Basmati Rice Salad with Peas, Mint, and Lemon

Ingredients (15)

• Rice:
• 2 cups uncooked basmati rice (which will yield 5 to 6 cups cooked rice)
• 3 cups water (or more, depending on the package instructions)
• 1/2 teaspoon salt
• 2 2-inch strips of fresh lemon zest (use a vegetable peeler to take just the zest, not the whole peel, off of a fresh lemon)
• Mix-ins:
• 2 cups shelled English peas (from about 1 1/2 to 2 pounds of shell-on peas), or 2 cups of frozen peas
• Salted water for blanching (1 quart water, 1 1/2 teaspoons salt)
• 1/4 cup golden raisins or currants, plumped in enough water to cover the raisins for 5 to 10 minutes, then drained
• 1/2 cup minced green onions, including the greens (about 2 green onions)
• 1 1/2 teaspoons finely grated lemon zest
• 1 teaspoon finely minced fresh mint leaves (spearmint)
• 2 Tbsp lemon juice
• 1/4 cup extra virgin olive oil
• 1/2 teaspoon salt