Bollywood actress Neena Gupta is known for her series of homemade recipes, where she cooks basic and simple Indian dishes with no-fancy setup and often mentions that this is how every Indian home cooks. From her handwo cheela to tori ki sabzi, she shares all things easy and seasonal. In one of her recent Instagram reels, she shared an interesting Leftover Rice and Sooji Tikki recipe that can be easily made at home. According to her post, she had the tikki somewhere and later learned the recipe to make and share with her audiences. Scroll down to read the recipe and its benefits.



Ingredients

1 cup leftiver rice, 1/4 cup sooji, 1/4 carrot, 1/4 tsp ginger, 1/4 onion, 1 green chilli, 3 tbsp curd, 2 tbsp coriander leaves, salt to taste, 1/4 tsp black pepper



Method







Take a deep bowl, add rice and sooji and mash them well. Add grated carrot, chopped onion, green chilli, salt, pepper, ginger, and curd and mix them well. Adjust the consistency and add sooji if desired. Let it rest for 20 minutes, then shape the mixture into small tikkis. Heat a non-stick pan and cook the tikkis on low-medium flame until crisp and golden on both sides. Serve hot with raw mango chutney. Enjoy!





Benefits of leftover rice


It is said to be healthy and full of nutrition. One of the biggest advantages is its resistant starch content. When rice is cooked, cooled, and then eaten later, a portion of its starch converts into resistant starch, a type of carbohydrate that resists digestion and supports gut health. This helps improve digestion, promotes the growth of beneficial gut bacteria, and can even assist in regulating blood sugar levels. It is also said that leftover rice is lower in calories compared to freshly cooked rice due to this transformation of starch. Resistant starch may reduce calorie absorption, making leftover rice a healthier option for those watching their weight. It is also said that when reheated properly, it retains most of its nutrients, including essential minerals like magnesium and phosphorus. According to a study titled 'Effect of retrograded rice on weight control, gut function, and lipid concentrations in rats,' retrograded or cooled rice has higher levels of resistant starch compared to freshly cooked rice, which positively impacts weight control, lipid metabolism, and gut health. So, let us forget the obvious main course dishes and try some interesting snacks that one can make with leftover rice.



Benefits of sooji






Semolina is made from durum, the hard form of wheat. It has a coarse texture and is commonly used in various dishes like upma, rava idli, and halwa. In terms of nutrition, semolina contains nearly 350-360 calories in every 100 grams with around 72 grams of carbohydrates, 12 grams of protein, and 1 gram of fat. It contains around 3 grams of fiber per 100 grams in addition to minerals like iron and magnesium along with B vitamins like thiamine and niacin. A major benefit associated with sooji is its high carbohydrate content, hence serving as an excellent source of energy. Semolina has a moderately low glycemic index. Thus, it keeps blood sugar levels slower than more refined flours.