Description[]
Stuffed vegetables
Ingredients[]
Filling[]
- 1½ cups of rice
- ½ pound of ground beef
- 2 tablespoons of oil (if needed)
- 1 onion, finely diced
- 1 clove of garlic, smashed
- 1 tomato, chopped
- ¼ cup fresh parsley, cilantro, or coriander, chopped
- 1 Maggi bouillon cube (beef or vegetable)
- 1 teaspoon each: ground turmeric, cumin, salt
- ½ teaspoon each: cardamom, black pepper, cayenne (red) pepper
- 2 tablespoons of lemon juice
Vegetables[]
Directions[]
Filling[]
- Rinse the rice.
- Soak it in water for at least two hours.
- In a skillet, brown the ground beef with the onions and garlic in the 2 tablespoons of oil (if needed), smashing the meat into small pieces with a spoon as it is cooking.
- Add the tomato and spices.
- Cook while stirring until the tomatoes are tender.
- Drain the rice.
- Mix the meat with the rice.
- Add the lemon juice.
Stuffed bell peppers[]
- Wash and prepare the peppers.
- For small peppers, cut off the tops, and remove the seeds.
- For large peppers, slice in half lengthwise and remove the seeds.
- Fill with the rice stuffing, but do not fill to the top as the rice will expand as it cooks.
- Place in a steamer or large metal strainer.
- Place over boiling water and cover with aluminum foil to steam.
- Let cook for about 40 minutes.
- They are finished when the rice is soft and cooked.
Stuffed onions[]
- Remove the dry outer layers of onion.
- For small onions, cut the tops and with a spoon scoop out the inner layers of onion to make a shell 2 layers of onion thick.
- For larger onions, cut in half.
- With a spoon remove the inner layers to make each half into a shell 2 layers of onion thick.
- Fill with stuffing and steam as above.
Stuffed grape leaves[]
- Lay out one grape leaf, vein side up.
- Place a tablespoon of filling in the middle, near the bottom.
- Roll up the bottom, just to cover the rice filling.
- Then fold the sides to the middle to fully enclose the stuffing and finally finish by rolling up to the top of the leaf.
- It should come out in a finger-like shape.
- Steam as above and sprinkle with plenty of lemon juice before serving.
Stuffed Zucchini[]
- To make stuffed zucchini: wash the zucchini.
- For small zucchini, cut off the top stem end.
- With a corer (or very thin knife) remove the inner flesh to make shells.
- For large zucchini, cut in half.
- Remove the inner flesh from each half to make shells.
- Stuff with the rice stuffing.
- Place zucchini side by side in a cake pan or casserole dish.
- Mix 5 tablespoons of tomato paste with a cup of water.
- Add salt and black pepper, to taste.
- Pour over the zucchini.
- Cover with aluminum foil and bake in the oven until the rice is tender.
Stuffed eggplant[]
- Wash the eggplant.
- For small eggplants, cut off the top stem end.
- With a corer, a spoon or a knife remove the inner flesh to make shells.
- For large eggplants, cut in half lengthwise.
- Remove the inner flesh from each half to make shells.
- Stuff with the rice stuffing.
- Place eggplants side by side in a cake pan or casserole dish, bake as instructed for stuffed zucchini, with the tomato sauce.
Stuffed cabbage rolls[]
- Steam the whole head of cabbage until the outer leaves are bend-able (about 4 – 5 minutes).
- Allow to cool slightly.
- Remove a leaf at a time.
- With a paring knife, trim the ribs so that they are the same thickness as the rest of the leaf and can easily be bent.
- If the leaf is large cut in half, to make two rolls.
- Roll as instructed for grape leaves.
- The Omanis like these rolls small, about finger-size, so aim for that size and shape.
- Place side by side in a cake pan.
- Cover with the tomato sauce and bake, as above.
To serve[]
- Arrange stuffed vegetables on a plate and sprinkle with more lemon juice.