How to Fix Mushy Rice

Rice cooking is one of those basic processes that any cook can do in their sleep, even if they are an amateur. However, because nobody is perfect, once in a while, you might encounter an issue when you’re going through this simple task. Particularly, your rice, be it white or Brown Rice might come out either too dry or too mushy, which poses a problem considering that it is not the right texture suitable for the dish. And when you have such a situation, you probably don’t know how to act on it, and instead throw the rice away in the Garbage Disposal.

However, there’s a quick solution to it, but you have to be aware of it! So, the next time this happens to you, no need to worry because we’re going to show you how to deal with it efficiently and salvage your beloved rice! Wear your Apron, grab a Dining Chair and Coffee Mug, and read on!

So Where Is the Problem?

As we have discussed earlier, this problem can happen to all cooks, and even more to inexperienced chefs. However, making the best of the ruined rice is the right way to go, because it is highly possible and more convenient. And the first step is such a remedy is to identify the situation along with the primary cause of it. The four most encountered issues while cooking rice are:

Cooking Time Is Over, Yet the Rice Is Still A Bit Tough to Chew

This is totally normal because some types of rice necessitate a longer cooking time. Thus, don’t take the time indicated on the label or the recipe too strictly, but only use it as a general benchmark. So, when that time elapses, have a taste of your rice, and if it’s still a bit hard just add a bit of water and leave it for an additional 5 minutes.

Your Rice Is Too Wet Although It Is Cooked Well

If this is the case, just put it on a Cookie Sheet from your Baking Tools and put it in the oven, be it a Convection Oven or a Pizza Oven, to dry out on low heat for only a few minutes, and no more than that. Remember to use your Oven Mitt for safety and Oven Thermometer for accuracy.

It’s Burnt at the Bottom:

Pour the whole thing rapidly into another pot that’s filled with cold water, which will keep the bad odor from affecting all of the rice. Then, after two minutes have elapsed, put the untouched rice into another container.

Your Rice Is Mushy

This is the monster problem that many of us face, so we’ve dedicated a whole section just to help you with it!

Extra Tip

The bad habit that causes many of these issues is lifting the lid too frequently, because this way, you delay the cooking time when heat is released from the pot. If you have to check your rice, especially when it’s almost done, ensure that you do it as rapidly as possible, and you’ll be safe!

Five Simple Tricks to Fix Mushy Rice:

There’s no avid rice cooker who has not experienced having mushy rice grains, and many don’t know how to solve the issue, so they opt to just throw it away. But little do they know, that there are effective ways to salvage most of the dish, and here we’ll be explaining them in depth for you, so read on.

Microwave the Moisture out of It

This is undoubtedly the simplest yet most effective solution out there, as nothing can be easier than pouring the rice on a baking sheet and stuffing into the heat of a Microwave for a minute or two, and voila! Your rice is a little drier and has that perfect texture you were looking for.

Drain the Rice and Recook It

This is also an easy process, you just simply drain the extra liquid from the grain, then you put the pot again on low heat while making sure you don’t cover it with a lid. Inspect the rice for when the extra moisture is turned totally to vapor and wait for it to dry out. When you reach that stage, turn the fire off but leave it as it is for a couple of minutes, and after that, you can serve it.

Put It in the Fridge

As opposed to the other “hot” solutions, this one uses cooling instead to achieve the same thing. First, pour the rice on a baking sheet, and try to make the layer as thin as possible for minimum drying time. After that you just need to refrigerate it for about half an hour in the Compact Refrigerator, then put it in a microwave, and it will be back to its’ perfect state!

Dry It in the Oven This Time

As usual, you need to get a baking sheet and spread your grains over it, then turn on the oven on a low setting, and put the dish into it. Don’t forget to check on it periodically, so you can get a sense of how much time left for it to dry out. When that process is finally done, your rice is now ready for serving.

Salt Is Your Best Friend

This might seem a bit absurd or unusual, but trust us on this one, it is a tried-and-true method that works wonderfully. You just need to put some plain table salt from your Salt and Pepper Grinder Set into a bowl, then position it into the pot where the rice is. Then you just leave it there to do its’ job, which is absorbing all the unwanted moisture from it!

Bonus Method! Prepare a Rice Pudding Instead

If you are not particularly thrilled by the other methods we mentioned earlier, this might be just the one for you. Because, what’s really better than turning an unfortunate accident into a lovely treat?

For This, You Will Need:

• half a teaspoon of vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon of cinnamon powder
• 2 tablespoons of Sugar
• Pinch of salt
• An 8-ounce measure of mushy rice
• 8 ounces of milk

How to Make It:

First, pour the rice and milk in a pan, then add the vanilla, sugar and a tad bit of salt. After that, just put it on medium heat for ten minutes, and make sure you mix it continuously from the bottom. When it reaches a point where its’ thickness is at the wanted level, and there’s no more milk on top of it, put it off the heat and let it rest for a minute. What’s now left is only that you sprinkle a pinch of cinnamon on it and voila!

Bonus Tip

The secret to the perfect rice is simply the water to rice ratio. If you get it wrong, then the result won’t be pleasing, because too much will make it mushy, while a quantity that is not enough of liquid will cause it to come out undercooked. This ratio depends on the type of grains and how much of them you’re making. For short grain white rice, the ratio is 1:1. Medium grain white rice, on the other hand, necessitates a 1.5:1 ratio. And when it comes to Brown rice, it is 2:1.

In Conclusion

With this guide, you don’t need to fear cooking any lovely rice anymore, because you can easily remedy the worst-case scenario that you might encounter from time to time!

So, from now on, you can clear your head and enjoy your favorite rice meals whether alone, or with your family and friends, because you can ensure that their dish will be served the way it was intended, and their wait won’t be vain!

Don’t forget, of course, to share this with any cooking enthusiast you know, as you can be sure that they’ll be really grateful for this valuable knowledge. As a final tip, when cooking your rice, avoid stirring it too much, as strange as it sounds, but this will release the starch contained in the grains, which in turn will give your rice that mushy texture you are trying to avoid at all cost!

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