Bell Peppers Stuffed with Rice, Raisins, and Pine Nuts
This is the classic Turkish rice filling for vegetables to be served cold. Choose plump bell peppers that can stand on their base. I prefer to use red peppers because they are sweeter and for the color, but in Turkey green ones are more often used.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 6
Ingredients
Preparation
Step 1
For the filling, fry the onion in 3 tablespoons oil until soft. Add the rice and stir until thoroughly coated and translucent. Pour in 2 cups water and add salt, pepper, and sugar. Stir well and cook for 15 minutes, or until the water has been absorbed but the rice is still a little underdone. Stir in the pine nuts, currants or raisins, tomato, cinnamon, allspice, mint, dill, parsley, and lemon juice, as well as the rest of the oil.
Step 2
Retaining the stalk, cut a circle around the stalk end of the peppers and set to one side to use as caps. Remove the cores and seeds with a spoon and discard. Fill the peppers with the rice mixture, and replace the caps.
Step 3
Arrange the peppers side by side in a shallow baking dish, pour about water into the bottom, and bake in the oven preheated to 375°F for 45 to 55 minutes, or until the peppers are tender. Be careful that they do not fall apart.
Step 4
Serve cold, accompanied, if you like, by a bowl of yogurt beaten with or without crushed garlic.
