Levantine cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Filfil Mahshi bi Zeit

Peppers stuffed with rice, tomatoes and herbs and braised until soft in an olive oil-tomato broth.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 8 pointed peppers or small bell peppers
• 200 g round-grain rice
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 onions
• 1/2 bunch flat-leaf parsley
• 1/2 bunch mint
• 120 ml olive oil
• 2 tbsp tomato paste
• 1 tsp allspice
• 1 lemon
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Cut a cap off the peppers, remove the seeds and white membranes with a small spoon, and set the caps aside.
2. Soak the rice for 20 min. and drain, finely dice two of the tomatoes and the onions, and finely chop the parsley and mint.
3. Combine the rice, diced tomato, onions, herbs, allspice, 5 tbsp olive oil, salt and pepper and fill the peppers two-thirds full with it, then put the caps back on.
4. Stand the peppers upright, packed closely together in a pot, so they support each other.
5. Stir the tomato paste with the last diced tomato, 500 ml hot water and the remaining olive oil, pour it in and braise covered over low heat for 45 min. until the rice is tender.
6. Drizzle with the lemon juice, let rest in the pot for 10 min. and serve lukewarm with the braising liquid.