Of course, there were plenty of things to do besides cooking. Well, what I was about to do was technically related to food, but it wasn't exactly a chef’s job.
Sitting on the cutting board were the Pseudo-Potatoes I’d bought at Freeport Nova.
Before me stood a perfect production line, assembled with the help of my reliable crew.
‐Master. Environmental settings are complete. Temperature and humidity have been fixed at optimal values to prevent starch degradation. The process management monitor link is stable.‐
Lucia reported in her usual detached tone from my side.
I had consulted her beforehand, and she had developed an extraction theory designed to achieve the highest possible quality.
‐The machine is all set, too! I’m calling it the 'Water-cooled Low-speed Grinder.' Just like you asked, Captain, it’s designed to grind everything down gently without generating any heat.‐
Mina patted a transparent, cylindrical device installed on the kitchen counter with pride.
She’d looked at me with pure exasperation when I first suggested grating the roots by hand, but she had nonetheless scavenged enough junk parts—hoarding them like a hamster at every opportunity—to build this masterpiece for me.
‐Yeah, it’s perfect. Thanks, both of you. Normally, this kind of work is for a flour mill, but thanks to you two, it looks like I’ll be able to produce a decent amount.‐
I fed the Pseudo-Potatoes into the intake and flipped the switch.
With a quiet mechanical hum, a white liquid began flowing through the pipe and into a bucket.
‐Operating status: optimal. This low-speed grinding process allows us to extract starch particles intact while minimizing the destruction of the cell walls.‐
‐Exactly. It takes extra time and effort, but it’s not like I’m doing this for profit. Now, this next part is the most critical.‐
I lined up the cylindrical containers filled with the white liquid—the raw starch—in a quiet, stable spot.
‐Master, are you choosing natural precipitation over a centrifuge here as well?‐
‐Yeah. Now we wait for it to sink naturally.‐
I pointed inside the container.
As time passed, only the high-quality starch with high specific gravity would sink to the bottom, while lighter impurities and smaller particles would stay in the liquid at the top.
By discarding that top liquid, pouring in fresh water, and waiting for it to settle again, I was performing 'Water Washing'—a traditional method of producing potato starch. Or at least, that's what I remembered.
I only had fragmentary memories of seeing the process on the news or something back on Earth. Lucia was the one who had actually analyzed the logic behind it and figured out how to replicate it properly.
In the silence of the ship, a layer as white as snow grew thicker and thicker.
Inside a state-of-the-art spaceship, we simply waited quietly for the dust to settle.
Once the pure white mass had been refined over several days, it was time to dry it.
Mina’s handiwork proved its worth again.
‐This is the 'Low-temperature Drying Booth' I made using waste heat. The temperature is constantly maintained at forty degrees Celsius, so it won't burn or harden too fast. I can adjust the heat if needed.‐
‐Perfect. If it goes over seventy degrees, it’ll gelatinize. Drying it slowly over a long period is the way to go.‐
After a full day in the booth, I took the dried mass and crumbled it between my fingertips. It produced a unique, squeaky sound. The starch was finished. It was clearly different from store-bought powder; the particles were slightly coarser, but they shone with a brilliant white luster.
‐...So this is the true essence of the Rock Root.‐
The moment I let out a sigh of admiration, a few fine particles danced into the air. Lucia’s eyes immediately flashed a warning red.
‐Warning. Master, the dust concentration in the air is rising. Increasing the output of the ventilation system.‐
‐Alright, alright. Don’t treat it like a hazard. This is a culinary revolution—this is potato starch.‐
I decided to immediately test the powder I’d spent so much time and effort creating.
I gathered some Heat-resistant Ivy sprouts growing in the onboard farm. These things were the spitting image of bean sprouts in both look and texture. I tossed them into a pan and stir-fried them over high heat.
Once they were cooked but still crisp, I transferred them to a plate. Into the empty, hot pan, I poured a mixture of soup, seasonings, and my new 'potato starch' dissolved in water.
The moment the heat hit, the soup became transparent and thickened into a heavy glaze.
It felt more viscous than ordinary starch, yet it had a clean, smooth finish.
‐Whoa! This thickness is incredible!‐
I poured a generous amount of the piping hot glaze over the stir-fried Heat-resistant Ivy.
Sizzle!
Fragrant steam billowed up instantly. The 'Ankake Heat-resistant Ivy Sprouts Stir-fry' was complete.
‐Let’s eat!‐
Mina and Emulgand didn't hesitate to take a bite.
‐Mmm! It’s so hot! But... it’s so good!‐
Emulgand’s cheeks loosened even as tears welled in her eyes from the heat.
‐Amazing... it’s totally different from when we just stir-fry them. This thick soup really clings to the sprouts, so the flavor stays strong the whole time!‐
Mina was huffing and puffing to cool the food down, but she didn't stop her chopsticks for a second.
‐...I have confirmed an improvement in flavor due to the change in texture. By lingering in the mouth due to high viscosity, the contact time with the taste buds is increased. This complements the naturally mild flavor of the Heat-resistant Ivy. It is remarkable that it can change the experience this much.‐
Lucia also tasted the thickened sauce, looking satisfied even as she continued her analysis.
The white powder—born from a mix of my crew's advanced technology and ancient traditional methods—had brought a much-needed splash of color to our often-monotonous shipboard meals.