Zucchini with sultanas and rice

          

Zucchimi may be at the back of the alphabet but it's at the front of our minds when it comes to summer vegetables. As it is so, people all over the world start cooking zucchini in a variety of imaginative ways once the earliest crops arrive at the markets from the gardens. So did I. 

Cooking summer vegetables with olive oil using no meat at all and serving them at room temperature or cold is one of the most popular ways in Turkey. Removing meat from the recipes during the summertime and substituting it with nuts, currants, and several spices has been preferred for centuries in Turkish cuisine to make those dishes lighter in calories and detoxify the body after the ancient tradition of adding meat into every dish possible during the whole winter. 

Whatever the reason is, zucchini when cooked with olive oil and served cold has been one of favourites. This time, I added dried sultanas and rice to the zucchini I bought at the nearest farmer's market. Although I wanted to garnish it with fresh dill, I couldn't because it's extremely hard to find dill here in Sarajevo unlike Istanbul. With or without dill to garnish, it was a refreshing meal on such a boiling hot day in Sarajevo.

from What Katie Ate

Shopping Tip:

Look for zucchini that is firm and heavy for their size; the skin should be brightly colored and blemish-free. Because they are harvested earlier, smaller zucchini is tender than larger ones and have thinner skins; choose zucchini that is less than eight inches long. Remember that they peak at the end of the season.

Ingredients

3 medium zucchini
3 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion, finely chopped
A handful of sultanas
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/4 cup rice, washed and drained
Juice of half a lemon, or more to taste
1,5 teaspoon salt, to taste
1,5 teaspoon sugar, to taste

Directions

1. Slice the zucchini into 1 inch cubes. 
2. Heat the oil in a large nonstick frying pan, and add the onions and garlic. 
3. Saute over medium heat for 7-8 minutes, and add the zucchini. Stir gently until the zucchini are becoming slightly translucent and just starting to brown. 
4. Add the raisins, the lemon juice and the rice. 
5. Season with salt and sugar.
6. Add 1 cup boiling water.
7. Stir, and let cook until the rice is done for about 30 minutes. 
8. Remove from the heat and let it cool completely.  
9. Serve at room temperature or cold. 


*Keep in the refrigerator.