‘Unang Hirit’ Recipes: Creative ways to spice up your rice

Tired of sinangag? Spice up your leftover rice with these unique fried rice recipes brought to you by “Unang Hirit.”

The Philippines is one of the countries that has rice as part of its staple diet. In fact, the International Rice Research Institute (IRRI) lists the Philippines as one of the world’s top rice producers and consumers.

Because of this, Filipinos frown upon throwing away rice. Leftover rice, or “bahaw” in Filipino, is usually stored and eaten in the morning. Aside from the usual fried garlic rice or sinangag, here are other creative ways to cook leftover rice:

Bangus Tausi Fried Rice by Chef Dino Guingona



Ingredients:

Ginger
Garlic
Onion
Tausi (fermented black beans)
Canned tomatoes
Carrots
Celery
Leftover rice/Bahaw
Soy sauce
Green peas
Egg
Salted egg
Chicken broth

Procedure:

1. Sauté garlic, ginger and onion. Add carrots, celery, green peas and the tausi. Make sure the tausi is washed thoroughly so that it won’t be too salty.
2. Add the chicken broth, the yolk of the salted egg, and canned tomatoes. Stir until the mixture becomes slightly thick.
3. Add the leftover rice or plain rice.
4. Add fried bangus and egg.
5. Add soy sauce to taste.

Health benefits: Bangus is rich in Omega 3, a fatty acid that helps protect the body from heart diseases. Bangus tausi fried rice is also rich in lycopene.

Chicken Tocino with Malunggay and Kalabasa Rice by Nancy Reyes Lumen



Ingredients for Rice with malunggay and kalabasa:

Chicken stock
Rice
Seasoning powder
Squash/Kalabasa
Malunggay leaves
Oil

Ingredients for Chicken Tocino:

Chicken breast
Coco sugar
Achuete
Salt
Vinegar
Oil

Procedure for rice with malunggay and kalabasa:

1. Prepare chicken stock by simmering the chicken breast in water. Mix seasoning powder in one cup of water and add it to the stock.
2. Sauté rice.
3. Add the squash and malunggay leaves. Stir.
4. Mix the chicken stock with the sautéed rice.

Procedure for Chicken Tocino:

1. Place the chicken breast meat in the middle of a plastic wrapper and flatten it using a mortar.
2. Combine sugar, salt, vinegar and achuete in a bowl.
3. Marinate the chicken breasts with the mixture.
4. Put the marinated chicken breasts in a bowl. Refrigerate for four hours.
5. Fry the chicken breasts.
6. Serve with fried rice with malunggay and kalabasa.

Health benefits: Squash and malunggay leaves are rich in vitamin A, phosphorus and calcium. Malunggay is also a good source of iron and vitamins A, B and C.


Sinigang na Sinangag by Chef Jionne Ocinar



Ingredients:

Tomatoes
Okra
Green finger chili (siling panigang)
Radish
Kangkong
String beans
Flour
Rice
Water
Pork kasim
Sinigang soup

Procedure:

1. Pour the sinigang soup into the rice. Add tomatoes. Let it simmer and wait until the rice absorbs the soup.
2. Create a batter using an egg, flour, salt, and water
3. Dip the kangkong leaves, okra, green finger chili, radish, and string beans in the batter.
4. Fry the vegetables dipped in batter.
5. Fry the pork kasim.
6. Serve the rice with the fried pork kasim and the crispy vegetables.

Health benefit: This recipe is rich in carbohydrates.