10 Creative ways to repurpose your leftovers
Here are ways to cook up common leftovers into something new, whether you’re looking to be more environmentally, socially, or financially conscious
Text: Rebecca Morais
Creative ways to repurpose leftovers
Singapore's diverse food range and availabilities make us spoilt for choice. As a result, we are all guilty of ordering more than we probably should. Takeaways (more commonly known as “dabao”) are a massive part of Singapore’s culture. Furthermore, with food delivery apps like Foodpanda and Grabfood, it's incredibly challenging to gauge the quantity of food you'll receive until you receive it.
For all kinds of environmental, social, or financial reasons, many of us are looking to get smarter about fully using the food we purchase and minimising food waste. In 2020, Singapore wasted a shocking 665,000 tonnes of food! That’s the same as 1.5 bowls of rice per person, per day, or around 46,000 double-decker buses.
Have you ever peeked into the fridge way in the back and seen a container that’s been stashed there for weeks, perhaps overlooked and forgotten? We explore creative ways to repurpose your leftovers, especially if you can’t stand eating the same dish twice!
Tossing fried rice
1. Comforting Fried Rice
Everyone and their mum’s mum does this. First, mix up a batch of fried rice whenever you have leftover rice (this tends to happen frequently in Asia). Then, sauté any leftover vegetables. Fresh or frozen is fine, and add the rice in at the end. Add a bit of soy sauce, ginger, or garlic for some flavour, and ta-da - you have yourself a quick meal.
2. Hearty Pasta
Similar to fried rice, you can throw your leftover vegetables and proteins into pasta or even use leftover pasta itself. The writer’s personal favourite is a simple Aglio e olio, using garlic, olive oil, and dried chili flakes with leftover cherry tomatoes or any vegetable in your fridge. If you're gluten intolerant, many gluten-free options minimise the feeling of bloatedness.
French toast with berries and bananas
3. Pain Perdu
In English, it’s French toast; it's called pain perdu or lost bread in France. There are a few ways to use up stale bread as delicious, whatever the name. First, soak the bread in a whisked egg or egg whites before laying it on a heated pan. Then, if you're feeling cheeky on the weekend, add a little butter in the pan. Finally, top it with syrup, hemp seeds, and leftover fruit for a delicious brunch fix.
4. Pickled Leftover Vegetables
This writer’s grandma makes the BEST bitter gourd pickles, hands-down. Chop any vegetables like onions, cucumber, cabbage, carrots, or zucchini and submerge them back into leftover pickle juice or apple cider vinegar. Leave them to marinate overnight for a day or two, then have the pickles on the side of rice or top of salads. Add fresh coconut, turmeric powder, coriander, mustard seeds, and curry leaves for a spicy twist.
Smoothies
5. A Superfood Smoothie or Juice
If you’re looking to repurpose leftover fruit, leafy greens, nut milk, seeds, and yoghurt, these ingredients can all transform into a satisfying, nutrient-dense smoothie. Just throw it all into your blender, add your liquid of choice, and it's all set.
6. A Fragrant Stir-fry
Sauté any leftover vegetables with onion, garlic, and ginger with olive oil. Add protein, wilted greens, and soy sauce and serve it over leftover noodles or rice.
7. Fluffy Curry Puffs
Curry puffs, empanadas, or epok-epok, however you call them, are a fantastic way to level up your leftovers. If you have leftover curries or roasted meats, fill shortcrust pastry to create these mouth-watering snacks.
8. Loaded Nachos
Load them with minced meats, chopped chicken, or even tofu if you've got leftover tortilla chips from the countless festive parties. Then, sprinkle on some cheese, a dollop of sour cream (or Greek yoghurt for a healthier alternative), and jalapenos for a kick!
Soup
9. Warm, Savoury Soup
There are a couple of ways to make soup from leftovers, either use leftover roast, revive last night’s curry or unpack your freezer’s bottom drawer. The writer personally enjoys Picard's Organic Vegetables for soup with a dash of paprika, pepper, and a pinch of thyme.
10. Homemade Eggslut
Skip the long lines at popular food chains. Instead, you can make your eggy dish at home. Whip up a frittata or omelette with just about any ingredients. From tomatoes and peppers to pasta and sausage, it can use up a lot of your leftovers.
Itching to share other innovative ways to repurpose leftovers? Have you tried any of our suggestions? Please write to us at hello@thesoothe.co and share them with us!
