They say that fried rice was originally created as a way to recycle leftover rice. This was my grandmother’s favourite way of re-using white rice that has turned a little dry and stiff overnight in the refrigerator. While it can also be made with freshly cooked rice, it is best made with leftover rice.

For most people in Burma, fried rice is a breakfast staple, usually made with leftover meat and rice. They are also tossed with either chickpeas or green peas and seasoned with fried onions, red chilli flakes and crushed peanuts. Top it with a fried egg and your morning is made!

Like most Burmese meals that are vastly assembled at the table, this fried rice is flavoured at the table with fried onions, crushed peanuts, and red chilli flakes.

Fried onions are crisp when fried but go soft after a few days. It keeps well bottled for a few weeks, and tastes bittersweet. I absolutely love the flavour that fried onions bring to a dish. And the onion flavour seeps into the oil, so save that too for later use.

Finally, crushed peanuts add a nutty crunch to the dish, but if you don’t want the extra calories, feel free to leave it out.

It’s the fastest way to get a meal to the table on days when standing for too long in the kitchen is a pain to even think about.

I used frozen green peas here, but if you have some cooked chickpeas or any other bean or lentil, throw them in here. This dish is the perfect sponge to soak up any leftover you may have in the fridge.