Cumin Rice with Eggplant

1 ½ cups brown rice
1 medium eggplant, cut into ½-inch cubes
1 medium onion, diced
1 green, yellow, or red bell pepper, cut into ½-inch pieces
1 (15 oz) can diced tomatoes (fire roasted)
4 tsp ground cumin
½ tsp turmeric
¼ tsp ground ginger
¼ tsp cinnamon
½ tsp ground black pepper
1/8 tsp cayenne or red chili pepper
¼ cup chopped parsley
3 cups water
1 ½ cups fresh or frozen (thawed) green peas

1. Preheat over to 375 degrees Fahrenheit.
2. Put the rice in a bowl and cover it with water. Set it aside to soak while cooking the vegetable.
3. Lightly spray a large non-stick skillet with oil or cooking spray. Add the eggplant and onion, salt them lightly, and cook, covered, over medium-high heat, stirring often.
4. When the eggplant is soft but not mush (about 5 minutes), add the peppers, tomatoes, seasonings, parsley, and more salt to taste. Combine well.
5. Drain the water from the rice and add rice to the pan along with 3 cups water.
6. Increase the heat to high and bring to a boil.
7. When boiling is reached, transfer into a large baking dish.
8. Place a piece of parchment paper over the rice and then cover tightly with foil.
9. Bake until the rice is tender, about 50-55 minutes.
10. Stir in the peas and allow the dish to set for 5 minutes before serving.

Servings: 12
Serving Size: 225 grams

Number of Servings: 12

Recipe submitted by SparkPeople user EJORDANE.