The Chinese Designer in Brooklyn Who Can’t Cook Rice
April 01 2020
Name: Julia Margaret Lu
Age: 25
Occupation: Architectural Designer & Freelance Writer/Editor
Location: Brooklyn, NYC
No. of days in quarantine: 17!
Quarantine happy hour drink of choice: a mug of warm water
^-^
Ideal quarantine partner (real or imagined): a golden retriever
Most ambitious cooking project attempted: a coconut green Thai curry chicken fricassee
What has being in quarantine taught you about cooking? Describe a typical day of cooking in quarantine, your favorite meal that you’ve cooked, your failures, attempts, and the lessons you learned (or didn’t learn)
Quarantine Day 17. Corn Pops for breakfast. (Gotta have my pops!)
Food has been more challenging than expected. Making it, not so much, but acquiring groceries safely and infrequently has been a source of anxiety throughout the week. With all the “free time” I have now that my company has been closed, I spend half my time either cooking, eating, or thinking about what I’m going to eat next.
Prior to quarantine I rarely cooked at home, I just didn’t have the time or went out with friends. Now I’ve been cooking all my meals and I strongly dislike ordering delivery. My last outside meal was Shake Shack to-go and while it was delicious and indulgent, I think I pulled a chest muscle while eating it. Talk about a sign from a higher power.
In my lower-middle class neighborhood in Brooklyn, there are bodegas on every corner and one supermarket a block away. Just last week the supermarket started limiting the number of people inside the store at any one time, causing lines to build up that I immediately avoid and return home. I’m also afraid of unfriendly (racist) eyes on the street and grocery store clerks who don’t wear face masks. But while I absolutely loathe Jeff Bezos, Amazon Fresh + Whole Foods has been the only grocery source in Brooklyn to have everything I need. So I’ve been closing my eyes and ordering $50 of groceries to get free delivery once a week, and I receive everything the next day. This is not a sponsored post.
That being said, Amazon Fresh does not have any Chinese groceries listed and I live too far away from any of the 9 Chinatowns in NYC to have stocked up on any Chinese comfort food. No ramen, no dumplings, no bok choy :(
I’ve been learning to make really yum leftover/whatever’s-in-the-fridge meals, thanks to a variety of copious seasoning and flexible staples. Tomorrow I might do another cilantro chicken soup to use up my bounty of cilantro before it starts to wilt. It helps that I am cooking multiple times every day because I’m always afraid of wasting food.
My coconut Thai curry chicken fricassee is a completely hacked riff of the classic French recipe that calls for delightful pearl onions, cream, and other things I don’t have. I browned two chicken thighs in a cast iron pan while reducing coconut milk, white wine, and Thai green curry paste together in a dutch oven. There were carrots and potatoes involved I think. I don’t follow recipes when I cook and I don’t measure anything. This got me in trouble with the last guy I dated who was a meticulous recipe follower.
The only thing I measure is rice. But for some reason the only great pot of rice I’ve made has been at the hand of an Uzbek friend. Every pot of rice I’ve made comes out too wet. And yesterday I accidentally measured half the amount of rice to water. And I’ve only recently learned what number on my electric stove dial will deliver a nice simmer. Honestly this is really embarrassing, I can’t even figure out a recipe for rice! But I will conquer my shame and bring you perfect rice next time around.
Come over for dinner when we’re allowed to see each other again! You can bring the rice.
