Trying 7 Easy Viewer-Submitted Snacks with "Karakuchi Zero Ball": The 2nd Drinking Snack Championship

According to Ryuji, the previous installment surpassed 3 million views, and almost no other series grows that much. This time, too, so many submissions came in that it was hard to choose. Ryuji's own take is that the channel has many viewers who love drinking, and many of them know a lot about drinking snacks.

The previous Karakuchi Zero Ball tasted close to a highball, but this one is ginger ale flavored. Many people order ginger ale at an izakaya when they can't drink alcohol. It was explained that the drink was made with the idea that a dry Zero Ball in ginger ale flavor would pair well with food. The taste is said to be zingy and spicy, with restrained sweetness.

The screen also showed that it has zero in four categories: sugar, purines, calories and sweeteners. Trying it for the first time, Ryuji said it was "not sweet at all." Ryuji dislikes unnecessary sweeteners and had been worried about what to do if it turned out cloyingly sweet. The cast agreed that it also gives a proper sense of having a drink, and the tasting began with a glass in hand.

To make it, you melt a generous amount of butter in a frying pan, add shredded dried squid, mix well, and it's done once the squid has absorbed the butter and browned. None of the cast had ever stir-fried shredded squid in butter before. The submitter's comment said the charred flavor of the squid and the butter spreading in a juicy burst are what make it delicious, and that the key is to get a good char on it.

Even while it was cooking, the cast exclaimed at how strong the aroma was, and on tasting it the praise kept coming: "This is way too good," "Whoever came up with this is a genius." The verdict was that even though the only ingredients are shredded squid and butter, it goes very well with Zero Ball. Shichimi pepper was also suggested for switching up the flavor.

Rating: S. Ryuji said the dish's greatest strength is how ridiculously little effort it takes. The reasoning: since all you do is stir-fry it, it's easy for drinkers to try.

Sliced young ginger is wrapped in prosciutto together with sliced cheese and shiso leaves. Finish with black pepper and olive oil and it's done. It requires no heat, just wrapping.

After tasting it, one cast member asked, "Why don't izakayas serve this?" The staff pointed out that the olive oil at the end mellows the flavor, and that ginger goes well with a ginger ale–flavored drink. The assessment was that the accent of young ginger and the freshness of shiso added to prosciutto and cheese make it a great match for Karakuchi Zero Ball.

Ryuji described this dish as "the ultimate addition." Young ginger and prosciutto are each delicious on their own. Ryuji said one could think of combining prosciutto, cheese and shiso, but the idea of adding young ginger to that was great, and even admitted to being "a little frustrated." The fact that it needs no heat and only wrapping also contributed to its high score.

This recipe is simply putting "Sushinoko" into a bag of "Kata-age Potato" chips and shaking it. Most of the cast didn't know what Sushinoko was. Ryuji, while saying they hadn't used it much either, explained that it's a powder you mix into rice to make sushi rice. In other words, you're making sour potato chips.

Adding about 2/3 of a teaspoon per bag coated everything thoroughly. They look like ordinary potato chips, but on tasting, the sourness was well received as going nicely with the ginger ale–flavored Zero Ball. The cast wondered why anyone would put Sushinoko on potato chips, and joked that it might have been born from a mistake.

During the rating, someone remarked that with nothing but high ratings, "this isn't really a championship." The staff said they wanted to try it at home with other potato chips too. The view was also offered that it's precisely the crunchy bite of Kata-age Potato that brings out the Sushinoko.

The submitted dish involves putting water, miso, egg, tofu and so on into a pot, and it's done once the egg is cooked through; the submitter added that it's also delicious with shiokara instead of tofu. Since Ryuji likes shiokara, they made the version with shiokara. Ryuji also explained that the dish is originally made with shellfish, and presumably shiokara is used in its place.

Using aluminum foil as a vessel, add a small amount of water, miso and about 2 teaspoons of shiokara, and put it over heat. When it starts bubbling, add the egg, and once it sets into a crumbly texture, it's done. Ryuji said that although it uses heat, it counts as easy.

On tasting, someone asked, "Why isn't this more widespread?" The impression was that the shiokara and miso come through strongly, and the flavor is so bold that even a tiny pinch keeps the drinks flowing. Ryuji said that even though this is a promotion for Karakuchi Zero Ball, it also goes well with sake, and the cast agreed.

During the rating, the phrase "way too much inflation" came up. One staff member revealed they were only writing down whether to add a "plus" to an S. The cast described the run of high-level dishes as "a summit showdown" and "a World Cup that started on its own." One staff member said they like slowly sipping drinks with something like this.

Add mayonnaise, black pepper and a little lemon juice to a ripe avocado, mash it into a coarse paste, and toss it with baby leaves and salad chicken. Ryuji added 2–3 tablespoons of mayonnaise and noted that you can adjust the amount of avocado to taste. It turned out looking quite stylish.

