Leftover food is a problem if you don’t know how to recycle it. Some dishes cannot be stored for another day without spoiling. Salmonella is a very real threat that we can do away with. Throwing excess food in the trash is a sacrilege; think about the millions of people who can’t afford a decent meal. Before you head for the garbage bin, let’s try recycling your unfinished meat and fish by adding tomato paste.
Chicken leftover
Fried, buttered, braised, grilled or roasted, the chicken will always have left the ver in any buffet party. Just remove the vegetables and cut into strips or chop into small pieces and sauté in fresh spices (minced garlic and chopped shallots) and a tablespoon of tomato paste. Brown the paste with the spices to have a rich tangy flavour.
Pork leftover
If you have uneaten fried pork chops, grilled belly cuts or extra shish kebabs that you don’t want to go to waste, you can easily make another delectable dish with just a few add-ons.
Sauté onion and garlic in oil in a saucepan; Adding tomato paste, powdered black pepper and stir until thick. Add in the meat.
You can add half a cup of water and half a teaspoon of all-purpose flour for rich gravy.
Fish leftover
Fried fish leftovers are great to recycle, you don’t have to give it to the dogs and cats. For one or two medium-size fish, slice a thumb-size ginger into strips, onions, two cloves crushed and minced garlic and a small bell pepper cut into strips. Sauté the ginger in oil first until golden brown, add in onions and garlic, then bell pepper.
Adding two tablespoons of tomato paste; let it turn brown before adding less than half a cup of water, one teaspoon soy sauce, sugar and salt to taste.
Simmer the mixture for two minutes with the fish completely covered in spices. Garnish with thin strips of baby carrots.
Waste not, want not. This statement may be cliché but it is very practical. Why waste a good food if you can turn it into another dish for the family to enjoy?
For a great-tasting new dish, use Delta Royale Tomato Paste manufactured by Delta Food Industries FZC, one of the leading food and beverage manufacturers in the UAE.