Dirty Kitchen Secrets

I made this dish a few months ago, when we were following a detox diet. Basically, we went vegetarian for a month. I have a fetish for veggies, and therefore didn’t really mind the detox. My husband though, did suffer the first couple of days, complaining he was always hungry! However, given the lovely dishes I was rustling up, he began to embrace going veggie. I made this several times because it is very filling and the explosion of different flavors is quite mind-blowing: the piquant rice with exotic surprises of fruits, the crunch of the pine nuts and the sweetness of the Bell peppers, finished off by the the tangy flavor of the coriander… Ummmmm delish!

4 medium Bell Peppers

4 garlic cloves, minced

1 onion, finely chopped

3 tomatoes, diced and retain the juice

300g brown rice, uncooked

600 ml vegetable broth

500g cooked chickpeas

handful spinach

3 Tablespoon pine nuts

25g dried mixed fruit (cranberries, raspberries, raisins, strawberries)

1 Tablespoon paprika

1/2 cup finely chopped corriander

2 teaspoons salt

Cracked pepper

3 tablespoons of olive oil

For the Rice

Let’s begin by making the rice. Rinse the rice well under a running tap. Pour 2 tablespoons of the olive oil in a deep heavy pot on high heat, and begin sauteing the garlic for about a minute. Then add the onions and saute all together. Now add the tomatoes and all its juice. Add the chickpeas, paprika and the salt and mix well. Next add the rice and stir well. Pour in the vegetable broth, cover with lid and bring to a boil. Allow it to boil on high heat for 5 minutes, then lower the heat. At this point you will need to refer to the instructions on your rice package for the exact cooking time. I cooked mine for 30 minutes an still a bit al dente. Although it’s not on the flame, the steam cooks the rice. Once it is done, mix in the chopped coriander, spinach, toasted pine nuts (see below) and mixed fruits. Sprinkle liberally with cracked pepper, to taste.

For the pine nuts

Place a small saute pan on medium heat and drizzle in 1 tablespoon of olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the pine nuts. Make sure you are constantly turning the pine nuts until they are golden on all sides, toasting them for 1/2 a minute. Remove immediately from pan so as not to burn them.

For the bell peppers

Pre-heat oven to 4 gas/350 fahrenheit/180 celsius.  Cut off top of peppers or pepper caps and de-gut them. Wash the peppers.

Now, oil the bell peppers on the inside. Normally, I would add a teaspoon of sugar but given that we were on a detox, it was forbidden. If you wish to add sugar, feel free to do so at this point. Next, cover a pan with tin foil and grease with a little oil. Try to stand the bell peppers in the pan. If they are tipping over, then take a knife and slice a thin bit of the bottom! A bit, just enough to allow them to sit nicely, without making a hole. Using your hands lather the outside of the bell peppers with olive oil and begin stuffing with the rice mixture.

Cover with the caps

and cover the pan with foil, then place in the oven and cook for 25 minutes.