Asian Comfort Food On A Budget

As fall weather settles in, chilly air and leaf strewn paths evoke childhood memories of toasted spices, rice simmering upon the stove, and autumn days wrapped in the comfort of home cooked dishes. For university students who grew up eating Asian food on a regular basis and for anyone who enjoys Asian food, the fall season is a perfect occasion for all to warm up to a vast array of comforting and flavorful Asian dishes. However, eating out can be quite costly. Don’t despair, and look no further! Below is a list of Asian dishes for college students that are quick and cost effective but don’t sacrifice on flavor. In need of ingredients? Don’t forget to support your local Asian grocery stores!

Gyeran Bap

Eric Kim of the New York Times recommends, Gyeran Bap, a go to Korean pantry meal that is remarkably simple but amazingly satisfying. Simply brown about a ½ tbsp of butter and cook two eggs with a tsp each of soy sauce and sesame oil for a nutty and yolky fried egg. Serve with a cup of steamed rice, the sauce drippings from the pan, and a packet of roasted seaweed. The beauty of this dish is that it can easily be customized with additional toppings such as chili oil, scallions, kimchi, or whatever you like best. 

Chaat Masala Chickpeas

Chaat masala is a delightful Indian spice blend with a world of possibilities. Although chaat typically refers to an appetizer or a savory snack (I like to put chaat masala on my popcorn), chaat masala can be used in meals as well. Although the spice blend cannot perfectly replace the traditional ingredients and preparations of chana masala (chickpea curry), it can still provide a warm, flavorful dish. Finely chop an onion and saute it with some oil until soft, stir in a paste of chaat and water, and cook it with the onions on low heat until the chaat is no longer gritty. Finally, add a drained can of chickpeas to coat in the masala. Add salt to taste—keeping in mind that chaat is already salty—and feel free to garnish with fresh coriander or add garlic in the cooking process.  

Sesame-Ginger Chicken Noodle Soup

Chef Sue Li has developed a warming noodle soup evocative of Taiwanese instant ramen. It serves four, so it is a great shareable meal, but can be easily modified to serve just one. Ingredients include 2 tbsp sesame oil, 2 chicken breasts, salt, a 2 inch knob of ginger, ¼ cup of rice cooking wine, ramen noodles, scallion, and pepper. Cook your chicken in the sesame oil along with your ginger over medium heat until they are golden brown. Add your cooking wine and once it is reduced by half, add 6 cups of water, bringing it to a boil. Then, cover your pot and let the broth simmer on medium-low and develop flavor for about half an hour. Once the broth is done, strain out the ginger, shred your chicken into the broth, and add cooked ramen noodles. Garnish with scallions, thinly sliced ginger, pepper, sesame oil, and chile. To veganize the recipe, I would recommend sliced tofu pan seared with chili oil as a substitute for the chicken which can be added at the end. Instead of water, consider using vegetable stock to develop the flavor chicken would otherwise provide.