Instructions: One of the joys of eating in a Chinese restaurant is the promise of the doggie bag (well, a sturdy carton for leftovers). The meal portions are so generous, there are almost always the makings of another meal, especially if you are cooking for only one or two.

Even if all thats left after your restaurant dinner are a few bites of meat and vegetables and a little rice, take them home. You can make a quick rice pudding or a supper of fried rice.

The traditional version of fried rice calls for leftover cold rice, which is stir-fried with scrambled eggs, scallions and bits and pieces of either fresh or leftover meat, seafood and vegetables and a few shots of seasoning.

There are as many kinds of fried rice as there are cooks. Not to worry.

Whatever your ingredients, the basic technique is pretty much the same.

But wait! Has this ever happened to you? You put soft and moist leftover rice in the fridge, but when you take it out, it has turned stiff and dry. Its not you; its the rice. When long grain rice is refrigerated, it can become hard.

Its called retrogradation. To reverse the process, heat leftover rice in a few tablespoons of water over low heat until warm. Also, leftover rice freezes well.

The same people who argue about politics and religion go into fits over how to cook the egg in the fried rice. It can be merely scrambled and forked into chunks or fried flat like a frittata, rolled and cut into julienne shreds. Plain or fancy, its up to you.

Purists who dont want their fried rice sullied with soy sauce season it with salt. But for those who love it, mix a few tablespoons of soy sauce with a heat-seeking shot of chili oil, a minced fresh chili or a squeeze of Thai chili sauce. And serve extra sauce on the side if you want to boost the heat factor.

Give yourself an "A" if your finished dish is a confetti of color, crunchy with textures and seasoned enough to make your nose glad it led your face to dinner.

Here is a wonderful way to use doggie-bag duck and leftover rice. What, no duck? No problem. Substitute shrimp, chicken, or barbecued pork from your doggie-bag. See "doggie bag" recipes in this collection.

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