Zucchini with Rice and Turkish Yogurt Sauce

Ingredients

• 2-3 small zucchini
• 1 large onion
• 2 large tomatoes
• 1 tbsp tomato paste
• 2-3 tbsp. basmati rice (or bulgur)
• 2-3 sprigs of dill
• 1 tsp dry mint or 2 fresh sprigs
• red pepper flakes
• freshly ground black pepper
• salt
• olive oil
• 150 ml. boiled water
• thick natural yogurt
• 2 cloves of garlic (optional)

Cooking

Step 1

Peel the skin of the zucchini with a vegetable peeler, cut them in half, then each half, cut lengthwise, and then into pieces about 2 cm wide. Finely chop the onion and tomatoes, chop the dill, parsley and garlic as well. Rinse rice or bulgur

Step 2

Add garlic to yogurt and mix well, yogurt should be infused. In a large saucepan, heat the oil, fry the onion until golden brown, then add the chopped tomatoes and tomato paste, mix. After about 5 minutes, add rice (or bulgur), mix, salt and after about 3 minutes put the chopped zucchini in a saucepan, check the salt, if necessary, add more.

Step 3

Pour in the water, reduce the heat to low, cover the saucepan with a lid and simmer for about 25 minutes. or until the rice is done. • Zucchini must not fall apart! Rice should not turn into porridge. • If you choose to cook without rice, simply skip this option. • If you cook with minced meat, then before adding the tomatoes, lay out the minced meat, fry it, and only after that add the tomatoes, salcha and zucchini. Don't forget the cumin!

Step 4

When the rice and zucchini are ready, remove the saucepan from the stove. Add parsley, dill and pepper (black and red). If you use dry mint, then sprinkle it on the dish already when serving. Serve with garlic yogurt.