5 Easy-to-Make Recipes with Leftover Food

Leftovers being stashed in the refrigerator is a pretty common activity in any household. But what happens with these leftover food items is the question. Sometimes, it is used up the very next day and at times, it goes into the dustbin. Instead of throwing excess food away, you can use it to make something delicious. Presenting to you five easy-to-make recipes with leftover food.

Phodnicha Bhaat

This is a traditional Maharashtrian dish. All you need is some leftover rice. Other ingredients required are onions, cumin seeds, mustard seeds, oil, chilli powder (optional). In Marathi, ‘Phodni’ means tadka. The idea is to add a delicious tadka to the rice. After heating oil in a pan, we need to add cumin seeds and mustard seeds in it. When the seeds splutter, add the chopped onions. Once the onions turn slightly brown, the leftover rice has to be added. Add salt chilli powder to taste. Your Phodnicha Bhaat is ready to eat. It is simple to prepare and a good snack option.

Bread Upma

Is there a 5-day-old loaf of bread in the fridge and your family loathes eating it? Well, try making bread upma. Take a few slices of bread and tear them into small pieces. Heat oil in a pan. Add chopped onions, curry leaves and shredded veggies like tomatoes, carrots, beans and green peas. If you want, you can also add some chana dal. Saute for few seconds. Add grated ginger and some green chillies. Once the raw smell of ginger dies out, add the bread pieces and sauté for a few minutes. Add salt and choppedcoriander leaves. Your bread upma is ready.

Masala Roti

You have heard about masala papads right? Masala rotis are same as masala papads. All you need is some leftover rotis. To make the rotis crisp, put them in the oven for 2 minutes. Now take these crip rotis out and place them on the plates. In the meantime, keep ready a masala mixture. Mix finely chopped tomatoes, onions, coriander leaves, chilli powder, black salt and chat masala together. You can also add puffed rice to this mixture. Top it off with lemon juice or mint chutney. Now spread this mixture on the rotis and munch your way to happiness.

Chicken Chop

There is some leftover chicken curry and you do not want to have the same preparation again! Be innovative. Take the chicken pieces out of the gravy. Wash them in fresh water so that they no more taste of the spices. Now pat them dry and shred the chicken pieces. Make sure, you remove the bones as well. This done, take oil in a pan. Add chopped onions, chillies and chopped tomatoes. Fry for some time. Add the shredded boneless chicken pieces. Add little salt. You can also use chat masala or black salt. Stir fry for some time so that all ingredients get properly mixed with the chicken. Switch off the gas and let it cool. In the meantime, take two slices of bread. Dip them in water and squeeze out the water immediately. Now add the chicken mixture in between the two slices of wet breads and close the ends. Take oil in another pan and deep fry the chicken chops. Serve hot with ketchup.

Mutton Pulao

All you need for this is leftover mutton curry, chopped mixed vegetables (optional), 1 cup rice, oil, salt and water. In a pan, heat little oil. Add the chopped mixed vegetables and stir fry it. After some time, add the rice (washed earlier), salt and mix properly. Next add water and bring it to boil. Keep checking at constant intervals. When the rice is half done, add the mutton pieces (taken out from the gravy). Add some more water if needed. Stir fry and then cover the pan and cook it on low flame for about 15-20 minutes. Your mutton pulao is ready.