A practical Peruvian staple of fluffy rice and tuna. Ají panca, carrot, and peas add color and savory depth without turning it into a heavy stew, while the tuna goes in at the end so it stays moist. Simple, filling, and exactly the kind of lunch that makes pantry basics work surprisingly hard.
Dice the onion and carrot into small cubes and finely chop the garlic. Rinse the rice until the water runs almost clear and let it drain; open the tuna, drain only the excess liquid, and gently separate it with a fork while keeping visible chunks.
Heat the vegetable oil in a pot over medium heat and cook the onion for 3 to 4 minutes, until translucent and beginning to brown around the edges
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Add the drained rice and cook for 1 minute, stirring to coat the grains with the seasoning base. Pour in the water and add the salt; once it reaches a boil, stir once, cover, and reduce the heat to low. Cook for 18 minutes, until no visible liquid remains, small steam holes appear, and the rice is tender but separate.
Turn off the heat and gently fluff the rice from the edges. Fold in the tuna with broad movements, just until evenly distributed without breaking it down or overcooking it in the residual heat. Serve hot: the rice should be loose, lightly reddish, with distinct pieces of tuna among the vegetables. And that's it! The emergency pantry can just earned itself a proper lunch. 😌
