Spread cooked brown rice on a baking sheet and refrigerate for at least 2 hours or overnight to remove excess moisture, which prevents soggy cakes and helps them hold their shape while frying.

Cut mozzarella into small cubes and place them in the center of each cake rather than mixing throughout—this creates those coveted stretchy cheese pulls while preventing the cheese from melting into the rice.

Heat olive oil to 350°F before frying; if it's too cool, the cakes absorb oil and become greasy, but too hot and they'll burn before the inside cooks through.

Season your brown rice base generously with kosher salt and add complementary spices like garlic powder, paprika, or Italian seasoning before forming cakes, as the rice will absorb flavors better than adding seasonings to the finished product.

Use 2-3 eggs per 2 cups of cooked rice—too few and cakes fall apart, too many and they become dense; mix gently just until combined to maintain a light texture.