[Rice Storage Methods and Reheating Ideas]
How do you store cooked rice? It's not uncommon to end up with leftovers, is it? Many people use the rice cooker's keep-warm function, but prolonged warming can diminish flavor. Ideally, you should cook only one serving at a time, but that can be difficult in busy daily life.
Microwaving frozen rice wrapped in plastic or stored in containers is a common method. However, you can also get creative by turning it into risotto or rice porridge, or moving it from the freezer to the fridge the day before to make fried rice.
The ideal solution remains the traditional wooden rice tub (“ohitsu”). Its wood naturally absorbs excess moisture and releases it when the rice dries out, keeping it at the perfect humidity level and delicious even at room temperature. Another major appeal is how the aroma of cedar or Japanese cypress infuses the rice, deepening its flavor. Placing freshly cooked rice inside, covering it, and letting it steam briefly helps maintain its fluffy texture. Covering it with a clean cloth is also effective for preventing drying. When refrigerating, wrapping it in a furoshiki cloth helps prevent drying.
Visitors to our Ginza Showroom have shared that they use bentoboxes made of bent wood as substitute rice tubs. Recalling how my grandmother preferred cold rice, I tried it myself and found the rice's natural sweetness and aroma became more pronounced. Until recently, reheating rice in steamers or earthenware pots was common practice. Another method involves using a straw-made insulated container called a “waraizumi” to keep the rice tub warm.
Now, here's my suggestion for storing and reheating rice. While plastic wrap works, I recommend freezing it wrapped in parchment paper, aluminum foil, or a clean damp cloth. After cooking the rice, quickly fluff it with a rice paddle to incorporate air throughout. Shape it into portions about 2 cm thick, wrap each portion, then loosely cover with aluminum foil and let it rest briefly. Once cooled to room temperature, place it flat and freeze. Aluminum foil blocks air and moisture, preventing moisture loss and aiding rapid freezing in the freezer. To reheat, steam in a steamer, place in a heat-resistant bag and heat in boiling water, or add a small amount of water to a pot and steam-fry.
We hope you'll try these methods according to your lifestyle, preferences, and available equipment. May your daily rice always be delicious!
Kurikyu's Magewappa Lunch Box (Unpainted)
https://www.shokunin.com/en/kurikyu/mutosou.html
Kurikyu's Magewappa Ohitsu
https://www.shokunin.com/en/kurikyu/ohitsu.html
Yamaichi's Taketaga Ohitsu
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yamaichi/ohitsu.html
Yamaichi's Edobitsu
https://www.shokunin.com/en/yamaichi/edo.html
Kiya's Unbleached Cotton Cloth
https://www.shokunin.com/en/kiya/mizarashi.html
Waramu's Waraizumi
https://www.shokunin.com/en/waramu/waraizumi.html
References
https://www.kurikyu.jp/about_kurikyuproduct/kodawari.html
https://uchi.tokyo-gas.co.jp/topics/3746
https://kurashinofusen.com/warmrice
https://lessplasticlife.com/take-action/kitchen-grocery_shoping/refrigeration-and-thawing-rice-without-plastic-wrap/
https://macaro-ni.jp/165424
