preserving leftover cooked rice from Chinese takeaway for processing in a cold salad afterwards
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.
Best Answer
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.
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How do you store leftover Chinese rice?
So the key is to cool and refrigerate leftover rice as quickly as possible. Spread it out in a thin layer on a baking sheet or tray so it cools rapidly. Then, when cold, put into a container, cover and chill in the fridge. Keep the rice for no more than a day before reheating it \u2013 and then only reheat it once.Can you save cooked rice for later?
So if you're not going to eat rice straight after you've cooked it, you need to store it in the fridge \u2014 preferably within an hour or so, but definitely within four hours. Refrigeration won't kill the bacteria but it will slow down their growth.Can you reheat Chinese takeaway rice?
Rice from the takeaway should never be reheated as it has already been cooked once and reheated once. Reheating rice for the second time is not recommended and could be extremely hazardous to your health even if it has been cooled and stored correctly.How long will cooked rice keep in the fridge?
Cooked rice must be refrigerated, and it keeps for about 4 days. It may also be frozen for longer. If you notice any changes in smell, taste, or texture, or signs of mold growth or bugs in both dry or cooked rice, make sure to discard it right away.HOW TO MAKE A DELICIOUS CHINESE FRIED RICE RECIPE
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Answer 2
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,
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