The Great Sage Who Did not Remain in Legend - 30.2
“Puku?”
“Yes, when it gets angry, it puffs up like this, so we call it puku.”
“Do people in your hometown eat it?”
“Yes, because it’s poisonous, only specialized chefs can prepare it. That’s why it’s very expensive.”
I see, even within the same country, her hometown has a completely different culture.
“Well, eat as much as you like. We have plenty of fugu.”
“It’s puku, not fugu.”
“In my hometown, we call it fugu.”
“Oh, I see. It’s a regional difference.”
That’s my line.
While savoring the fugu sashimi, Mergin grills the fugu bones.
“This raw puku is delicious. The sauce is slightly sour and tasty. In my hometown, the raw slices are thicker and not as good.”
“Fugu meat is very firm, so it needs to be sliced thinly like this. It’s difficult to slice it this thin.”
“Really? Did you prepare this puku, Mergin?”
“Yes. There’s a magic called disassembly magic that lets you process it easily without a knife.”
“How much is that magic book?”
“Five million.”
“That’s expensive.”
“Of course. If you want to run a fugu restaurant in your hometown, you should buy it.”
“Maybe I could open a puku restaurant in the capital.”
Even when Mergin calls it fugu, Iris keeps calling it puku.
“People in the capital don’t eat this fish. Even Lionel throws it all away.”
“That’s a waste.”
“Here, it’s called a poisonous fish and is avoided. So, no matter how delicious it is, it won’t sell. Now, hurry up and eat before it gets overcooked.”
“Can I eat first?”
“I told you, there’s plenty, so eat as much as you want.”
After enjoying the grilled fugu and hot pot, Iris says she wants to try fugu karaage, so Mergin prepares some. Last year, he ate alone, but now, sharing the same food and enjoying it together is nice, he thinks. Seeing Iris eat heartily reminds him of eating with Misty.
“I’m so full. I still want to eat the rice porridge later.”
“Do people in your hometown eat rice?”
“Yes. We eat more rice than bread because wheat is scarce and rice is cheaper. I thought there was no rice here since there’s only bread in the capital. But I like bread, so it’s not a problem.”
“I thought you didn’t know about rice, so I didn’t cook it.”
“Cook? We boil rice.”
What?
“If you do that, it will become mushy.”
“Yes, that’s why I prefer bread. But I like rice boiled in the hot pot broth.”
“Is this the same rice?”
Mergin shows white rice.
“Our rice is browner. It’s not as white as this.”
“Is the shape the same?”
“Yes.”
So it’s short-grain rice, not long-grain. The brown color means it’s probably close to brown rice. Their milling technology might be low.