NOVEL NEXT Chapter 7 - Tteokbokki and the Receptionist (2)
There was a reason Jin chose Tteokbokki among many menu options.
It was partly because Tteokbokki was the undisputed number one favorite food among women in Korea before his possession.
‘It should be easy for first-time eaters to eat.’
Having chosen the intense theme of spiciness, isn’t it natural to choose a food that’s as easy as possible for the customer to eat?
Tteokbokki has quite a bit of sweetness, which will somewhat offset the spiciness. At the same time, the sticky sweetness will stimulate the appetite.
The spicy-sweet combination is as famous as the sweet-salty combination.
It’s also significant that it doesn’t contain strong spices that might be divisive or ingredients that could cause aversion.
Maybe just the rice cakes?
Even this is a matter of perception or texture, so it should be fine if explained well in advance and the size is adjusted to be small.
‘There are other ingredients besides rice cakes too.’
Another reason for choosing Tteokbokki is its good expandability, allowing various delicious ingredients to be added.
If you don’t like this ingredient? Just eat another one.
I prepared everything because I didn’t know what you’d like.
These days, there are so many ingredients that go in that there are separate strategies for combinations.
“Tteokbokki? What kind of food is that?”
“It’s a dish where various ingredients are put in a spicy sauce, boiled, and simmered.
It has a spicy yet sweet taste, so it won’t be just painful as you worried.”
After explaining that it also has a rich texture and taste due to the various ingredients, expectation gradually began to form in Seria’s eyes.
“If what you say is true, it sounds like it would be really delicious even with the spiciness?”
“Then, would Tteokbokki be okay?”
“Yes, please.”
“Order received. Please wait a moment.”
Alright, order accepted.
Because he also needed to create a spiciness standard chart, Jin took out several flat pans for Tteokbokki and was about to start cooking… when he fell into thought for a moment.
There were two problems.
The first problem: What style of Tteokbokki to make.
This was quickly answered.
‘Here, I should go with the fundamental old-style Tteokbokki.’
Old-style Tteokbokki. It refers to the old-style Tteokbokki sold at snack shops or food stalls.
When people say regular Tteokbokki, not franchise Tteokbokki, this is what they mean.
The reason for choosing old-style Tteokbokki is that it’s easier to divide and serve in small amounts by stages, and.
Unlike franchise Tteokbokki that focuses on spiciness, it has a stronger sweet taste, making it more suitable for beginners to eat.
(It’s absolutely not because Jin is an old fogey who feels miserable about the terrible trend of treating fundamental Tteokbokki as old-fashioned or outdated.)
Anyway, the first problem of Tteokbokki style was resolved.
The second problem was what ingredients to put in.
‘Rice cakes and fish cakes are basic, so of course those.’
The main ingredients of Tteokbokki, rice cakes and fish cakes, obviously need to be included, so there’s no need to even discuss it.
Just like how red bean paste should be in fish-shaped bread even if there’s no real fish, and how the jungle shouldn’t be late even if love or money is late.
Rice cakes and fish cakes were essential in Tteokbokki, even if nothing else was in it.
Jin thought for a while and realized there was no need to decide alone.
“What would you like to add, customer?”
“Huh?”
Seria is the one eating, so shouldn’t she choose according to her taste?
After discussing with Seria, it was decided that boiled egg, sausage, and ramen noodles would be added.
Compared to the recent trend of adding everything and completely obscuring the Tteokbokki, this could be considered quite simple.
“Since it’s my first time trying this food, I’d like to taste the basic flavor as much as possible. Too many ingredients would be overwhelming.”
There was a reasonable explanation.
“That’s right. It’s best to try the basics first, and then add one by one to see how they pair in the future.”
Jin agreed with the customer who shared his thoughts and started cooking.
To make the simple boiled egg first, he takes out eggs and puts them in a pot of boiling water.
Just set a timer for when they’ll be soft-boiled, and that’s it.
Now it’s time to make the main dish, Tteokbokki.
Jin soaks the rice cakes for Tteokbokki in warm water, puts dashi pack in the pan to make broth, and says:
“I’ll make up to 3 levels of spiciness for now.”
Creating a spiciness standard chart with Seria’s cooperation.
But that doesn’t mean he can suddenly feed her something unbearably spicy like nuclear fire chicken flavor for testing.
This is market research, not torture or human experimentation.
Even the descendants of Vikings have admitted defeat to spiciness and banned it.
He doesn’t want to be arrested for selling poison on the first day of opening the restaurant.
‘There wouldn’t be much demand for such spiciness anyway.’
For now, it’s enough to figure out a level of spiciness that the average person in this world can eat comfortably.
