Mister Ajikko 31

Volume 4 Chapter 5 A topping with Volume!?

Page 94

Youichi: A base made from 100% yam...
Youichi: That's my / okonomiyaki's base!

Mum: It's really delicious!
Mum: It's not floury at all, it's fluffy and light! WHat a wonderful batter!

Youichi: This base is gonna compete in the Sakura Festival in four days!
Youichi: With this base, there's no way we'll lose to Okataya!


Page 95

Mum: You're right, there's no way!
Youichi: Hehehe!

Mum: The three elements of an okonomiyaki are base, topping and sauce.
Mum: You've cleared the base, next is the topping, right?

Youichi: Right!
Youichi: As far as topping goes...

Youichi: Okataya's Hiroshima-style okonomiyaki first uses a lot of cabbage...
Youichi: Then some tenkasu...

Youichi: followed by pork bacon...

Youichi: and lastly, yakisoba.

Youichi: The cabbage adds sweetness while the tenkasu and the bacon adds body...
Youichi: the yakisoba adds the finishing touches to the taste profile.

Youichi: Even though I tasted this before, I'm still drooling!
Youichi: This topping is gonna be delicious!

Youichi: ...Wait a minute.
Youichi: That mister said something about the topping.


Page 96

Okataya Owner: The ingredients fer the okonomiyaki in the challenge has to cost at most 500

yen!

Okataya Owner: Okonomiyaki represents the taste of the masses!
Okataya Owner: It's not gourmet food, we're making food fer regular people!

Okataya Owner: If the ingredients are all expensive, then the price will also go up.
Okataya Owner: In my shop, we don't use any expensive stuff!

Okataya Owner: With just cheap ingredients, we can make delicious food.
Okataya Owner: That's the point of the challenge!

Youichi: CHeap ingredients into delicious food, huh!
Youichi: For someone with a face like his, he said something smart.

Text with Okataya Owner's face: Shut up!

Youichi: The most expensive among the topping is...
Youichi: the bacon...

Youichi: All right! First...
Youichi: let's do some research with pork!


Page 97

Youichi: On the 100% yam grilled base...

Youichi: First...
Youichi: let's try using sliced pork ribs!

Youichi: Hmm, I wonder how it'll turn out.
Youichi: Will it be tasty or not?

SFX: sizzle

SFX: sizzle

Youichi: Ahh...


Page 98

SFX: sizzle

Youichi: A lot of fat is coming out!

SFX: stab

Youichi: It's no good!
Youichi: A large amount of fat is oozing out of the pork...It's turning the crispy yam base into a gooey mess!


Page 99

SFX: sticky

Youichi: Not good at all!
Youichi: Pork doesn't work!

Youichi: Even though it worked with Okataya's base, it won't work with the yam-made base!
Youichi: I have to think of a replacement for pork!

Youichi: If pork doesn't work...
Youichi: Then what about beef?!

Youichi: Beef is a redder meat than pork is, so it doesn't have as much fat.
Youichi: It's also really tender!

Mum: Beef? But beef is much more expensive than pork!
Mum: Furthermore, that kind of red meat make it even more expensive...with such quality,

there's no such thing as "cheap" beef!

Youichi: ...I'll find it!!
Youichi: By hook or by crook!


Page 100

Sign: Oumura Fresh Meat Shop

Butcher: What?
Butcher: Beef that's tender, delicious and cheap?!

Butcher: Do you have a fever, You-chan?!
Youichi: But I really need that kind of beef!

Butcher: Don't be stupid. Beef like that would be bought up instantly.
Butcher: Cheap cuts of beef have low quality, and because of that, it's cheap.

Butcher: Ribs, shank, there are many cheap cuts of beef.
Butcher: But they are all tough parts.

Butcher: Good quality means expensive. Low quality means cheap. That's the basic principle of economy.
Butcher: You-chan, you should study up on things like this.
Youichi: I didn't come here for a lecture!

Youichi: Low quality stuff may be cheap, but that doesn't mean cheap stuff are bad!
Youichi: You're a pro, aren't you?! Isn't there something you can think of?!
SFX: slam


Butcher: ...Wait.
Butcher: Perhaps that will be suitable...

Youichi: Ehh?!
Youichi: What is it?!


Page 101

Youichi: Thanks a lot!!
Youichi: I'll cook it right away!

Butcher: Haha, youth these days!
Butcher: That boy is really persistent.

Butcher: However...
Buther: If only his school grades were better...

Youichi: This should work!

SFX: slam

Youichi: I found it, Mum!
Youichi: A beef cut that's cheap!

Youichi: Beef tendon!
Youichi: Cheap and delicious, it's the perfect fit for my okonomiyaki!

Mum: Beef tendon...

Mum: But, Youichi, beef tendon is really tough to eat.
Mum: Are you sure about using it?


Page 102

Youichi: Hehe...
Youichi: Leave it to me!

Youichi: I'm preparing it like you would prepare a hotpot!
Youichi: Boiling it in water!

Mum: Ehh?!

Youichi: We won't be using the meat as is!
Youichi: We have to boil it a few times first!

Mum: Hey, after boiling it a few times, you added soy sauce and sugar for flavor...
Mum: The meat is shining with an amber color, it's looks delicious!

Mum: But, will the beef tendon be tender?
Youichi: Well, try it first!

Mum: Ok...

Mum: ...


Page 103

Mum: Wow!
Mum: It's so tender!

Mum: Wait...it's not just tender...
Mum: It has an elastic mouthfeel...and has a sharp quality to it!

