Mahshi Filfil (Stuffed Bell Peppers)

Rinse the rice until the water runs clear, then soak it in 250 ml water for 30 minutes and drain well.

Seed the tomato, then finely chop its flesh along with the onion, garlic, cilantro, parsley and dill; don't turn them into a purée.

In a bowl, combine the drained rice, ground beef, chopped vegetables and herbs, baharat, cumin, salt, black pepper and olive oil.

Cut the tops off the bell peppers and remove the seeds and membranes. Fill the peppers about three-quarters full with the stuffing, leaving roughly 1 cm of space at the top for the rice to expand.

Mix the passata, vegetable stock and 250 ml water, bring the sauce to a boil and add more salt if needed.

Stand the stuffed peppers upright in a wide, heavy-bottomed pot, carefully pour in the hot sauce, cover and bring to a boil over medium heat. Cook for 2–3 minutes, then reduce the heat to low and simmer, covered, for 50–55 minutes, until the peppers are tender and the rice and meat are fully cooked.

Remove the pot from the heat, let the mahshi rest covered for 10 minutes, then serve hot with the tomato sauce.