You've Been Reheating Rice Wrong, And It's Turning Out Hard And Clumpy

One splash of water changes the whole bowl.

You microwave yesterday's rice and it comes out dry, hard and clumped into stubborn lumps. You are missing one tiny step that transforms leftover rice back into something soft and fluffy again.

Rice dries out in the fridge as moisture escapes and the starches firm up. Blast it with dry heat and you only make it harder. What it needs is a little steam to bring the moisture back.

Sprinkle a tablespoon of water over the rice, cover the bowl with a damp piece of kitchen paper or a lid, and heat it in short bursts, stirring between them. The trapped steam loosens every grain.

One safety note worth knowing: cool leftover rice quickly, refrigerate it promptly, and only reheat it once, until piping hot throughout. Do that and reheated rice is just as good as fresh.