RECIPE FORMULAS TO GROW YOUR COOKING LITERACY
BY OLIVIA LEGGANS ILLUSTRATION BY KENDALL WIFF
The majority of student-oriented recipes attempt to advertise a dumbed-down version of familiar dishes like pasta and curries by proclaiming quicker preparation and lower cost. Some bypass cooking altogether and suggest students live on overnight oats and yogurt.
Neither is necessarily bad, yet some often feel patronizing and unnecessary. Salads, no-bake cookies, and wraps definitely have a spot on the table. However, by solely promoting casseroles and no-cook meals, students often get the impression that cooking is inaccessible, laborious, and expensive.
In reality, there are a slew of classic meals and dish formulas that yield plenty of bang for your buck. If students were taught how to cook without unnecessary shortcuts, young adults would be more comfortable improvising in the kitchen and better prepared for life after chicken breasts, brown rice, and protein balls.
For those who find boiling an egg daunting, let alone a cohesive, balanced meal, let me introduce the BBC’s world of cooking techniques. From cutting mangoes to caramelizing onions, the BBC offers a free guide for almost all common kitchen tasks.
Additionally, most of these categories give general quantities rather than specific measurements. In the world of baking, precisely measure till your heart’s desire, but in daily cooking, learning how to eyeball amounts helps to save time and learn your taste preferences.
There are several dish formulas that allow for endless combinations, which ultimately ends up saving time and money at the grocery. The first is the pesto-adjacent category.
A true pesto consists of fresh basil, pine nuts, garlic, olive oil, and some version of a hard cheese like parmesan or pecorino, but these parameters can stretch extraordinarily far. The only stipulation is that a blender or food processor is needed if time is tight.
Essentially, any nut (almonds, cashews, pine nuts, walnuts, etc.) blended with olive oil, garlic, salt and some sort of leafy green will eventually turn into a creamy pasta sauce. Do not be afraid to try many shades of green. Everything from broccoli to spinach to cilantro will do the trick. Grated parmesan helps but is not entirely necessary.
Try kale with almonds, garlic, salt, and oil. Boil any type of noodle or pasta available. Heat up the blended mixture in a pan with a couple tablespoons of water (or pasta water). Anything from grated parmesan, cherry tomatoes, or edamame can be added to the sauce. From there, combine the sauce with the pasta. Most ingredient concoctions get along with any meat protein choices. This versatile vegetable/nut/oil pasta dish typically takes 15 minutes at most and feels like a fully satisfying meal rather than a discombobulated plate of veggies. The BBC also has a specific version of this.
The second category is less time and effort, yet also less nutrient-dense: chili oil noodles. These earn a spot on the list simply because they satiate the need for salty, spicy noodles while still applying the practice of substituting and improvising while cooking.
For noodles, a wheat or buckwheat variety, or even instant ramen noodles without the flavor packet (these are great sprinkled on popcorn or roasted potatoes) typically cook the quickest. Heat vegetable oil on high heat, then pour oil over a couple tablespoons of chili flakes, a pinch of sugar, and a sprinkle of salt in a metal bowl and stir. From there, add noodles and combine.
A splash of soy sauce and vinegar or a sprinkle of sesame seeds are also welcome additions to the chili oil mixture. Green onions or shallots can also go a long way. The pure noodles and oil combination never fails, but adding a fried egg, vegetables, or chicken may leave you feeling fuller. Tina Choi (also known as Doobydobap) has a solid chili oil recipe that can be kept on hand and simply reheated to make any variant of a hot chili oil noodle dish.
The third category is tried and true: egg dishes. Do not underestimate the versatility of eggs. Seven-minute soft-boiled eggs, poached eggs, egg and potato pancakes, egg and rice bowls — the list is neverending. Try mixing plain Greek yogurt with minced garlic and salt. Put some poached eggs on top with chili oil and whatever herbs are around.
Nigella Lawson has a beloved çilbir recipe for a variation of this. Alternatively, white rice and soft-boiled eggs with any selection of vegetables and sauces never disappoint. When in doubt, cook an egg.
The fourth option is slightly more specific, yet simple and enjoyable to make. Vietnamese spring rolls, sometimes called summer rolls, fill the role of a fun activity rather than the often draining task of making dinner. Rice paper rounds can be found at most grocery stores — even Jefferson Market carries them.
After dipping the rice paper in water to soften, fill the round with any array of vegetables or protein. Pork belly, shrimp, rice noodles, and mint are typical, but adding carrots, cucumber, or other herbs keeps things interesting. Hoisin or peanut sauces are also common. An assembly line style preparation with a big group of people ends up churning out enough of these rolls to keep everyone full.
This last dish category is roasts. This may seem slightly intimidating for those that haven’t worked with whole pieces of meat-based proteins, yet it is actually less intensive and more convenient than all of the previous categories.
Beef chuck with carrots, onions, potatoes, herbs, and water or beef stock in a large pot or crockpot is an all-time favorite of mine. Not only does it last for days, but it only takes about 15 minutes of active preparation time. A whole roast chicken needs slightly more love and care in the oven but is a relatively simple, yet formidable dish. Angela Hartnett’s recipe for roast chicken combined with roasted potatoes, onions, and carrots makes for a warm Sunday evening meal.
All in all, affordable and accessible cooking as a college student is about transforming common ingredients into meals that are still varied and customizable. The answer is not coddling young people or underestimating their potential to learn basic kitchen skills. With an almost overwhelming amount of cooking content and recipe circulation, there are seemingly endless resources to find your bearings in the kitchen.
