Instructions
Follow the steps and taste along the way.
Cook the rice
Rinse the rice under cold water and put it in a pot with 420 ml water and 2 g salt. Bring to a boil, cover, and cook over the lowest heat for 12 minutes. Remove from the heat and leave covered while you prepare the rest of the meal.
Roast the eggplant
Preheat the oven to 220 °C. Cut the eggplant into roughly 2 cm cubes and toss with 15 ml olive oil and 1 g salt. Spread it in a single layer on a baking sheet and roast for 20 to 22 minutes, turning the cubes halfway through. The edges should be browned and the insides tender.
Shape the turkey meatballs
Mix the ground turkey with the egg, breadcrumbs, ground cumin, 10 g finely chopped parsley, 2 g salt, and half the black pepper. Divide the mixture into 12 equal meatballs. Dice the bell pepper, finely chop the onion, and mince the garlic.
Brown the meatballs and prepare the sauce
Heat 15 ml olive oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Brown the meatballs for 6 to 8 minutes, turning them regularly so they brown on several sides; they do not need to be fully cooked through yet. Transfer them to a plate. Add the onion and bell pepper to the same skillet and cook for 4 minutes. Stir in the garlic, smoked paprika, and remaining black pepper, and cook for 30 seconds, stirring. Add the tomatoes, 100 ml water, olives, and 1 g salt. Return the meatballs to the skillet and simmer, partially covered, for 12 to 15 minutes, until they are fully cooked through and the sauce has thickened slightly.
Finish and serve
Stir the lemon juice and remaining 10 g chopped parsley into the sauce. Taste: the tomatoes and lemon should add a fresh acidity, and the olives should provide saltiness; if needed, adjust with the remaining 1 g salt. Fluff the cooked rice with a fork. Serve with the turkey meatballs, sauce, and roasted eggplant.
