Why Day-Old Rice Works Best for Fried Rice
Every great fried rice—whether you’re making Chinese yang chow or Filipino sinangag—begins with leftover rice. This is not just out of laziness or convenience. The best fried rice is judged by its texture, which is best achieved by using cold, dry rice.
What's So Great About Leftover Rice?
You can tell if fried rice is good or not based on its buhaghag factor. Fried rice should always be loose and scattered so each individual grain can be stir-fried to perfection.
Chilled, day-old rice has stiff, dry grains that are easier to break apart. In short, buhaghag. These firm grains can withstand the heat and moisture of stir-frying without clumping up.
