Make the best out of the leftovers

Whether you have misjudged quantities and overcooked food or have food left from your last night’s party, leftovers are quite common in every household. And this is why; we have come up with these interesting ideas and of course recipes for you to make the best out of your leftover foods.

Roti/ Chapati- The popular leftover :

In every Indian household, rotis are definitely one of the most common leftovers. Sure we can eat it the next day but that’s going to be boring, isn’t it? You probably don’t know this but roti can become a magical ingredient because you can make so many exciting munchies with it.

Here are a few ideas to transform the leftover roti:

1. Chapati Laddoo: Turn leftover rotis into a delightful sweet treat using just three ingredients.

2. Roti Pizza: Create a quick roti pizza topped with a variety of veggies and cheese.

3. Roti Papads or Roti Khakhara: Enjoy crunchy roti papads, Peri Peri Khakhras, or even roti chiwda as the perfect tea-time snack.

4. Roti Rolls: Make simple roti rolls, similar to a Frankie, for a healthy and delicious breakfast or tiffin option.

5. Roti Tadka: Give your leftover rotis a spicy twist with a tadka of your choice.

 No need to let those rotis go to waste; turn them into something fabulous!

Chawal pe Charcha:

Obviously, our lunch tables are incomplete without rice. But we also know that even a small bowl of rice fills one up too soon and ultimately it leaves us stocking them in the fridge. But you can experiment so much with rice. The simplest is the curd rice, which most of us already make. All you need is some curd, rice and a simple tempering – which you can easily to put together in minutes. And the best part is that it tastes amazing when served chilled.

Here are some innovative ways to make the most of your leftover rice:

1. Lemon Rice: Make lemon rice loaded with vegetables for a quick, tangy, flavorful, and healthy dish.

2. Chawal Ke Dahi Vade: Transform leftover rice into exclusive chawal ke vade and top it up with sweet yogurt.

3. Rice Tikki: Shape leftover rice into patties along with some seasoning, shallow fry till golden and serve with ketchup for a delicious snack.

4. Rice Thalipeeth: Incorporate leftover rice into millet Thalipeeth for a unique, nutritious flatbread.

5. Rice Muthiya: Form muthiya dumplings with leftover rice and steam them for a wholesome snack.

 Don't let that rice go to waste—make the most out of every grain!

Kuch different with Dal:

Dal is the next major leftover in every Desi ghar. Always made in abundance and to make use of that extra dal, you can make some delicious recipes. When thinking of options to use the leftover dal, the first recipe that comes to mind is wholesome Dal khichdi, but have you ever thought of using that leftover dal to make Penne Pasta in Pumpkin sauce or Dal Chawal Arancini? You will be surprised with the endless variety of recipes that you can create using the leftover dal. 

Here's how you can make some other delicious recipes leftover dal:

1. Dal Ka Parantha: Mix leftover dal into the roti dough or stuff the dal mix in parantha for easy and wholesome dal ka paranthas.

2. Leftover Dal Appe: Use leftover dal to prepare savory appe, perfect for a quick snack.

3. Dal Puri: Transform leftover dal into crispy, deep-fried dal puris. 

4. Dal and Suji Tikki: Combine leftover dal with suji to make tasty rawa dal tikkis.

5. Dal and Oats Soup: Create a hearty and nutritious soup by blending leftover dal with oats.

These dishes will ensure your leftover dal doesn’t go to waste and becomes a part of something delicious!

Between the breads:

Our best buddy, breakfast or snacks, breads serve as the go-to dish when you are too lazy to cook. But the only problem with breads is that they do not have a long shelf life. So when you have already bought some extra bread, what do we do? We can easily use them for making some delicious snacks.

Here’s how you can make delicious snacks using leftover bread:

1. Bread Upma: Whip up a quick snack in minutes using leftover bread and the usual upma condiments.

2. Bread Butter Pudding: Create a delightful post-meal dessert. Try making a strawberry pudding with white bread slices. 

3. Homemade Bread Crumbs: Make bread crumbs and store them for future use. You can even add fresh parsley and mint leaves to make flavorful breadcrumbs.

4. Bread Gulab Jamun: Transform leftover bread into a delectable sweet treat by making bread gulab jamun.

5. Bread Porichathu: Fry leftover bread pieces with spices to create a crunchy and tasty snack.

No more wasting those extra slices of bread—turn them into something wonderful!

We can’t stop stressing upon the fact that one should try their best to avoid food wastage. You can experiment a lot with leftovers and make delicious food instead of throwing them away. 

For an endless array of leftover transformation recipes, check out the treasure trove of ideas on my YouTube chanel! And if you have more creative ideas, then don't forget to share those with us.