Recipe: Leftovers, pantry staples make better fried rice

THE secret to a great fried rice is all in the leftovers. Freshly cooked rice often results in a soggy, gluey dish because it continues to cook as ingredients are added to the pan.

But chilling previously cooked rice changes its starches, yielding light, separate grains.

So at Milk Street, we always make way too much rice and save the extra so we have some on hand for an easy weeknight meal (leftover rice freezes well for use in fried rice). Then it’s only a matter of grabbing a few things from the pantry.

For this recipe from our book “COOKish,” which limits recipes to just six ingredients without sacrificing flavor, we took inspiration from an Anglo-Indian dish called kedgeree. Often eaten for breakfast, this curry-seasoned rice comes studded with smoked fish. Smoked haddock is classic, but we use easier-to-source smoked trout, which also offers the advantage of being ready