First, soak the rice in water with 1 tablespoon of salt. Let it sit for 1 to 2 hours; longer is fine.

Heat the oil. Peel the eggplant in stripes (leaving some skin on), slice it, and fry. Be careful when frying eggplant, as it releases water when cut.

Next, sauté the beef in 1 tablespoon of ghee. It's best if the beef has some fat, but use what you have. Season with salt and black pepper before turning off the heat. Transfer the beef to a plate. If you have nuts, fry them in the same pan as the beef.

Now, take a pot for the rice. For each cup of rice, add 1 1/4 cups of water (for this recipe, use 2 1/2 cups water for 2 cups rice). Place the pot on the stove, add half the fried eggplant to the water, and bring to a boil so the water takes on the flavor and color of the eggplant.

Salt the water, drain the soaked rice, and add it on top of the eggplant. Cook the rice as usual for about 25 minutes.

Take a deep serving dish. Layer the remaining fried eggplant on the bottom, then add the rice, pressing it down to fill the dish. Invert onto a flat serving plate. Serve with cucumber yogurt salad. Enjoy!