Today's Recipe: Insalata di riso con melanzane (Eggplant and rice salad)

Yet another Sicilian masterpiece, this rice salad features capers, which give it a nice, sharp edge.

Ingredients

• 200 gm boiled Basmati rice, cooked, drained and slightly cooled
• 400 gm eggplant
• 1 tbsp capers, washed
• 1 handful mint
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• Oil for frying
• Salt and pepper to season

Method

• Peel the eggplant and cut it into cubes. Sprinkle with salt and let it stand so all the bitterness is drained away, say 30 minutes. Rinse and pat dry with paper towels.

• Heat the oil and fry the eggplant till golden in colour.

• In a bowl, combine the rice, fried eggplant, mint, olive oil and capers. Season with salt and pepper. Serve at room temperature.

Note: You could add some cherry tomato or normal tomato if you want to add some colour. Also add some chopped black olive.

Previous recipes

• Sumptuous meat stew in 15 minutes
• Yummy Italian 'tamaatar toasts'
• Italian fish with a citrus twist
• Simple, sinful roast chicken
• Delicious Italian-style cheese and onion omelet
• Easy, cheesy zucchini carbonara pasta
• Speedy tomato-basil pasta
• Spaghetti aglio Olio e Peperoncino

Excerpted from Italian Khana, India's first Italian cookbook for the Indian kitchen, with permission from the publishers, Random House India. Ritu will also answer reader queries, so please address your questions to her in the QnA box below.

Image: Ritu Dalmia with friends | Photograph: Sephi Bergerson