How To Fix Undercooked Rice: Resolved (Updated)

Last Updated on July 14, 2024 by Shari Mason

For many individuals, especially in Asia, cooking rice is a skill that comes easily. However, for others, this task can be quite daunting.

So, if you’re stuck with your undercooked rice right now, don’t worry; we got you. In this article, you will learn how to fix undercooked rice in the most effective ways.

Here’s how you can rescue your undercooked rice. Keep on reading.

Top 4 Ways To Fix Undercooked Rice (Most-Effective)

1. Add Water (If Dried Out)

Adding extra water is the best solution if you’re cooking in a rice cooker or a pot. This procedure is best for long-grain rice and also short-grain rice.

If it’s nearly raw, add half a cup of water and check after five minutes to give it time to steam.  But if it is still dry, add more water and repeat the process to turn it into fluffy rice.

Read:

• Is It Okay To Eat Slightly Undercooked Potatoes?
• How To Keep Cooked Rice From Drying Out?
• Why Does Brown Rice Take Longer To Cook?

2. Cook Over Low Heat

Always cook undercooked rice over low heat with the lid on. The cooking temperature is important for properly cooked rice. 

Simmer it gently when fixing raw or undercooked rice, and never put it on high heat because it might lead to burnt or overcooked rice. 

Read: How To Tell If Sausage Is Cooked?

3. Microwave It

Put your rice in the microwave-safe bowl and cover it with plastic wrap before placing it in your microwave. Cook the rice and check it every two minutes to see if it softens.

The high heat from the microwave creates steam between the covered bowl and its lid, cooking the rice without making it dry. 

Read: How Many Grains Of Rice Are In A Bowl?

4. Cook In The Oven

If you didn’t fix mushy rice over the stovetop or microwave, try cooking it in the oven. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees and place your rice in a glass baking dish. 

Cook rice for about ten minutes, but if it is still wet, continue cooking for five more minutes.

Read: How To Cook Rice On An Electric Stove?

Why Is It Undercooked?

Improper Water & Rice Ratio

One common mistake in undercooked rice is using the wrong proportion of water and rice. When cooking white rice, the usual water and rice ratio is about 1:1.

“A measuring jug is also vital when cooking rice, as this is always measured by volume rather than by weight.”

– Delia Smith, Chef/Writer

However, brown rice has a larger water ratio than long-grain white rice, like Jasmine rice. So, knowing what kind of rice you’re cooking is important because the water ratio may vary.

Find out how to know when scrambled eggs are done here.

Excessive Heat

Once you have the right water ratio for your rice, the right cooking time, and the right temperature can cook perfect rice. 

If you cook rice over excessive heat, the water will evaporate faster before the rice is fully cooked. The high heat will not cook the raw rice properly, leaving the rice undercooked.

Read: How Long Can You Keep Rice In A Rice Cooker?

Tips When Fixing Undercooked Rice 

Soggy Rice

If the cooked rice is soggy, you might have used the wrong water ratio and cooked the rice in too much water. But don’t worry, you can still fix rice and make another dish. 

Since it has too much water, it might result in sticky, gummy rice. You can add milk, sugar, and vanilla and turn the overcook rice into a delicious rice pudding.

Read: How Do Rice Cookers Know When To Turn Off?

Burned Rice

If your rice smells toasty and is crispy at the bottom of your rice pot, then you can still fix it. You can pour a small amount of boiled water to loosen it.

But if it’s toasted, smells burnt, and tastes burnt—throw it out. There’s no way to fix burnt rice with a black charcoal-like texture.

Read: What Does It Mean When Rice Is Broken?

Hard & Crunchy Rice

Add a quarter cup of boiling water to fix crunchy rice grains and hard rice. Boil it on a stovetop at low heat for five minutes with the lid on to cook the rice evenly.

Also, you can microwave the hard and crispy rice for two minutes, and when the time is done, let the rice sit for about ten minutes to absorb the steam.

Watery Rice

If your cooking time is done, but you can still see water in the pot, cook it on low heat for additional five to ten minutes. Also, you can fluff the rice up with a fork or rice paddle.

But if you still have watery, undercooked, or mushy rice, you can fix watery rice by turning it into a porridge instead.

Overflowing Rice

Rice bubbles are normal when you cook rice, but when water overflows in a pot, it has something to do with the size of the pot or temperature.

You can prevent rice from overflowing by not putting it at too high a temperature and using a larger pot. It is important to remember as it boils, the rice expands.

Is It Ok To Eat Undercooked Rice? 

No, it is not ok to eat a serving of undercooked rice. Eating undercooked rice is difficult to digest because of its starchy texture. It might lead to indigestion. 

Raw and undercooked rice has harmful bacteria, Bacillus Cereus, which might cause abdominal pain and vomiting when consumed. [1] 

Also, eating raw and undercooked rice might increase the risk of getting acute watery diarrhea or cholera, or rice water stools. [2]

FAQs

In Conclusion 

The most effective way to fix undercooked rice is to add water and cook it on low heat with the lid on. Also, consider how thin or thick your rice pot is when you cook on the stovetop.

But whether you’re using a pot, a rice cooker, a microwave, or an oven, fixing rice is now easier with the practical ways we mentioned above.

Cooking rice can be unpredictable; it might be soggy, watery, or dry. But the proper rice and water ratio, with the right heat temperature, can do the magic trick to have evenly cooked rice.

References:

1. https://www.fda.gov/food/laboratory-methods-food/bam-chapter-14-bacillus-cereus
2. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5429456/