Don Signature Crab - Singapore Food Guide

Gemista

Singapore-style Gemista: oven-baked tomatoes and bell peppers stuffed with herby rice, olive oil and baked until tender — a Mediterranean dish with a local potluck vibe.

Gemista

About this dish

Gemista (pronounced ye-MEE-sta) are classic Greek tomatoes and bell peppers hollowed and stuffed with fragrant rice, herbs and olive oil, then baked until the vegetables collapse into a sweet, juicy shell. In Singapore you’ll find this more at weekend brunches, Dempsey or Tiong Bahru cafés and home potlucks than at kopitiams — but it’s an easy crowd-pleaser for family dinners and festive vegetarian spreads during Hari Raya or Deepavali.

The flavour is bright and herb-forward: sweet roasted tomato and pepper meld with parsley, mint and lemon, while a little cinnamon or allspice gives background warmth. Texturally you get tender, roasted veg skins with a soft, slightly al dente rice centre — drizzle with good olive oil and tuck in with crusty bread or steamed rice for a hearty sharing plate. In Singapore homes you can add local twists like a spoonful of sambal on the side for chilli lovers, a scattering of toasted pine nuts, or a crumble of feta for salting and creaminess.

This recipe suits busy parents and weekend cooks who like one-dish bakes: prep in under 30 minutes, then hands-off baking for about an hour — perfect for catching the supper crowd after a long day in the CBD or for bringing to a casual neighbourhood potluck in the heartlands. Leftovers reheat well for next-day lunchboxes, and the aromatic rice is a lovely contrast to typical zi char or hawker centre flavours when you want something lighter yet comforting.

Ingredients

  • 6 large ripe tomatoes (about 1.2 kg total)
  • 4 large bell peppers (mix red and yellow), tops removed and seeded
  • 200 g long-grain rice or jasmine rice, rinsed and drained
  • 1 medium onion, finely chopped (about 150 g)
  • 3 cloves garlic, minced
  • 40 g flat-leaf parsley, chopped
  • 15 g fresh mint leaves, chopped
  • 2 tbsp pine nuts, toasted (optional)
  • 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for drizzling
  • 2 tbsp tomato paste
  • 1 tsp ground cinnamon or 1/4 tsp allspice (optional, for warm aroma)
  • 1 tsp sugar (balances acidity of tomatoes)
  • 300 ml vegetable stock or water
  • Juice of 1 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
  • 1 tsp sea salt, plus extra to taste
  • 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
  • 400 g baby potatoes or 3 medium potatoes, halved (for roasting around the veg)
  • 100 g feta cheese, crumbled (optional garnish)
  • 50 g raisins or currants (optional, for sweet note)
  • Chilli sambal or sliced bird's eye chilli, to serve (optional Singapore twist)

Step-by-Step Method

  1. Preheat the oven to 180°C (fan 160°C). Lightly grease a deep baking dish large enough to hold all vegetables snugly.
  2. Prepare the vegetables: cut tops off tomatoes and set lids aside, scoop out seeds and pulp into a bowl. For peppers, remove tops and seeds and reserve tops.
  3. Spoon the tomato pulp into a sieve for a few minutes to drain excess juice, then finely chop the pulp and add to the bowl.
  4. In a frying pan over medium heat, warm 2 tbsp olive oil. Sauté chopped onion until translucent (about 4–5 minutes), add garlic and cook 30 seconds until fragrant. Stir in tomato paste and cook 1 minute.
  5. Add the rinsed rice to the pan, stir to coat in oil and toast for 1 minute. Transfer rice to the bowl with tomato pulp. Add parsley, mint, pine nuts, raisins (if using), sugar, cinnamon (if using), lemon juice, 1 tsp salt and pepper. Mix to combine.
  6. Pour 200 ml of the vegetable stock into the rice mixture and stir. The rice should be slightly soupy — it will finish cooking in the oven. If using raw rice and you prefer firmer rice, reduce stock by 50 ml.
  7. Stuff each tomato and pepper loosely with the rice mixture (do not overfill — rice expands). Place stuffed vegetables upright in the baking dish. Tuck halved potatoes around them. Drizzle everything with remaining 1 tbsp olive oil and pour the remaining 100 ml stock into the dish (not over the veg).
  8. Cover the dish tightly with foil and bake for 45 minutes. Check — rice should be nearly tender and vegetables softened.
  9. Remove foil and continue baking for another 10–15 minutes to brown tops and roast potatoes until golden. If using feta, sprinkle crumbled feta over the tops in the last 5 minutes to warm but not fully melt.
  10. Remove from oven and let rest 10 minutes — this helps rice finish steaming and makes it easier to serve. Taste and adjust seasoning with salt, pepper or lemon.
  11. Serve warm as a main for 3–4 people with crusty bread, a simple Greek salad or a side of cucumber tzatziki. For a local twist, offer sambal or achar on the side for guests who want more heat or tang.

Tips & Serving Ideas

  • Buy ripe, firm tomatoes and bell peppers at NTUC FairPrice, Cold Storage or a wet market like Tekka for best flavour; avoid overripe ones that will collapse while filling.
  • If short on time, use pre-cooked rice (day-old) — reduce added stock to 80 ml and bake until vegetables are tender (about 30–35 minutes).
  • Don’t overfill the vegetables — leave a little room for the rice to expand to avoid spills while baking.
  • For a Singapore spicy twist, serve sambal or sliced bird’s eye chilli on the side rather than mixing in — this keeps the dish family-friendly while giving adults heat when wanted.
  • Toast pine nuts and gently fold them in at the end for crunch. Substitute with chopped cashews if you prefer local pantry ingredients.
  • Leftovers keep well in the fridge for 2–3 days and reheat in a 170°C oven until warmed through; avoid microwaving if you want to preserve roasted texture.
  • Use good extra-virgin olive oil and a squeeze of lemon before serving — small finishing touches make a big difference in flavour.

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