Spice Temple’s waste-busting fried rice

Using up your leftovers is a great way to reduce waste. But what to do with them? We asked top chef Andy Evans to work his magic on the leftover bits and bobs in the EATIVITY fridge. He came up with the ultimate waste-busting fried rice that you can make at home.

At the end of a busy working week, sometimes the last thing you’re motivated to do when you get home on a Friday evening is head into the kitchen. Who has the energy to rustle up a tasty, nourishing meal for the family after a hard week at work? At our house, Friday nights have long been a home delivery, takeaway, eat out or cheese on toast kind of affair. And when the next week’s groceries are stacked into the fridge over the weekend, most of what’s leftover from the previous week often gets tossed into the bin or compost.

Calling in the experts

Since launching EATIVITY and meeting with so many motivated waste warriors, I’ve become far more conscious about making efforts to minimise my food waste. But there are still days when I lack inspiration when it comes to turning leftovers into something appealing.

To get some fresh ideas, I decided to take my problem to an expert – literally. I packed up all of my leftovers and headed over to Sydney’s Spice Temple restaurant to ask Executive Chef Andy Evans what he could make of it.

Part of the Hunter St. Hospitality dining group, Spice Temple’s menu draws inspiration from the Chinese provinces of Sichuan, Yunnan, Hunan, Jiangxi, Guangxi and Xingjiang. With influences like that, my humble leftovers were sure to get a makeover to remember.

In the video below, watch as Evans effortlessly whips up a home-style fried rice that anyone can make. All you need is the leftovers from your fridge.

Spice Temple brings back lunchtime noodles

If you’re still feeling uninspired to cook for yourself, you’re in luck. Spice Temple’s much-loved, lunch-time noodles are back by popular demand, giving guests a quick bar lunch option that is value-packed and brimful of premium produce.

Each bowl of fragrant noodles bears Spice Temple’s signature regional Chinese stamp and can be paired with a Tsing Tao beer or a glass of white or red wine for just $25.

Served in the bar only, the new menu boasts five premium noodle options, featuring the finest produce such as David Blackmore Wagyu, alongside a selection of popular Spice Temple dishes that are suitable for a quick lunch.

Evans says the new noodle bowls are a “convenient indulgence” in the heart of the city, and an unbeatable price point considering the extent of premium produce incorporated into each generous dish.