When it comes to food, Indian kitchens are known to be one of the most innovative hubs in the category. With the diversity in menus, the awesomeness in flavours and the sheer variety of what you can do with one particular ingredient boggles the mind. After all, Indian cuisine attracts global chefs and food experts to make entire shows featuring it.
However, ever since my childhood one aspect of Indian kitchen at home boggles me is how respectfully leftovers form a dinner are treated. Moms across the country, presumably, as per the trend seen across most homes I have seen, use every trickle and morsel of extras in innovative ways.
Veg Leftovers
The veggie curries or sabzis as they are better known, from dinner are mashed, spiced with the chaat masala, aamchur and some freshly chopped onion, coriander or even tomato. These are made into neat patty shaped cakes and then deep-fried to make awesome tikkas. For the more health conscious, tawa roasting with ghee is also an option. This one trick makes tikki out of leftovers. Then again, no one gets to know the origins of the final snack. The innovations in the spice mix here are many. The same veggies when mashed can be mixed with boiled corn kernels. Simply cheese it up and spice with Italian herbs before baking in an oven. The tikkis get international touches too!
Dal Leftovers
If you have leftover dal--yellow or black--you simply need to throw away the thinner broth-like bit and mix it with atta to form a dough. Top up the dough with ajwain, anardana, lots of fresh dhania or even spring onion bits for an ultimate parantha experience. The burst of favours in such a parantha is best experienced by the tongue.
Rice Leftovers
Innovate with leftover rice by frying it with onions, curry leaves and some potato. Dash some lemon juice. Make sure you temper the fried rice with mustard seeds. You can even do an international version using corn, cheese and bit sized chicken pieces. Make quick Mexican style rice if you may please. Make a wrap and fold it up to make burritos. The creativity you can add to leftover rice is worth thinking over. Additionally, leftover rice can be mixed with atta into a dough that has seasonings and addition of inions, grated ginger and dhania. This can be rolled out into paranthas or kulchas.
Recycling Works Wonders
In India, truly nothing goes waste unless you deliberately want to throw something away. Curd rice is another quick recipe for recycled food category.
While you might be able to alter the taste of leftover only to a limited extent you sure can oomph it up and create a new dish altogether. Some toiling in the kitchen leads to results worth a taste after all.
Satarupa B. Kaur has been writing professionally since a decade now. Always on the go; she loves travel, books, playtime with her toddler as she explores new places and food!
