Fresh Rice or Leftover Rice? You can use either freshly cooked rice (parboiled) or leftover cold rice for this recipe. If you choose to use freshly cooked rice, make sure you choose the right type of Rice. I like to use the long grain parboiled rice. This type of Rice is very easy to work with when making Fried Rice likewise, Jollof Rice because it’s firmer and less sticky, therefore, making it very difficult to go wrong when working with it. Another key to achieving a good result when making this fried rice is to allow the freshly cooked rice (parboiled) to cool slightly before using it. The rice should be cool to the touch before adding it to the pan. If you are short of time, simply spread the rice on a sheet pan so that the steam can easily escape or just place the cooked rice inside the fridge for a few minutes. Finally, it is important that you always wash the rice before cooking it. This will help to remove the excess starch on the rice, which can cause the rice to be clumped together.