Rice is the comfort food of most Indians. It is always best to consume the rice made on the same day without heating it up again and again. But how much ever less rice I cook I end up with a situation of having leftover rice the next day. Somehow that does not worry me as the leftover rice is very versatile when it comes to recipes and does not need to be thrown away. Given below are recipes of Curd rice, Lemon Rice, Tomato Rice, Aloo Pulav, Fried Rice, Rice Pancake and Rice Pudding.

Curd Rice

Ingredients

• 4 cups of Cooked Rice
• 1/2 tsp mustard seeds
• 2 cups of plain yoghurt
• 1 sprig curry leaves
• 1 green chilly chopped finely
• Chopped Coriander leaves
• 1 small piece of ginger chopped finely
• A pinch of asafetida
• 1 dry red chilly cut into 3-4 pieces
• Salt to taste
• Cooking oil

Method

Beat the curd and pour it over the leftover rice and mix well. Mix chopped ginger, green chilly, salt and coriander leaves. Heat 2 spoons of oil in a Kadai and prepare the seasoning with mustard, curry leaves, dried red chilly and asafetida and add to the curd rice mixture and mix thoroughly. Serve with lemon or mango pickle.

Special Curd Rice

Ingredients

• 4 Cups of Cooked Rice
• 1 Cup of Curd
• Grated Coconut 100 gm
• 1 medium Cucumber grated
• 1 medium Raw mango grated
• 1 ripe banana chopped
• 50 gms Green Seedless Grapes cut into two
• Pomegranate seeds
• 1 Small piece of Ginger grated
• 1 sprig Curry leaves
• 1 small bunch of Coriander leaves chopped
• 1 tsp Mustard Seeds
• 1 tsp Cumin Seeds
• 1 tsp Split Black Gram
• 2 dried red chilies cut into two
• 1 pinch asafetida
• 2 cups of Milk
• 6 cups of Water
• Oil
• Water
• Salt to taste

Method

Add water, milk and curd to the leftover rice in the night and keep aside. In the morning add all the grated ingredients and fruits and mix well. Heat oil in a Kadai and prepare the seasoning with mustard seeds, cumin seeds, black gram, curry leaves and asafetida. Add this to the rice and mix well with salt. Garnish with chopped Coriander leaves.

Lemon Rice

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of Rice
• Juice of 2 lemon
• ½ Grated Carrot
• 2 Dried chilies cut into two
• ½ tsp Mustard seeds
• ½ tsp split Black Gram
• ½ tsp Turmeric Powder
• Salt
• Oil

Method

Heat Oil in a Kadai and pop mustard seeds, black gram, dry red chilies and curry leaves. Lower the flame and add the rice, turmeric, salt, lemon juice and asafetida. Mix well and remove from the flame. Garnish with coriander leaves and grated carrot. Serve hot with Papad and pickle.

Aloo Pulav

Ingredients

• 2 Cups of Rice
• 2 Microwave cooked Medium Potatoes
• 1 Medium Onion chopped
• 1 small piece ginger grated
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• 2 tsp cumin powder
• 2 tsp garam masala
• 2 chopped green chilies
• Juice of 2 lemons
• Curry leaves
• Coriander leaves
• Salt
• Oil

Method

Heat Oil in a Kadai and add cumin seeds. Sauté the chopped Onions, green chilies and ginger. Add curry leaves and chopped potatoes and cook for 5 min. Once cooked add cumin powder, garam masala, salt, lemon juice and rice and mix well. Cook for another 10 minutes. Remove from heat and add coriander leaves and mix well. Serve with Raita and Papad.

Rice Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Rice
• ½ Cup Sugar
• 4 cups Milk
• 1 tsp Cinnamon Powder
• 1 tsp Nutmeg Powder
• Raisins
• 1 tsp Vanilla Essence
• 1 pinch of Salt
• Ghee

Method

Bring Milk to boil in a thick bottomed pan along with sugar. Reduce flame and add all the other ingredients except cinnamon and nutmeg. Cook well till the rice becomes firm and then add cinnamon and nutmeg powder. Remove from heat and serve chilled. If required 1 tsp ghee can be used after removing from heat to make it taste better.

Tomato Rice

Ingredients

• 1 Cup Rice
• 2 Ripe Tomatoes finely chopped
• 2 chopped green chillies
• 1 medium Onion chopped
• 1 pinch turmeric
• 1 pinch chilly powder
• ½ tsp mustard seeds
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• Coriander Leaves
• Oil
• Salt

Method

Heat Oil in a pan and prepare the seasoning with mustard and cumin seeds. Add the chopped Onion and sauté till golden brown. Add tomatoes, turmeric, chilly powder and salt and cook till they form a paste. Lower the flame and add rice and coriander leaves and stir fry for 5 minutes. Serve hot with Papad.

Rice Pancakes

Ingredients

• 1 cup Rice
• 1 cup Curd
• 4 eggs
• 1/2 cup Wheat flour
• 2 tbsp sugar
• ¼ tsp salt
• ¼ tsp cinnamon
• Salt

Method

Put all the ingredients in a mixer to make the batter. Pour this batter in a non stick pan and cook evenly on both sites. Serve hot with chutney.

Apart from these a multitude of other items can be made with left over rice by adding egg, chicken or vegetables. However it is advisable not to heat rice more than twice for health reasons or use rice which is too old.