Turkish Pilaf with Pistachios and Chickpeas | Fatfree Vegan Kitchen Recipe

Recipe courtesy of:
Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

Turkish Pilaf with Pistachios and Chickpeas

This is one of those dishes that taste better the second day, so plan for leftovers--or just cook it a day ahead.

1 cup brown basmati rice
2 cups water
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/4 cup raisins (or zereshk)
salt

2 onions, minced
8 ounces eggplant, diced
1/2 cup fat-free vegetable broth
16 ounces chickpeas, cooked
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1 large tomato, chopped
1/4 cup parsley, chopped
1/4 cup pistachio nuts, coarsely chopped
salt to taste

Cook rice with water, 1/2 tsp. cinnamon, raisins (or zereshk), and salt until rice is tender.

Sauté onions in a large non-stick skillet over medium-high heat until they begin to brown. Add the eggplant and cook for a few more minutes. Add the vegetable broth, cover, and cook until the eggplant is tender, about 8 more minutes.

Add the cooked rice to the eggplant, along with the chickpeas and cinnamon. If dry, add a little more vegetable broth. Simmer for about 5 minutes, to allow flavors to combine. Just before serving, add the tomato and chopped parsley. Add salt to taste and serve topped with pistachios.

Optional: Soak a few of the zereshk in hot water; just before serving, drain them and toss them with the pilaf. They will hold together better than the zereshk that were cooked with the rice.

Makes 6 servings. Per serving: 316 Calories (kcal); 6g Total Fat; (15% calories from fat); 11g Protein; 57g Carbohydrate; 0mg Cholesterol; 15mg Sodium; 6g Fiber. Weight Watchers Core (omit pistachios)/ 6 Flex Points.

Nutritional information is approximate and is not guaranteed to be 100% accurate. "Gluten-free" label is strictly a cataloging tag meant to be helpful for recipe searches and does not ensure that
the recipe is completely free of gluten. Always read ingredient labels carefully and contact manufacturers to make sure that products actually are vegan and/or gluten-free.