Rice: cooking the day before and re-heating

[tokentotty]

My specific query is how to cook a large quantity of rice the day before a big party and then re-heat it without ending up with just a big, stodgy mess. Is there something you can add to it (like oil with pasta) that stops this ?

I would cook it, making sure I never stirred it while I was cooking it, then drain it and rinse it in a sieve with cold water. That way the minimum starch is released.

I wouldn't do rice at all

unless you can cool and refrigerate very quickly it can give you food poisoning, scroll down my linkie

sorry to be a Wet Blanket

And do you think adding a drop of water before microwaving would help or cause more stodginess?

So Boys, if I were then to do the rinsing of rice as Cookie suggested with cold water that should negate the problem of cooling it quickly enough perhaps?

People reheat rice in Japan all the time and don't get food poisoning, though obviously you would want to be careful.

How are you planning to reheat it? I often reheat small quantities in the microwave, or use it up in fried rice or oven-baked dishes, but those aren't really practical for large, party-sized quantities.

Do you or anyone you know have a rice cooker? Mine has a timer so I can set it up to 12 hours in advance and the rice will be perfect and kept warm for when I want it. Even if there isn't a timer, it's a very easy way to prepare it on the day of a party without being constantly by the cooker to stop it boiling over or drying out.

Well that and the fact that you can buy it in all the fresh aisles in supermarkets for microwave heating made me assume it was safe.

Not sure I do know anyone with a rice cooker unfortunately. That's a shame as what you're saying about how you can use them sounds ideal.

The ready cooked rice in the fresh aisles has gone through a pasteurising process, which is why it's safer.

I try to only cook rice at the time I want to eat it.

However if you do cook it the day before, cool it quickly in a colander under running cold water, refrigerate asap, and make sure that you reheat it thoroughly until piping hot when you want to eat it.

Well I'd never normally want to do anything other than cook and eat rice but it's just not practical for this party sadly. Other alternative is cooking it and trying to keep it warm for hours which seems a lot worse to me.

Basmati rice is less likely to end up in a sticky mess. Drain, then immerse immediately in cold water, then drain again as soon as its cool.

To pasteurise something mearly means to heat it to boiling point, which is surely acheived by cooking it?

Yes, glad you've said that about basmati rice Mary as that was what I thought would work best.

cook in loads of water till just just under done. Drain and rinse under loads of water still stone cold (is now "safe" ). Put in fridge in bowl covered in cling film. Just before serving heat up in microwave (pierce cling film a couple of times) for 3-6 mins depending on quantities.

That's it then. That's the exact way I'll be doing it Witch! Thank you so much for all your input everyone, much appreciated.

I have lost count of the number of times I have reheated rice, and that is after it cooled slowly. Never ever had a problem. Until I get ill from it, I will continue to treat it as "Mumbo Jumbo".

I agree

I also find it hard to believe there are any bacteria outside of government laboratories that can survive being microwaved for a couple of minutes.

Well if it was just for a family meal of leftovers then wouldn't give it a thought, my question was about it ending up as a glutinous mess! Still, figured best to err on the side of caution when feeding it to 70 others now the possibilities of 'the lurgy' have been pointed out....!!

I always eat rice the next day. Cold from the Chinese. My sister always tell me I am going to get ill - never have!

Wuoldnt cook it the day before for a party - fear big glutinous mess!

I have that fear silverangel !!

,

It is true that you can get a very bad bout of food poisoning from reheating rice. It is due to spores within the cereal that can not be nuked by cooking at high temps.
If you are catering for loads of peops I would air on the side of caution and cook on the day.....due to the difficulty cooling and then refridgerating a large batch of rice quickly. (Hence rice being notorious for food poisoning at buffets/ parties etc)

Saying that I have never had a problem reheating small quantities of rice for myself .....but when cooking for others it is better to be cautious ;)

The trouble is it's a surprise party at a venue other than our house. All will be there a couple of hours before the food is served so no option other than take and reheat as far as I can see.