Extra rice can always be put to good use, whether you’re in the mood for fried rice or rice pudding. Or just a bowl of plain old leftover rice! Follow these simple tips to preserve the flavour and texture of leftover rice:

1. Cooked rice is very moist, which can be a breeding ground for bacteria growth if it is left at room temperature for more than two hours. Play it safe and cool down any leftover rice quickly—either by spreading it out on a baking sheet, or placing it in the refrigerator.
2. If you’re planning to eat the leftover rice within one or two days, then transfer the cooled, cooked rice into an airtight storage container or a zip lock plastic bag (remove as much air from the bag as possible before sealing) then store in the refrigerator for better reuse. Keeping it open will make the leftover rice chewy and hard.
3. Similarly, you can store the rice in the freezer to store it for a longer period. The freezing method allows you to store the cooked rice up to 1 month, so you don’t feel obligated to use it immediately or 2-3 days.
4. Reheat or cook again to prepare fried rice and serve for your breakfast. To reheat cooked rice, cover it with a damp cloth and heat in the microwave on high for 1 minute for fresh taste. To reheat the rice in a pot, heat on the stovetop on medium flame. Stir constantly to keep the grains moving, but be careful not to mash them.
5. Put the left over rice in a native basket (round and flat basket) and put in the light and warmth of the sun until it is dry, after that you can reinvent it by making a sweet pop rice.
6. When reheating the rice, sprinkle a teaspoon of water over the top to help loosen stuck, dried grains.

Use these simple tricks to reuse your leftover rice and make it just as delicious and fluffy as when it first came out of the pot.