Cheat day

How to Communicate (3)

“Are you saying you brought a unique sauce and made a regular dish with it?” Uwangseon asked, and Jujiseung chuckled softly.

“I’ve said everything I needed to say with the food I presented.”

“Are you admitting there’s a lack of effort?”

“I’m not lacking in effort,” Jujiseung interjected, cutting off Lee Chan-seok.

All eyes turned to me.

“Red beans are an ingredient that people tend to have mixed feelings about due to their heaviness. However, I didn’t find any heaviness in this red bean stew. Instead, I got a clear and clean impression, which I believe could only be achieved through thoughtful consideration,” I explained.

“That’s probably due to the radish, shepherd’s purse, and water parsley,” Omi-kyung added.

“Radish and water parsley have a clarifying effect on the broth, while shepherd’s purse adds freshness to heavier stews,” Lee Chan-seok interjected.

It seemed he was determined to undermine Jujiseung today.

Observing the situation, Ham Seok-ho opened his mouth.

“Our old saying is that even if you make meju with red beans, it’s believed. This implies that making meju from red beans is inherently difficult.”

It was curious.

The saying implies that even unbelievable things can be accepted. Yet, it’s fascinating how one could actually make meju from red beans.

“The reason is simple. Red beans contain more starch and moisture than soybeans. Therefore, lactic acid bacteria generate acid, allowing it to ferment into meju easily,” he explained.

Omi-kyung and Park Jeong-ah nodded in agreement.

I also found this fact surprising, as red bean sauce is such a rare ingredient that everyone seemed to rely on Ham Seok-ho’s expertise.

“I’m curious about how Jujiseung got this red bean sauce,” Ham Seok-ho asked.

“I must have bought a sample,” Lee Chan-seok cut in once more.

“The ‘Taste Ark’ project previously featured our country’s red bean sauce. A small domestic company restored the red bean sauce recorded in historical texts, securing original technology. They were recognized for this effort and registered the patent.”

It seemed Lee Chan-seok knew quite a bit about red bean sauce.

With only two people in the studio knowing about this, it demonstrated the breadth of Lee Chan-seok’s knowledge.

“I can now purchase it online easily, and simply boil the stew using the purchased product. Is this not a lack of effort?” Lee Chan-seok finished.

As soon as he finished speaking, Jujiseung turned to Ham Seok-ho.

“I made it myself.”

“Stop lying!”

Lee Chan-seok interrupted again.

“Red bean sauce recipes have nearly been lost. The products sold recently have been restored by dedicated artisans after extensive research. Are you claiming you made it yourself? Do you overestimate your abilities, not being a Korean cuisine expert? Or do you think I would fall for such an obvious lie?”

Jujiseung didn’t even spare a glance at Lee Chan-seok.

He spoke as if waiting for a noisy car to pass on the street before continuing his conversation with Ham Seok-ho.

“To complement the red bean’s tendency to ferment quickly, moisture control is crucial. By adding soybeans and rice, we can mitigate its disadvantages,” he stated.

Ham Seok-ho nodded.

“Could you share the detailed process with us?”

“Sure. First, boil the beans for about two hours, mix them with flour, and cook them together for about four hours. Boil the red beans separately, remove all moisture, and cool them to about 40 degrees Celsius. Then combine everything into a donut shape.”

“Why a donut shape?”

“To increase the surface area in contact with the air. As I mentioned earlier, moisture removal is the most important factor.”

Ham Seok-ho leaned forward slightly, fingers intertwined.

“I see. But in this era, when crops are abundant, why would you specifically use red beans to make meju?”

“There is a reason,” Jujiseung replied confidently.

“Excuse me, but I believe three of the judges here have diabetes,” he noted.

Ham Seok-ho, Omi-kyung, and I.

Consuming overly sweet foods can be deadly for diabetes patients, so this was information the production team had shared with participants before recording began.

“Red beans are rich in anthocyanins, making them good for anti-aging and beneficial for diabetes. Although the carbohydrate ratio is higher than that of soybeans, pure red beans without added sugar have a low glycemic index due to their high fiber content. They also contain saponins and potassium, which are good for edema and skin health.”

He rattled off the benefits of red beans as if he had been waiting for the opportunity.

“Furthermore, the shepherd’s purse added to the stew is high in calcium, which helps offset the phosphorus in red beans that inhibits calcium absorption. The inclusion of shepherd’s purse and radish, known for their diuretic properties and benefits for diabetes, was intentional.”

“So overall, this dish is for people with diabetes?” I asked.

“That’s correct.”

“I was actually diagnosed with diabetes last winter. At that time, I saw an article stating that the number of diabetes patients in our country had exceeded 6 million. There are 15.83 million people in the pre-diabetes stage, too.”

