Ghost Chef B: Remember, Kalim- we've got enough ingredients here for three biryani attempts. It's not the end of the world if you botch it. So just relax and have some fun with it.
Kalim: All right. Here goes nothing! 😁
Grim: Biryani? 🤨 Whuzzat?
Ghost Chef B: It's a seasoned rice dish made with meat, spices, and many other ingredients. You put curry and rice in alternating layers, then steam it all together. It started out being cooked in royal kitchens, and now it's a festival staple. Neat, no?
Shriek: It sounds like party food! 😃
Kalim: Sure is! 😊 We've had it at tons of our banquets, but Jamil always handles the prep. There's not much for me to do. Get this, though! I heard recently of a type of party where the host personally cooks the food they serve their guests. I've always wanted to try roasting meat on a spit in front of folks, carving it off… You know, that sort of thing!
Shriek: Oh, I got tons of practice with that! 😃 I've ripped and roasted meat off the bones of demons waaaay bigger than me!
Kalim: Man, you're lucky, Shriek. I haven't been allowed to use knives or fire before now. "Too dangerous." So I've barely done any proper cooking. But I got permission to use both things today, as long as I'm under professional supervision! 😃
Shriek: Yay, I'm a professional supervisor!! 😄
Ghost Chef B: You most certainly are not! Alright, Kalim, first comes chopping the ingredients. You'll be cutting up ginger, garlic, onions, and tomatoes. Let's start by putting the tomato on the cutting board with the stem side face-down. That makes it easier to cut.
Ghost Chef B: Right! Now grip the knife in your dominant hand and use your off-hand to hold the tomato in place on the cutting board.
Grim: And then he just brings the knife down, right? Sounds pretty straightforward.
Trey: *gathering his own ingredients nearby* Not always. You cut with a knife by pulling inward toward yourself, pushing downward, or sawing back and forth. You also want to focus on maneuvering the knife in broad strokes, rather than...
Shriek: *bringing a huge knife down on a tomato like an executioner swinging an axe* AAAHAHAHAHA!!! 😈 TOMATERMINATION!
Grim: The brute strength approach? 🤨
Ghost Chef: Careful, CAREFUL!! Cutting boards don't grow on trees, you know!
Kalim: Wait, but aren't they made of wood? Wait, I gotta focus. Okay, broad stokes... Broad strokes...
Grim and Shriek: *holding their breath as they lean in to watch Kalim*
Kalim: *cuts the tomato clean in half* WOOOO!! I DID IT! 😃
Shriek: *flapping her wings excitedly* Yeah, clean cut! 😄 That's the first step to more brutal bladework!
Kalim: Not going that far! 😃
Ghost Chef B: That's it! Keep up the chopping!
Shriek: *unsheathing her claws* Let's help him, Grim!
Grim: Alright, but stay away from his eyes this time.
Kalim: *as he's almost finished with the chopping* Wait, um, Chef? There're still ingredients here. Are these off-limits?
Ghost Chef B: Those are extras in case you botch this attempt. You can add more to taste if you really want, though.
Kalim: Ooh! In that case, I'm gonna use everything here! 😄
Ghost Chef B: Erm... Bear in mind, that's triple what the recipe calls for. 😕 It's gonna be a whole lot of extra work for you. Are you sure about this, Kalim?
Kalim: Yes, sir! The way I see it, the more ingredients I use, the more everyone can eat throughout the party. 😊
Grim: Myaha, I like the way you think, buddy! 😺 Gotta have big portions at a party! Back to the cutting board we go!
Ghost Chef B: Alright... That takes care of the last of the reserves. Next up, you'll be prepping the basis for biryani's flavor: curry!
Ghost Chef B: Heat up some oil in this pot. You're going to sauté some spices—namely, green cardamom, cloves, and cinnamon. If you've tripled the ingredients, just give the spice shakers three shakes apiece, and that should be enough to—
Kalim: You know... if we're already upping the measurements... 🤔
Grim: And we're throwing in all the ingredients...🤔
Shriek: Some other third thing...🤔
Kalim, Grim, and Shriek: WE SHOULD THROW IN ALL THE SPICES!! 😁😁😸
Ghost Chef B: WAIT, WHAT?! 😨
Kalim: *dumping the shaker's entire contents in* Gotta get the most out of what you have on hand! 😄 We're gonna pack this with SO MUCH flavor!
