Simple Recipe for Tasty Mediterranean Ratatouille Rice

This is a beautiful Mediterranean blend from France where baby zucchini, olive oil, eggplant, and garlic are utilized abundantly. The secret to tasty ratatouille is in the stewing of the vegetables. I like to make this and serve it over Texmati, or should I say basmati rice as a central dish. 

For curious ones, in the year 2000, India and the United States fought a legal dispute over a patent of Basmati rice. Indian farmers developed basmati rice for hundreds of years, but a Texan company obtained a patent for a cross-breed with American long-grain rice. Later, after disputes, debates, and diplomats’ involvement, Basmati became Texmati in the United States and remained Basmati everywhere else. I will call it Basmati since I work for Indians, and I am not a fan of Texas.

Back to our Ratatouille Recipe, it is also a tasty side dish and can be added to baked potatoes or mixed in with pasta as a pasta salad. Ratatouille is also a classic complement to any sauteed or grilled piece of meat.

Let’s look at the ingredients first. 

Ingredients

• 2 cloves garlic, crushed or minced
• 2 small yellow onions, sliced
• 1.5 cups of bell pepper (red, green or mix of the two)
• 2 cups of sliced mushrooms
• 4 Tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium zucchini, approximately 1 ½ cups, cubed
• 1 small eggplant, about 2 cups, cubed
• salt and pepper to taste
• 2 cups, uncooked basmati rice
• grated mozzarella cheese

Procedure

1. Cook rice according to the rice cooker directions.
2. In a large skillet with a lid, start sauteing the onion and garlic on medium-high heat until onions begin to soften. It takes around two to three minutes. 
3. Now, reduce heat to medium. Add mushrooms, pepper, and zucchini and maintain sauteing another five minutes until zucchini and mushrooms begin releasing their water.
4. Stir in eggplant, decrease the heat to medium-low and cover for five minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Remove the lid and add salt to taste.
6. Continue sauteing over medium-low for another fifteen to eighteen minutes until vegetables are soft. Add olive oil if veggies are sticking. 
7. Serve on top of rice or baked potatoes, add a half cup grated mozzarella cheese to enhance the taste.

Leftover ideas: Add leftovers on top for a plain pizza crust to get a makeshift Mediterranean pizza.