Leftovers

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Salina Parvin

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As any mistress or master of the kitchen will tell you, leftovers are inevitable. It is simply not possible to make just the right amount of food every time. However, that does not mean that you need to re-heat and consume the same food over and over again for days. This is borderline boring and can be quite frustrating.
And there are dishes which lose their taste and texture on reheating. But you can simply convert such items into interesting and delicious new dishes!
Here are some exciting options and innovative ways of using your regular leftovers like rice, bread, roti etc.
Try them and clean up your refrigerator.
Khichuri pakora
Nobody would ever be able to guess that this delicacy is made from leftover khichuri! Crispy outside and so delectably chewy inside, this flavourful treat is made by reinforcing moong daal khichuri with chickpea flour and a few aroma and flavour enhancers like sesame seeds and coriander. The chickpea flour helps the khichuri dough stay together and cook uniformly, while the remaining ingredients add to its taste.
Ingredients 
1 cup leftover khichuri
¼ cup chickpea flour
2 tsp ginger- green chilli paste
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander
½ tsp black sesame seeds
Salt to taste
Oil for deep frying
Method
Combine all the ingredients in a deep bowl and mix well. Divide the mixture into 12 equal portions and roll each portion into a ball. Heat oil in a deep non-stick pan. Deep fry the pakora on a medium heat till they are golden brown in colour on all sides. Drain on an absorbent paper. Serve immediately with chutney or ketchup.
Cooked rice pancake
Here is a great way to convert last night’s leftover rice into a healthy breakfast! Cooked rice pancakes are made with the batter of cooked rice bound together with chickpea flour. The addition of veggies brings in crunch along with nutrients while green chillies and coriander add a flavourful touch.
Serve with coriander green garlic chutney for a filling breakfast that will keep you going for hours.
Ingredients
2 cups leftover cooked rice
5 tbsp grated carrot
5 tbsp finely chopped spring onions
½ cup shredded cabbage
¼ cup whole wheat flour
½ cup chickpeas flour
½ tsp turmeric powder
2 tbsp chopped green chilli
2 tbsp low-fat curds
2 tbsp finely chopped coriander leaves
Salt to taste
Oil for greasing and cooking
For serving –
Coriander green garlic chutney
Method
Combine all ingredients in a bowl and mix well to make a batter of dropping consistency using enough water. Heat a non-stick griddle and grease it using ¼ tsp of oil. Pour a ladleful of the batter on it and spread into a circular motion to make a 100 mm (4″) diameter circle. Cook on both sides, using ½ tsp of oil, till it turns golden brown in colour. Repeat to make more pancakes. Serve hot with coriander green garlic chutney.
Chapati chips with yoghurt dip
Chapatis are available in almost every household. Though not treated important by themselves, their absence would be terrible at our dining tables, won’t it? But there are ways in which chapatis can be more than just a chapati, believe it or not. You can make numerous dishes by using leftover chapatis.
Ingredients
For chapati chips –
5 pieces leftover chapati
1 tbsp butter or ghee
1 tsp garam masala powder
1 tsp chat masala powder
1 tsp chilli powder
Salt to taste
For yoghurt dip -, 2 cups plain yogurt
1 small size cucumber, peeled and seeded
1 grated onion, 3 tbsp grated carrot
2 chopped and seeded tomatoes
½  tsp roasted ground coriander
½  tsp roasted ground cumin
Salt to taste
Method
Preheat oven to 180 degrees Celsius. Cut each chapatis into small chip-size pieces. Brush each piece of chapati with ghee or butter, and sprinkle with spices and salt. Bake for about 8 minutes, till they get brown and crispy. Allow it to cool down. Now mix together all the yoghurt dip ingredients. Serve the cooled chapati chips with the dip.