Chiaki leaned against the stainless steel counter, eyes alight with curiosity. "Should we start with appetizers?"
Rina shook her head, a knowing smile playing on her lips. "No, we're making 'The Sweet Ovum' first. They need freezing time."
She picked up two perfectly ripe mangoes, their skin smooth and fragrant with summer sweetness. Setting them on the cutting board, she sliced them cleanly, letting the golden flesh reveal itself like sunlight trapped in velvet.
"For the purée, ripe mangoes are key," Rina remarked casually, scooping the flesh into a blender. "You want that perfect balance of sweetness and acidity."
The machine purred to life, transforming the tender fruit into a thick, glistening purée. It shimmered like gold silk. Rina poured the purée into a bowl, diluted it slightly with water, then measured out exactly five grams of calcium lactate. She stirred it in briskly.
"Calcium lactate stabilizes the texture," she explained. "It helps create that bounce we're going for."
As the white powder disappeared into the vibrant mix, the purée took on a glossy sheen, as if awakening into something more alive.
She then prepared a separate bowl—1,000 milliliters of water, into which she whisked ten grams of sodium alginate until the liquid turned into a silky, particle-free solution.
From a small piping bag filled with the mango purée, Rina snipped a tiny opening.
She gently squeezed the piping bag, slowly coaxing the mango purée into a delicate sphere atop a small spoon. With careful hands, she lowered the spoon into the sodium alginate bath. The sphere drifted beneath the surface, gradually encased in a transparent membrane.
"Wow!" Chiaki gasped. "They really do look like egg yolks!"
Rina chuckled, handing her the piping bag.
"Try it. It's easier than it looks."
Chiaki eagerly took the bag, her fingertips lightly touching the opening as she began her attempt. Her gaze was focused, her movements slow and careful, with each press done with great delicacy, as if she were sculpting a precious work of art. With every gentle squeeze, the mango puree slowly took shape, and gradually, ten perfect "egg yolks" emerged under her skilled hands.
About a minute later, Rina swiftly scooped the "egg yolks" out and placed them into a bowl of clean water, letting them soak gently for two minutes. A faint shimmer appeared on the water's surface. Then, she carefully scooped them up and arranged them on a plate.
"Now for the egg whites," she said, reaching for a can of coconut milk. She poured it into a measuring cup, releasing a subtle tropical fragrance.
Two sheets of gelatin soaked briefly in cold water before being folded into the coconut milk. Rina stirred gently, letting them dissolve without applying heat—preserving the milk's delicate freshness.
Next came the cream. She poured it into a mixing bowl and began to whisk. Gradually, it thickened, forming elegant peaks. She paused, eyeing the texture.
"Perfect," she murmured. "Soft peaks—just firm enough to hold shape."
She folded the whipped cream into the coconut base, slow and precise, until the mixture turned smooth and glossy—like clouds trapped in silk.
Then, with a steady hand, she poured the mousse into round egg molds and slid the tray into the fridge.
"They'll set quickly," she said with a calm smile.
When the time came, Rina retrieved the now-firm mousse and began plating. Two pristine white "egg whites" on each plate, and at their center, a golden mango sphere. It was an illusion—a sweet deception crafted to perfection.
Chiaki's eyes widened.
"It looks… just like a real sunny-side up egg! This is molecular gastronomy? It's incredible!"
"It's actually one of the basics," Rina replied. "I thought about doing something more complex, but since Yamada-san has never tried molecular cooking, I figured this illusion would be the perfect introduction. Just imagine his face when he sees it."
She placed the three plates gently in the fridge, then turned—only to find Chiaki staring longingly at the leftover mango spheres.
"Can I eat one now?" Chiaki asked, eyes pleading.
Rina smiled and nodded.
"Of course."
Before the words had fully left her mouth, Chiaki had picked one up and popped it into her mouth.
At the first bite, the thin membrane gave way with a satisfying pop, releasing the silky mango purée inside. Her eyes fluttered closed as the sweet tang bloomed across her tongue, and a soft sigh escaped her lips.
"Wow…" she whispered, voice trailing like a dream. "It's so good. Sweet, smooth, and a little bouncy—like a fruit bubble bursting in your mouth."
Rina leaned against the counter, arms folded, a quiet pride in her gaze.
"That's the magic of The Sweet Ovum. The shell's elasticity comes from the reaction between alginate and calcium. But real molecular gastronomy isn't just about looks or texture—it's about using science to reimagine the soul of food."