It’s so convenient and efficient, you’ll wonder why you never froze rice before.
We have rice recipes that are easy to prepare like 9×13 Sushi Rice, 9×13 Fabulous Rice or 9×13 Garlic Confit Rice. We also have Fancy Rice that freezes amazingly well. But what about plain rice? Can that be frozen so you can have it ready really quickly.
When I first discovered Trader Joe’s frozen rice, I found it life-changing. Trader Joe’s frozen rice products are pre-cooked and can be heated in the microwave. The frozen rice can last for months in the freezer. I could now make that last minute side dish! Just pull a packet of frozen rice out of the freezer and a few minutes later, it’s hot and ready.
Since I got used to the convenience, one day, I drove all the way to Trader Joe’s (it’s a trip!) only to find that they were out of stock of frozen rice packets. I also realized that many of our readers would love the convenience of having these rice packets but would rather not spend the money when rice in a bag is so cheap. Plus, it would be a great way to save leftover rice. So, I thought to myself, “Why can’t I prep my own bags?”
Embarrassingly, this was the easiest *recipe* I’ve tested. It worked like a charm and I have no idea what took me so long to decide to DIY.
The first part is deciding what type of rice to use. While I usually use basmati rice on a day to day basis, the frozen packets feature Jasmine Rice. Jasmine rice is softer and stickier than basmati rice, and has a light, fluffy texture. Both are long grain rice that should be rinsed before using.
Since we would be freezing this rice, Jasmine rice sounded like a better choice. In general food loses moisture when frozen and we want our rice to stay fluffy.
Secondly, when cooking the rice, you want to make sure you are generous with the oil. If you usually use 2-3 tablespoons of oil, add another splash. We want the softest rice when warming it up and a little more oil always helps with stickiness and adds flavor. It’ll help balance any lost flavor or moisture that comes in the freezing and rewarming process.
Once the rice is cooked (Did you know you could prepare most (maybe all) grains in the oven?), let it fully cool.
Start by spraying or oiling a measuring cup.
Measure 2-3 cups in a Ziploc bag.
Lay the rice down flat so you have flat packets.
You are done.
Place them in your freezer. (Shout out to the Maple Salmon Sauce that freezes so well! Just remove from the freezer, place on salmon and bake! If you also have rice in the freezer, this meal will really be ready fast!)
Ready to serve the rice?
Remove from the bag and place in a microwave safe container or bowl.
Place a damp paper towel on top.
Microwave for 3 minutes on high.
You can now serve the rice!
Frozen rice is best served if you add some flavor to it (ready garlic confit, roasted veggies or under a saucy meat/chicken. If you are serving it plain, you might want to add a teaspon of oil and some salt and pepper.
|