[Creative Fiction x Recipe] Virtual Izakaya 'Sakana-roku' Episode 57: Mixed Hormone Stir-fry and Sweet Potato Shochu
Content Introduction
Today's dish is 'Mixed Hormone Stir-fry,' where chives and offal coated in miso boost stamina and appetite.
Please enjoy this story of sweet potato shochu and heart-warming moments unfolding in a virtual izakaya, along with the recipe and ingredient introduction.
Main Story
When you pass through the noren curtain, you are wrapped in a small world.
Words unravel in the sake, and we talk over the appetizers.
What shall be recorded tonight?
Takayuki Omura walked home from work through the alleyway, where the heat of the night still lingered on the cobblestones. Since a day at the market begins at dawn, Takayuki's night comes earlier than most. While carrying heavy boxes in the early afternoon, the sweat on his back had completely dried, and in its place, he caught the scent of savory oil wafting from deep within the air. His nostrils chose the path on their own.
Beyond the corner, a white noren curtain billowed quietly, and a pale lantern glowed softly. There were no letters on it. It was like a quiet harbor, isolated from the rest of the world. Takayuki caught his breath and gently passed through the noren.
Welcome.
From behind the counter, the low voice of Ikkon Mashiro spread like ripples. The shop was cool, with layers of the scent of polished wood and lingering dashi. Before he could find words, Takayuki sat down and stroked the calloused skin of his palms with his fingertips. The small cuts from the corners of the boxes he carried during the day stung.
Mashiro placed a small glass down. The sound of ice rang out once, then fell silent.
Thank you.
His voice was naturally subdued. Mashiro just nodded; there was no sound of a refrigerator door opening, nor any question to confirm the order. Instead, there was the sound of an iron frying pan being lifted.
A strong flame ignited, and sesame oil swirled thinly. The aroma immediately took shape, stimulating the depths of Takayuki's stomach.
On your way home from work?
Yes, a bit later than usual. At the market.
When he said that, Mashiro's eyebrows moved slightly.
The vegetable boxes—green peppers must have been popular today, right?
When he looked up in surprise, Mashiro was already holding a knife over the cutting board. The green peppers became thin strips, and the chives were bundled after being drained of water so that only the essence of their fragrance remained. The offal was wrapped in the steam of a pre-boil, the boundary between its white and amber colors glistening. The iron rang, and the offal was tossed in. The popping sound overlapped with the bustle of the daytime market.
As the sweetness of the fat rose, the scent of dark soy sauce and miso followed. He drizzled in some sake, and the flames flared up for an instant. Mashiro tilted the pan, keeping it at an angle that wouldn't let too much fat escape, and tossed in the green peppers. The green aroma spread instantly, followed immediately by the chives. His hands moved quickly, keeping the heat high to leave the core intact without burning the fragrance. The density of the sound changed, and soon, it became quiet.
It's mixed hormone stir-fry.
The plate was flat, with the edges of the char dried to a golden brown. The white and black of the offal sank in as if soft, and the green of the peppers breathed above it. The lines of chives drew light at the very end.
He picked up his chopsticks. Takayuki took a bite and chewed the offal. The elasticity pushed back against his teeth, then unraveled the next moment, spreading the sweetness of the fat and the richness of the miso throughout his mouth. The young bitterness of the green peppers caught it.
The weight of the boxes he carried in the produce building during the day, the haggling over prices, and the laughter of the young workers seemed to rise from between the layers of flavor.
"Delicious."
The words slipped out quietly. Mashiro nodded and brought a golden bottle from the back.
"This is Tomino Hozan on the rocks."
The liquid poured into the slender glass shimmered faintly under the lights.
Takayuki brought his nose close. The scent of sweet potato was subtle, with a light citrus aroma rising from it. It had a cool citrus shadow, like touching the white pith of a yuzu.
He took a sip. It went down smoothly, and the moment it passed his throat, it left a sensation not of heat, but of tightening. It felt like fingertips gently folding away the aftertaste of the fat.
