1

When getting Chinese takeaway, We never eat much of the normal cooked rice that goes with it, always opting for an extra dish of fried rice and/or noodles. My mother usually makes a cold salad the day after with some Cocktail sauce (with ketchup as the tomato sauce), a few varieties of canned fish (mackerel, sardines and anchovy) and some boiled eggs.

The problem is that this rice always turns out somewhat dry, somewhat detracting from the overal quality of the product. It's still edible and tastes good, but the textures are somewhat lacking in my opinion.

I have read "Instant" leftover rice? Making leftover-like rice without the wait? (as in for fried rice), but that's not what I need: I don't have control over the cooking process, and it's not for reheating afterwards. I also don't think this falls under the generic shelf live question, because this isn't about how long it will last, but how to store it short-term so certain negative effects don't occur, for which I cannot find a question (nor a tag).

I'm looking for a method to cool the rice without it turning dry that doesn't involve special attention immediately afterwards or changing the cooking process. With "doesn't involve special attention", I'm talking about something someone can do while unpacking the rest of the food and maybe putting a bit of the rice aside for those that don't like the fried kind.

Community
  • 1
Nzall
  • 1,623
  • 1
  • 17
  • 28

2 Answers2

3

We often do the same thing, saving the rice for another use the next day. Or sometimes I will ask my husband to pick up takeout that I can heat up for lunch the next day. Here's what I recommend.

Immediately upon returning home with your takeout, remove the rice from the take out container, placing in an equal size airtight container. E.g., if you have one pint of rice, place in a pint container. Don't break the rice apart any more than necessary. Press the rice so that it holds tight together in the container just as it was when you removed it from the takeout container. Put the lid on right away. Refrigerate to store.

By placing in an airtight container right away, you are shortening the amount of time that moisture can evaporate. By using the same size container there shouldn't be an excessive amount of airspace in the container.

I follow this procedure and the rice comes out the next day just like it went in, still moist. Plus it doesn't really require any excessive time or effort.

Cindy
  • 18,306
  • 12
  • 54
  • 93
3

If I'm understanding you right (please let me know if I'm not), you're wanting to hold on to rice for a day or two and have it still seem fresh (not all dried out like it gets in the fridge), right?

If that's the case, all you need to do is put the rice in a Ziploc baggie (as much as you'll use at one time) and put it in the freezer. The fridge dries out rice, the freezer does not. If you have a microwave you can heat (or just defrost) the rice right in the bag when you're ready to use it. It will seem just like it did when you brought it home. if you don't have a microwave, you can just drop the sealed bag right into a pan of simmering water until it's defrosted. If you want the rice cold, you can quickly defrost it, still sealed in the bag, under cold running water. Even completely sealed, the rice will dry out after a few hours in the fridge,

Jolenealaska
  • 58,844
  • 32
  • 207
  • 325