It’s easy to build up a collection of leftovers in your fridge, but getting rid of them is a different matter. You know you should eat them, but it’s always just a little bit unsatisfying. All you can think while you’re eating cold chicken from yesterday is that you could be having a hot pizza right now! But of course we don’t always have the luxury of a freshly cooked meal all the time.
But what if you could turn your leftovers into an entirely different dish? And we’re not talking about that mystery casserole where mom throws everything into a pot and bakes it for an hour. How about something that tastes entirely new? All it takes is the simple addition of rice, and you’re good to go with a way to revitalize old leftovers.
Fried Rice
It’s really important to have the right pan when making fried rice. Although it’s best to use a wok when making this dish, a large pan with high rounded sides also works. Food that’s been lying around in the fridge should be cut up into very small pieces and then combined in a bowl. A wok or a pan should then be heated up with vegetable or peanut oil. It’s generally not a good idea to use olive oil since the flavor tends to overpower the rice.
The cut up ingredients should then be thrown into the pan once the oil has been heated up. When they are slight browned, leftover white rice should be placed into the pan and stirred in. This stirring shouldn’t take longer than 5 minutes since the rice and all of the ingredients are already cooked. The dish should then be placed into a large serving dish and eaten right away. Waiting too long can cause the rice to become soggy and oily.
Combining old ingredients with white rice is a great way to turn leftovers into a delicious meal. And since there are so many different flavors blended into one dish, you can literally use anything like chicken, beef, pork chops, or even meatloaf. It also works best when you combine your leftovers with a few fresh ingredients like green onions, garlic, and shrimp if you have it.
Congee
Most people aren’t entirely aware of what congee is, at least not in the traditional Chinese style. This is probably due to the fact that it’s very popular in Asia but not as well known in the States. Congee is pretty much like porridge except that rice is the base instead of grains. It’s made by boiling white rice in a pot or a rice cooker but using a larger amount of water. This water causes the rice to boil down into a thick soup which can then be eaten with meat and vegetables. Some people even put chicken or beef into the congee during the boiling process so that the flavor seeps into the soup.
It takes a bit of practice and the first few times might result in either liquefied rice or a mushy paste. But multiple tries will eventually result in delicious tasting congee that can be made with leftover white rice. New cookers also come with a “congee” setting to make things easier if you have an automated machine.
Once you find how to get the right consistency for congee, you’ll be able to incorporate your leftovers in creative ways. It’s almost like making stew or chili with rice instead of beings. It’s a great chance to use a variety of meat and vegetables you have lying around in the fridge while incorporating Asian flavors for a brand-new taste.
Turning leftovers into new meals is a great way to experiment with cooking and a terrific way to save money and bring some excitement back into your kitchen. You can consult this resource if you’re looking for a good rice cooker for either of these options.
Credits: Photo courtesy of Simon Law.