Next, he took another bite of the offal. This time with the chives. As he chewed, the sweetness of the fat became vivid, the bitterness of the green pepper stepped back, and in its place, the outline of a green, grassy scent took shape. He immediately followed it with a sip of Tomino Hozan. The inside of his mouth cleared up, and the richness of the miso deepened in shadow.
Takayuki remembered the time when he had just started working. A rainy evening where he cut his finger on the corner of a crate, the smell of blood mixing with the scent of green peppers, making him strangely hungry. Every time the bandage on his hand peeled off from sweat and his grip weakened, he would listen to his senior silently sharpening a knife. The rhythm of that sound now overlapped with the residual heat of the iron and the stillness of the oil.
"Mashiro-san, how did you know? That green peppers were popular today?"
"Your hands smelled a little green earlier. When you were brushing aside the noren curtain."
Takayuki instinctively sniffed his palms. Sure enough, a faint greenness remained. He hadn't noticed during the day.
"The daytime is a battlefield, isn't it? The numbers come before the atmosphere. Here, it's the opposite."
Mashiro's words carried the weight of a simple observation, yet lacked the rigidity of a command.
Takayuki stuffed another piece of offal into his mouth and tilted his glass. The crispness of the Tomino Hozan broke down the mountain of fat, bringing out the aroma of the charred bits on the plate. His chopsticks moved faster on their own. The slightly sweet part near the seeds of the green pepper emerged, followed by the round scent of the chive roots. The map inside his mouth became more detailed with every bite.
"Come to think of it."
Takayuki said.
"A young man who is always looking at beans came by during the day."
"Is it Hayato Katagiri?"
"You know him?"
"Yes. He was looking for seasonal sweets."
Takayuki laughed. Hayato's face came to mind. He would gaze at the fruits in the market and write something in thin letters in his notebook.
"That man's notebook has many lines. A person who remembers taste through lines can always find their way back, even if they get lost."
At Mashiro's words, Takayuki brought the glass to his lips. The shadow of citrus caressed his tongue again, and a small light was lit at the bottom of his stomach.
Can one find their way back even if they get lost? Takayuki remembered the face of a young worker who couldn't set a good price at the morning auction and laughed to hide his frustration. Could he leave lines for them, too? In his memory, a single line of green pepper stretched out.
On the plate, the last piece shimmered with a charred edge.
"Please take your time today." Mashiro said, refilling the shochu with a gesture of lifting a sake bottle. He didn't add ice, perhaps just raising the temperature slightly, making the outline of the aroma rounder.
Takayuki carried the last piece to his mouth along with a strip of garlic chives. With every chew, the bustle of the day faded, and the sound of his own breathing drew closer. Chasing it with Tomino Hozan, a thin breeze passed over his tongue, unraveling quietly deep in his throat.
"Thank you for the meal."
After clasping his fingers on his lap, Takayuki let out a soft breath.
"Tomorrow, I'll arrange them a bit more carefully. So I don't bend the strips of green pepper too much."
Mashiro smiled faintly. Beyond the noren curtain, the presence of the night had returned.
Takayuki passed through the noren again. The second time, wrapped in the threads that connect the five viscera and six entrails.
Watching Takayuki's back as he left, Mashiro Ikkon returned to the kitchen. Tonight, once again, a single dish and drink had been recorded.
Back to Episode 1
Back to Episode 56
Continue to Episode 58...
Magazine: Virtual Izakaya 'Shuko-roku'
Bonus Recipe
Rub multiple types of offal with salt and flour to remove the sliminess, then parboil in plenty of hot water for a few minutes before draining in a colander to remove excess moisture.
In a bowl, mix miso, mirin, half the amount of soy sauce and sake, 1/3 the amount of sugar, and doubanjiang to create the miso sauce.
Heat sesame oil in a frying pan, sauté crushed garlic, and once fragrant, add the offal and brown it.
Add the green peppers and stir-fry; once they soften, add the miso sauce.
Finally, turn off the heat and add the garlic chives, tossing quickly to combine.
Ingredient Introduction
Sesame oil : The aroma is key for sesame oil.
Tomino Hozan : With mixed offal stir-fry.