STUFFED EGGPLANT                                                                                

Ingredients                                                                                   
  6 eggplants
  400 gr. ground meat
  1/3 glass rice
  2 tablespoons margarine
  2 onions                                                                                 
  2 tomatoes 
  1 lemon (juice)
  1/2 tablespoon salt
  1 bunch parsley
  1/2 teaspoon black pepper
  1 1/2 glasses water

Preparation:
Peel the eggplants in lengthwise strips at 1 1/2 cm intervals. Depending on their sizes cut across into either 2 or 3 pieces and remove the insides of each eggplant.

Put the margarine and the chopped onions into a pan and sauté until the onions are tender. Add washed rice and 1 glass of water, close the lid and cook for about 10 minutes over moderate heat. Remove from heat, add the ground meat, salt, black pepper, the peeled-sliced-chopped tomatoes and chopped parsley, mixing all together for about 5 minutes. Stuff the eggplants with this mixture, place in a pan and cover with a plate. Add 1 1/2 glasses water and the lemon juice and cook over moderate heat for about 40-50 minutes. Remove from heat, place in a serving dish and serve.              

PLAIN PILAF                                                                                               

Ingredients                                                                                                          
  2 glasses of rice
  3 glasses chicken stock or water
  2 tablespoons margarine 
  salt

Preparation:

Boil the rice with 2 tablespoons of salt into a bowl and pour in enough warm water to cover the rice. Set aside for 20-25 minutes. Drain and wash salt await. Put the brith, chicken stock or water into a saucepan with the margarine and ½ tablespoon of salt, and bring to the boil. Add the rice and cook first on high then on medium heat until the rice absorbs the water. Put a cloth napkin under the lid, put the lid on and simmer for 5-10 minutes over a very low heat. Stir and serve.  

YOGHURT AND CUCUMBER SALAD                             

Ingredients                                                                                                    

  1 kg. natural yoghurt (unsweetened and unflavoured)
  4 large cucumbers
  1/2 glass water
  1/2 bunch fresh mint or 1 tablespoon dried mint
  6 cloves of garlic 
  3 tablespoons vinegar
  4 tablespoons olive oil
  6 small ice cubes
  1 teaspoon salt
                                                                                                                                                                                                                                              

Preparation:

Peel and dice the cucumbers. Put the cucumbers in a bowl. Pound the garlic cloves in a mortar with 1 teaspoon of salt. While whipping the yoghurt with a fork or whisk, pour in 1/2 glass of water gradually and mix with yoghurt. Add the cucumbers and garlic to the yoghurt and mix again. Put the olive oil, vinegar and ice cubes into the bowl. Decorate the salad with chopped fresh mint leaves or dried mint.