This is a different note than what you guys are talking about but
Who allowed a recipe like that to be published? Even with the same general concept and aiming for low calories, it can be way better with a few substitutions. Why would you ever use oats for something like this? If you want low calories, lentils will synergize with the flavors better AND have lower calorie count proportionate to nutritional value. And spinach? I assume it's being used purely for nutritional value since it doesn't fit the flavor profile at all, but you can still go with chard to get flavor that goes well with curry spices, and has more fiber as well. This would allow you to chicken instead of prawns if you're still aiming for 400 calories, and remove what I assume was the reason to add bouillon though honestly it's a ridiculous thing to do to a curry in any situation. Quite apart from the fact that cooking the spices and ingredients together allows the flavors to suffuse each other properly, what's the meaning of calling it a curry recipe then?
Speaking of ridiculous, this curry recipe lists curry roux as an ingredient? If it just tells you to add a pre-made curry, how is it a curry recipe? And if you used the butter from the roux directly, you could just cook the oats/lentils separately and cook the rest in the butter in a pan and combine later, to avoid drowning the veggies and meats and maybe even go for a slight char. I know when the Japanese think of curry they really mean stew, but a "dry curry" is still supposed to mean actual curry.
Also, using a blender instead of chopping ingredients is some depression cooking. If your mental health is in such a state that chopping ingredients is a hurdle you cannot pass, use a blender. Otherwise, only use a blender for things that should be blended, not things that should be chopped. Food processors exist for a reason, although as long as your knife is sharp you'll still get a better result chopping by hand.
You guys are right about the weight issue, I didn't even notice because she's drawn as kinda flabby but what she needs is clearly exercise, not diet. If she's looking flabby at that weight, she must have almost no muscle mass. That would also explain why her metabolism is so low that she feels like she gets fat while eating not that much, and feels the need to do excessive things like only eating salad or even going to a 1200Cal/day diet. As a side note, this kind of thing is apparently a pretty common problem in Japan and part of why they're so susceptible to minor illnesses like colds.
Honestly, this feels like the mangaka is just writing her own thoughts without any actual underlying knowledge. It's not a health manga, it's not really a yuri manga (maybe it will be but I wouldn't count on it) and as a food manga it leaves a lot to be desired. I will probably read at least a few chapters more because the characters are fun and interesting, and see where it goes from here, but if the recipes are like this I'm liable to have a conniption over every single one.
Excellent critique. I had many of the same thoughts myself, particularly about the oats being replaced with lentils (possibly because I am eating lentil tacos this week). If we get more chapters from this manga, I hope you will stick around and provide corrections for all the recipes. It would be a great help to many, I am sure.
