Leftovers Heaven - Fodni Chi Chappati and Fodni Cha Bhat

Leftovers are ingredients for a whole range of yummy dishes and some so good that you deliberately keep food aside to enjoy them in a new form the next day. Two of my favorite leftover dishes are fodni chi chappati (translated as tadka chappati) and fodni cha bhat (translated as fodni cha bhat). As a kid, I would avidly wait for there to be leftover chappati and rice so that mom could make these dishes the next day. I was always advised not to eat them as fresh food is more nutritious and that made these dishes all the more inviting:D. My eagerness to eat these made me try them with fresh ingredients instead of leftovers the next day and trust me they do taste better with leftovers. I was watching a Khana Khazaana episode dedicated to reusing leftovers and there were some lovely recipes like spinach rice, rice fritters which I am definitely going to try the next time if I can have enough of these two:). I have also made curd rice with tadka, pulihora and tamarind rice with leftovers before and they taste good too. Chappati is really a luxury for me today. I make it sometimes but most times I bring it from outside. So to save it for this dish is hard sometimes and I don't get to make it as often. I now really admire the effort my mom took to fresh food especially the chappatis on the dinner table and that too with 3 kids. Whew! These women of the older generations really were super women. On that thought, here are the recipes -

Fodni Chi Chappati:

Ingredients:

1. 4 or 5 stale chappatis - cut into small 1/2 inch size pieces, if possible do this by hand instead of a knife
2. Yellow onion - 1 medium sized, finely chopped
3. Curry leaves - 10
4. Fresh corriander - 2 cupes finely chopped
5. Lemon juice - 1 tbsp
6. Oil - 1 tsp
7. Turmeric - 1 pinch
8. Green chillies - 1 finely chopped
9. Red chilli powder - 1 tsp
10. Mustard seeds - 1 tsp
11. Jeera - 1 tsp
12. Salt

Directions:

1. Heat oil and add mustard, jeera and turmeric.
2. Once the mustard seed sputter, add the green chillies and curry leaves.
3. After a min, add the onion and saute till well done
4. Add the chappati, chilli powder and salt and cook till well done and the chappati start becoming a little crisp.
5. Add the coriander and lemon juice and mix well. Take the pan off the gas.

Fodni Cha Bhaat:

Ingredients:

1. 2 cups leftover rice
2. Oil - 1 tsp
3. Mustard - 1 tsp
4. Jeera - 1 tsp
5. Turmeric - 1/2 tsp
6. Hing - 1/4 tsp
7. Onion - 1 medium, chopped
8. Green capsicum - 1, cubed
9. Green chilli - 1 finely chopped
10. Red chilli powder - 1/2 tsp
11. Corriander - 1 cup, chopped
12. Lemon juice - 2 tsps
13. Salt

Directions:

1. Heat oil in the pan and add mustard, jeera, turmeric and hing.
2. Once the mustard seed sputter, add the green chillies.
3. After a min, add the onions until they are not totally cooked and slightly underdone.
4. Add capsicum and saute for 2 mins.
5. Add the rice, chilli powder and salt. Mix well and let the rice steam and get cooked thoroughly for a few mins.
6. Add the corriander and lemon juice and the dish is ready.

Note: When cooking with stale food, it is always important to make sure the dish is heated and cooked well.