Extreme Makeover: White Rice Edition

Dear Home-Ec 101,

Is there any way to keep rice good in the fridge? I love that nice and sticky rice they give you from take-out Chinese places, and I’ve never been able to recreate it, so I usually keep it in the fridge for the next day or so. When I heat it back up it just doesn’t taste the same, maybe it’s drier or something. Is there any way to keep rice the same nice fluffy consistency while it’s in the fridge?

Signed,

Liz

Ivy says:

First, I’d like everyone to not keel over in shock that I’m answering a food question. I don’t cook American fare very well, but I’m hella at cooking ethnic cuisine. Not, of course, as fab as Heather. (Yes, Brown Nose is my middle name, tyvm)

The reason your rice is not the same the second day is because it dries up rather quickly. You can sprinkle it with water and then microwave at half power. For me, sometimes it works and sometimes it doesn’t work.

I generally like to take my day old rice and make fried rice with it. Day old rice makes the very best fried rice because the rice is drier and will soak up flavors better. I make my fried rice with a very, very loose recipe; I hope this makes sense to you.

I heat up about 1/2 tablespoon oil (sesame oil, if I have it but more often than not I use olive oil) in my wok-like frying pan and then I toss in an egg and scramble it til it’s firm and not runny. Then I take out the egg, add a bit more oil (about one tablespoon) and then add 1/4 cup diced onion and 1/2 teaspoon crushed garlic. Sautee for a minute or two then add the rice. When the rice starts to brown ever so slightly, I then add frozen peas and carrots. Then add the egg, mix completely. Make sure you are constantly stirring and flipping the rice so it will not burn. Finally, add soy sauce to taste.

Remember your food safety when reheating rice: the longer it sits at room temperature, the more likely it may harbor bad toxins, so refrigerate quickly after eating.

Tagged as: Grains, Kitchen Mishaps, Reader Questions