Chapter 49

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Kare raisu, or rice kare, is a dish that originated from Indian cuisine, underwent changes in Britain, and eventually became a staple food in Japan, it seems.

It appears to be a very popular dish, as it often appeared in the memories of my previous life. Whether it was curry cooked in a pot during a camping trip, curry after winning first place in a sports meet, or curry for a birthday, it was always there. We even made curry in home economics class, and before sitting down to write with friends, we would have curry. In short, it was curry, curry, and more curry, with the occasional curry udon. By the way, in my previous life, I was of the opinion that the curry in curry udon should be properly diluted with broth.

But that's not the issue here. The real problem is that in my previous life, I used homemade curry roux when making curry, ma'am. Who are you calling ma'am, anyway?

I once heard a spice recipe from the owner of a nearby Indian restaurant. When I tried it, I found it fun to mix and match to my taste. Since then, I've been making my own roux by combining various spices, adding grated fruits, onions, yogurt, coffee, and other secret ingredients.

My reliable tools are my memory, the "Blue Hand" and "Super Technique" skills, and the chef's sharp sense of taste. Spicy is a bit much, though, since I'm just a five-year-old.

Holding hands with Ms. Rottenmayer, we entered the kitchen, where the chef was smiling in front of the curry ingredients.

"Excuse me, Chef."

"Thank you for coming, young master. Everything is prepared."

"Yes, thank you."

Looking around, I saw spoons of uniform size and small plates containing powdered spices lined up on the counter. First, I needed to make the curry powder. I had to squeeze the memories from the 'me' in the corner of my heart.

"Let's see, I think it's cumin, cinnamon, coriander, a little clove and bay leaf, and not too much cardamom... Then, three tablespoons of turmeric... and this and that... The problem is the chili. Should I add it just in case?"

I divided the spices into small plates and handed them to the chef. He stopped writing the amounts of spices in his notebook and looked at the plates closely.

"These might be a bit expensive for the common folk."

"Hmm, wouldn't it be cheaper if we bought them in bulk?"

"Perhaps. If a merchant sees the potential in making this dish available everywhere and it turns out to be incredibly delicious, it might work out."

"Well, let's focus on making it available in our home first."

"Agreed, I'll do my best."

"Thank you, I appreciate it."

With that, the challenge began. First, I mixed the spices in a frying pan and dry-roasted them. At this point, the kitchen was already filled with the unique aroma of curry. The curry powder was now complete.

Next, I started making the homemade roux. First, I sautéed butter and flour until it was creamy, then added grated ginger, garlic, onions, apples, honey, tomatoes, and soy sauce, and sautéed until the moisture was gone. Now, the real work begins.

From here, I wanted to proceed in a more orthodox manner. I cut the beef into bite-sized pieces, seasoned them with salt, pepper, and curry powder, and seared them in a frying pan until they were nicely browned. The vegetables were cooked in a pre-made stock—made from aromatic vegetables, chicken bones, and beef bones—skimming off the scum as they cooked, and then the meat was added.

The main event of the day was the addition of the roux. It sounds simple, but the chef, who was taking notes while working, was quite busy, and Ms. Rottenmayer took over the note-taking at one point.

I wanted to help, but since it was the chef's wish to do everything from scratch himself, I just watched, except for the spice mixing.

After simmering quietly for a while, I had a small portion of the curry taken out for a taste test. I blew on it to cool it down and let a little bit melt on my tongue.

It was hot. Then the stimulating smell of the spices hit my nose, and the complex flavors mixed with a tingling spiciness on my tongue.

Oh no!? It was still spicy!

But it tasted like the memory, and for a moment, the faces of my family from my previous life flashed before my eyes. They were hazy, but my mother, who had dimples when she smiled and was often mistaken for being younger, had slightly droopy eyes that were actually almond-shaped. She was gentle but could be quite persistent when angry. My father, who had a bit of a receding hairline, had a straighter back than most people his age. He was a calm person who never spoke ill of anyone and loved puns.

I looked a lot like my mother, so I wasn't worried about my hair, but I was a bit anxious and would serve seaweed salad with the curry.

I've come a long way.

My current relationship with my parents might be strained because I died before them, which is considered unfilial.

...But thinking about it makes the 'me' in the corner of my heart feel sad, so I'll stop. I didn't die because I wanted to.

Shaking my head to clear my thoughts, I put the small plate back on the counter.

"Well, it's delicious, but it's too spicy for me."

"Hmm, so it's not suitable for children, then?"

"No, if we add more honey, grated apple, and cream, even children can eat it. Well, try it first."

The chef and Ms. Rottenmayer nodded and tasted the curry.

"Hmm, indeed...!"

"Oh, this is...!"

The spiciness of the spices had made their faces a bit red. It wasn't extremely spicy, but it was certainly spicier than anything served at Kikunoi before.

Watching them with bated breath, Ms. Rottenmayer laughed brightly.

"It's spicy, but it's a flavor that makes you want to eat more. But a bit spicier would be even better!"

"Indeed... No, my tongue is a bit numb, but it's not unpleasant... And it has a deep, complex flavor beyond just being spicy."

Great, good feedback.

But the rice is still to come. When I received a plate of slightly firm rice and a ladle of roux, the onions, potatoes, carrots, and beef, all coated in the golden roux, sat on top of the white rice.

"Are you going to pour it over the rice!?"

"Yes. Mixing it a bit and eating the roux and rice together gives a different flavor."

Following the principle of the person who suggested it, I scooped up the roux and rice together and put it in my mouth. It was indeed spicy, but the sweetness of the white rice mixed with it, making it delicious.

Imitating me, the two of them ate the rice and roux together with their spoons. Then the chef made a funny sound.

"This is delicious indeed!"

"Really! But I still want a bit more spiciness."

Seeing the two of them enjoying it, it seemed the curry was accepted. But it still wasn't enough.

"Chef, how about it?"

"Yes, it's very delicious. However, there's still room for improvement."

"Agreed. We can make a variety of versions, from spicier ones for adults to sweeter ones for children."

"Then let's start with the children's version."

"Yes!"

Finally, I can eat kare raisu.

Yay!

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