Chapter 12: The Overpowered Recipe

“Oh. Well done, our master. Clean it so there’s no fishy smell!”

Fishy smell comes most strongly from where the internal organs were attached.

So I had to thoroughly clean away any blood clots or foreign matter under running water.

Since I had already done this inside the cliff, the preparation didn’t take very long.

“Should I cut it into about three pieces?”

“Kyah! For braised mackerel, you have to cut it into thick chunks. You know it well!”

Unlike grilling, where I cut it flat to spread it out wide.

I cut the mackerel into three large pieces—head, body, and tail—and Jackson came in right on time, carrying an armful of vegetables.

“Here it is! I picked out especially good ones!”

“Oh. Mister, you must be quite a good grower?”

“Hoho, to think I’d receive praise from that one’s manual. How marvelous.”

He was so happy just to receive praise for picking good vegetables.

Compared to the moment I first met Jackson, he was like a completely different person.

Anyway.

I washed the vegetables I received from Jackson clean and began preparing them neatly.

Strangely, my cutting felt smoother and more seamless.

[Sword Mastery activated.]

[Cooking activated.]

‘So that’s why.’

As I started cooking and picked up the knife, a system window sparkled beside me.

It seemed thanks to the increased skill levels from obtaining the [Cooking Mastery Manual].

“Wow, that’s right! Vegetables for braised mackerel should be cut into big chunks!”

“Hoho, the texture will be excellent then. I’ll cook the rice.”

“Mister, you know how to cook rice properly, right?”

“Don’t worry. Though it’s not much to boast about, it’s been over ten years since I started cooking rice for myself.”

“Then no worries!”

I put the well-prepared potatoes, radish, and mackerel into the pot first.

Then I naturally looked toward the manual.

I knew how to do this much myself, but I wasn’t sure about the next steps or the seasoning recipe.

“Now it’s this body’s turn! Soy sauce, garlic, gochujang, doenjang, red pepper powder…”

“Wait a minute. Tell me slowly.”

“Yes, master!”

I mixed the seasonings according to the manual’s order and quantities to make the seasoning paste.

A dark red paste that looked spicy at first glance.

I added the seasoning paste along with an appropriate amount of water to the pot, where the radish, potatoes, and mackerel were neatly layered.

“Hmm, a bit disappointing? Mister, do you have any leftover cooking wine or something?”

“You’re looking for mirin? There should be a little left. Ah, and this.”

Jackson scooped a spoonful of an unknown powder from a container he took out from somewhere and added it to the pot.

A little liquid that looked like mirin as well.

Wondering what it was, I looked at him, and Jackson said with a smile.

“It’s well-dried anchovies and shrimp ground finely. Add a bit of this, and the savory flavor really comes alive!”

“Oh! Mister, I’m liking you more and more!”

“Hoho, you flatter me.”

“Now I just let it boil, right? Summon Salamander.”

Whoosh!

“Oh, a fire spirit! How cute!”

– Kkyuu!

Salamander naturally entered the stove and raised the heat.

As soon as I closed the pot lid, steam soon filled the pot.

Beside me, Jackson was cooking rice, emitting a savory aroma.

“Master! You need to open it occasionally and stir it. And drizzle some seasoning over it!”

“That’s so the flavor soaks in properly?”

As the manual said, when I opened the pot lid, the spicy scent of the seasoning rose up.

I flipped the mackerel pieces halfway.

I ladled the surrounding seasoning over them, soaking them thoroughly, then closed the lid again.

And after a moment,

“Now! The peppers, onions, and green onions you cut earlier!”

“You add them quite late?”

“That way, the aroma comes through and the texture stays alive!”

Rumble—.

I added all the vegetables I had prepped on the cutting board into the pot at once.

Then the spicy scent of the peppers, onions, and green onions rose up.

“Hoo, the aroma is incredible! The mackerel’s fishy smell is completely gone!”

“Hehe, well it is this body’s recipe!”

Bubble bubble!

Sizzle!

As the braised mackerel simmered down, the rice finished cooking and steam escaped.

Naturally, the delicious smell filled Jackson’s hut.

Growl!

“Hoho, the smell is so good, you see.”

As expected, Jackson’s stomach rumbled.

Soon after, the seasoning of the braised mackerel had simmered down nicely, and at the same time, I lowered the heat and moved the pot to the table.

All that was left was for Jackson to add two bowls of freshly cooked, steaming rice!

“Done!”

I placed the spicy braised mackerel on the table, and as soon as I opened the pot lid, the [Cooking Mastery Manual]’s ability activated, and the dish glowed brightly.

[[Cooking Mastery Manual] – Spicy Braised Mackerel completed!]

Strength and Vitality stats each increase by 2.

[The power of the [Cooking Mastery Manual] dwells within the dish!]

< Spicy Braised Mackerel >

Grade: Magic

Description: Spicy braised mackerel made from fresh mackerel, carefully prepared and simmered with various vegetables and seasoning paste.

Ability: Attack Power +10% for one day.

‘Strength and Vitality increase by 2 each?’

When I first read the [Cooking Mastery Manual]’s abilities, I hadn’t thought much of this one.

I thought it would just be a stat point here and there, occasionally.

But simply by completing one braised mackerel dish, two stats had increased by 2 each.

A total of four stat points increased.

