YuYuYui - Shiratori Utano no shou - 1B

Let's make soba - 1

[Shrine]

Uta: Ah, Mii-chan, here you are! I've been looking for you.

Mit: ...? Did you need me?

Uta: Let's make soba, right now!

Mit: It's too early for lunch. Utanon, are you already hungry?

Uta: Non non. You know we're harvesting buckwheat, right? And it's been made into buckwheat flour.

Uta: So the owner of the soba restaurant asked me if I wanted to make soba.

Mit: So starting from scratch.

Uta: Yes, let's make it together and eat it!

Mit: Sure, but it will be my first time... I'm not sure I can do it right.

Uta: Don't mind! It's not about being well made or not. I'm sure the soba you make yourself tastes special.

[Soba restaurant]

Uta: Put the buckwheat flour and thickener into the kneading bowl, then pour water while mixing.

Mit: How much should I mix?

Soba restaurant owner: Until the sticky and powdery parts mix together nicely.

Uta: Uu~m♪ The soba flour has such a nice smell!

Mit: Really?

Uta: Try putting your nose up-close.

Mit: Sniff... Ah, you're right. It smells good.

Uta: This smell made me crave soba even more!

Soba restaurant owner: How impatient. Alright, put water on the flour, and when the chunks get big enough, combine them into one.

Uta: We'll knead after it's all put together, right. That always sounded fun, I wanted to try it.

Mit: But kneading is something you need strength for...

Uta: I've been trained by daily farmwork, leave it to me! Mii-chan, keep the bowl steady.

Mit: Tell me if you're tired. We can swap.

Uta: Thanks. Let's get kneading and make some delicious soba, shall we!


Let's make soba - 2

[Soba restaurant]

Uta: Hmph, hmph... there!

Mit: Would you like me to take over?

Uta: No thanks, I'm starting to get the hang of it. See, the surface looks clean.

Mit: You need to keep going until it's as soft as an earlobe, right.

Uta: Ei!

Mit: Hyah! What? Why are you touching my ear...?

Uta: To compare the hardness with an earlobe.

Mit: Do it with yours...

Uta: But I had a cute ear right there. We need a little more work before this soba reaches the desired hardness.

Uta: Mii-chan, recite the incantation to make it delicious. "Become delicious".

Mit: ...You're getting weird.

Uta: Since you're a Miko, maybe you can do things like this, no?

Mit: I think not a chance...

Uta: Mh, there, become delicious! Become delicious! Alright! You too, Mii-chan!

Mit: Become delicious... Become delicious. ...This is kind of embarrassing.

Uta: That's all for the sake of eating delicious soba. Become delicious!

Mit: B-Become delicious, become delicious!

Uta: Good good, that's the spirit. Mii-chan, keep it up.

Mit: Why are you cheering me on for kneading soba...

Uta: Next up is stretching the round balls with a rolling pin, right?

Soba restaurant owner: Yeah, but it's easier to do it by hand at first. You can use the rolling pin later.

Uta: Understood! So sprinkle the uncooked dough balls with flour.

Mit: Wait. Let me stretch the balls. You've been doing the kneading on your own after all.

Uta: Really? Then please.

Mit: Yes. So stretch the balls with your hands... There.

Uta: The main focus is to make them into nice, clean balls.

Uta: Sure. I'll try.


Let's make soba - 3

[Soba restaurant]

Uta: Ooh, great, Mii-chan! You made a big circle.

Mit: Phew... Next we need to fold the dough with the rolling pin many times... right?

Uta: Yep. Like he always does.

Mit: Start with half... then fold half again...

Uta: Only one more fold. In eights of about the length of a knife's blade, right?

Soba restaurant owner: Yeah, since you two know how to make soba already, I have nothing left to teach you.

Uta: Because we watched you do it so many times.

Uta: Soba is the source of my power, I'll be counting on you for more delicious soba!

Soba restaurant owner: Now I'm not sure... It's a heavy responsibility. I guess I'll need to work even harder.

Uta: I wanna make our friends over at Shikoku understand the greatness of Shinshu soba one day!

Soba restaurant owner: Leave it to me, I'll treat them to the best soba can offer.

Mit: I finished cutting the dough's edges, Utanon.

Uta: Let's switch places then. Mh mh, behold my beautiful knife technique!

Uta: It's showtime!

Mit: Carefully. Watch out with the knife.

Uta: ...

Mit: ...Utanon.

Uta: No way...! Why!? Why can't I... cut the soba into equal pieces...

Mit: It's a big mess, let alone equal... Even though everything else was going well.

Uta: I'm cutting it carefully... But I didn't expect the thickness to be all over the place.

Mit: I think the problem is you cut it too fast at the start, trying to show off. Your movements are getting awkward.

Uta: Uuh... At this rate, soba...

Mit: Hey. Utanon, let's swap.

Uta: Avenge me, Mii-chan!

Mit: You're exaggerating, but don't worry, I'll do something about it. Maybe.

Mit: Cut slowly and precisely with the knife on the cutting board... then slide...

Uta: Mii-chan, you're amazing... It doesn't even compare to my crude soba.

Mit: I don't think it's all that hard, though... I'm going to cut everything. Please wait.

Uta: Mister, it's hot today, I'd like to eat some zaru-soba.

Mit: Me too... please.

Soba restaurant owner: Got it. I'll have it ready by the time you're done cutting your soba.


Let's make soba - 4

[Soba restaurant]

Soba restaurant owner: Your zaru-soba, right here!

Uta: Doesn't my soba look kinda awkward...?

Mit: I'm sure it must taste the same.

Uta: Let's get to the eating part then.

Uta/Mit: Let's.

Uta: Munch... Yes, the taste isn't that bad.

Uta: But it feels bad sliding down your throat... and it's a fatal flaw for soba.

Mit: Munch... Really?

Uta: Wanna try?

Mit: ...A little.

Uta: Here, open wide.

Mit: ...

Uta: Ah. I should have left it where you couldn't reach it.

Mit: Munch... I think you're right. The feeling when you eat it feels wrong somehow.

Uta: An overwhelming bad feeling. ...Maybe it hurts the flavor too?

Mit: I couldn't tell you about that.

Uta: Could I have one bite of your soba?

Mit: Here. ...I'm not feeding it to you.

Uta: Too bad. One bite then... Mmh, that's it, this!

Uta: That pleasing sensation as it slides down your throat! That's what I call a cool dish, a demonstration of zaru-soba.

Uta: One more... Excellent! It's almost the same as the soba served here.

Mit: All I did was cut it normally. You're the one who kneaded it, after all.

Uta: That's why I think it's so great. From what I saw of your knife handling, you're ready to marry anytime.

Mit: W-What... was that? I'm still... only in middle school.

Uta: Scratch that, I want you to become my wife! Aah, what a good idea!

Mit: It's weirder than good.

Uta: Fufu. Let's put that topic on hold for now and eat. To savor it is justice!

Mit: That's my zaru-soba.

Uta: Oh, my bad. It's so good I reached for more unconsciously.

Mit: You really are hopeless.