Grim: *shaking in some tobasco sauce* Myahahaha! Let's get some of this in there too for a little extra kick!
Kalim: Oh, good thinking, Grim! 😃
Shriek: *flapping over with a crate full of peppers* Sorry, Trey! Kalim, lookit! Look what I found in a cabinet waaay in the back!
Ghost Chef B: Wait, that's for a lesson later in the week!
Shriek: *holds up a green and red spotted pepper shaped like a genie's lamp with leaves that look like they've caught fire* The Lava Lamp! 😈
Kalim: Oh, I've heard about those! 😲 They're so hot, they legally can't be sold to the public!
Ghost Chef B: Yes, and they're not suitable for beginners in the slightest, so put that down right-
Shriek: *drops the whole pepper into the curry, causing it to bubble and spark with increasing speed and intensity* Bloop! 😙
Kalim, Grim, and Shriek: *sniffing the pot* Smells tasty! 😋😋😻
Trey: It smells... intense. 😥
Ghost Chef B: It smells like I'm getting my paycheck docked. 😓
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[[Night Raven- Cafeteria]]
Ruggie: La la, la la, laaah la… 😁 Boy, did I ever luck out getting picked at random as a Culinary Crucible judge. That's one less day of food expenses for me. Score! This is gonna be great. I can already smell somethin' appetizing coming from the kitchen... WHOA! 😳 And spicy! What the hell's going on in that kitchen?!
Kalim: *entering through the cafeteria double doors* Oh, hey, Ruggie! You must be my judge. Today's your lucky day! 😄
Grim: *entering carrying a huge pot with Shriek* Yeah, it's a biryani bonanza up in here!
Shriek: You're gonna love it, Ruggie! 😁
Ruggie: Hoooooo boy. Of all the people to have cook for me... 😬
Kalim: Here you are! Dig in! 🤗
Ruggie: Uh, HOW? 😧 This heap of rice is so huge that it's falling off the serving platter! How many people is this supposed to feed?!
Shriek: A whole war party! 😈
Grim: I can take some off your hands if ya really can't stomach it. 😼
Ruggie: *scoffs* As if! Look, I don't care how spicy this is. If it's on the plate, I'm eatin' every last grain! Let the feasting begin! *picks up a huge spoonful and puts it in his mouth* Rrrgh... *face immediately reddening*
Grim: Mrow! 🫢 I thought only Riddle could do that!
Shriek: Napalm in in 3... 2...
Ruggie: *spewing a plume of fire from his mouth* HOOOOOOOOOOOOOOT!!!!!😱😱😱🔥🔥🔥
Shriek: YEEEEEEAH, BABY! 👊😈👊
Ruggie: *running around with smoke steaming from his mouth, smashing a jug of water on his tongue before dousing his entire head in it, gasping breathlessly for breath on the ground*
Kalim: Whoa, Ruggie. You're sweating bullets after just one bite! 😧I-if it's not to your taste, I can bring you something else-
Ruggie: Like HELL YOU WILL! *shakily grabbing his spoon* I'm eatin' every last bite- AHHHHHHH! 🥵- even if I have to take it to-AHHHHHHH! 🥵- go! The flavor's a little out there -AHHHHHHH! 🥵- but I'm not gonna complain about the portion size. Don't worry, I can finish it!
Kalim: *slamming his hands on the table* No, Ruggie! I don't want you to force yourself into doing something that makes you miserable! There has to be something we can do to salvage this. Something less spicy!
Ruggie: Wel, I mean if you wrap some of the biryani - AHHHHH! 🥵- in scrambled eggs, you'd have the- AHHHHH! 🥵- makings of a nice rice omelet.
Kalim: Hm, there's a start... *gasps* I bet if we add coconut milk, we could make it into a risotto! 😲
Ruggie: That's usin' your - AHHHHH! 🥵- head. Can't wait! 👍
Kalim: C'mon, you guys! We've got some rice to remedy!... Guys?
Grim and Shriek: *chowing down on the biryani with Ruggie and breathing fire plumes of their own* Too mild!
