Friday Night Special for a family

Tuna and rice are the basis of so many economical and tasty meals and this one has been a family favourite for years. Preparing fast, easy and nutritious meals is the way to survive the summer we are having. Sometimes they take a little bit of forward planning, for example with this dish having the rice cooked in advance, but that is easy particularly if you cook a stir fry the night before accompanied by rice.

 Just cook some extra rice and chill it overnight in the refrigerator. Mr. HRK's sister, Suzanne, gave me this recipe when all of our children were still at home and we were both working. It was always the perfect Friday night dinner after a busy week, which we all looked forward to. Who doesn't love Friday nights? The children also enjoyed it heated up for breakfast on toast the next day. There might be another name for this dish somewhere, as it is similar to a Kedgeree, but this is what we have always called it.

The milder tasting ingredients are very suited to children's tastes, however I have also added a chopped large red chilli, an extra couple of teaspoons of curry powder, and extra mango chutney as a condiment for a bit more spicy flavour when it is just Mr. HRK and me eating it.

I hope you can give this a try as it is simple to make but delicious, and improves in flavour overnight. It also freezes well.

Ingredients:

1 425 g can of tuna in spring water
2 tablespoons oil or butter
3 cups cooked brown or white rice (I prefer brown rice now)
1 onion, finely chopped
1 large ripe tomato, chopped
1 1/2 teaspoons curry powder
1/2 cup tomato sauce
2 tablespoons desiccated coconut
4 boiled eggs for serving if desired
1 tablespoon Mango or other fruit chutney (optional)

Method:

Boil enough rice in advance to make 3 cups of cooked rice, and chill on a tray in the refrigerator.
Lightly fry the onion in oil until transparent. Add the tomato and the curry powder and lightly fry for a few minutes or until tomato is softened and you can smell the curry powder cooking.
Add the drained can of tuna and stir through the other ingredients until warmed through.
Add the tomato sauce and the coconut and stir through the mixture.
Lastly, add the rice gradually and stir through until all of the other ingredients are distributed through the rice, keeping some chunks of tuna in tact.

This dish is also delicious with a tablespoon of Mango chutney stirred through it before serving.

Season with salt and pepper to taste if you need to.

Serve sprinkled with finely sliced coriander or parsley and sliced boiled eggs.


Best wishes

Pauline


(This is an original recipe by Happy Retirees Kitchen)