Leftovers

Tiring weekdays and ram-packed weekends. The need for release and rejuvenation after a long day at work can often take precedence over forcing feeble attempts at accomplishing even the things that we desire to do most. One thing, however, that need not be sacrificed is a tasty meal. I know that for some, pulling out the cutting board and turning on the burner doesn't align with their ideal repose, but for me, a proper meal...one that I've cooked to the exact specifications of my grumbling gut...is always on the menu.

I will admit, cooking up a meal from scratch can be a more cumbersome endeavor than one might want to undertake after an arduous day on the job. There are, however, some simple and sumptuous ways to whip up something that's well worth the wee effort.

For those other days where we've planned ahead and conjured up a masterful culinary creation, treated ourselves to a divine dining experience at a fou-fou restaurant, or have been so damn lazy that microwaved meatloaf seemed like a sound dinner decision--there's undoubtedly been leftovers. Often not enough for a sufficient meal, un-accompaniable or undesirable in their current state; the existence of leftovers can be fragile and too often forgotten. Tupperware's and takeout containers, slowly rotting away in the darkest corners of your refrigerator. Nearly bionic bouillabaisse, tangy tenderloins and congealing curries that could threaten a healthy ecosystem. And whose parasites would pummel your intestinal tract like sipping runoff from the Ganges. If your icebox contains any food products that remotely resemble such a description...throw them the fuck out! On the other hand, if you're leftovers are of a more stable chemical composition then there are plenty of acceptable and palatable ways of reviving dinners of yore.

Sandwiches, soups, stews, pastas, tacos, salads and stir fries; a small selection of the ways in which one can not only consume, but completely reinvent the character of an old meal. Sure, the culinary copout would opt for the 'plate and wave' method, but there's no reason that using your leftovers should mean sacrificing freshness and taste quality. Trust me, some of the best restaurants you've ever eaten in are serving you their most delicious leftovers and you're none the wiser!

Green Chicken Curry (what once was)

I recently went out to celebrate a good friends birthday with an elephant sized Thai feast. Several types of spring rolls, fried rice, noodle dishes, green and panang curry's and even complimentary wine...thanks My Thai! (135-120 B1 657-11 Shinsa-dong, Kangnam gu, Seoul, Korea. 010 2883 4691 call Jeong Jin Hoon for an incredible and authentic Thai meal in the beautiful Apgujeong area). After destroying all of the delicious dishes that were piled on top of the table there was nothing left but a few ladles worth of both the green and panang curries. I would have taken the bowl to my glutenous gullet and slurped up the minor remains, had it not been for my better culinary intuition which told me that these flavorful sauces could be put to better use. So, I kindly asked our good friend Jin to package up the leftovers for me with the intention of making a curry of my own back at home...my stomach thanked me immediately for resisting as well as days later for recreating the wonder of a good curry.

Panang Pork Curry (what once was)

From a $30 meal that was already paid for, to two extra dinners later that week; I took something as simple as a few bits of sauce that would have fed the garbage and used them to make two heaping servings of impeccable chicken curry that did well to feed me! After an all important day of ziplock bag marinating three chicken breasts in the mixture of both curry sauces, all it took was to sauté one yellow onion (would have preferred to use shallots or red onion if I could find it here) some red chilies and a japanese purple eggplant with salt, pepper, garlic and basil, add my now cubed chicken breast and simmer over medium low heat until tenderly cooked and bursting with juicy curry flavour. Top some steamed rice with my new meal of leftovers and in a mere 20 minutes I've got a fresh, different, and equally delicious dinner on my plate using things that I already had.

Chicken Eggplant Curry Concoction (what now is "Tasty!")

So, next time you're waiter is clearing off your table, or you're about ready to toss a live grenade into your fridge for fear that what's in there may have mutated and will scamper out to feed on your flesh, think about the ways in which you can use what you've already got rather than feeding the rabid alley cats or increasing your carbon footprint. Fuck, I sound like some sort of environmental nutter...but for real, there's a whole heap of humans who are literally dying for what you're about to lay to waste. More sentimental boo-hoo-ery, I know, but to add to the cliche...there's some real food for thought.