Tuna Porridge

Today, I’m in the middle of a New York City trip, and it is cold, rainy, and miserable outside. It’s one of those days when you’re not wearing proper shoes, so your feet start to get wet, and the cheap umbrella you bought turns inside out and breaks the second time you used it. Right now, I’m trying to dry off in a half-underground coffee shop/bar in Brooklyn, sipping hot chocolate, and wishing I could replace the hastily eaten Chinese dinner in my stomach with something more comforting and satisfying.

Which is why I decided to post this recipe today. To me, porridge (or congee or juk) is the ultimate comfort food. I crave it whenever I’m under the weather-mentally or physically-and I dare say it does a better job than chocolate.

The last porridge recipe I posted on my blog was my quick version. When you need to satisfy a craving in a pinch, that’s a good one, and it’s what I make when I’m sick and want to hurry back to bed. This recipe takes a bit longer because I put more care into it: I give it a creamier texture, and with the tuna, I use the good stuff. I’m talking albacore. Albacore is a variety of tuna that gives you a chunkier, flakier product than chunk light. The first time I tasted it, it was kind of like the first time I flew in business class and never wanted to go back to economy, if you get what I mean.

I feel fortunate to be working with Bumble Bee on this post because they’re one of the few things I always have to have on hand. I use them in everything. I love the solid white albacore because it’s delicious, responsibly-caught wild tuna that is lean and high in protein and healthy fats-one of those things you feel great eating.

So I have two purposes today: to persuade you to try rice porridge if you haven’t, and to convince you of the superiority of Bumble Bee’s solid white albacore. Have I succeeded? Or am I preaching to the choir?

Check out more on Bumble Bee’s solid white albacore here!

 

 

 

 

Tuna Porridge
Serves 2-3

• 1 cup uncooked short-grain rice
• 5 cups water
• 1-1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
• 2/3 cup carrots, finely chopped
• 2/3 cup zucchini, finely chopped
• 1/4 cup green onions, chopped
• 1 can (4 oz) Bumble Bee Solid White Albacore
• 1 tsp fish sauce
• 1/2 tsp salt
• roasted sesame seeds (opt.)
• roasted seaweed (opt.), crumbled

Directions:

Warm sesame oil in a large pot over medium-high heat. Saute rice, carrots and zucchini for about 2 minutes, stirring continuously, until rice begins to turn transparent. Add water and bring to a boil.

Once boiling, reduce to simmer and cover. Simmer over med-low heat, stirring occasionally, until the rice begins to break down and the mixture becomes creamy, about 40 minutes.

Stir in 3/4 of the can of albacore, the green onions, and the fish sauce and salt. Add more salt as desired. Cook for another minute, then remove from heat. Garnish with crumbled seaweed and sesame seeds. Serve warm.