Hello, readers! 

I hope you’ve been staying safe, healthy, and engaged during quarantine. To fill the time, many of you have been reading the newspaper, which makes us reporters very happy. The Science Survey’s wonderful EICs also recently published a reassuring advice column for coping with quarantine. Being at home is an opportunity to grow, to help others, and to explore things we’ve always wanted to explore…like cooking!

This new culinary column is my way of spreading some good cheer. I wanted to provide a source of realistic, fun, and delicious recipes from our very own diverse Bronx Science community. The dishes under this Quarantine Cookbook are all from student contributors, and I have been having a lot of fun with cooking them at home. Simple, diverse, and delicious, these dishes are fun to make if you’re getting cabin fever. 

We all feel bored and restless sometimes; hopefully, these recipes can help fill in that gap and fill you up, too.

Bon appétit, 

Montana Lee ’21 ?

P.S. If you want to share a recipe that you love (whether it is familial, fun, or simply delicious) or pictures of your creations, please send them to me at [email protected]. I’d love to see them!

Week of June 22nd, 2020: A Savory Installment of Flaky Scallion Pancakes, Crispy Popcorn Chicken, and Flavorful Broccoli Stir-Fry

Chinese scallion pancakes (vegan) These thin pancakes are simultaneously flaky, chewy, and crisp, with just the right amount of zing from the scallions. They’re incredibly simple to make, although the sticky dough can be a nuisance the first time—I needed my sister’s help to scrape off my “dough gloves.” You’ll only need a few ingredients that are probably already in your pantry, though you might be missing one, as quarantine is making short work of grocery stores’ flour stock. If you do have flour (and I hope you do), all-purpose (AP) or whole-wheat (WW) work well. Since AP yields a more tender and aromatic pancake and WW requires a bit more water, I’d recommend AP for first-timers. Click for a printable version with no pictures or pictures.

Adapted from Souped Up Recipes
Popcorn chicken (by YuZhen Lin ’21) This juicy and wonderfully crispy popcorn chicken is great for dinner with the family. “It’s savory, flavorful, and tender. The coating, especially since it was double-fried, is very crispy,” said Lin. It’s also simple enough for weekdays, not that the weekdays and weekends seem very different anymore…

Click here for the printable version.

Broccoli stir-fry over rice (by Juliet Daniel ’21) This stir-fry is Juliet Daniel’s go-to dish. Easy and hearty, it’s a great option for leftover lunch or small family dinners. “I like how the flavors blend together perfectly. The strong taste of the raw broccoli is mellowed by the other vegetables and meats. It’s also really colorful and pretty,” said Daniel. This is also a flexible recipe; “I never measure out my ingredients when I cook, so this is all just estimates.” Feel free to experiment how you would like!

Click here for the printable version.