If cooked rice is not to be served immediately, it may be kept warm in a pot over the very lowest possible heat or in a warm oven at very low heat. If necessary, several tablespoons of water may be sprinkled around the edge of the pot. It is better to cook too much rice, rather than too little, since it is served with almost every dish, and any that is left over may be reused. Leftover rice should be loosened with a lifting motion of a fork or chopstick and not stirred, to avoid breaking up the grains. It should be refrigerated in a covered container (it is preferable for fried rice to be hard) , and thoroughly chilled before refrying, otherwise the rice grains will stick together in a gluey mess.