Herb Rice Cakes

Growing up in a Chinese family, I used to have a bowl of white rice everyday at dinner. My dad always told me to really chew and savour the first bite of rice because it tastes sweet when a mouthful of salivary amylase turns the starch into sugars. As much as I liked that sweetness of the first bite of rice, I liked it more when my mom occasionally burnt the rice at the bottom of the rice cooker. My brother and I used to scrape off the patches of burnt rice into our bowls. There's a heartiness to toasted rice that I really like, and plus, it brings back good memories, so when I found a bowl of leftover cooked rice in the fridge, I made these immediately. 

Recipe (not really a recipe...just a method of using up leftover rice)

Ingredients:

• 2 cups cooked rice
• 2 egg whites
• 1/2 cup shredded cheese
• 1/2 cup chopped parsley
• oil for the skillet (opt.)

Stir all ingredients together, and drop spoonfuls onto a hot, non-stick skillet (or an oiled skillet). Let them sear for a few seconds on high heat, then flip the whole dollop over with a spatula and compress into a patty. It's easier to press it down on the seared side without the rice sticking to the spatula. Let it cook and get toasted by heating a few minutes on both sides. Best enjoyed while they're warm because the cheese will be gooey inside. It tastes even better with some mayo or Miracle Whip on top. 

Cheese (didn't want to wash a grater, so I chopped it instead)

parsley

Rice cakes