Rinse and hull strawberries. In a small saucepan over medium heat, cook strawberries, 1/2 cup sugar, and lemon juice. When berries are soft, gently mash and set aside to cool.

In a large saucepan, bring the water to a boil. Add the rice and cook until almost all the water has evaporated. Lower the heat to medium and add the milk, scraped vanilla seeds, and lemon zest. Stir frequently until the pudding has thickened, about 20 minutes. Stir in remaining sugar and allow to cool.

To serve, swirl strawberry mixture into rice pudding. Alternately, layer pudding and strawberry mixture in tall clear glasses.