Use cold, leftover cooked rice. Left in the fridge overnight, the rice grains will firm up, making it easier to separate and decreasing the chances of your fried rice turning out mushy. If you can’t wait, air freshly cooked rice to remove moisture and refrigerate the rice for a few hours before cooking.
Why is my fried rice clumpy?
Secret #1: The Rice Just freshly cooked rice is hot, steamy, very moist and a little sticky. All of those things would make a very clumpy and soggy fried rice. … This creates a rice that is a bit drier. Once the rice is done cooking, spread it out on a baking sheet so cool it off and let the steam (moisture) escape.
How do you fix clumpy rice?
To unstick it, dump the rice into a larger saucepan, add about a 1/2 of water and heat on low. Gently break up the clumps with a fork. Simmer, covered, for a few minutes and the clumps should start to relax.
Do you need to boil rice before frying it?
When using previously cooked rice for a fried rice recipe, the rice is first fully cooked using the boiling/absorption/steaming method. … The rice is stir-fried for several minutes using a small amount of oil in a large skillet. Other ingredients and seasonings are stir-fried quickly with the rice.
How do you dry rice for fried rice fast?
Drying the freshly cooked rice by spreading it on a tray and putting it under a fan for one hour does the trick. Kenji’s recommends this method (even more than day old rice!) If you don’t have an hour to wait, you can spread still hot rice on a tray and let the surface moisture evaporate.
How do you keep rice from being mushy?
Remove your pan from heat and uncover, placing a kitchen towel (as described above) over pan to keep moisture from dripping onto rice. Cover the pan tightly with lid. Let rice stand, covered, for 15-20 minutes to firm up.
Why does my rice always come out mushy?
If you use too much water, the grains can become mushy, and too little water can re-harden the rice, causing it to stick to the bottom of the pan. … The same amount of water will boil off each time, so subtract the amount of rice from the amount of water in your original perfect batch.
What does it mean when rice is mushy?
When the rice gets mushy, that probably means that you cooked it too long with too much water. This can cause the rice grains to split open and make your rice squishy and gooey. If you want to fix that, one of the simplest solutions is to make it even mushier and turn it into a rice pudding.
What kind of rice do Chinese restaurants use for fried rice?
Rule #1: Use the Right Rice (Almost Any Rice)
Fried rice recipes typically call for Chinese-style medium-grain rice, though Thai-style versions use fragrant jasmine, and Japanese-style fried rice can even be made with short-grain sushi rice.
How long should I let rice cook?
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, bring water to a boil. Add rice, butter, and a large pinch of salt. Bring pan back to a simmer then lower heat and cook, covered, 18 minutes, or until rice is tender and water is absorbed. Remove from heat and let sit, covered, 5 minutes, then fluff with a fork and serve.
How do you chill rice for fried rice?
The key to fresh rice is allowing it to cool slightly before using it. The cooling process can quickly be done by spreading the rice on a sheet pan at room temperature, or chill in the refrigerator for 5 to 10 minutes if you’re impatient like me. The rice should be cool to the touch before adding it to the pan.
Do I have to use day old rice for fried rice?
1) Use cold rice: You’ve gotta plan ahead and use thoroughly-chilled cooked rice. A fresh batch of warm (or even lukewarm) rice will not fry well when it hits the hot pan, and will result in soggy and sticky clumps — no good. So leftover refrigerated rice is ideal!
What is the best kind of rice for fried rice?
Type of rice – Medium to long grain rice works best. I almost always use Jasmine rice which produces fluffy, sturdy grains that don’t clump or fall apart when fried. Short grain rice like sweet/sushi rice or glutinous rice, tends to be softer and stick together.