Patlicanli Pilavi

• 1 large onion, chopped
• 5 tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil
• 1 pound tomatoes, peeled and chopped
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/2 teaspoon allspice
• Pinch of chili flakes or ground chili pepper (optional)
• Salt
• 1 1/4 cups long-grain rice
• 2 eggplants, weighing about 1 pound total, cut into 1-inch cubes
• Olive oil or vegetable oil to fry the eggplants
• 3 tablespoons chopped dill
• 3 tablespoons chopped mint

1. In a large pan, fry the onion in 2 tablespoons of the olive oil till soft.
2. Add the tomatoes, sugar, allspice, and chili, and cook over low heat for 10 minutes.
3. Add 1 1/2 cups water, stir in some salt, and bring to the boil.
4. Add the rice, stir, and cook, covered, over low heat for about 20 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid absorbed, adding a little water if it becomes too dry and begins to stick.
5. (The tomatoes provide some of the liquid.)
6. In the meantime, deep-fry the eggplants in oil to cover, turning them over once, until lightly browned.
7. Then drain on paper towels.
8. When the rice is done, gently fold in the dill and mint, the remaining raw oil, and the eggplants.
9. Cover and cook a few minutes more.
10. Serve cold.

onion, extravirgin olive oil, tomatoes, sugar, allspice, ground chili pepper, salt, longgrain rice, eggplants, olive oil, dill, mint

Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/patlicanli-pilavi-373240 (may not work)