The cast who ate it were surprised that it didn't taste like convenience-store salad chicken. Someone also suggested it would be good on crackers. The baby leaves were especially praised for providing a crisp texture and removing any sense of corner-cutting. The accent of lemon juice was also well received.

On the other hand, there was some difference in enthusiasm in the ratings. One staff member said they had no complaints but personally preferred dishes like the miso one. Ryuji said it was a fully finished dish that wouldn't feel out of place as an appetizer at a restaurant, and gave it a very high score as an avocado recipe. Another staff member said it was very much to their taste, comparing it to eating a KFC sandwich. The idea that it would also be delicious made into a sandwich came up too.

This recipe is just opening a convenience-store egg sandwich, spreading a thin layer of "Gohan desu yo" on it, and closing it back up. The cast were surprised even before making it by the unconventional combination of using something meant for rice on bread.

After tasting, the reactions kept coming: "How is this possible?" Ryuji said the person who came up with it must be a serious drinker, given how well it goes with alcohol. Amid chatter about their favorite convenience-store egg sandwiches, the cast marveled one after another: "What kind of mind comes up with this?" "I want to hear the story behind its development," "Why is a genius like this out in the wild?"

During the rating, the emphasis was on how effortless it is and how easily you can try it just by heading to a convenience store right now. Ryuji said you might imagine it tasting like a side dish for rice, but once you eat it you understand it's a drinking snack. Ryuji also joked about sending the submitter a DM.

This recipe, introduced as being from "Anonymous," was actually Ryuji's own submission. Mix natto with its included mustard and sauce plus grated garlic, top with butter and pizza cheese and bake, then finish with black pepper and seasoned salt. Ryuji laughed about immaturely coming in to win and revealed it was made to pair with Zero Ball.

Put 2 packs of natto in an aluminum foil vessel, add the mustard and 2 cloves of grated garlic, and mix well. Natto and intense garlic are said to go really well together. Rather than baking it on the bread, the method is to bake it in the vessel and dip the bread into it; it was topped with butter and cheese and baked, and where it lacked browning, it was seared with a torch. Ryuji also mentioned that being able to cut things with scissors instead of a knife is an advantage.

At the tasting, the substantial chunky texture and the savoriness of the beans were praised. Some said they'd like it made with medium-grain natto, and others thought Tabasco would go well with it too. Along the way, the cast brought up again that Karakuchi Zero Ball is zero in four categories. A staff member remarked that it's surprising how much fun you can have even without alcohol. In the rating, the combination of butter, cheese and garlic was called "too powerful" and "unfair," and it was described as "the quintessential Buzz Recipe."

The last one is a recipe where you just combine mentaiko, chopped green onion and tenkasu, drizzle in a swirl of sesame oil, and mix. According to the submission, the key is to add a large amount of tenkasu. Ryuji made it using a tenkasu product they have a sponsorship deal with. As it was mixed, the mentaiko clung to the tenkasu and everything came together.

The cast who ate it said the tenkasu and sesame oil make up for everything the mentaiko lacks on its own. Some said it tastes like mentaiko tempura, and talk turned to how it would also be good over rice. Surprised that something so simple could taste this good, they told each other, "Today is crazy" and "There were nothing but geniuses." Its wide range of possible variations was also rated as useful.

Finally, each cast member announced their personal top three. Since they couldn't settle on just a first place, they named up to third.

The first staff member's picks were: 3rd, Natto Garlic Cheese Baguette; 2nd, Mentaiko and Tenkasu; 1st, Prosciutto-Wrapped Young Ginger. They said they chose based on how brilliant the idea was in addition to the taste.

The second staff member's picks were: 3rd, Prosciutto-Wrapped Young Ginger; 2nd, Butter-Grilled Shredded Squid; 1st, Tohoku-Style Kaiyaki Miso. They explained that they imagined having a drink alone at home and chose the ones that painted a happy picture.

Ryuji's picks were: 3rd, their own Natto Garlic Cheese Baguette; 2nd, Tohoku-Style Kaiyaki Miso; 1st, Tamago desu yo. As the reason for putting Tamago desu yo first, Ryuji cited anger at themself for not having thought of it. The assessment was that it ranked top for convenience and ease of trying, in addition to the quality of the idea. Of the Tohoku-Style Kaiyaki Miso, Ryuji said that while it takes a bit of effort, the flavor is outstanding, and honestly they'd like izakayas to serve it. Ryuji then reflected that they still have a lot of training to do.

Looking back, the cast noted that this time had the most S ratings ever. Ryuji said drinking snacks with a little homemade touch are a good thing, and that it might be nice to have a day like this once a week. Since there were also many ideas that couldn't be featured, Ryuji mentioned the possibility of introducing them on the Buzz Recipe channel in something like a second round. Finally, the cast encouraged viewers to enjoy drinking snacks at home while drinking Karakuchi Zero Ball, thanked the submitters, and wrapped up the segment.