Next thing I knew, I was smelling something crispy! Thank goodness the rice didn't actually burn -- there were just some crunchy pieces at the bottom that came right up when I added a little water to the pot. The crunch made for an interesting texture and flavor. Since I overcooked it, the rice was kind of sticky and more porous than usual. I added fresh basil, two chopped tomatoes and the juice of half a lemon. The rice absorbed all the fresh tomato juice, becoming this lovely, salmon/ballet slipper shade. When I'd followed Alicia's recipe, the rice had retained its whiteness. It's only pink this time because I overcooked it. Nevertheless, we all loved this fresh, funky-looking side dish.
