Chapter 104

Entering the kitchen, I quietly took out the ingredients I had prepared in advance from a corner of the kitchen.

Those ingredients were the secret weapon I had confidently prepared.

Its name? Tofu.

How much I had struggled over the past few days to make this tofu.

In the Elf Village, using fire would draw attention, so of course, I had to make it outside the village. Moreover, there were no dedicated tools for making tofu, so the production process was quite challenging.

On top of that, tofu is a food that consumes not only time but also a considerable amount of labor. While my stamina wasn’t an issue, the fact that I couldn’t easily step away during the manufacturing process was quite troublesome.

And not to mention, procuring the nigari needed to make tofu was also quite difficult.

I had no idea I’d have to start by making nigari from salt.

It was my first time making tofu from scratch, after all.

Still, after checking the tofu this morning, I was relieved to find it had turned out quite well.

Considering the harsh conditions, it was actually quite impressive.

In the culinary culture of the elves, beans were surprisingly not a preferred ingredient.

Firstly, because the Fruit of the World Tree, which could be considered a superior alternative to beans in terms of nutrition, was abundantly available throughout the village, serving as their staple food.

Secondly, beans that weren’t steamed, boiled, or stir-fried had a strong grassy taste and were hard, making them less preferred in terms of flavor.

They weren’t completely avoided, but if you had to classify them as mainstream or non-mainstream, they clearly fell into the latter category.

That was the position beans held in the elves’ culinary culture.

Unless you were among the two types of elves who used fire, this didn’t apply to the majority of the elf population.

So naturally, dishes like tofu, made from processed beans, didn’t exist.

Using this, I could surely deliver a fresh shock to all the elves gathered here.

Tonight’s dish is Tofu Steak.

There are two main types of Tofu Steak: one where the tofu itself is simply grilled, and another where the tofu is completely mashed, mixed with minced vegetables and spices, then reshaped into a patty like a Hamburger Steak.

Each has its pros and cons, but the Hamburger-style Tofu Steak, where you can season the tofu patty during the process, is easier to enhance the flavor.

However, the type of Tofu Steak I’m making today is the non-mashed type.

The Hamburger-style Tofu Steak requires adding eggs to reshape the patty, but animal protein can’t be included in the elf diet.

If it were the Hamburger-style, simply seasoning the mashed tofu with salt and pepper would suffice…

But what can’t be done, can’t be helped.

First, I need to prepare the marinade broth to infuse flavor into the tofu.

Even though it’s called Tofu Steak, it’s essentially tofu pancake without eggs. To remove any off-flavors and enhance the aroma, I marinate the tofu just like meat.

First, I boil dried mushrooms in water.

The preferred ingredients for umami are kelp or chicken stock, but since we’re far from the coast and can’t use meat, I use mushrooms to draw out the umami.

However, using too strong a mushroom flavor would overpower the tofu, so the amount must be controlled.

Shiitake mushrooms would be good.

Since the Elf Village is in the forest, they sell many good mushrooms.

With such high-quality mushrooms, it might be better to use them for the broth instead of kelp.

As the mushroom flavor infuses, the broth becomes rich with umami.

After straining the mushrooms from the broth, I place them on a cloth to drain excess moisture.

Then, I add soy sauce to the broth to enhance the flavor beyond just umami.

This soy sauce will add a savory taste that can truly whet the appetite.

To lighten the heavy flavor of mushrooms and soy sauce, I add lemon juice for a fresh aroma.

The completed marinade broth is then used to soak the tofu, cut into steak-sized portions.

Soaking time is about 30 minutes to an hour.

This part really feels like marinating meat.

Though not particularly complicated, this step significantly enhances the otherwise bland and plain taste of tofu.

While the tofu is marinating, I prepare the ponzu sauce to be used with the Tofu Steak.

Ponzu is a Japanese sauce with a salty and refreshing flavor. Like the oriental sauce used in the previous Fruit of the World Tree Salad, it beautifully complements the tofu’s unique, light, and hearty taste.

First, I add a bit of soy sauce, vinegar for acidity, and lemon juice for freshness, then adjust the concentration with the mushroom-infused water.

This alone completes the basic ponzu sauce.

While the classic ponzu uses lemon and yuzu juice, it’s not strictly limited to citrus fruits.

The origin of ponzu itself comes from the Dutch pronunciation of “punch,” a fruit cocktail.

In American dramas, you often see high school or college students at parties drinking punch from a large bowl, filled with sliced fruits, soda, and sugar.

In Japan, the Dutch pronunciation “pons” mixed with vinegar (酢) created the term “ponzu.”

So, just as punch typically includes lemon or grapefruit but isn’t limited to them, ponzu sauce is the same.

To add more flavor, I mix in apple juice and plum grape juice, a fruit loved by the ancient owl.

Separately, I grate fresh radish into a puree.

If the radish retains too much moisture, it won’t properly absorb the ponzu sauce, so I squeeze out some of the water.

However, squeezing too much would ruin the radish’s texture, so it’s important to do it just right.

Ah, the concept of “just right” is always vague.

But with my accumulated cooking experience from both past and present lives, I can understand the right balance to remove enough moisture without damaging the radish’s structure.

Next, I pour the ponzu sauce over the grated radish, but it’s too early for that now.

I let the grated radish sit to revive its texture and release more moisture, then turn my attention back to the tofu.

After marinating, I take out the tofu and use a cloth to remove any remaining moisture from the surface.

Just like with meat, the key to a good steak is how thoroughly you remove surface moisture.

If the ingredient’s surface is left damp, the moisture acts as a barrier between the ingredient and the pan, preventing the Maillard reaction.

After carefully drying the tofu, I place it on the grill.

Alongside the Tofu Steak, I grill the shiitake mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots used in the marinade.

With the large griddle I received as a gift from the Dwarven Village, grilling multiple portions at once is no problem.

Moreover, the griddle uses a magic stone system similar to Nail’s greatsword, heating the entire surface evenly.

It’s as convenient as using something from my past life.

After grilling all the tofu until both sides are golden brown, the Maillard reaction is sufficiently achieved.

Grilling further would risk burning the tofu’s surface, but more time is needed to cook the inside.

So, I remove the grilled mushrooms and vegetables, then pour the marinade broth into the pan until the bottom is covered.

Leaving moisture would hinder the Maillard reaction, but conversely, adding this moisture prevents the tofu’s surface from burning while allowing time to cook the inside.

Once the tofu is thoroughly cooked, I plate it and top it with the finely grated radish.

Then, I pour the prepared ponzu sauce over the radish, which eagerly absorbs the sauce, turning into a radish puree soaked with ponzu.

Finally, I arrange the grilled shiitake mushrooms, potatoes, and carrots in a decorative curve, completing a Tofu Steak so delicious it’s hard to believe it’s made from tofu.

Tonight’s dinner:

Tofu Steak.