What to do with a cup of left over Thai Fried Rice

When The VegHead was a teenager he spent many an afternoon getting up to mischief with a friend who for the purposes of this blog we'll call "770". Living still with our parents, it was to their fridges that we turned when the fires of teenage hunger called for a shovel load of fuel, before we rushed out to do something constructive like change a differential.

770's mum (bless her, lovely woman and still alive and kicking to this day) was...how shall we say this in a manner that accurately captures the respect and affection The VegHead has for this woman....well.....shall we say dotty sometimes. Delving into her fridge was an exercise in exploring the wild and wacky world of the leftovers that inhabited it.

770's mum was never a fan of Tupperware either (and who could blame her), preferring instead to use old Flora Margarine containers. Finding the actual real tub of margarine generally involved finding three or four scientific experiments first; clicking off the lid from a container only to discover exactly what does grow on the half a dozen egg yolks separated off two weeks earlier when they weren't need in that pavlova recipe. Indeed, opening the fridge in the first place generally gave access to a heady mixture of smells, reminiscent of the rich humus to be found on the floor of a rain forest. Vaguely comforting, and yet vaguely suggestive of extensive mould growth.

It must also be said that this theme has not been entirely escaped in later life. SheWhoMustBeFed's mother is rather fond of refridgerated biological experimentation. In her case however she tends to brew up a storm in jars and proper Tupperware containers, which at least has the redeeming feature of keeping the scent of decay more firmly sealed within.

Left overs however are generally a good thing. They allow for good quick meals when you don't have time to make something from scratch. Left overs are also a sign that you cooked enough to serve everyone generously, but that everyone has the sense to eat only sufficiently and not gluttonously. Just remember to eat the leftovers before they plan a revolution.

Here's what to do with a cup of leftover Thai Fried Rice. It'll take less time than it's taken you to read this post so far.

You will need:

• One cup of fried rice (obviously)
• A really big handful of spinach leaves
• Dark sesame oil
• Crushed macadamia nuts or cashews

To make:

• Reheat the rice in a covered saucepan, adding a smidgeon of water if you need
• Lightly saute the spinach in the sesame oil
• Serve the rice over the bed of spinach, sprinkling with the nuts

A very nice and quick lunch.