Turkish Eggplant Pilaf (Patlıcanlı Pilav)

Rinse the baldo rice until the water runs clear. Cover it with warm water, stir in 1 teaspoon of salt and leave it to soak for 20 minutes, then drain and rinse once more. This washes away surface starch — it is the single reason the finished pilaf comes out in separate grains rather than a sticky mass.

Peel the eggplants in stripes and cut them into 2 cm cubes. Toss them with the rock salt in a wide bowl and leave for 20 minutes. Squeeze out the dark liquid that collects, gently, in the palm of your hand, then pat the cubes thoroughly dry with paper towel.

Heat the oil in a deep pan. Fry the eggplant in two or three batches, without crowding the pan, for 4-5 minutes until every side is golden. Lift the cubes out with a slotted spoon onto a plate lined with paper towel.

Melt the butter with the oil in a heavy-based pot. Add the drained rice and toast over low heat for 3-4 minutes, until the grains have taken up the fat and turned translucent at the edges. Stir with a wooden spoon — a metal one chips the grains.

Pour in the hot water and salt all at once. As soon as it comes to the boil, drop the heat to its lowest setting, cover, and cook for 12-15 minutes until the liquid is fully absorbed. Do not lift the lid during this time.

Take the pot off the heat, scatter the fried eggplant over the rice and fold it through gently, lifting from the bottom with a wooden spoon in just a few strokes. Stretch a clean tea towel over the rim, put the lid back on and let it rest for 15 minutes. Scatter with chopped dill and serve.