As an undergraduate, I’m no stranger to cheap, cheerful and quick food. University life means you are often on the go and there’s not much time to spend on cooking. Sure, I’ve had success heating up frozen nuggets, but anything beyond that feels like an impenetrable and daunting minefield of brick-like cookbooks and complicated online recipes. Where is the fun?
This is where TikTok’s well-established network of foodies come in handy. When most people think of TikTok, the first thing that springs to mind is likely to be the neverending content of the latest dance crazes. But the video-sharing network has become a guide to useful life hacks, not just a source of entertainment. Like a secret box of tricks, it’s been equipping young people with tips and skills on how to survive in the real world.
Personally, a skill I believe I lack is cooking. The foodies who can be found under the hashtags #foodtok and #foodtiktok grace the platform with recipes, from simple to outlandish, explained through short, snappy tutorials that often include affordable and widely available foods such as pasta and noodles. And with interesting, quirky dishes available, learning to cook didn’t feel like a chore, but rather an enjoyable and unique journey.
I began by making something easy: the “TikTok ramen” – a simple take on the popular dish. Following instructions from popular TikTok account Foodies, on a video with a staggering 2.1m likes, I started by preparing the noodles. Next, I added butter, garlic, chilli flakes, soy sauce and brown sugar to a frying pan. Finally, I dropped in the noodles, an egg, Everything But the Bagel seasoning, and my meal was ready. An unexpected combo, perhaps, but one that worked a treat – it can be whipped up in no time and, crucially, was fun to make.
The noodle-related adventures didn’t stop there. My girlfriend Vicky and I also tried a recipe courtesy of German TikTok creator @foodkagechris. The chef, who has 1.4 million followers, showed us how to prepare a “ramen burger”.
Simply make a ball of cooked noodles, add grated cheddar, mozzarella and an egg. Place this in a frying pan and push down into the shape of a bun. Finally, add your beef (or plant-based) burger, ketchup and seasoning and you’re set. I was taken aback by how well it worked. Next, it was time for an unconventional pudding.
Another food trend taking TikTok by storm is baked feta pasta. You fill a dish with cherry tomatoes, place a block of feta cheese in the middle, bake and add spaghetti, penne or whatever you prefer. The recipe was supposedly so popular in Finland that demand for the cheese skyrocketed. So I decided to make a sweet variation for dessert. US-based TikTok star @thehungerdiaries, who has racked up more than 900,000 followers with her unconventional food tips, was my guide.
This one wasn’t as simple as the ramen dishes. Gone were the tomatoes and feta, replaced instead by strawberries and cream cheese. After sprinkling “liberally” with sugar and adding a dash of vanilla extract, I placed the dessert in the oven.
I mixed and gave it a taste to see if it needed more sugar. Next, I was instructed to add a large bar of chopped-up dark chocolate and mixed again until it resembled a chocolatey sauce. So far, so good. Not for long, however, as it was time to add our main ingredient: chocolate pasta. I combined plain flour with cocoa powder, creating a well and adding two eggs with some olive oil. This is where I learned about the art of “incorporating”. After kneading, I put my doughy mixture in the fridge for 30 minutes before spreading it out, dividing it into thirds and cutting pasta-shaped strips.
Served with my sauce and topped with diced strawberries, I was, again, surprised – and very proud – of my rich, chocolatey creation. The pasta added texture and wasn’t quite as weird as you might think.
So there you have it – I’m not sure I’ll be dishing up soufflé any time soon but I feel much more confident in trying new recipes in the kitchen. TikTok isn’t just a place where you glean the latest viral trends, it’s a platform where people can learn new skills and discover new hobbies. Now, any life hacks that will help make doing the washing-up more exciting?
Why not try something new? Discover the benefits of just having a go #LearnOnTikTok
