Have a lot of leftover rice from last night at home? Don’t worry, there are many recipes to turn that rice into delicious and satisfying dishes.

Leftover rice often gets discarded because people usually don’t want to eat rice that has been sitting overnight and tends to become hard and loses its flavor.

However, there are several ways to rescue leftover rice, even though its texture and taste may have changed, and its nutritional value is different from freshly cooked rice. Therefore, before trying out recipes with leftover rice, it’s important to check the texture and smell of the rice. If it has become too dry or has a strong, unpleasant odor, it’s best to discard it.

Once you’re sure that the quality of the leftover rice is still good, you can transform it into side dishes, snacks, or even desserts for a tastier treat.

Here are some recipes for hearty and mouth-watering dishes made from leftover rice:

Snacks and Desserts

1. Crackers (Kerupuk)

Ingredients:

• 1 bowl of tapioca flour (add more if needed)
• 1 bowl of leftover rice, soaked in water for 1-2 hours
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 tsp coriander
• 2 stalks of green onions, finely chopped
• Salt to taste
• Chili powder (optional)

Instructions:

1. Blend the soaked rice with garlic, coriander, and salt until smooth.
2. Combine the tapioca flour with the chopped green onions and chili powder (if using).
3. Pour the blended rice mixture into a bowl, then gradually add the tapioca flour. Stir with a spatula, and once it begins to form a dough, knead it with your hands. Shape the dough into elongated pieces, similar to making pempek (fish cake).
4. Boil in hot water until the pieces float and are fully cooked. Remove and drain the dough. Store it in the fridge overnight to make it easier to slice thinly.
5. Slice the dough thinly after it has rested overnight. Sun-dry until completely dry. Once dried, the crackers are ready to be fried.

2. Rice Cireng (Cireng Nasi)

Ingredients:

• 150 grams of leftover rice
• 2 tablespoons of tapioca flour
• 1/2 tablespoon of all-purpose flour
• 1 clove of garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon of salt
• 1/4 teaspoon of chicken bouillon powder
• 1/8 teaspoon of pepper powder
• Spring onions, as needed

Instructions:

1. Grind the garlic and rice together in a bowl until smooth.
2. Add salt, chicken bouillon powder, and pepper, then mix well.
3. Combine the rice mixture with the tapioca flour and all-purpose flour.
4. Stir in the spring onions, then shape the mixture into small balls.
5. Fry until golden brown and crispy. Serve the rice cireng hot!

3. Lumpur Cake (Kue Lumpur)

Ingredients:

• 125 grams of leftover rice
• 125 ml coconut milk
• 65 grams of sugar
• 50 grams of all-purpose flour
• 1 egg
• 1 tablespoon melted margarine
• 1/2 tablespoon tapioca flour
• 1/8 teaspoon fine salt

Instructions:

1. Blend the coconut milk and leftover rice until smooth.
2. In a bowl, combine the rice mixture and melted margarine.
3. Stir well, then strain the mixture.
4. Pour into molds and bake until fully cooked.
5. Serve the rice lump cake while still warm.

4. Pancakes

Ingredients:

• 300 grams of leftover white rice
• 2 eggs, lightly beaten
• 1 cup finely chopped broccoli
• 3 tablespoons chopped mint
• 1 cup chopped green onions
• 1 cup shredded cheddar cheese
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon black pepper
• 2 tablespoons butter

Instructions:

1. In a large bowl, combine all the ingredients except for the butter and mix well.
2. Heat a pan and melt the butter.
3. Scoop the rice mixture into the pan, using a large spoon for each portion.
4. Press the mixture with a spatula to flatten it, and cook for 3-4 minutes on each side until golden brown.
5. Repeat until all the mixture is used up.

Main Course and Side Dishes

1. Red Fried Rice

Ingredients:

• 1 plate of leftover rice from the previous night
• 1 beaten egg
• 3 tablespoons of tomato sauce
• 2 tablespoons of oil
• 1/2 bowl of shredded chicken
• 1/2 stalk of spring onion
• 1/2 tablespoon of fish sauce
• 1/8 teaspoon of salt
• 1/8 teaspoon of pepper
• 1/4 teaspoon of sesame oil

Instructions:

1. Sauté the sliced spring onions until fragrant.
2. Add the beaten egg and scramble it.
3. Stir in sesame oil and fish sauce, mixing well.
4. Add the rice along with all the other ingredients, and mix again.
5. Serve the red fried rice with a fried egg on top.

2. Bola-Bola Nasi (Rice Balls)

Ingredients:

• 2 plates of mashed rice
• 1 bowl of shredded chicken
• 2 stalks of sliced spring onions
• Salt to taste

Coating ingredients:

• 200 grams of breadcrumbs
• 4 eggs

Instructions:

1. Combine the onions, spring onions, and rice in a bowl.
2. Add salt and mix thoroughly until well combined.
3. Shape the mixture into balls, then dip each one in beaten egg.
4. Coat with breadcrumbs and set aside.
5. Fry the rice balls until golden and cooked through. Serve and enjoy!

3. Bakwan (Rice Fritters)

Ingredients:

• 100 grams of mashed leftover rice
• 25 grams of sliced cabbage
• 10 grams of grated carrots
• 1 egg
• Powdered stock to taste
• Oil for frying

Instructions:

1. In a bowl, mix the rice, cabbage, grated carrots, and egg together.
2. Add the powdered stock and stir until well combined.
3. Heat oil in a frying pan.
4. Fry the rice fritters until golden and cooked through, then serve.

4. Omelet

Ingredients:

• 4 tablespoons of leftover white rice
• 2 eggs
• 2 sausages, sliced
• 1 stalk of spring onion, finely sliced
• 1 small bunch of broccoli, boiled
• 1/2 carrot, finely chopped
• Grated cheese (optional)
• Salt to taste
• Pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. Beat the eggs with salt and pepper.
2. Add the rice, sausage, spring onion, broccoli, and carrot to the eggs, then stir.
3. Heat a pan and cook the mixture until fully cooked. Optionally, sprinkle grated cheese before serving.

Do you have any other recipes for leftover rice? Share your opinion or comment in the comments section below.