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Why Do You Need to Use Cold Rice for Fried Rice?

Rice frying is an ingenious way to transform leftover rice into a tantalizing treat. The secret lies in using day-old rice, which is the key to achieving that perfect fried rice texture and flavor.

Administrator

16 December, 2024

Fried Rice: A Tasty Transformation of Leftover Rice

The origin of this beloved dish lies in the need to “recycle” leftover rice from previous meals. Cold rice loses its appeal, so people made it more palatable by stir-frying it with fat and spices over high heat. If you had eggs from your backyard chickens, crack them into the pan, and you’ve got a gourmet meal.

Why do you need cold rice for fried rice? (Image: Thespruce)

Later, as life became more prosperous, people started adding various “toppings” to their fried rice, such as meat, shrimp, sausage, and vegetables to counteract the richness.

Why do you need cold rice for fried rice?

Nowadays, people often make fried rice not because they want to use up leftovers but simply because they crave this delicious dish. However, the key ingredient remains the same: cold rice. Freshly cooked rice just won’t do; if that’s all you have, you’ll need to let it cool down and dry out a bit before frying.

Why the need for cold rice instead of hot, freshly cooked rice? It’s all about the moisture content. Freshly cooked rice tends to be moist, with soft, sticky grains. When used for frying, the moisture evaporates, causing the rice to clump together and even form a mushy mass, lacking the characteristic fluffiness of well-made fried rice.

In contrast, cold rice has had time to dry out a bit, and its grains become firmer. When fried, these firmer grains remain separate, creating the desired fluffy texture.

Older rice dries out and doesn’t clump together when fried, which is why cold rice is essential for fried rice. (Image: Loveandlemons)

Cold rice also has a certain firmness and resilience, allowing it to absorb flavors better without falling apart. When frying, seasonings like soy sauce, fish sauce, or oil can easily coat and penetrate each grain evenly. This results in a flavorful, appealing dish. With freshly cooked rice, the high moisture content hinders flavor absorption, and the stickiness prevents even coating, leading to a less tasty dish.

If you plan to make fried rice for the next meal, cook a little extra and store it in the fridge. Or, if you’re impatient and don’t have cold rice on hand, spread out the freshly cooked rice on a tray, fan it to cool and dry a bit, and then fry away.

Cold rice absorbs flavors better. (Image: Fifteenspatulas)

Transforming Cold Rice into Delicious Dishes

Here are some simple yet effective ways to transform your cold rice into tasty treats.

Yangzhou Fried Rice

Yangzhou Fried Rice is a familiar dish that harmoniously combines cold rice with various ingredients. To prepare this dish, you’ll need cold rice, sausage or pork roll, carrots, peas, eggs, garlic, and scallions.

Start by frying the garlic, then add the carrots and peas and cook until done. Next, put in the cold rice, season to taste, and stir-fry vigorously to separate and color the grains evenly.

Finally, add the sausage and fried eggs, stir-fry for a few minutes, and sprinkle with chopped scallions before turning off the heat.

Yangzhou Fried Rice is a familiar and easy-to-make dish. (Image: Nineshield)

Kimchi Fried Rice

If you’re a fan of Korean cuisine, Kimchi Fried Rice is a must-try. You’ll need cold rice, kimchi, pork belly, eggs, and basic seasonings.

Chop the pork belly and kimchi into small pieces and fry the pork until golden. Then, add the kimchi and continue frying for a few minutes, adjusting the seasoning if needed. Mix in the cold rice, and top it off with a fried egg sunny-side up for extra appeal.

Seaweed Rice Rolls

This dish is not only delicious but also convenient for picnics or snacks. You’ll need cold rice, seaweed sheets, cucumber, carrot, crab sticks, and eggs.

Beat and fry the eggs into a thin sheet, then cut into strips. Do the same with the crab sticks, cucumber, and carrot to prepare the filling. Place a seaweed sheet on a bamboo mat, spread the cold rice evenly, add the fillings, and roll tightly. Cut into bite-sized pieces and serve with soy sauce mixed with wasabi.

Cold rice can be used to make Seaweed Rice Rolls. (Image: Justonecookbook)

Fried Rice Cakes

These rice cakes are a unique and mouthwatering treat. All you need are cold rice, eggs, scallions, and some crispy coating mix.

Combine the cold rice with eggs, chopped scallions, and a pinch of salt and pepper. Shape the mixture into small balls or flat rounds, roll them in the coating mix, and fry until golden. Serve with a sweet and sour dipping sauce or chili sauce.

Source: VTC News