Turn Leftovers Into Fried Rice

Turn leftovers into flavorful fried rice, a wonderful side or main dish that’s different and often more enjoyable than the original meal. Use your imagination and reinvent small amounts of meat, seafood or vegetables and rice into a quick and easy weeknight dinner that tastes new and delicious.

Transforming remnants of last night’s dinner into something that tastes exciting and new isn’t as hard as you might think. A few bites of leftover protein, vegetables and rice can be combined with a few fresh ingredients and seasonings into an amazing fried rice that will be better than takeaway from.your favorite Asian restaurant.

Duck Fried Rice

In my case, I started with a few slices of delicious five-spiced duck breast and three baby roasted carrots that I had brought home from a restaurant. While not enough for two persons to have as dinner, I thought they would be great ingredients to use in creating a wonderful duck fried rice for our evening meal..

All that was needed were some scallions, cilantro and ginger and some cooked and refrigerated rice. The duck, vegetables and fresh herbs were sliced and diced and then quickly stir-fried with rice and some Asian condiments. My husband and I sat down to a very good dinner that was created utilizing a few bites of this and that. The end result was a meal that was not only delicious but very economical.

There are no hard and fast rules about what you should put into your fried rice. The recipe can be customized to just how you like it and with what you happen to have available. It is a great way to use leftover rice, proteins like chicken, pork, beef or seafood and vegetables like peas, carrots, and celery that you might have in your refrigerator or freezer. Just remember that this dish comes together quickly once all your ingredients are prepped so have everything you need close to your cooktop.

Duck Fried Rice Ingredients: Duck, Scallions, Roasted Carrot, Ginger, Cilantro, Garlic And Shallot

Duck Fried Rice

Serves 2, adjust the recipe accordingly

• 1 – 2 Tbsp. canola, peanut or vegetable oil
• 1/8 tsp. or to taste chili oil (optional)
• 1 shallot, sliced lengthwise then sliced
• 2 medium garlic cloves, minced
• 1 inch piece ginger, peeled and grated
• 2 cups cooked white rice *
• 1/2 – 3/4 c. cooked duck breast, diced
• 1 carrot, diced (I used roasted baby carrots)
• 1 tsp. more or less, hoisin sauce
• 1 tsp. more or less, soy sauce
• 1 tsp. toasted sesame oil
• salt and pepper to taste
• a splash of rice wine vinegar, optional
• 2 green scallions, sliced
• 1 Tbsp. minced cilantro

*Rice that has been cooked, cooled, and refrigerated should be broken up before it goes into the stir-fry. Rice can also be cooked fresh, spread on a plate or tray and allowed to cool in the refrigerator for 10 minutes for the excess moisture to evaporate.

Heat the oil and chili oil, if using, to a large non-stick skillet or wok until hot. Add the shallot, garlic and ginger. Cook, stirring until lightly softened and fragrant, about 1 minute. Add the rice, breaking up any clumps with a spoon and stir. Add the duck and carrot and keep tossing and stirring 1 – 2 minute. Mix the hoisin sauce, soy sauce and sesame oil together and add to the rice, stir to coat and cook 1 – 2 minutes. Taste and season with salt, pepper and just a splash of rice wine vinegar, if using, to brighten the flavors. Add the scallions and cilantro, toss then plate and serve.

 Rice can either be cooked fresh, spread on a tray and allowed to cool for a few minutes, or, alternatively, transferred to a loosely covered container and refrigerated for at least 12 hours.

Line up all the ingredients next to the stove so they are ready once you start cooking.    

Meat and vegetables should be cut into small pieces so they’ll mix well among the rice.   

A teaspoon of soy sauce along with a teaspoon of sesame oil: is usually enough for fragrant fried rice. A teaspoon of oyster sauce or hoisin sauce will add additional flavor. Taste and adjust to your own preferences.

Add fresh green elements to the fried rice just before serving.. These can be anything from thinly sliced scallion greens, chopped cilantro, basil, mint, parsley or chives. 

Before serving, taste. You can add just a splash of rice wine vinegar to brighten the flavors.  

notes from the kitchen’

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I prepared duck fried rice with leftover slices of five-spice duck and multicolored baby carrots that I had brought home from a restaurant where we had celebrated our anniversary. It had been prepared perfectly but I had only been able to eat a portion of it. I’m so happy that I decided to repurpose the leftovers into delicious duck fried rice. The next time you have just a little of this and a little of that, think about whether they would combine nicely into fried rice. It is a terrific way of clearing out your refrigerator and creating a delicious dish at the same time.