Do you ever walk into the Dining Hall, check to see what's being offered and end up settling for a slice of pizza? We understand. Although dining options at NYU Abu Dhabi have been improving lately — shout out to Hadi's foul mudammas — we find it both comforting and sanity-preserving to break the Dining Hall routine every now and then. There are easy ways to go about it: you find a set of essential ingredients that you like to cook with and always have them in store — we're not talking about instant ramen here. Below is a list of what we suggest everyone should have in their cupboards at all times. With these you can try out our recipes, bastardized to minimize prep time while keeping things tasty.

Fatteh: Caramelize onions in olive oil; when soft, add chickpeas — and butter, if you like. Smash garlic and mix into yogurt. Salt to taste at every step. Top with green onions and serve with toasted bread.

Batata Harra: Peel and cube potatoes, roughly 1.5 cm across. Deep-fry until light brown and slightly crispy. Mince cilantro and green chilies; mix with lemon juice. Salt the fried potatoes and top with the sauce. Serve immediately. Drizzle with pomegranate syrup, if you happen to have some. We don’t like it with paprika/cumin/cayenne, but go ahead if you do.

Tuna Burgers: Mash together canned tuna, bread or breadcrumbs, with eggs. Add minced onion and whatever else you think might be good — parsley, garlic, pepper, et cetera. Add in soy sauce and dashi, if you have it. Work with the proportions until you can form wet patties that hold together well. Fry in cooking oil.

Egg Noodles: While you boil the noodles, add hot water to a bowl with a handful of dried mushrooms and leave it until they are fully hydrated. In a separate bowl, mix equal portions of soy sauce and cooking oil. Add a drop of oyster sauce and chili to taste. Finish with a teaspoon of sesame oil, if you happen to have it. Drain noodles and add the sauce; top with sliced mushrooms and chopped green onions and cilantro.

Mediterranean-looking Pasta: Set a large pot of salted water to boil. Sauté onions and garlic in olive oil. Salt and pepper to taste. Add cherry tomatoes, halved. Boil farfalle; drain and combine everything in one pot. While mixing, add crumbled feta cheese and spinach or rocca, which are all available at the Dining Hall. Top with toasted pine nuts, also from the Dining Hall.