Pilaf with Ground Lamb and Pistachios

Cut the eggplant into 1 cm cubes, place in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Let it sit for 1 hour, then rinse and dry.

Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large deep skillet. Fry the eggplant for 8–10 minutes until golden brown. Transfer to paper towels.

Heat the remaining oil in a pan. Finely chop the onion and sauté for 4–5 minutes until soft.

Add half a teaspoon of cinnamon, cumin and ground coriander. Pour in the rice and fry, stirring, until a crust forms.

Pour in the chicken broth, salt to taste, and bring to a boil. Reduce heat, cover with a lid, and simmer for 15 minutes.

In a bowl, mix ground lamb with cloves, remaining cumin, cinnamon and coriander. Salt and stir.

Roll the meatballs to the size of a walnut. Heat the olive oil in a pan and fry the meatballs in batches for 5 minutes. Place on paper towels.

Slice the tomatoes into wedges. Fry them in a pan for 3–5 minutes until golden. Remove from the pan.

Mix the cooked rice with meatballs, eggplant, pistachios and currants. Arrange on a plate, garnish with fried tomatoes and fresh cilantro.