichi: definitely has seasoning all the way to the inside!
Koutarou: Ehh?!

Youichi: If you think I'm kidding...
Youichi: slice it in half!

Koutarou: Ah!
Mum: Ahh!!


Page 100

Koutarou: Amazing!
Koutarou: There's so much sauce inside!

Mum: How did you do it?
Mum: How did you manage to put tare sauce inside the kakiage?!

Youichi: The secret was those black cubes from before.
Youichi: Eat one and see.

Mum: These black cubes?

Mum: ...This is!

Mum: ...This is tare sauce!
Mum: It's extremely delicious tare sauce!


Page 101

Koutarou: I get it!
Koutarou: You used gelatin to turn the sauce into jelly!

Youichi: Exactly!

Youichi: I turned the tare sauce into jelly and mixed it with the ingredients!
Youichi: While it was being fried, the heat will melt the tare jelly and the sauce will spread throughout the kakiage!


Page 102

Mum: What a marvelous plan, Youichi!
Mum: The super-large kakiage don will definitely have enough tare sauce to give it a wonderful flavor!

Koutarou: Alright, You-chan, I'll give Tensei a call!
Youichi: All our preparations are done! Time for the match!

Youichi: Be careful, Gramps!
Youichi: You'd better make that ten-don that you're so proud of!