In my Week 1 OpEd, I discussed how much the Diner has changed in terms of the variety of food options for students on campus, the reduction of the stations, and limiting the hours has increased the likelihood of purchasing groceries, cooking and eating out — and this has truly shown how much we miss the access to, and the vitality of, our student-staffed resources on campus. Yet students, in lieu of the virus’s negative effect on campus life, are trying to find ways that can connect and bring solidarity among each other. One way students are bringing connectivity into the hearts is through recipe sharing, and group grocery shopping called #QuarantineCooking, it is spread among students through what is commonly known as a chain email, and it reads:

Going back to old times with a recipe exchange! As the world is social distancing right now, many of us are experimenting in our kitchens to help pass the time. So you have been invited to be a part of a #QuarantineCooking recipe exchange!  Yay!

Please send a recipe to the person whose name is in position #1 (even if you don’t know them) and it should be something quick, easy, and without rare ingredients. Actually, the best one is the one you know in your head and can type right now.  Don’t agonize over it… It is the recipe you make when you are short on time.

After you’ve sent your recipe to the person in position #1 below (and only to that person), copy this email into a new email, move my name to the top, and put your name in position #2.  Only my and your name should show when you send your email. Send to 20 friends via BCC.

If you cannot do this within 5 days, let me know so it will be fair to those participating. You should receive 36 recipes. It’s fun to see where they come from!  Seldom does anyone drop out because we all need new ideas.

#QuarantineCooking Notable Student Recipes:

Bún chả recipe by Neomi Ngo

Prep time: 10 min (30 minute fridge time between prep and cook)

Cook time: 20 min

Serving Size: 3 – 4 people

Ingredients:

Pork Patties –

• 1 lb ground pork (70% lean, 30% fat is best, but whatever you got will work!)
• 1 shallot
• 5 cloves of garlic
• ¼ cup Hoisin sauce
• 1 tbsp shredded ginger (optional)
• 2 tbsp green onion
• 1 egg
• 2 tbsp cornstarch
• 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp black pepper
• ½ tsp white sugar

Fish Sauce- just mix everything together

• 1 cup cold, filtered water
•  ½ cup white sugar (yes, THAT much)
•  2 cups fish sauce (preferably Viet Huong or Phu Quoc brand but whatever works)
• 1/3 cup shredded carrots (optional)
•  1 tbsp white cooking vinegar (optional)
•  1 tbsp soy sauce
• 2 tbsp chili garlic sauce (Huy Fong brand if ya got it, more or less depending on your how spicy you want it)
•  ½ tbsp sriracha (optional)
•  1 whole lemon (more or less depending on how sour you want it)

Directions:
Marinating the Pork Patties. Dice up 1 shallot and 5 cloves of garlic, shred and cut up 1 tbsp ginger, cut up 2 tbsp green onion. Throw the shallot, garlic, ginger, and green onion into a bowl with the ground pork, mix together. Add in 1 egg into the mixture, mix. Add in ¼ cup hoisin sauce. Add in 1 tsp chicken bouillon powder, ½ tsp salt, 1 tsp black pepper, ½ tsp white sugar. Add in 2 tbsp cornstarch, this is used to thicken up the mixture so that we can form the patties if your mixture is too loose to form patties, throw in a little more cornstarchFridge the marinated pork for 30 minutes! Pan Frying the Pork Patties Use your hands to form the patties, about palm size wide, about 1 inch thick. Depending on how crispy you want them, you can flatten them out more. Add about ½ inch of oil to your pan, we are pan-frying them, so you don’t need as much oil as frying. When the oil is hot enough, throw in meat patties, don’t overcrowd the pan! Pan fry on each side around 4-5 minutes, make sure the meat is FULLY COOKED. Repeat until all your patties are gone! Serve with rice or noodles, and dress with nuoc mam!

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