Hey guys! 
Today we are going back to the kitchen to talk about one of my childhood dishes. But there is a plus to it because this preparation is the perfect way to give the rice leftovers a delicious twist! 

When I was a kid (and the BLW method did not exist) I was very picky with the food... I didn't like veggies or soup and definitely, rice was not of my favorites (nowadays I LOVE it). My mom always had to think of smart ways to make me eat, so she hid the food that I didn't like by preparing it a little different. 

My mom did not invent the "torticas de arroz" (rice cakes) because this is a very common dish in Venezuela, but she introduced them to me and I fell in love with them. It was love at first bite. Every time I eat them or prepare them I remember my mom. This dish takes me right back to my childhood memories, it makes me feel like a kid again and this is maybe why I like them so much. 

This recipe was invented to avoid the food waste, this is why it's prepared only with old rice (I'm not talking years old, just a few days old. The rice needs to be good otherwise you will get sick) This kind of recipes are very common in Latin American countries, because poverty is frequent and food is expensive, so nobody feels good about throwing away something that someone else might need. 

For preparing them, you will need rice, eggs, and flour. But for MY preparation I use rice, milk, butter, cheese (parmesan, mozzarella, white cheese, goat cheese, use the one you have at home) and bread crumbs or Panko (the Japanese version of bread crumbs). 

In a bowl mix together all the ingredients, first the rice and then add one egg or two (depends on the amount of rice you are using) you need to make a moist mix. Melt some butter (about a tablespoon) and add it to the mix with the milk (about two tablespoons). Then add the cheese and the bread crumbs in order to give the batter some consistency. Add bread crumbs until you are able to form small balls with your hands. Then you can fry them or bake them for a "healthier" version. 

And that's it! All you need to do now is enjoy them. In my house, we serve them as a side dish. For example, if we are eating fish, meat or chicken (proteins) we use the rice cakes as the carb. 

You can check the preparation here. I know it's in Spanish but is just so you guys can get a visual. This chef uses carrots and zucchinis (grated), I've never tried that out, but sounds nice and healthy (because you will be using less rice - carbs) 

https://youtu.be/0mceGqSvQXo