It’s sort of well known by now that I don’t know how to cook rice. But I love to eat it! I opted for Seeds of Change brown basmati rice to make this recipe faster and easier (rice in 90 seconds!), but feel free to use any grain you love (quinoa, farro, and freekeh are all staples in my house). The best part of this recipe is the delicious nightshade medley, with saucy tomatoes and eggplant. It’s even better if you can find your bounty at the local farmer’s market, which right about now as summer starts to fade shouldn’t be too hard.
Ingredients
2 - 8.5 oz. bags Seeds of Change Brown Basmati Rice (or 2 cups cooked rice)
1 large eggplant, trimmed and peeled
4 large tomatoes, scored with an X on top
1/4 cup olive oil
1/2 cup water, plus more for boiling
1 teaspoon cumin
1 teaspoon paprika
6 garlic cloves, chopped
1 teaspoon salt
1/4 teaspoon black pepper
1 tablespoon chopped parsley, plus more for garnish
Directions
Prepare the rice according to package instructions and set aside.
Dice the eggplant into 1" cubes.
Boil a large pot of water. Add the tomatoes and cook for one minute, then immediately submerge in an ice bath to stop the cooking. Once cooled, peel the tomatoes from the top down and roughly chop into pieces.
Add the tomatoes and eggplant to a large pot.
Drizzle the olive oil over the vegetables, and add in the spices, water, and garlic.
Cover the pot and place it over medium-high heat. Let cook until it comes to a boil, then lower the heat to medium-low and cook for 35-45 minutes, until it gets saucy.
Stir in the chopped parsley.
Plate the rice in a shallow bowl and top with the tomato and eggplant sauce. Garnish with fresh parsley.
