Heat and moisture do interesting things to starchy rice. Freshly steamed rice has a fluffy, satisfying texture that only lasts until it cools. Reheat it, even in the microwave under a damp towel or on the stovetop with a splash of water, and it will likely turn out drier or gummier.

Where day-old rice excels is as fried rice. The chilling time in the fridge draws out moisture so that when the grains are separated and reheated in a little oil, they become nicely textured and toasty. Try frying freshly steamed rice, though, even if it’s cooled to room temperature, and you’ll end up with a mushy mess.

Once you understand how freshly steamed and leftover rice differ, they become equally delicious, especially in the recipes I’ve been sharing recently in my Twice as Tasty column for the Flathead Beacon. I often serve last week’s Curried Sweet Potato and Mango recipe over freshly steamed rice, whether for a weeknight meal at home or while camping or cruising. I usually make extra rice and then fry up the leftovers for a second meal in all of these situations.

Learn more about cooking and using rice and get the complete recipe for Vegetable and Shrimp Fried Rice in my column.

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Twice as Tasty

Fried rice is a staple on my sailing menu for multiweek cruises and in my Fine Dining: Front Country workshop, which I’m teaching later this month through Flathead Valley Community College’s Continuing Education program. That’s partly because fried rice is so versatile. It’s clearly a follow-up meal to one that features steamed rice, like Vegetarian Red Beans and Rice or Paneer Tikka Masala. But it also can use leftover marinades and sauces, extra vegetables and fruit, and dibs and dabs from the fridge or cooler. Snap beans, cucumber, cabbage, mushrooms, snow peas, pineapple, dried fruit, bean sprouts, summer squash, corn kernels, and black beans are among the many tasty additions in or atop fried rice.

If you want to reuse a marinade that already sat with raw shellfish or meat in it, you must boil it first. Foodborne bacteria die at 165°F. Bringing the marinade to a full boil and letting it cook at or above this temperature for a couple of minutes not only kills any bacteria but also intensifies the flavors. You can cook it even longer to reduce and thicken the marinade.

Here are just a few recipes on the blog that I often make a day or two before I serve fried rice, because they have a marinade or sauce that gives it a regional flair, ranging from Mediterranean to Asian to Mexican. You can find more ideas in the recipe index.

• Chipotle Grilled Shrimp
• Chermoula-Yogurt Dip
• Veggie Shish Kebabs with Garlicy Marinade
• Wasabi-Dusted Grilled Shrimp
• Tomato-Cucumber Salad with Asian-Inspired Dressing
• Shrimp and Summer Squash Enchiladas with Homemade Enchilada Sauce
• Marinated and Grilled Fish Tacos

One of my other favorite additions to fried rice is kimchi, as I shared in this quick, 2-ingredient recipe I developed for Simply Recipes. The kimchi I use most often in this fried rice variation is the one I’ll be teaching in another FVCC workshop this month: Fermenting Kimchi at Home.

Want more Twice as Tasty recipes? Get my books! Click here to order a personally signed, packaged, and shipped copy of The Complete Guide to Pickling directly from me. I also share tasty ways to use pickles in The Pickled Picnic; it’s only available here.