Rice is an inseparable part of the daily Bengali meal, but a small slip while cooking it can spoil the whole dish. Sometimes the rice stays hard, and sometimes it overcooks, breaks down or turns sticky. Many then think it is no longer fit to eat, but a few simple home tricks can make overcooked rice fluffy again.

Rice does not go mushy only because it stays on the stove too long. In most cases the root of the problem is the amount of water: if the right amount is not used for the type of rice, it can become too soft. Opening the lid repeatedly lets the steam out and upsets the cooking, and too high a flame can break the grains and make them sticky.

If the rice is very soft, first drain off any extra water or starch. Then put the pot on a very low flame, place one or two slices of bread on top of the rice, cover and leave for 2 to 4 minutes. Turn off the heat and wait another 5 minutes. The bread absorbs the extra moisture and the rice becomes much fluffier.

If the rice has overcooked, turn off the stove at once and spread the rice out on a large tray or plate so the trapped hot steam escapes quickly. You can leave it under a fan for a few minutes. The grains will start to separate and the rice will not soften further.

Those with an oven can use it too. Preheat the oven to 300 degrees Fahrenheit, spread the rice thinly on a baking tray and heat for 5 to 10 minutes, checking every two minutes so it does not dry out too much. This removes the extra moisture and largely restores the texture.

Surprisingly, the fridge can also help. Spread the overcooked rice in a large container and chill it for 30 minutes to an hour. Once cold, warm it gently on a medium flame and the grains will be much more separate than before.

To keep rice fluffy, use the right amount of water for the type of rice and do not open the lid again and again while cooking. When the water has nearly dried up, leaving it to steam on a low flame for a few minutes cooks the grains nicely. Loosening the rice as soon as it is done lets excess steam escape and makes it less likely to turn sticky.

Overcooked rice does not have to be thrown away. Used at the right time, a few simple tricks can make soft or mushy rice fluffy enough to serve again.

The report drew on the Times of India.

Source: Jagonews24. First published in Bengali on The Agro News.