One of the biggest struggles with leftovers? No one loves eating the exact same thing twice. Sound familiar? Picture this: a table full of picky eaters who refuse to touch yesterday’s dal or curry that came back for dinner. “Every meal should be freshly made. Food is best enjoyed when there is variety in every meal,” says one of my friends, who makes a point of keeping things fresh and exciting on the plate. But here’s the thing: wasting food isn’t just bad; It is heartbreaking when so many are left without them. So why not renew the leftovers? Add a pinch of creativity and turn yesterday’s rice into something so delicious it will be gone before you know it. This guide is all about how to take leftover rice and make it the star of the meal.
Why rice deserves a second chance in your kitchen
Rice is a pretty complicated ingredient. If you let it sit in the refrigerator too long, you’ll end up with a lumpy rice cake. Interestingly, leftover rice, especially the plain boiled version, can be put to a variety of uses. While I like to mix it with lemon juice, achaar, chutney or some leftover dal, my roommate does wonders with leftover rice by cooking lemon rice, curd rice, tomato or tamarind rice in a jiffy. They are extremely easy to prepare and require no Cordon Bleu cooking skills or fancy ingredients.
Here are 5 smart ways to use leftover rice:
1. Use Them to Make Idlis and More
South India enjoys a long and celebrated relationship with rice. No meal in South India would be satisfying without a generous helping of rice. If one has to learn how to make use of leftover rice, it is a good idea to ask a friend in South India. One of my dear friends shared his mother’s ingenious use of leftover rice to make idlis and even fried snacks. All you need is to mix rice into a paste and use it in the dough while preparing idlis, dosascrepes, pakoras, cutlets or pancakes.
2. Make Karnataka’s Favorite: Akki Roti
People in Karnataka can’t get enough of akki roti. Roti flatbread is the Karnataka version of the usual chapati less wheat flour cooked with rice flour and other flavorings. To incorporate cooked rice into the preparation, make a paste with boiled rice, mix it with rice flour to make a dough and add some chopped onion, grated coconut and finely chopped coriander leaves. They are cooked like normal rotis with a splash of oil.
3. Turn them into steaming fried rice
Those who don’t like to cook can quickly turn leftover rice into a delicious fried version. I usually add the leftover curry to a wok with a little water, let it simmer and add rice. One option is to heat oil in a pan, add the tempering ingredients (cumin, saunf, mustard seeds), onion, garlic, ginger, tomatoes, chillies, salt, soy sauce and sauté. Add the rice, let cook and serve. You can also add eggs to get egg fried rice.
4. Bake it, stuff it or crisp it
Leftover rice can easily be combined with masalas, fried, and stuffed with other vegetables to bake to perfection. One of the best uses for leftover rice would be to substitute sticky or Arborio rice for arancini. With experiments like these, you will not only wow your guests and family with your creativity, but you will also make use of leftovers, reducing food waste.
5. Turn leftover rice into sweets
Next comes one of my favorites: when you have leftover cooked rice, why not make kheer with it? Yes, no wonder one of the easiest ways to reuse cooked rice is to use the goodness of milk, dip it in some nuts, cardamom and other friends and cook until it is nice, creamy and aromatic.
Here are 4 quick leftover rice recipes that will save the day:
- Chitraana- South Indian favorite, ready in just 20 minutes.
- Vaghrela Chawal – Straight from Gujarat comes this classic with an addition of onion, cardamom and cinnamon.
- Leftover Curry Chicken Pulao – This is what to do with leftover chicken and rice. Combine the two and you’ve got a meal for two!
- Raw Mango Pulao – Cooked rice, raw mango pieces and spices combine to create this exquisite pulao.
If you have an innovative way to cook something sensational with leftover rice, share it with us in the comments box below. Happy cooking!
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