Reheating Rice

Have you ever had leftover rice and tried to reheat it? It’s hard and can be quite nasty to ingest. That’s because it is dehydrated.

For some amazing reason, rice loses all its water content in the refrigerator. It has something to do with the starch molecules and them getting rearranged in the cool air. Anyhow, all is not hopeless when rice dries out. It can be brought back to life in several different ways.

When I Was A Kid

When I was a kid, I had a Koren friend that told me in her home they made a cauldron of white rice for the week. They would cool the rice, so then the rice could be left out and it would keep fresh and sticky. It wouldn’t lose hydration or go bad as long as it stayed covered properly.

I took this lesson to heart because ever since then, I have left my extra box of white rice on the counter for leftover Chinese food. However, that isn’t possible to do with pork fried rice or any other fried rice because it contains other ingredients like egg, veggies and meats.

Poultry Goes Bad Quickly

Any egg, chicken or pork that is left out for a couple of hours can go bad quickly. You should never let unfrozen or uncured meats or eggs stay at room temperature for longer than 2-3 hours. Bacteria can start in and cause some serious issues for your digestive system.

I’ve always used the mantra, ‘When in doubt, throw it out’. Some folks have stronger stomachs than others, but if you have a sensitive stomach, eating something that has been left out for over 8 hours in the heat, will put you in a lot of hurt.

So, now that you know fried rice needs to be refrigerated, how do you get it back to steamed fresh when it comes to leftovers?

Reheating Rice On the Stove

On the stovetop, it is simple to reheat rice. Put the rice in a medium saucepan. Add a nice sprinkle of water or about a 1/4 cup at most. Mix around with the dry rice and add a lid. It won’t take long to heat up, so stay nearby. Continue to stir every few minutes. Once the rice is fluffy again, you are good to go.

Reheating Rice In the Microwave

Put the rice in a microwave-safe dish. Now you can do the same and sprinkle in a little bit of water and cook for 45 seconds to a minute, but I’ve got a better idea.

Reheat Rice With an Ice Cube

Place rice in a microwave-safe bowl. Place one ice cube on top of the rice pile and put it into the microwave. Cook rice for 45 seconds to a minute on high.

Be careful when removing the bowl. It will be hot and steamy. The ice cube will be laying on top of the rice still, looking intact. However, the rice will be fluffy and tender, just like it was the first time you made it. Toss the ice cube, stir and serve.

The bonus is that it usually keeps the rice from exploding and you need to clean the microwave afterward.

If it needs more time in the microwave, use the ice cube and reheat some more.

Reheating rice is simple and delicious with this simple trick. It’s a great time saver because now you can make more rice and reheat it whenever. Plus, it’s a great trick for those who meal prep; no more crunchy rice!

Tia, and TipsfromTia.com  is trying to keep you looking good and
feeling good, from the inside out. If you’ve got a problem or a tip email me! Be sure to Like and share on Facebook or Follow on Twitter or Instagram