All of us sometimes make mistakes when cooking. Sometimes it’s because we’re in a new kitchen, have new equipment or maybe we’re working with an ingredient for the first time. There can be many reasons. However, most spoiled dishes can still be saved. Did you know that even overcooked rice can be saved? You don’t have to throw it away. Just use a very simple and easy trick. And you can use the same simple trick if the smell of rice bothers you.

The uses of rice in the world

Rice is basically cooked by people all over the world. It is a component of many different sweet and savoury dishes. Indeed, you can find it in many recipes from pilafs and paella to fried rice. Rice is also part of the popular sushi, among other things. Various risottos are popular and then rice is also used as an optional side dish for many dishes. At first glance, cooking rice is simple. But even this activity can easily and quickly go wrong. And rice is mush that morning.

How does rice become mushy?

Mushy or also soggy rice is commonly caused by two things. The rice may be overcooked and absorb too much liquid. The grains can break down and this increases the starchiness and stickiness of the texture. Did you know that different types of rice require different ratios of grain to liquid. Therefore, you must always follow the cooking instructions on the box or bag.

Slice of bread method

You don’t find cooked rice good and smells bad. Then try the slice of bread method. It looks pretty bizarre at first, but it really works. If you want to get rid of the unpleasant odour from the rice or if you have burnt it, then it is a good idea to put a slice of white bread on top of the rice and wait for about 10 minutes. You will see that the pastry will absorb any unpleasant odours and the rice will disappear for good.

Put the overcooked rice in the fridge

Is the rice too mushy? Spread it out on a baking sheet or plate and put it in the fridge. Leave it in the fridge for about 20 minutes. After that time, the rice should have softened sufficiently and will not be overcooked afterwards. The excess water should disappear from it. It goes without saying that you will then need to reheat the rice before eating it. Heat it in the microwave, covered with a paper or kitchen towel, on the highest setting.

━━ ( Source: Kalyani Akella /  Unsplash+ )

Another trick to save rice

Preheat the oven to 175 degrees and rinse the cooked rice with cold water. This will remove excess starch. Then layer the rice evenly on a baking sheet lined with baking paper. Place in the oven and bake. Check every 5 minutes. When the rice is fluffy, soft and firm, you’re done. It is also said that overcooked rice can be improved with salt. Just fill a small bowl with salt and place this bowl in the pot with the rice. The salt should absorb the excess moisture from the rice in a few moments.

Use it for something else

You don’t want to chill overcooked rice in the fridge or bake it in the oven. Even so, you still don’t need to throw it away. You can use it for a different dish than you originally intended. For example, you can make Vietnamese chicken porridge, rice pudding or even sweet rice porridge with fruit. Baked rice pudding with cream, sugar and cinnamon is also very tasty. Alternatively, put the rice in the fridge overnight and then make fried rice. There are many possibilities.

Why cooked rice is hard

You can tell perfectly cooked rice is full and soft. You may overcook it, but it can also be hard when cooked. This may mean that the rice is undercooked and more water has to be absorbed into each grain. You can easily tell if rice is undercooked by biting into the grain and seeing the opaque chalky centre. Perfectly cooked rice usually has a translucent appearance throughout the grain.