Preserved lemon and harissa brighten up plain rice.
Using meaty tuna, crunchy vegetables and soft rice creates a wonderful combination of textures.
The cuisine of North Africa is noted for its use of condiments like harissa and preserved lemon. Tuna, a fish rarely used in other parts of the Arab world, also tends to feature heavily in North African salads, sandwiches, and pastries. The examples are endless: Harcha is a semolina pancake that sometimes includes tuna; chermoula is a widely used condiment that in certain regions relies on preserved lemon; tagines from chicken to fish often include preserved lemon and harissa; mhamasah, a giant couscous similar to fregola sarda, is used as a base for a tuna salad; in Tunisia, these ingredients come together in a delicious sandwich with avocado and eggs.
The creativity these dishes can inspire is vast and I draw on many of those flavors for this rice salad, designed to be made with fresh or leftover rice. Preserved lemon is the real star of this show, providing a depth of citrus that is pungent yet bright, and marries the robust flavor of tuna with the softer notes of plain rice. (Please note that regular lemon would not be a good substitute in this particular dish).
