A Latin student's guide to surviving London

Let me be real with you: there will be days when London's grey skies hit different and when you miss the chaos of home. That's homesickness, and it's completely normal.

What's the easiest thing to do when you're homesick? Cooking.

 You don't need fancy equipment or a massive budget, just a few ingredients, a stove, and the willingness to make a little mess. (And to, of course, clean up after!) 

A quick heads up: these recipes are aimed for quick cooking and probably aren't 100% authentic, but come on, we're students!

The Essentials: Stock Your Shelf

For me, these some ingredients are essential in basically every meal, not even Latin-coded ones. These are the ingredients I always have on hand:

Rice 🍚 , onions  🧅, garlic 🧄, cumin 🧂, lemon 🍋 (the green ones!)  , tinned beans 🫘, chicken stock cubes, ají amarillo paste (if you can find it, treasure it), and a bottle of soy sauce (trust me, it works in everything).

Pro tip: if you're in London, head to Elephant and Castle. There are Latin stores there that sell all the ingredients you didn't think you'd find in the UK (ají paste, specific spices, the good stuff).

It's a little bit expensive, but honestly? When you're homesick and you find that one product from home on a shelf in south London, it's worth every penny.  Here is a Tiktok that shows a latin store in Elephant and Castle!

🇨🇴 🇻🇪 Arepas

These are easy and endlessly customisable. Mix pre-cooked cornmeal (masarepa) with water and a pinch of salt, shape into little patties, and cook them on a pan until they get that golden crust. Fill them with cheese, beans, avocado, shredded chicken, literally whatever you have in the fridge. They take about 10 minutes and they are perfect for a lazy dinner or a weekend brunch. Warning: once your flatmates try one, you will be making these every week. Below is a Tiktok guide on how to make arepas, remember to be flexible with it! It's supposed to make you feel better, not stressed :) 

🇵🇪 Lomo Saltado

Cut beef into strips and stir fry it on high heat with red onions, tomatoes, soy sauce, and a splash of vinegar. The key is keeping the heat high so everything gets that slightly charred, smoky flavour. Serve it over rice with chips (yes, french fries!) on the side if you're feeling authentic. It takes about 15 minutes, it tastes like a hug, and it's the kind of dish that makes your whole flat smell incredible. Yes, your flatmates will want some. Here is a Tiktok on how to make Lomo Saltado (as a Peruvian, it's pretty accurate if you ask me!)

🇲🇽 Tacos

Cook some chicken or minced beef with cumin, garlic, and a squeeze of lime. Warm up your tortillas, throw on whatever toppings you've got: cheese, avocado, salsa, a bit of sour cream, and you're done. The best part? Make it a taco night with your flatmates. Everyone brings one topping, everyone builds their own, and suddenly it's a party. No one has ever said no to tacos. It's scientifically impossible. Here is a Tiktok on how to make Tacos! I think tacos can be part of a super complex recipe or super easy, you just need to decide if you're up to the challenge!

The Part That Actually Matters

Cooking Latin food in a tiny London kitchen isn't really about the food. It's about closing your eyes for a second when the smell hits and feeling like home isn't that far away. It's about your flatmates trying something new and loving it. It's about calling your mom to ask "wait, how long do I cook the rice for?" for the hundredth time.

You'll still miss home. But at least your kitchen will smell like it.