If at the end of cooking the rice is soggy, overcooked or sticky, do not despair: there may still be hope of being able to save it. Try evaporating the excess moisture to see if the problem goes away. If the texture doesn't improve, you can keep it and use it to make a different recipe. Unfortunately in some cases the only possible solution is to redo the rice all over again, but with a few simple tricks you can avoid making mistakes again.
Steps
Method 1 of 3: Save the Rice
Step 1. If there is water in the bottom of the pot, let it evaporate
Remove the lid to let the steam escape. Adjust the heat to low and continue to heat the rice for 4-5 minutes. During this time the water should evaporate.
Step 2. Drain the residual water from the rice using a fine mesh strainer
If there is still water in the bottom of the pot, put a colander in the sink and pour the rice into it. Let it drain for a minute; you can gently move the colander to drain it.
At this point the rice should be safe. You don't need to do anything else if the problem is solved
Step 3. Rinse the rice with cold water if the grains stick together
If the rice forms a single sticky block, it means you have cooked it for too long. After draining it from excess water, put it under a not too strong stream of cold water without removing it from the colander. Gently separate the beans with your fingers.
Step 4. Heat the rice in the oven to get rid of the excess water
If it's still wet or mushy, you can put it in the oven for 5 minutes to evaporate the excess water. Set the oven to 175 ° C and spread the rice on a large baking sheet while you wait for it to heat up. Put the rice in the hot oven for 5 minutes.
Step 5. Make the rice again
In some cases the problem cannot be solved. If you have enough time, make the rice from scratch again. Don't throw away what you've tried in vain to save, but transfer it to an airtight container and store it in the refrigerator or freezer. You can use it later to prepare other delicious recipes.
Cooked rice will keep for 4-6 days in the refrigerator or even up to 6 months in the freezer
Method 2 of 3: Reuse the Rice
Step 1. Mushy rice can turn into great fried rice
Heat some oil in a pan and fry a mixture of garlic, onion and ginger. Then add some vegetables of your choice, such as carrots or peas, and a spoonful of soy sauce if you like exotic flavors. Pan the rice, one tablespoon at a time, then stir frequently until the vegetables are cooked and the rice is dry and crunchy.
Step 2. Make the rice pudding
Heat the rice in a skillet over low heat. Add 750 ml of whole milk, 250 ml of cream, 100 g of sugar and a vanilla bean. Raise the heat and let the ingredients cook over medium heat for about 35 minutes, stirring often. Remove the vanilla bean and chill the pudding before eating.
Before adding the vanilla bean, cut it in half perpendicularly and scrape the inside walls with the knife to extract the seeds. Pour them into the pot along with the two halves of the pod. In this way the vanilla flavor will be much more pronounced
Step 3. Turn the rice into delicious crackers
Spread it on a baking sheet in a very thin layer and then put it in the oven for 2 hours at 100 ° C. Once out of the oven, break it into small pieces, then fry them in hot oil. When the crackers rise to the surface, drain them from the oil with a slotted spoon or slotted spoon. Blot them gently with paper towels before eating them.
Step 4. Use rice to make veggie burgers
Blend 175g of rice with 200g of cooked beans, 175g of corn, 3 cloves of garlic, 20g of dried tomatoes, a handful of basil, half a teaspoon of cumin and a teaspoon of salt. When you have a smooth puree, shape it with your hands to make burgers, then sauté them in a skillet over high heat for 6 minutes on each side.
Method 3 of 3: Cook Rice to Perfection
Step 1. Wash the rice with cold water before cooking
Place it in a colander and rinse it under cold running water to remove some of the starch. This step is to prevent it from becoming sticky and mushy as it cooks.
- If you want, you can wash the rice directly into the pot. In this case, cover it with water and move it until it becomes cloudy. Then throw it away and fill the pot again with clean water. Repeat this two or three times before cooking the rice.
- If you prefer to use a colander, shake it gently to remove as much water as possible from the rice.
Step 2. Use the appropriate amount of water
The recommended dose is 350-400 ml per 200 g of rice. The short grain one needs slightly less, while the whole grain needs a little more water. However it is better to avoid adding too much, otherwise the rice will inevitably be soggy.
Step 3. Cook the rice over medium heat
Do not raise the heat in an attempt to cook it faster, otherwise you will not be able to guarantee uniform cooking of the beans. By cooking it over high heat, the rice could also burn. Wait patiently for the water to heat up and start boiling.
Step 4. Place a kitchen towel between the pot and the lid
Once it has boiled, the water level should be slightly lower than that of the rice. At that point, place a tea towel between the pot and the lid to prevent condensation from accumulating inside. Too much moisture could make the rice soggy.
Be careful not to let the tea towel hang out of the pot as it could catch fire. Fold the ends over the lid
Step 5. Turn off the heat after 15 minutes of cooking
Remove the pot from the hot stove, but don't remove the lid. Let the rice rest in the closed pot for 5 minutes, then lift the lid and move the rice with a fork to separate the grains. It is now ready to be served on the table.
Leaving the rice to rest in the pan helps to prevent the grains on the bottom from being mushy while those at the top too dry
Step 6. Purchase a rice cooker
By using an electric rice cooker you can be sure that the rice is always cooked to perfection - as long as you use the right amount of water. You can buy a rice cooker online or from kitchenware stores for a low price.
