Dunespike Pudding

A simple yet incredible variable dish...like a blank canvas that holds the potential to host a masterpiece.
And if you are on good terms with the cook you don't even have to exchange your tongue after the meal.
~ Linguar "Razortongue", Agsimer gourmet

Originating from the Curnias Oasis-City of Serpev Oevalf, Dunespike Pudding is a simple yet tasty dish made from soft-boiled cactus needles, which forms the central cornerstones of the city's cuisine.
For while Dunespike Pudding by itself is nothing special its mild taste allows it to be easily combined with various different spices, herbs, and condiments in order to create a dazzling amount of variants, whose flavors can range from the simple over the exotic to the outright bizarre.

Manufacturing process

One only truly understands that no good things can come from a decision driven by impatience after one has tried to eat a portion of Dunespike before it had finished soaking.
~ A popular saying among the citizens of Serpev Oevalf

At its most basic Dunespike Pudding is made by soaking up to half a kilogram of cactus needles in a vat filled with water and various plant saps such as cactus juice or milk dream resin.
Depending on how "pulpy" the final product should be the needles might be soaked within these liquids for up to 1 week with the minimum duration being roughly 48 hours, in order to ensure that all of the needles are properly softened to be safe for consumption.
At different time points during this process, various different "flavor-giving" substances, such as dried bark, roasted plant seeds, or fruit skins are added to the needle pulp, some of which might even be removed again after some time to prevent their aroma from overpowering that of other ingredients.
After the pulp has been sufficiently soaked and flavored it is already for consumption, though most people tend to first add further spices and herbs to the Pudding in order to adjust the pulps taste to their own preferences.
Once these final seasoning has been added to Pudding the final dish is then either eaten cold or shortly heated up over an open fire and eaten warm.

Significance

Given its prominent position within the local cuisine and the fact that the Curnias place great cultural and social importance on their foods, Dunespike Pudding plays an important role within the society of Serpev Oevalf.
Because of this, it is not uncommon for the city's inhabitants to refer to each other as Sut'nes-Suga'hpitlup ("Eater of Thronpulp"), and to their city-state as the "City of Sweetened Thorns".

Item type

Consumable, Food / Drink

Rarity

Commonplace within Serpev Oevalf itself, and thanks to the efforts of the Kangcai’en the dish can also be encountered in other regions of Cenorad.

Raw materials & Components

The main ingredient for Dunespike Pudding are cleaned and washed cactus needles, belonging to a special type of cactus.
Some variants of the dish also replace some or all of the cactus needle with either rose thorns or hedgehog-blossom spikes.

A Game of Thorns

"Bloodmouth" or "Liar's Tongue" is a popular game commonly played by the adolescent members of various species in order to display their bravery, luck...or stupidity depending on who one asks.
The game is played by adding a single uncooked cactus needle to a large portion of finished pudding after which it is thoroughly mixed and divided up into several bite-sized portions.
After these portions which are also referred to as "Truths" are prepared the participants begin to take turns eating them, while also telling little "facts" about themselves.
The game usually ends when an unlucky individual "speaks a lie", resulting in the cactus needle piercing either their tongue or cheek.
Though there are also variants where the game only ends when all but one participant quit the game after multiple rounds of play.
Given that all Curnias with the exception of the Rege'ja absolutely abhor blood while regarding plant-based foods as sacred, performing or just mentioning this game in their presence, is a sure-fire way to end up as cactus fertilizer.

by PDPics