Eggplant Rice Recipe
A classic flavor from Ottoman cuisine, combining fried eggplants with rice. It would be a satisfying main course on its own, or serve as a festive table alongside lamb shanks or roasted pepper yoghurt. The trick is to add the eggplant to the rice at the end: if cooked together, it will disperse, but if blended at the end, both its shape and taste will remain separate.
Ingredients
1. For pilaf
2. For eggplant
3. For service
Step-by-Step Method
Preparation
Let the rice rest
Wash the baldo rice until clear water appears. Add 1 teaspoon of salt to enough warm water to cover it and let the rice sit for 20 minutes, then drain and rinse once more. This step removes the starch; This is the main reason why rice is grainy.
Let the eggplants sweat
Peel the eggplants and cut them into 2 cm cubes. Place it in a large bowl, mix it with rock salt and let it sit for 20 minutes. Drain the dark water released by gently squeezing it in your palm, and dry thoroughly with a paper towel.
Cooking
Fry the eggplants
Heat the oil in a deep pan. Fry the eggplants in two or three batches, without crowding the pan, for 4-5 minutes on each side until golden brown. Remove with a slotted spoon and transfer to a plate lined with paper towels.
Roast the rice
Melt the butter and oil together in a thick-bottomed pot. Add the drained rice and fry over low heat for 3-4 minutes until the grains absorb the oil and become transparent. Use a wooden spoon when mixing; metal spoon breaks the grains.
Add water and cook
Add hot water and salt all at once. When it starts to boil, reduce the heat to low, close the lid and cook for 12-15 minutes, until the water is completely absorbed. Do not open the lid during this period.
Blend and let it brew
Remove from the stove, spread the fried eggplants over the rice and gently mix with a wooden spoon, using a few movements from bottom to top. Stretch a clean kitchen cloth over the mouth of the pot, close the lid, and let it brew for 15 minutes. Serve by sprinkling with chopped dill.