Yes, you can, although leftover cooked rice that’s had time to chill in the fridge works the best for this recipe. If you need to use freshly cooked rice for making this dish then spread your hot cooked rice over a baking tray and let it cool for about 20-30 minutes. It’s even better if you can let the cooked rice sit in the fridge, covered, for an additional 1-2 hours.