Do you dread leftovers?

Those packages of possibility have the opposite effect on me. I immediately imagine what next day’s meal will look like. It's frugal and fantastic.

I refer to this process as:

leftovers recombination, the magical transformation of last night’s dishes into entirely new meals.

Over the years, my kitchen creativity has led to the following tasty alchemy:

• Bo ssäm ➜ breakfast bao: pork butt + egg + cucumber + scallion ginger sauce stuffed into buns topped with melted butter + everything seasoning

• Injera + meats/vegetables ➜ chilaquiles: chopped leftovers + eggs

• Pasta sauce ➜ shakshuka: marinara + spinach + feta + eggs + pita or toast for dipping

You may have noticed each example includes eggs. I love eggs. Eggs are celebrated by chefs so I’m in good company. I once did a 30-day vegan challenge and walked away reconfirming my devotion to the protein. If you are vegan, you can get creative with sauces and condiments instead.

The leftovers dish I make most often is a variation of fried rice (or other grain). Delivery rice is where things really get interesting. I chop the remaining proteins and vegetables and integrate them into a new dish because that’s more delicious than eating the leftovers as-is. We're increasing the flavor surface area, right?

The fried rice ends up with the same flavors of cuisine we ordered in: Chinese, Japanese, Thai, Vietnamese, Korean, Mexican, Peruvian, Greek, Persian, Indian...yet I've created a novel meal experience to enjoy.

What's your favorite way to recombine leftovers?