Unreal World provides 5 bonus points per level up.

That meant with one dish, I had gained nearly a level’s worth of stats.

Moreover, the effect attached to the dish was also impressive.

‘Attack Power +10% for one day. This is better than most priest blessings.’

Of course, even before regression, I had eaten food with effects like this.

But the important thing was that this was my first properly made dish.

The dishes I ate back then were made by users with levels in the hundreds.

‘This is more impressive than I thought?’

An ability that, though it said cooking-related skill levels, actually increased all my skill levels.

An ability that increased stats themselves every time I cooked.

And finally, dish effects comparable to a priest’s blessing.

These abilities were as exceptional as the legendary grade of the [Cooking Mastery Manual].

As I was lost in thought for a moment, Jackson, as if unable to wait any longer, lifted his side plate and chopsticks simultaneously.

“Come on, let’s eat quickly!”

“Haha, thank you for the meal!”

Right.

Complicated thoughts could wait until after the meal.

***

Stab!

“Hoho! The flesh is so plump! It seems to glisten!”

“It’s fresh mackerel caught today.”

“Master, hurry up and try it! Separate the flesh, and dip it generously in the seasoning!”

“Alright, alright.”

I was looking forward to eating it with rice, but for the first taste, I wanted to experience the pure flavor of the braised mackerel.

I separated a large piece of mackerel flesh and, as the manual advised, dipped it generously in the seasoning that had formed a rich layer at the bottom.

“Mackerel is convenient because the flesh separates so easily.”

Unlike other small fish that are hard to debone.

Simply by inserting chopsticks in the center and spreading them apart, the large chunks of flesh separate easily.

I brought a piece of braised mackerel to my mouth.

“How is it, how is it? The first dish made with my recipe?”

“It’s delicious!”

As expected of fresh fish, the plump, firm texture of the mackerel came through.

Unlike the grilled version where only the saltiness came through, the seasoning made from a blend of various ingredients gave a deep, spicy flavor.

The mackerel’s characteristic fishy smell was also cleanly covered by the aroma of the peppers, onions, and green onions added at the end.

In the meantime, Jackson was already putting a spoonful of rice topped with a piece of mackerel generously coated in seasoning into his mouth.

“The seasoning is absolutely incredible! Just mixing it with rice would be delicious!”

“Really? Then me too!”

It was completely different from the simple grilled dishes I had been eating until now.

The sensation of the spicy seasoning tingling the tongue!

A bowl of rice disappeared in an instant.

“Is there more rice?”

“Of course! Get some for me too!”

“Yes!”

Two more bowls of rice, filled to the brim.

This time, I tried putting a piece of red-stained radish on top of the rice.

“The radish is truly the essence of braised mackerel.”

Crunch!

When I bit into the radish, hot broth burst out.

As it coated the grains of rice, the combination of the stew and rice, which could have felt dry, became smoothly harmonious.

“This potato is also no joke!”

“Then I’ll try that too!”

The potato had a different flavor from the radish.

When I bit into it, the heat naturally made me open my mouth wide and blow on it.

The mild flavor of the potato and the spicy flavor of the seasoning blended well into an excellent taste.

– Kkyu, kkyuu!

“Ah, sorry. I forgot because it was so delicious.”

I almost forgot about Salamander again.

I piled a generous amount of white rice, a large piece of mackerel flesh, and a piece of radish onto a spoon.

From experience, even if I piled it high like this, Salamander would take it all in one bite.

Besides, it was a fire spirit.

There was no need to blow on it to cool it down for fear of burning its mouth.

Munch!

As expected, the creature swallowed the high pile of braised mackerel on the spoon in one gulp.

Its eyes widened in an instant.

It seemed surprised by the spicy flavor, different from the food it had eaten so far.

– Kkyukkyu! Kkyuu!

“Haha, is it good?”

“For a spirit to delight so much in eating food. Hoho, ever since meeting you, it’s been nothing but surprises.”

Salamander scampered about, emitting hot flames from its back.

It seemed a bit surprised by the spiciness, but judging by the flames it was emitting, it seemed to like the taste.

“Want another bite?”

– Kkyuu!

The cooking was done anyway.

I set Salamander on the table and ate rice with Jackson.

Jackson also seemed to find Salamander endearing, constantly putting braised mackerel on a spoon and feeding it.

And so, the three of us devoured a total of six bowls of rice.

Around the time the pot, once full of braised mackerel, was showing its bottom, Salamander’s body glowed brightly.

“Huh?”

It was completely different from when it emitted flames.

Even I, who had handled spirits for ten years, had never seen this phenomenon, so I was taken aback.

– Kkyu, kkyuu?

The creature seemed flustered too.

It didn’t understand what was happening to its own body.

When the light emanating from Salamander’s body reached its peak,

Ding!

A system window began to appear before my eyes.

[Due to perfect fulfillment of the contract and a dish imbued with the power of the [Cooking Mastery Manual], the spirit’s grade increases by one level.]

[Salamander evolves from a low-class fire spirit to a lesser fire spirit.]

[Salamander’s abilities improve.]

[As the grade increases, a unique name is required for the spirit.]

“Grade increase?”

– Kkyuu?

Salamander, which had been small enough to scamper about on my palm,

was now slightly larger than my hand, tilting its head.

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