Fix Mushy Rice Fast With This Simple Microwave Trick

Mushy rice could be the result of miscalculated rice-to-water ratios, cooking times that are longer than anticipated or neglecting the crucial step of rinsing the extra starch out of the grains before boiling them. While a pot of mushy, water-saturated rice is a tragic scenario, it's not completely hopeless. Your microwave can come to your rescue and fix mushy rice in a matter of minutes.

The reason rice is mushy is because water has become trapped and was unable to steam out of it on the stove. The microwave's mechanism for heating is known as dielectric heating, in which the waves created cause water molecules to vibrate and agitate, ultimately transforming into steam. Since mushy rice is full of un-steamed water, the microwave will target the water and help it to evaporate as steam. The best way to fix mushy rice in the microwave is to first transfer the rice to a microwave-safe bowl, then stick the bowl of rice in the microwave without a lid or cover. Turn on high heat for 30-second increments and nuke the rice for as long as it takes to get the excess water out.

If you have extra time, you can first dry out the rice by spreading it on a baking sheet and letting it sit in the fridge for a few hours. Then, you can heat the rice covered in the microwave.

The microwave should revive mushy rice in a matter of minutes. But if you don't have a microwave or the time it takes to dry out rice in the fridge, there's still use for mushy rice! In fact, we have plenty of recipes where mushy rice comes in handy. For example, fried rice is a great way to breathe new life into sticky rice. Just as rice is a staple, frozen peas, carrots and eggs are also common ingredients you might have sitting in your freezer and fridge to throw into this easy-fried rice recipe. You can prep mushy rice by running it under cold water in a colander to get as much starch out as possible. Separate the grains before adding them to hot oil with a dash or two of soy sauce or this gluten-free San-J Tamari.

An even easier way to repurpose mushy rice is to form rice cakes out of the already sticky, starchy grains. Most rice cakes in Korean cooking, for example, require glutinous rice. But you can easily smash and blend mushy rice into a thick, paste-like batter to form balls, sticks, or patties. Fry them with Gochujang to make Sotteok Sotteok, a Korean street food,  or add them to a flavorful stew for a textural upgrade. Mushy rice could also be the secret to the absolute best arancini since these delicious deep-fried rice balls already require the rice to be a wet and creamy, risotto-like consistency.