Ingredients

• 200g/7oz uncooked pudding rice
• 250g/9oz lamb mince
• good pinch saffron
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp freshly ground black pepper
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• ½ tsp cardamom powder
• 1 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
• 8 small courgettes
• cored
• 8 baby aubergines
• cored
• 6 mini peppers
• cored
• 1 bulb garlic
• cloves separated
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• 2 fresh mint sprigs
• leaves picked
• 1 tbsp ghee or vegetable oil
• 2 spring onions
• finely chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh coriander
• finely chopped
• 1 small bunch fresh parsley
• finely chopped
• 1–2 fresh mint sprigs
• leaves picked and finely chopped
• 120g/4½oz rocket
• 8 pitta breads
• toasted

Directions

• To make the stuffing
• mix the ingredients together in a large bowl.
• To make the vegetables
• stuff the cored courgettes
• aubergines and peppers with the stuffing.
• Put the ghee into a large lidded saucepan and lay the stuffed vegetables in a single layer if you can. Tuck the garlic cloves in and around.
• Mix the tomato purée with 800ml/1pint 8fl oz warm water and the mint
• then pour into the pan. Cover with a lid
• bring to the boil then reduce the heat to low and simmer for 40 minutes.
• Serve the stuffed vegetables and the cooking juices with the spring onions
• herbs and rocket scattered over the top and the pitta breads on the side to soak up the juices.