Mum: I'm familiar with the tastes of soy sauce and sugar together but...
Mum: I never imagined beef tendon could taste this way!

Youichi: I told you so!

Youichi: As you said, beef tendon is tough to chew on.
Youichi: But, with enough boiling. it becomes tender!

Youichi: On the flip side, the cooking process takes a long time...that's why it's cheap.
Youichi: If only people got over the long cooking times, they'll find that beef tendon is really delicious.

Youichi: On top of that, after boiling the meat thoroughly...
Youichi: the fatty parts all melt away and the meat becomes easy to eat!

Mum: That's wonderful, Youichi! With this, we won't have to use the greasy and fatty pork!
Mum: We can use more wonderful toppings!


Page 104

Youichi: Okay! Putting it all together...
Youichi: Let's add the other toppings and try it out!

Youichi: Cabbage for the sweetness...

Youichi: Tenkasu for adding crunch...

Youichi: Then, to add flavor...
Youichi: I add katsuobushi and shredded kombu...

Youichi: Lastly, we add...
Youichi: The boiled beef tendon!

Youichi: This is my...
Youichi: Hinode Eatery Deluxe Special Okonomiyaki!


Page 105

Youichi: Mum!
Youichi: Go ahead and try it!

SFX: chew chew

Mum: Amazing!

Mum: the richness of the beef tendon...
Mum: harmonizes perfectly with the crispiness of the yam base!

Mum: On top of that, the sweetness of the cabbage...
Mum: and the savoriness of the kombu and katsuobushi add a deep flavor to the dish!

Mum: It's really really tasty!
Mum: WOnderful...!

Mum: ---But...

Youichi: Ehh?!


Page 106

Mum: I'm not sure what it is...
Mum: But, something's missing.

Mum: Of course, the okonomiyaki is extremely delicious, but...
Mum: After eating it...hmm...the feeling of something dropping into my stomach...

Mum: That's it!
Mum: It's the volume! It's lacking volume!

Youichi: I see!
Youichi: Okataya's adding of yakisoba to the okonomiyaki is to add volume!

Mum: If that's the case, then isn't it easy?
Mum: Just add yakisoba to your okonomiyaki and you're done!

Youichi: ---There's no way I can do that.
Youichi: That would make me a copycat!

Youichi: Yakisoba is Okataya's selling point...I can't imitate them.
Youichi: That's why...I'll substitute the yakisoba with something else!

Mum: What is this?
Youichi: Rice
Youichi: Chikuwa
Youichi: Bread
Youichi: and this is mashed potatoes.


Page 107

Youichi: First...
Youichi: let's try the okonomiyaki with rice.

Youichi: No good!
Youichi: The texture is bad and it doesn't fit with the yam base at all.

Youichi: Next is bread.

Youichi: This...
Youichi: doesn't taste good.

Youichi: Chikuwa isn't good either...

Youichi: All that's left is the mashed potatoes.

Youichi: Dammit!

Youichi: All failures!
Youichi: All of them don't go well with the yam base at all!

Youichi: Just one more step...
Youichi: Just one more and it'll be completed...

Youichi: What goes well with the base?!
Youichi: Something with volume, and complements the chewy texture of the yam base...!


Page 108

Mum: Youichi...

Mum: Being flustered like this won't help you think straight.
Mum: There are still a few days before the match with Okataya.

Mum: You always come up with something after getting such small hints.
Mum: Isn't that your specialty?

Youichi: Hmm...
Youichi: I suppose...

Youichi: Thanks a lot, Mum----
Sign: Hinode Eatery

Youichi: After thinking about it...
Youichi: I have to admit that Okataya's okonomiyaki is really something...

Youichi: The idea of using yakisoba...
Youichi: Adding flavor and volume to the okonomiyaki at the same time...


Page 109

Youichi: That's something that other ingredients just can't imitate.
Youichi: I neglected the importance of volume, and no matter what I ingredients I use, none

of them are good enough.

Youichi: The base is already tasty, the toppings have to be tasty as well.
Youichi: ...But, the voluminous feeling...I just can't make it happen!

Youichi: There are only two more days till the match before the Sakura Festival begins!
Youichi: And I couldn't come up with anything today.

Youichi: I'm at a dead end!
Youichi: What should I do?!

Youichi: Wah...
Youichi: Disgusting! Chewed up gum!

Youichi: I can't get it off!
Youichi: It's stuck to the broom...


Page 110

Youichi: Eureka!

Youichi: Mum!! I got it! I got it!
Youichi: I have a great idea that adds volume to the okonomiyaki!

Mum: What did you come up with from a broom with gum stuck on it?
Mum: Don't tell me you're going to add chewing gum to the okonomiyaki?

Youichi: Hehe---


Page 111

Youichi: Here it is!
Youichi: Try it! Try it, Mum!

Mum: Inserting chewing gum...

Mum: ...This is delicious!
Mum: It has an excellent elastic texture to it!

Mum: Furthermore, there's volume in the okonomiyaki!
Mum: Having this heavy feeling is exactly what an okonomiyaki is about!

Mum: This is...!!


Page 112

Mum: Youichi, what is this?!
Mum: What did you put in it?!

Youichi: I used this!
Youichi: I put mochi inside the okonomiyaki and made a sandwich!

Youichi: With this, I made the topping that brings volume to the okonomiyaki!
Youichi: Base is finished! Topping is completed! After deciding on the sauce, this
okonomiyaki will be unbeatable!