Tuna and Rice

1. In a small heavy saucepan with a tight-fitting lid, combine the water, salt, and 1 tablespoon of lemon juice. Bring to a boil.

2. Add the garlic, onion, basil, oregano, pepper and brown basmati rice. Cover, turn heat down to low, and let cook for 45 minutes.

3. Run hot tap water over the peas to thaw them, drain well, and pour on top of the rice during the final 5 minutes of cooking so they get steamed.

4. Turn off the heat, divide the butter into 4 pats and put them on top of the rice and peas. Let it sit with the lid covering it but cracked open for a few minutes for the butter to melt and any last moisture in the pan to steam away.

5. Drain the tuna, sprinkle the remaining 1 tablespoon of lemon juice over top, and poke it with a fork a few times so the juice can seep into the meat. Let sit a couple of minutes.

6. Once the butter is melted, dump the tuna in and give it a good stir to combine the rice, peas, tuna, and melted butter. Serve.

You can use other rices instead of brown basmati for this. Just remember to adjust the cooking time and rice-to-water ratio accordingly. I usually make it with either white or brown basmati, but it’s equally delicious with generic cheap long grain rice when I can’t afford (or find) something better.