You’ve cooked too much rice. It’s also hard to estimate exactly how much rice you need. But don’t worry: this is the ultimate guide to storing rice. Handy, that way we don’t have to cook it the next day or later in the week. How to store and reheat dry and cooked rice you will discover in this article.
Storing rice
Storing rice is a breeze. In this article, we discuss different ways to store rice properly.
How long can you store cooked rice?
Cooked rice will keep for about 4 – 5 days in the fridge. If you want to keep the rice longer, you can freeze it. Frozen rice will keep for up to 3 months.
How long can you store dry rice?
Dry rice will keep for up to a year (sometimes even longer). However, it is important to keep it in a cool, dark and dry place. The cellar is often a good place, as it meets all the conditions (cool, dark and dry). Make sure the tin or container is well sealed with a lid.
Storing rice in the fridge
First let the rice cool for about 2 hours. Then place the cooked rice in a container with a lid. Make sure it is tightly sealed. The temperature of the fridge should be around 4 – 7 degrees.
TIP: Are you making fried rice? Then you can leave the lid off for best results. If so, make sure there is no raw poultry or meat nearby.
Freezing and defrosting rice
Frozen rice lasts up to 3 months at temperatures below -18. Want to freeze a lot of rice? Then divide it over several containers, so you don’t have to defrost all the rice.
How to defrost rice?
Defrosting rice is very simple. You place the container or bag of frozen rice in the fridge in the morning. Let the bag or tray down on the counter for faster results.
How to reheat rice?
You reheat rice in a stir-fry pan, a wok, a microwave or by steaming. The best method depends on your needs:
Rapid reheating: put the rice with a little water in the microwave for 4 – 5 minutes at around 600 – 700 watts. Adding a little water is important otherwise the grains will become dry.
Fried rice: for fried rice recipes such as nasi goreng, always use a wok pan with a little oil. This will give the outside a crispy crust. If you don’t want this, add a little water again. This takes about 7-8 minutes.
Fluffy rice: do you like fluffy rice? Steam the rice with a steamer, steam pan or by placing an iron colander in the pan. Then don’t forget to put the lid on top. This takes about 5 – 8 minutes, depending on the amount of rice.
Is reheating rice safe?
Reheating rice is safe if you don’t leave cooked rice on the counter for more than 2 hours and you don’t have the fridge warmer than 7 degrees. Finally, consume the rice within 4 – 5 days and remember to heat the rice properly.
The chances of contamination of basilius cerius bacteria are higher with starch ingredients like rice and pasta. Hence, it is important to follow the above instructions properly.
Conclusion storing rice
Little can actually go wrong if you use rice from the fridge within 5 days. I always find it handy to have some rice in the fridge or freezer. Make your own curry paste (you can also keep this in the freezer), cook it in a stir-fry pan with some meat ánd steam the vegetables along with the rice. This should take less than 20 minutes.
Frequently Asked Questions
Of course. To eat the rice safely, it is important that you store it properly and consume it within a certain time frame. Ensures that the rice is properly heated during heating, so that unwanted bacteria are killed.