Process for preparing a pre-cooked frozen rice product

A process for preparing a pre-cooked frozen rice product which upon reheating possesses tolerance to preparation variations while still resulting in a reheated rice which exhibits distinct grains with a firm but tender texture, but without mushy, soft, sticky or gummy characteristics comprising:

• a. hydrating a parboiled rice to a moisture content of about 55% to 70%, the hydration being carried out at temperatures greater than about 150.degree. F;
• b. cooling said hydrated rice to a temperature between about 35.degree. F. and 95.degree. F. within about 30 minutes following hydration:
• and
• c. freezing said cooled rice to a temperature below about 20.degree. F. in a period of time less than about 30 minutes so as to avoid a significant amount of rupturing of the cells of the rice and wherein during freezing loss of more than 5% of the moisture content of the rice is avoided.