Djuvech (Bosnian Vegetables and Rice)

nitko's Note:

Originally this is Turkish meal, but since 400 years of Ottomans occupation of Croatian and Bosnian territories, many meals become “Croatian” or “Bosnian”. This is nice side dish to BBQ or roasted meat. You can make it more or less hot, as you like it.

• Total Time: 1 hrs 5 mins
• Prep Time: 25 mins
• Cook Time: 40 mins

Ingredients:

Serves: 4

Yield: 4.0 portions

• 100 g onions
• 300 g tomatoes
• 100 g bell peppers (red or green)
• 100 g eggplants
• 100 g zucchini
• 50 g French beans
• 50 g green peas
• 1 garlic clove
• 200 g rice
• 3 tablespoons olive oil
• 15 g salt
• 1/2 teaspoon paprika (hot)
• 10 g pepper
• 1/2 teaspoon dried oregano
• 1/4 teaspoon cumin (optional)

Directions:

1. Slice onion into half-rounds, as well as peppers.
2. Slice eggplant into stripes and season with some salt (leave eggplant about 15 minutes, and than squeeze them with your hands to extract bitter liquid).
3. Cut tomatoes into slices.
4. Cut French beans into 3-4 cm long pieces and blanche in hot water for few minutes.
5. Cut zucchini into slices.
6. Remove green peas from shucks.
7. Finely mince garlic.
8. Put olive oil in a pot and add following this order (each ingredient sauté first for couple of minutes, one after another in the same pot not removing previous vegetable): onion, peppers, eggplant, garlic, tomato, French beans, green peas, and zucchini. Season it with salt, paprika, pepper, thyme and oregano (cumin).
9. When all ingredients are soft, and liquid evaporates (about 15 minutes) add rice, stir a bit and add water according to manufacturer manual (you may add some more salt). Cook until rice is done.
10. It must not bee too liquid, it must be sticky and dry; rice must almost fry.