Rice Cutlet Recipe – Crispy Snack from Leftover Rice

Rice cutlet recipe is a crispy snack or appetizer made with cooked rice, mashed potatoes, herbs, and spices. All are combined into a mixture, then the mixture is shaped into small round patties. At last, they are shallow-fried until crispy, which makes them healthier to eat. The leftover rice cutlet is served as an evening snack and comes together within a few minutes. It’s naturally vegan and gluten-free too.

About rice cutlet

Rice is one of the main foods in India, usually prepared in everyday meals in every single home. When the rice is left, I turn it into a crispy yet healthy snack like this rice cutlet. Even leftover cooked rice can be used in other dishes, such as rice pakora and curd rice, for a healthy lunch. I always used leftover rice in this way, or many other ways, which I’ll share in my future posts.

The crispy rice cutlet is an amazing way to use leftover cooked rice. The leftover rice is mixed in a mixing bowl with boiled mashed potatoes, and spices or masalas are added to make it flavorful. Gram flour helps bind the ingredients, then makes the small patties from the mixture. Lastly, fry them in a pan with a little oil until crispy and golden. Served with red and green chutney as a bite of crunch with some sauce.

Although the leftover rice cutlet could be healthier and even more delicious if other vegetables were added, such as green peas, carrots, cabbage, cauliflower, and many more. It doesn’t give you extra nutrition, but it looks appealing in colour when combined with the mixture or after frying. I make it with only two vegetables, potatoes and onions, because my baby brother doesn’t like other vegetables in their cutlet.

I will use a shallow-fry method to make these cutlets for an easy evening snack, which I also used in my aloo ki tikki and paneer fingers recipe. Shallow frying, in which we fry anything with less oil than deep-frying, especially on a tawa or a pan. It also turned into a healthy appetizer because it cooks with little oil. These cutlets could also be deep-fried in a deep pan or kadai for a crunchier texture. It all depends on individual choice, so both methods are good. Choose anyone you like.

Ingredients

Cooked Rice- You need a cup of cooked rice, no matter what the variety you will use. The main thing is that the rice is soft and fully cooked, not firm. I used the basmati rice.

Potatoes- Any potato can be used, and it should be soft and fully cooked. The mash or grate method both work here.

Onion– I used it for some crunch, as my baby brother likes it the most.

Green chillies– To make it spicy, you can add red chilli powder instead.

Spices- I have used garam masala and coriander powder.

Herbs- Some chopped coriander leaves for freshness.

Flour- I used gram flour (besan) to combine the cutlet mixture. Whether rice flour, sattu flour, or corn starch, all can be used. Choose any one of your choice.

How to make rice cutlet recipe

1. Take one cup of tightly packed cooked cool rice in a mixing bowl. You can slightly mash them here or not. I do not mash because I like them as they are.

2. Now add 2 two mashed potatoes to the rice. The potatoes that are used should be at room temperature. You can boil them in a pressure cooker, an Instant Pot, or on a stove top. For the pressure cooker, add two potatoes with some water, and cook for 3 to 4 whistles. When the pressure drops naturally, cool them down, peel their skin and use.

3. Add an onion, green chillies, and coriander leaves here.

4. Season spices 1 tsp of coriander powder, 1/4 tsp of garam masala, and 1 tsp of salt.

5. After that, add 4 tablespoons of gram flour (besan).

6. Now combine all the ingredients well with your fingertips. Do a taste test if you feel something less than, add more.

7. When the mixture is ready, take a portion of it and make a ball. Now press it with your palms into small patties (tikkis). Make all patties from the mixture.

8. Now heat 4 to 5 tablespoons of oil in a pan on medium heat.

9. When it gets heated, place 4 to 5 patties at a time.

10. After a minute, flip them to the other sides and fry until they are golden.

11. Fry them from both sides a couple of times for even cooking, and when golden, remove them. Do the same process with the rest of the patties.

12. Place them on the kitchen paper towel to remove the excess oil from them, and the crispy rice cutlet is ready to serve.

Serving

Serve this leftover rice cutlet hot with green chutney, tamarind chutney, and tomato ketchup with a cup of hot masala tea. You can serve them by sprinkling chaat masala as an evening snack. They are also good to enjoy in the monsoon season when the rain is around the corner. These crispy rice cutlets are also perfect for party snacks.

Tips

• Use leftover or slightly dry rice for crispy rice cutlet. Avoid using hot rice as it results in mushy cutlets.

• The potatoes should also be finely mashed before adding the rice.

• Instead of gram flour, use corn starch or rice flour for a crisper texture.

• If the mixture is sticking when shaping patties, grease your palms with oil.

• Shallow-fry the cutlets in medium-hot oil. Too much hot oil results in soggy cutlets.

• Always fry them on medium heat; high heat turns them brown quickly, and the inside remains raw.

• Sprinkle some chaat masala on the cutlets to enhance flavour before serving.