Haruto and the others chatted, arriving at the entrance of the Polar Star Dormitory before they knew it.
Withered vines crawled across the mottled walls, and the ‘caw-caw’ of Crows echoed from the surrounding old locust trees.
It looked quite dilapidated.
However, upon pushing the door open and stepping inside, the interior decor was unexpectedly luxurious and elegant.
Perhaps because they arrived early, the others hadn’t returned yet, and the house was quiet.
“Aunt Fumio! A new student is here for the move-in test!”
Yoshino Yuki shouted loudly as soon as she entered the door.
“Honestly, I’m not so old that I’ve gone deaf yet!”
A slow voice came from the side, followed by Fumio Daimidō walking out.
She had already received notice that two transfer students were coming to move in.
She first gave Yoshino Yuki an annoyed glare, then her gaze landed on Haruto.
“You’re the transfer student who wants to move in, right?”
“I am the manager of the Polar Star Dormitory, the ‘Maria of Polaris,’ Fumio Daimidō.”
“Of course, you can also call me Aunt Fumio.”
Without much nonsense, after introducing herself, Fumio Daimidō said bluntly.
“Then let the move-in culinary test begin!”
As for Haruto’s name, if he couldn’t pass the move-in culinary test, she had no interest in knowing it.
“No problem.”
Haruto nodded, then took out the ingredients he had prepared from his luggage.
A crucian carp, a piece of pork back fat, some dried shrimp, eggs…
Fumio Daimidō looked them over and then nodded.
“In that case, follow me.”
As she spoke, Fumio Daimidō turned and walked toward the communal kitchen.
Yoshino Yuki, Sakaki Ryoko, and Tadokoro Megumi immediately followed; they were all curious about what dish Haruto would make…
Haruto scanned the cupboards and the polished stove.
Soy sauce, balsamic vinegar, white sugar, pepper powder, scallions, ginger, garlic, and other seasonings were all available.
Next, it was time for his performance.
Rolling up his sleeves, Haruto placed the crucian carp on the cutting board.
The palm-sized crucian carp had scales with a silvery luster, and its tail was still twitching slightly.
With a gentle tap on the fish’s head, the crucian carp went still.
Then, Haruto scraped against the scales with his fingernail, and the fine scales fell into the basin.
He then pinched the gills and pulled outward, removing them easily, while the internal organs were also taken out from below the head.
He rinsed it with clean water and placed the crucian carp on a draining rack to dry.
The iron wok was placed on the stove, orange flames licking the bottom of the pot.
He scooped up a spoonful of lard and slowly poured it along the edge of the wok.
The lard met the heat and quickly began to melt, creating fine oil bubbles.
When the oil temperature reached eighty percent, he put the crucian carp into the wok.
The moment the fish skin touched the hot oil, a crisp’sizzle’ sound rang out.
Holding a spatula, Haruto gently rotated the iron wok, ensuring every part of the fish’s body was heated evenly.
He only stopped once both sides were fried to a golden, crispy brown, with even the fish bones emitting a toasted aroma.
“Splash—”
A ladle of clean water was poured in along the edge of the wok.
The scalding hot oil met the water, sending up a thick white Mist.
Accompanied by a gurgling sound, the soup quickly began to boil.
After skimming off the foam, the fried crucian carp was put back into the soup, followed by two segments of scallion white, a few slices of ginger, and two spoonfuls of Shaoxing wine.
He began to simmer it on low heat…
Taking advantage of the soup-simmering interval, Haruto prepared to make the Puffed Egg as a side dish.
He took the pork back fat and chopped it into fine minced meat.
Then he took two fresh eggs, tapped them lightly on the edge of the bowl, pried them with his thumb, and the egg whites slid into one bowl.
The yolks remained in the shells, and then he poured the yolks into another bowl.
Haruto picked up an eggbeater and quickly stirred the bowl containing the egg whites.
With his wrist flying, the eggbeater collided with the bowl walls, making a crisp clicking sound.
The egg whites in the bowl gradually developed fine bubbles, turning from transparent to milky white, and then to fluffy like clouds.
When he lifted the eggbeater and could pull out fine little peaks, he then poured the egg yolks into it.
