Stuffed Eggplant

Ingredients

1 tsp of olive oil
A few sprigs of thyme
1 medium sized eggplant, cut into half, lengthwise
1-2 Tbsp of extra virgin olive oil, for sauteing
1 cup of mixed red, yellow & green bell peppers, finely chopped
1 cup of zucchini, finely diced
1 cup chickpeas, boiled and drained
1 tomato, finely diced
1/2 tsp of red chilli powder
1 pinch of zataar spice (Moroccan spice)
1 tsp of sumac powder (Moroccan spice)
6-7 mint leaves
1 Tbsp parsley, finely chopped
1 Tbsp coriander, finely chopped

1 cup of cooked basmati rice
1/2 a cup of feta cheese
Salt and pepper to season

Cooking Style

Score the inside of the eggplant and sprinkle with salt, pepper and chopped thyme.Drizzle the olive oil over and bake it for 15 minutes at 180 degrees C, until it is soft and cooked.Let it rest till its cool enough to handle.Heat the extra virgin olive oil in a pan and sauté the zucchini with the red, yellow and green bell peppers.

Mix in the chickpeas, diced tomatoes.Season with salt, zataar spice, sumack powder, red chilli powder and stir well for 2-3 minutes.Add the mint leaves, fresh coriander and parsley. Mix well.

Add the cooked basmati rice to the vegetables and mix it all together. Using a spoon, lightly scoop out most of the flesh from the eggplant, and add it to the rice
and vegetable mixture.

Mix the filling well and spoon it back into the eggplant. Place the eggplants on a baking tray.
Crumble feta cheese over the eggplant, sprinkle with cracked black pepper and again bake in
the oven for 8-10 minutes at 190 degrees C.

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