As I shared this information, everyone in the recording studio was surprised.

Approximately 22 million people in a country of 50 million are exposed to diabetes.

“While it’s important to introduce Korean food to the world, I believe that ensuring the food we consume is suitable for our bodies should come first,” I concluded.

Jujiseung added, “My purpose today was to highlight the forgotten red bean sauce and introduce food that fits our bodies.”

Ham Seok-ho nodded and displayed a score of 10.

“The dedication to maintaining tradition while adapting it to modern tastes and health is remarkable. The red bean stew is lighter than regular bean paste stew, making it suitable even for children, and the attention given to the seasoning of the bulgogi was impressive.”

“Just a moment,” Lee Chan-seok interrupted again.

“Is it not a bit hasty to judge without clarifying whether it’s a commercial product or not?”

Ham Seok-ho’s expression hardened.

“Jujiseung, look at the sauces that other contestants brought! Everyone has brought sauces made at home. Do you feel no guilt about this?”

“You just detailed how to make it.”

Park Jeong-ah criticized Lee Chan-seok, but it was of no use.

I couldn’t understand why he was acting like this, but it seemed like Jujiseung had to feel validated by insisting that he had used a commercially available product.

“Anyone can talk about how to make something. That’s different from actually making it. But you’re telling me that a person who’s not a chef made a sauce that’s difficult even for artisans? Am I supposed to believe that? You’ve been avoiding answering while throwing out irrelevant comments! Are you ignoring the judges right now?”

A tense silence filled the studio.

I felt incredibly angry and wanted to confront him, but I couldn’t bring myself to do it. Meanwhile, Jujiseung was clenching his eyes shut, suppressing his anger.

“Isn’t that a bit too harsh?”

Choi Eun-sam broke the silence.

“Why do you say that Jujiseung is not a chef?”

Choi Eun-sam was still waiting for his turn to judge.

There was no need for him to take a side, but he defended Jujiseung nonetheless.

“Brother Eun-sam is right. If the person currently in first place isn’t a chef, what are we saying here?”

Sadaemun chimed in.

He was practically the only one competing against Jujiseung for the win and was close to winning the round today.

He didn’t need to defend a rival like Jujiseung, yet he willingly stepped in.

“Please be quiet. Isn’t it crucial that we address the authority of Korean cuisine?”

Lee Chan-seok shamelessly retorted.

“Are you just going to stand by and watch someone draw attention with a unique sauce that they didn’t even make themselves, winning easily? Is it okay with you if all your efforts feel meaningless?”

“It’s Lee Chan-seok who is disregarding our efforts,” Yook Hye-rin fired back at him.

I hadn’t expected Hye-rin, who had been timid and nervous, to come out like that.

Suddenly, I remembered how she had been constantly ignored by Lee Chan-seok.

In Round 1, she was undervalued for using angel hair, and in Round 4, she received low scores from Lee Chan-seok just for serving what he deemed ordinary dishes like beef bulgogi and soybean paste stew.

With Choi Eun-sam, Sadaemun, and Yook Hye-rin all criticizing Lee Chan-seok, other contestants began to glare at him with fearsome looks as well.

I felt uneasy that today’s filming might go awry just like in Round 4.

Jujiseung spoke up.

“I learned it.”

Everyone turned to look at Jujiseung.

“I tried several times to present this in the Korean Cuisine Appreciation program, and I finally succeeded. Once the program wraps up, I plan to upload a recipe video. If you see the original footage of me making it myself, will you believe me?”

Of course, he was a YouTuber.

It’s certainly a common practice in our field to start recording the moment something happens, as we often think about how it could be used later.

This created an undeniable piece of evidence.

Lee Chan-seok’s shock was evident on his face.

“Why did I ask if you were disregarding me? Because I don’t feel you’re worth my time.”

Jujiseung looked at Lee Chan-seok with a face full of disdain.

“What does it matter if you’ve already written down your scores? What’s the point of asking for reasons? You’re convinced I brought a commercial sauce, and you’re not even considering what I’m saying, right? Then why should I bother explaining myself in detail?”

Well said.

“Judge Ham Seok-ho asked me how I made the red bean sauce and why I made it. I explained my intentions. The judge in charge of side dishes mentioned that the taste of the stew was clear. I wanted to point out that I added water parsley and shepherd’s purse, which are good for diabetes. I felt a little happy when Judge Omi-kyung recognized that. It felt good to know my food was being acknowledged. But what about you, Lee Chan-seok? You make judgments alone and talk by yourself.”

Jujiseung shook his head.

“There’s no one who communicates like you, Lee Chan-seok. That’s not communication at all.”