Who Is the World’s Strongest Appraiser? ~Living in Another World With Satisfying Meals~

Leftover Fat For Perfect Egg Fried Rice

“Let’s add some bacon!”

“No.”

“Why not!?”

“Because we’re not using bacon today!”

Yuuri dismissively rejected Yakk, who tugged on his arm with a pleading look. While such stubbornness might seem odd if you knew Yuuri’s usual demeanor, it wasn’t entirely unreasonable—he was still just 17. Occasionally, even he wanted to indulge in childlike whims. And today happened to be one of those times.

For context, the two were arguing over the ingredients for today’s lunch: fried rice.

Don’t dismiss it as trivial—fried rice is a dish whose flavor changes dramatically depending on the ingredients. Whether or not to add meat, and if so, what kind—bacon, sausage, steamed chicken, diced meat, or minced meat—all create distinct variations. A common factor, though, is that adding meat deepens the flavor by infusing the rice with umami.

Yet, contrary to his usual preference for adding such savory components, Yuuri adamantly refused this time, leaving Yakk bewildered. Fried rice without meat? For a growing boy like Yakk, this was unthinkable. You couldn’t blame him.

Still, Yuuri had his reasons. It wasn’t as though he’d deliberately compromise a meal’s flavor for no reason. Yuuri adored delicious food and, being competent in the kitchen, he understood that good food is an unquestionable virtue.

“Why won’t you use bacon?”

“Because I want to savor the flavor of this leftover fat today. No meat!”

“Fat is just fat! Bacon! Baaaacon!”

Yuuri pointed at the frying pan, where last night’s meat drippings remained. This wasn’t the usual fat from pork, orc, or bison. No, this was from a rare delicacy: bicorn meat.

A bicorn, as the name suggests, is a two-horned version of a unicorn. Unlike the pure and sacred unicorn, bicorns are associated with filth and impurity—a magical beast. Since it’s a monster, there’s no issue hunting it, and as a bonus, its meat is incredibly delicious. Though horse-like in appearance, its flavor sits intriguingly between horse and beef.

Since bicorns are formidable creatures, their meat is rarely found on the market. The only reason they had it was thanks to a recent dungeon expedition. The team hadn’t specifically targeted bicorns, but when one attacked, they defeated it. Last night’s dinner had thus featured a simple yet extravagant feast of grilled bicorn meat seasoned with just salt and pepper.

Yuuri’s plan for lunch was to make egg fried rice using the flavor-rich leftover fat from the bicorn. The idea was simple: use the flavorful fat to create a straightforward yet delicious dish.

Yakk, however, couldn’t accept this. Fat wasn’t the same as meat. To him, adding meat would unquestionably enhance the flavor. While his argument wasn’t without merit, Yuuri sighed and offered a compromise. He had no intention of outright quarreling with Yakk, after all.

“Alright, how about this: we make it without bacon first, and if it feels lacking, we’ll add some cooked bacon on the side.”

“Why are you so stubborn about excluding bacon…?”

“Because I want the bicorn’s flavor to shine!”

“Ugh… Fine. If it’s not enough, we’ll add bacon.”

“Thank you, Yakk.”

Thus, a compromise was reached.

Today’s lunch was for just Yuuri, Yakk, and Jake, which made things easier. Jake, unlike Yakk, didn’t care much for meat and had a modest appetite. Whether or not bacon was included wouldn’t bother him. In fact, Jake never complained about food. He’d compliment delicious meals but never criticize. That was just Jake—quietly mature in his way.

(Who said he just didn’t care enough to fuss? Whoever you are, stop; you might be too accurate.)

With peace restored, Yuuri and Yakk set to work. The remaining salad and vegetable soup from breakfast meant the fried rice would complete the meal.

Ingredients: eggs, onion, carrot, and rice.

The onion and carrot were finely diced. The eggs were cracked into a bowl and beaten thoroughly, seasoned heavily with salt, pepper, and dried herbs. The bold seasoning ensured the eggs would carry the dish’s flavor without additional seasoning during frying, a tricky technique to master.

“Are you sure that’s not too much seasoning?”

“Yep, it’s fine. Besides, we won’t be adding anything else later. Okay, the eggs are ready. Time to mix in the rice!”

“Got it!”

Yakk scooped rice from the cooker into Yuuri’s bowl, and Yuuri carefully mixed it with the egg until each grain was coated. Satisfied, Yuuri set the bowl aside and turned to the stove.

Heating the frying pan, still rich with bicorn drippings, he waited until the fat was warm before adding the diced onion and carrot. Green peas or bell peppers would’ve brightened the dish, but they weren’t on hand today, so onion and carrot would suffice.

“Wow, it already smells so good, and it’s just the fat!”

“Exactly! Good meat leaves even the fat smelling amazing.”