The sun spilled generously over the rooftops of Elderwood, dappling the cobbled street in hues of gold. The midmorning breeze carried the faint scent of spices from Noura's open kitchen window—warm turmeric, smoky candlenut, and the comforting sharpness of garlic being crushed with a stone mortar. It was a slow day, with only a few villagers seated under the woven straw awning of Noura's Kitchen, stirring their bowls and chatting idly.
Noura was wiping down the counter when she heard the unmistakable creak of worn leather boots and the clatter of metal against metal. She looked up just in time to see a tall young man duck under the awning, his dusty brown cloak swaying behind him like a wind-blown curtain. A sword was strapped to his back, and two satchels—one likely for maps and one suspiciously shaped like a lunch bag—hung from his belt.
"I smell... heaven," the man declared, stopping in front of the counter with a dramatic sniff. His green eyes sparkled mischievously beneath a messy mop of sun-kissed brown hair. "Please tell me that's semur ayam I smell. And if it is, please tell me you're selling it by the bucket."
Noura blinked. "Uh... we don't have buckets, but I can get you a big bowl."
"Make it two. For now. I might need more."
She raised an eyebrow, amused. "Hungry?"
He placed a hand on his chest. "Hungry? Miss, I have three stomachs. One for regular food, one for delicious food, and one just for emergency cravings. Today, all three are empty."
Lira, sweeping nearby, let out a snort of laughter. "Looks like you've got competition, Noura."
With a chuckle, Noura ladled two generous portions of semur ayam—tender chicken in thick soy-spiced gravy—into deep bowls. She added a handful of fresh krupuk beside them and passed them over. The man took the first bite and groaned so dramatically that a nearby cat darted away.
"By the stars," he mumbled between mouthfuls. "Did I just die and come back reincarnated into the god of tastebuds?"
"Name's Elias," he added after a loud swallow. "Adventurer, explorer, occasional troublemaker. And you, chef of my dreams, are?"
"Noura."
He set his bowl down and extended a hand, which she shook with a polite smile. "Pleasure to meet you, Noura. I've eaten in mountain taverns, jungle outposts, and desert markets, but this... this is something else."
"You flatter easily," she teased.
"No, I eat easily. Flattery comes naturally when I'm not fainting from hunger."
He finished the first bowl in what felt like two breaths and immediately started on the second. He spoke while chewing, an offense in many places, but somehow Elias made it seem more like an impromptu food review.
"So," he said with his mouth half full, "I'm guessing you're not from around here. That spice blend—nutmeg? Cinnamon?—doesn't grow anywhere near this region."
"Jakarta," she answered before thinking. Then added quickly, "A distant place. Far from here."
His eyes twinkled, but he didn't pry. "Well, you've brought magic with you. Literal culinary sorcery."
The afternoon passed with the kind of ease Noura had come to treasure. Customers came and went, and Elias, instead of disappearing like most adventurers after a meal, lingered. He helped carry crates, entertained children with tales of cave monsters and flying lizards, and even scrubbed a few pots without being asked.
"You sure you're not here to steal my recipes?" Noura asked as she handed him a clean towel.
"Tempting," he replied, "but I prefer earning meals, not stealing them. Besides, even if I knew the ingredients, I doubt I could make it taste the same."
When the lunch rush ended, Elias pulled a folded map from his satchel and pointed at a place near the forested edge of the kingdom.
"I was planning to head here next week. There's a guild posting for medicinal herbs, but I heard the area's a bit risky—stray beasts and such. I'll need to restock supplies and maybe pick up a few meals to-go. Mind if I spread the word at the adventurer's guild? You'd have customers lining up."
Noura hesitated. Her eatery had only just started gaining traction. Could she handle an influx of wandering warriors with unpredictable appetites and even more unpredictable manners?
Elias saw her hesitation. "I can help manage them. Act as a... food bouncer. Or mascot."
She laughed. "Mascot?"
"Sure. I'll even wear a carrot costume if that's what it takes."
"No need," she said, smiling. "But thank you."
There was a pause. The comfortable kind.
Then Elias asked, quieter, "You always cook alone?"
She nodded. "I have help sometimes. Lira, Mika, a few others. But yeah, mostly it's me."
"You ever get lonely?"
The question landed like a spoon tapping a porcelain bowl—soft, but noticeable.
"I have my food," she said. Then added, "And people like you who suddenly show up claiming to have three stomachs."
He grinned. "Ah, so I'm special."
"Let's say... unique."
That evening, after the last customer left, Noura stood at her counter, reviewing her inventory. Elias was helping wipe the tables, still chatty and full of energy.
"You're like a wind-up doll that never stops," she said.
"I'm fueled by flavor. Speaking of which, what's that you're prepping now?"
She gestured at a tray. "A new dish. Thought I'd test it out tomorrow."
Elias leaned in, sniffed, and raised both brows. "Is that coconut milk? And chili?"
"Yes. It's called sayur lodeh. It's a vegetable stew made with young jackfruit, eggplant, long beans, and tofu, all simmered in spiced coconut milk."
She explained while stirring the pot gently. "It's comforting, filling, and perfect after a long day of travel."
Elias dipped a finger, tasted a bit of the sauce, and his eyes lit up.
"Marry me."
Noura almost dropped the ladle.
"I mean, uh—" Elias laughed awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck. "I meant, if food was a person, I'd propose to it. That stew, in particular. Beautiful, rich, a little spicy. Just like someone I know."
Noura shook her head, hiding her smile. "Smooth."
"I try." He tilted his head. "But seriously, if this is what you serve tomorrow, I might camp outside your stall tonight."
"You'll scare off the cats."
"Then I'll feed them sayur lodeh. We'll be a gang."
They laughed together as the night deepened, and lanterns began to glow across the village square. A calm hush settled over the space, but in Noura's chest, a flicker of warmth remained—one that had nothing to do with the cooking fire.
Recipe: Sayur Lodeh
Ingredients:
200g young jackfruit (cubed)
100g eggplant (sliced)
100g long beans (cut into 5 cm pieces)
100g firm tofu (cubed and fried)
400ml coconut milk
2 bay leaves
2 kaffir lime leaves
1 stalk lemongrass (bruised)
Salt and sugar to taste
Spice Paste:
4 shallots
3 garlic cloves
2 red chilies (adjust for heat)
2 candlenuts
1 tsp coriander seeds
1 thumb-sized piece of galangal
Blend the spice paste ingredients. Sauté until fragrant. Add coconut milk, lemongrass, bay leaves, and kaffir lime leaves. Add vegetables and tofu. Simmer on low heat for 20–30 minutes until vegetables are tender. Adjust seasoning.
Serve hot with rice—and maybe with a chatty adventurer who claims to have three stomachs.
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