He stirred gently, allowing the egg yolks and the whipped egg whites to merge perfectly.
Next, he poured the chopped minced back fat, dried shrimp, and chopped green onions into the egg liquid, stirring in one direction with chopsticks until all the ingredients were evenly coated.
Then he sprinkled in a handful of breadcrumbs and continued to stir.
The breadcrumbs soaked up the moisture of the egg liquid and gradually became soft.
Finally, he pinched a little salt, sugar, and pepper powder, precisely sprinkling them into the bowl.
Then he stirred all the ingredients into a bowl of fluffy egg batter.
On the other side, the fish soup had simmered to a milky white, its rich aroma drilling straight into the nostrils.
After slightly skimming off the foam, he continued to simmer.
Next, Haruto heated the frying pan and poured in oil.
When the oil temperature was sixty percent hot, he picked up the egg batter and slowly poured it into the pan.
The egg liquid met the heat and gradually solidified into shape.
He pan-fried it over medium heat for two minutes and twenty-one seconds.
Once the time was up, Haruto’s wrist suddenly flipped.
The iron wok drew a beautiful arc in the air, and the Puffed Egg in the pan flipped with it, landing steadily on the bottom of the pan.
In just a moment, the other side also took on a golden hue.
At this point, the entire Puffed Egg was like a fluffy cloud, expanding slightly in the pan.
Haruto immediately turned the heat to low and fried for another minute.
When the aroma of the Puffed Egg became even richer, he turned off the heat, carefully took out the Puffed Egg with a spatula, and placed it on a plate.
The golden Puffed Egg under the light made one’s eyes crave it…
By this time, the fish soup had already simmered to an incredibly mellow state.
Haruto used a slotted spoon to fish out the scallions, ginger, and fish bone residue from the soup, leaving only the milky white thick soup.
Then he lowered a handful of thin noodles into the soup, not stirring them, allowing the noodles to be slowly cooked in the soup.
When the noodles floated up naturally, each strand distinct, he then fished them out and placed them in cold boiled water.
Then he fished the noodles back into the boiling soup to blanch them again for ten seconds, quickly fished them out, and served them in a bowl.
He poured several spoonfuls of the milky white fish soup over them, then covered the noodles with the fried Puffed Egg.
The golden Puffed Egg was submerged in the milky white soup, its edges soaked with the broth, giving off a slight transparent luster.
Haruto carried this bowl of noodles and placed it in front of Fumio Daimidō.
“Please taste it, Puffed Egg Fish Soup Noodles.”
Looking at the Puffed Egg Fish Soup Noodles in front of her, Fumio Daimidō subconsciously swallowed her saliva, a flash of amazement in her eyes.
The milky white fish soup, the golden Puffed Egg, and the emerald green chopped scallions dotting the space between them—just looking at it made one’s appetite soar.
“It looks quite good.”
Saying so, she picked up her chopsticks, grabbed a mouthful of noodles, and put them in her mouth.
The noodles, shocked by the cold water, had a chewy and smooth texture, carrying the freshness of the fish soup.
The moment they entered her mouth, they felt incredibly refreshing, without a hint of greasiness.
She then picked up the bowl and took a sip of the thick soup.
The broth was thick and mellow, the fish freshness and the aroma of the lard merging perfectly, sliding down her throat, and warmth instantly swept through her whole body.
Finally, she picked up the Puffed Egg and took a bite.
The fluffy and tender Puffed Egg had already soaked up the milky white fish soup.
The moment her teeth bit down, the broth burst out in her mouth.
The aromas of egg, meat, and fish intertwined, the flavor so complex it was astonishing.
The egg was rich but not greasy, and the soup was delicious and concentrated.
The two flavors collided on the tip of the tongue, yet were harmoniously just right.
Fumio Daimidō closed her eyes, chewing carefully.
At this moment, she only felt a refreshing aura spread from the tip of her tongue to her four limbs and hundred bones, as if she were in the middle of a continuous drizzle.
A moist wind brushed past her cheeks, carrying the fragrance of grass and soil.
Her whole being became cool and refreshed, and all her fatigue vanished at this moment.