Often after dinner, there are bowls of cooked or prepared rice left over. Many people do not know what to do with it, and sometimes they have to throw away old rice. However, if you want to avoid food waste and prepare something very tasty and healthy, the renowned chef Sanjeev Kapoor has shared a secret kitchen trick.
From leftover rice, you can make the famous Georgian snack—'Rice Muthiya' (Rice Muthiya)—by adding some besan, wheat flour, spices, and fried truffle. Since it is steamed, it is easily digestible, contains little oil, and has an excellent taste.
To prepare the dough for muthiya, you will need:
- Cooked/leftover rice — 1.5 cups (lightly mashed)
- Besan — 1/2 cup
- Wheat flour or suji — 1/4 cup
- Yogurt — 2 tablespoons (slightly sour)
- Finely chopped green coriander — 1/4 cup
- Ginger and green chili paste — 1 teaspoon
- White cumin seeds — 1 teaspoon
- Turmeric powder — 1/4 teaspoon
- Red chili powder — 1/2 teaspoon
- Coriander powder — 1/2 teaspoon
- Ajwain — 1/2 teaspoon (rubbed in hands)
- Lime juice — 1 teaspoon
- Oil — 1 large tablespoon (for greasing)
- Salt — to taste
For preparing the thark (tempering), you need:
- Oil — 1.5 large tablespoons
- Mustard seeds — 1 teaspoon
- White cumin seeds — 1 large tablespoon
- Curry leaves — 8-10
- Hing (asafoetida) — 1/4 teaspoon
- Whole dried red chili — 1 (optional)
First, prepare the dough: lightly mash the leftover rice by hand in a large bowl. Then add besan, wheat flour, yogurt, ginger and green chili paste, green coriander, ajwain, turmeric, red chili powder, coriander powder, cumin, lime juice, 1 teaspoon of oil, and salt to taste. Mix all ingredients well by hand to form a soft dough, without adding extra water. (If the rice is too dry, you can add only 1 teaspoon of water or yogurt).
After that, shape the muthiya: grease your hands with a little oil. Take a small portion of the prepared mixture and, pressing with your palm and fingers, form a long cylindrical roll. Then proceed to steam: keep hot water in a steamer or pot. Grease the sieve plate of the steamer with oil and place the formed rolls on it. Cover with a lid and cook over medium heat for 12–15 minutes.
Checking readiness and slicing: After 15 minutes, check for doneness by inserting a knife; if the knife comes out clean, the muthiya is ready. Let it cool completely, and then slice it into round pieces using a knife.
Preparing the tharka: Heat 1.5 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds, hing, curry leaves, and white cumin seeds, and let them sizzle. Then add the sliced muthiya pieces and fry on low heat, stirring, for 2–3 minutes until the outer crust becomes slightly crispy.
Serving: The finished rice muthiya, which turns out to be simultaneously sweet-sour and tangy, is ready to serve. Sprinkle with finely chopped green coriander on top and serve hot with green chutney or tea.