Tia Patsavas
Some foods are worth traveling for to savor. Be it tacos in Mexico, or fish ‘n’ chips in Great Britain, true connoisseurs are never limited by their environment.
But in college, students craving international cuisine are often reduced to ordering takeout food: the less authentic alternative to indulgent foreign foods.
Next time you grab the phone to place an order for eggrolls, consider making your own foreign food at home. Whether you crave Italian or Indian, cooking your own international dinner is often less expensive and even more tasty.
These at-home versions of foreign favorites require few ingredients, and are quite simple to prepare. Spice up your diet, and try out these modified, college-proof versions of delicious foreign food.
Egg Drop Soup
You’ll Need: 4 cups chicken broth, 1 t. soy sauce, 1 t. grated, fresh ginger (optional), 2 T flour, 2 lightly beaten eggs, 3 chopped green onions
In a large saucepan, whisk together chicken broth, soy sauce and ginger. Cook over medium heat, and bring to a simmer.
Scoop out about ¼ cup of the broth and pour into a small bowl. Mix with the flour, until flour is dissolved and mixture is thick. Whisk mixture back into the saucepan, and let simmer for two more minutes.
Keeping the soup at a low simmer, slowly pour the eggs into the saucepan in a thin, steady stream, whisking the soup as you pour. The eggs will look like small shreds or strands. While stirring, let soup cook one more minute.
Remove from heat and season with salt and pepper, to taste. Top with the green onion, and serve. Serves 4.
Chicken and Vegetable Empanadas
You’ll need: One package, ready-made pie crusts (two crusts), 1 cup cooked and chopped chicken (about 2 chicken breasts), ⅓ cup chopped onion, ⅓ cup chopped red pepper, ½ cup frozen corn, thawed and cooked, ⅓ – ½ cup shredded cheddar cheese
First, roll out your pie crust, which will serve as the “pocket” for the empanadas. Cut each crust into six equal parts. Roll each part into a ball, then flatten with a rolling pin to form a circle.
Heat 1 T olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add in onion and red pepper. Sauté until onion is softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in corn, and remove from heat. Season with salt and pepper.
In the center of each crust, place 1 spoonful of chicken and 1 spoonful of the vegetable mixture. Sprinkle with a generous pinch of cheese.
Working with one empanada at a time, gently fold over one edge of the crust, forming a half moon. Pinch the seams together so the pocket is tightly secured.
Once all empanadas are assembled, place them one-inch apart on an ungreased baking sheet. For a browned crust, beat together 1 egg with 1 T milk to make an egg wash. Brush each empanada with the mixture.
Bake at 350° for 20-25 minutes, or until empanadas are golden brown. Serve warm, alongside sautéed vegetables or rice. Serves 4.