Rice-stuffed bell peppers (as described in Arabesque) are wonderful served cold with some sour cream or yogurt. As the book suggests, it is important to pick the bell peppers that can stand on the end that is opposite of the stem.Prepare the filling by frying the onion in 3 Tbsp of oil until soft, adding rice and stirring it for a bit, pouring 2 cups of water, adding salt, pepper, and sugar, and cooking for ~15 min, until the water is absorbed, and finally stirring in the pine nuts, currants or rasins, tomato, cinnamon, allspice, mint, dill, parsley, lemon juice, and 3 Tbsp of olive oil.
Seed the peppers after cutting around the stem, fill them, replace their caps, and arrange them in a shallow baking dish. Pour about 0.5"/1cm of water into the bottom and bake at 375F/190C until peppers are tender (45-55 minute according to the book, though I would go longer next time). Those averse to dry cinnamon may want to reduce its amount.
- 1 large onion, chopped finely
- 6 Tbsp olive oil (3 for frying, 3 for the filling)
- 1.25 cups short-grain rice
- salt and pepper to taste
- 2 Tbsp sugar
- 3 Tbsp pine nuts
- 3 Tbsp currants or raisins
- 1 large tomato, peeled and chopped
- 1 tsp (or less) of ground cinnamon
- 0.5 tsp ground allspice
- 2 Tbsp mint, chopped
- 2 Tbsp dill, choped
- 2 Tbsp parsley, chopped
- juice of 1 lemon
- 6 medium bell peppers, green or red