Cansu Erkan: Cooking away boredom

Senior Cansu Erkan carefully rolls grape leaves filled with ground beef and short grain rice stuffing, in the notoriously difficult but necessary process to make “sarma,” a traditional Turkish dish that has remained her favorite meal since childhood. 

Since the start of the pandemic, Erkan has used her abundance of free time to learn countless recipes, finding herself in the kitchen almost every day. Learning how to make this trying Turkish classic has been the highlight of her cooking journey, she said.

“Wrapping the grape leaves one by one took so much time,” Erkan said. “Right after I cooked it, I felt so productive. After hours of work, eating them was like a reward and they were so yummy.”

Erkan also made an Instagram account, @cansunurthecook, where she posts healthy and economical recipes for all to enjoy. The greatest part of the experience is receiving pictures from followers who tried out her recipes, she said.

Erkan has no plans to quit cooking anytime soon. Now, she says, she can cook for herself at college and beyond, whipping up recipes that would intimidate beginners.

“Cooking made me feel much better whenever I felt

down or unproductive,” Erkan said. Cutting the dough, making the vegetables — it’s like therapy. I totally recommend cooking something extraordinary.”