Later, he can investigate with people who say they need stronger spiciness.
Taking this into account, he prepares the seasoning by levels.
Level 1 was made assuming a spiciness that kids from kindergarten to lower elementary school could eat by modern standards.
The so-called baby flavor.
He put in less than a spoonful of gochujang and red pepper powder, just enough to give a red color.
He emphasized the sweet taste by putting in more ketchup and starch syrup than usual.
‘This should be fine for people in this world to eat without problem, right?’
Level 2 was based on the spiciness level that upper elementary to middle school kids and above would eat.
You could say it’s the most common taste you can eat at regular snack shops or market food stalls?
Considering that most stores in Korea charge middle school students and above the same as adults, it could be said to be the actual taste of average adults.
The color was also a nice red with a hint of orange, making it look appetizing.
To Jin’s taste, this level had a good balance with sweetness and provided appropriate stimulation without being overwhelming, but.
It’s true that it’s much spicier compared to level 1.
Maybe this level would be the limit for some people.
And the grand level 3
This was a level that could be considered quite spicy even by the standards of his previous life.
In terms of the traditional Korean Scoville scale, it could be said to be a bit spicier than S ramen but less spicy than fire chicken.
The sauce, close to a bright red color, made even Jin think, ‘Ah, this one’s not going to be easy.’
At this level, quite a few Koreans would find it too spicy to eat.
‘This might feel like a challenge food to people in this world.’
He felt a vague sense of national pride, like the K-spicy challenges you see on YouTube.
Ignoring the whispers of the national pride demon in his head telling him to make a level 4 spiciness while he’s at it, he finished making all three levels of seasoning.
“The rice cakes are soaked. And the broth should be good enough.”
Now that the other ingredients are prepared too, shall we start making it in earnest?
He removes the dashi pack from the pan where the broth has sufficiently steeped and dissolves the prepared seasoning by levels.
For reference, they’re wheat rice cakes.
In the world of Tteokbokki, wheat vs. rice cake is an endless topic of debate.
For some people, it’s literally a matter of life and death.
‘Wheat rice cakes are better after all.’
On this crucial issue, Jin raised his hand for wheat rice cakes.
While both wheat and rice cakes have their own advantages.
He thought that wheat rice cakes might be more familiar to Seria, the customer, than rice cakes.
Of course, there was also the minor reason that Jin preferred wheat rice cakes that absorbed the seasoning well.
Plop
Plop
He cuts the soaked wheat rice cakes into small pieces about the size of a thumb joint and puts them in the pot.
Because Seria might have mixed feelings about the chewy texture of rice cakes, he cuts them small to reduce the texture and increase the proportion of sauce flavor.
It was similar to how mothers cut vegetables like carrots small for kids who don’t eat them.
“I’m not a picky child…”
“Haha, I didn’t mean that about you, Seria.”
It’s not particularly saying that Seria is a picky eater, so don’t misunderstand.
Once all the rice cakes are cut and added.
Chop-
Chop-
Plop
Common ingredients like cabbage, onion, green onion, and fish cake are also cut into bite-sized pieces and added together.
Up to this point, they all look the same, but.
‘The details are different.’
Three pots boiling vigorously.
The additional ingredients and cooking methods will be slightly different for each level.
‘Only ramen noodles and Vienna sausages for level 1.’
Level 1, which can be called baby flavor, doesn’t include boiled eggs because there’s hardly any spiciness.
It’s not spicy enough to need eggs, and the synergy when eaten together is weak.
Level 1 will be made more like soup Tteokbokki by adding more water than the other levels, so it’s even more so.
‘Add boiled eggs to level 2.’
Level 2 Tteokbokki, which includes ramen noodles, Vienna sausages, and boiled eggs.
It’s made in the most common style with sauce remaining moderately.
‘For level 3, I need to prepare that secret weapon.’
Level 3 Tteokbokki, which will add a secret weapon kept secret from Seria.
It’s simmered until the sauce thickens and sticks.
After completing the Tteokbokki adjusted for each level and placing them on plates, sprinkle sesame seeds lightly on top.
“All 3 levels of Tteokbokki are complete!”
Ding-!
[Tteokbokki 3-Level Set]
[Permanently increases Endurance +1, Fire Resistance +3% upon first consumption]
[Increases Fire Resistance +15% for 10 hours upon consumption]
Ignoring the additional effect message that appears when the food is completed, Jin places the plates of Tteokbokki in front of Seria.
Tap tap tap
“Hup, the color and smell…”
Seria flinches, seemingly scared by the spicy aroma rising from the plates with different concentrations of red.
Seeing this, Jin smiles slightly and says:
“Well then, are you ready to relieve your stress with a fiery kick?”