Cooking strategies to help you eat well, even in the middle of your busy week.
Story by Thao Bui
Multimedia by Thao Bui & Albert Jung

Cooking every day can be a hassle when you have a busy schedule and a tight budget. I always find it easier to grab food from various restaurants around campus after school. However, the cost of dining out adds up and the quality is sometimes questionable. This chicken stew recipe is perfect for college students who want to eat well and don’t have a large budget for food. Mix up this meal by using beef or make it a vegetarian dish. Enjoy!

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Chicken Soup

Makes eight servings
Ingredients:

• 2 pounds of chicken thigh or chicken breast
• 3 tablespoons of cooking oil
• 3 peeled potatoes
• 1 can of sliced carrot
• 2 cans of sweet corn
• 1 can of green peas
• 1 big can of tomato sauce
• 1 small can of tomato paste
• 3 fresh tomatoes cut to small cubes
• 2 clover of garlic minced
• Water
• Sugar, salt, and fish sauce to taste

Directions:

1. Heat cooking oil in a big cooking pot. Add garlic and wait until the garlic turns brown.
2. Add chicken. Stir-fry until the meat is half-cooked. About ten to fifteen minutes. Allow more time to cook if not using boneless chicken.
3. Stir in tomatoes, green peas, sweet corn, and sliced carrot in a different pan. Taste with salt.
4. Mix the chicken and vegetables in the big pot. Add tomato sauce, tomato paste and some water. Taste with salt and fish sauce. Cook for forty-five minutes on medium heat.
5. Serve hot with steamed rice or French bread. Add hot sauce for extra spiciness.