I’ve never had trouble throwing together a quick meal or a snack, but once I started learning about Chinese food that changed. I couldn’t easily imagine how to fit together the various ingredients in my pantry and fridge. But after having Chinese guests staying with me for a few days recently, my culinary imagination is improving. Today I wanted a quick snack after going to the gym. I remembered some leftover rice, thought of how my friends had stirred a little fermented tofu into a bowl of noodles, and suddenly a meal took shape in my mind: brown rice, chopped pickled cabbage, that fermented tofu, chopped green onion and cilantro, a bit of chili oil, and some black sesame seeds. This quick snack was so delicious that I have a feeling it’s going to become a standard, no-name dish Chez Christensen.