Stuffed Zucchini

Name: Stuffed Zucchini
Total time: 120 min
Yield: 6
Cuisine: Arab
Ingredients: For the zucchini:; 1 kg small zucchini (about 12 to 14, 10 to 12 cm long); For the filling:; 1 cup (200 g) short-grain rice, rinsed, soaked 30 minutes and drained; 250 g ground beef or lamb; 1 tomato, finely chopped, and ½ cup chopped parsley; 1 tsp seven-spice blend, ¼ tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt; 3 tbsp olive oil; For the tomato sauce:; 2 cups (500 ml) tomato passata or crushed tomatoes; 2 tbsp tomato paste, 2 cups hot water and salt; 5 cloves garlic, crushed, and 1 tbsp dried mint; 3 tbsp lemon juice

Recipe No.: A-4

Arab120 minServes 6

Kousa mahshi (stuffed zucchini) is a well-known stuffed vegetable dish of the Levant and Egypt: small zucchini are cored, filled with rice and ground meat and cooked in a tomato sauce with garlic and mint, and served with yogurt. Stuffed vegetables in general are linked to the Ottoman and surrounding culinary heritage, the spices and the type of sauce differ from country to country and household to household, and a meatless version is also made.

Ingredients for Stuffed Zucchini

For the zucchini
1 kgsmall zucchini (about 12 to 14, 10 to 12 cm long)
For the filling
1 cup(200 g) short-grain rice, rinsed, soaked 30 minutes and drained
250 gground beef or lamb
1tomato, finely chopped, and ½ cup chopped parsley
1 tspseven-spice blend, ¼ tsp black pepper and 1 tsp salt
3 tbspolive oil
For the tomato sauce
2 cups(500 ml) tomato passata or crushed tomatoes
2 tbsptomato paste, 2 cups hot water and salt
5 clovesgarlic, crushed, and 1 tbsp dried mint
3 tbsplemon juice

Method

Wash the zucchini and trim off the stem end. Core each one with a zucchini corer, leaving walls about 5 mm thick and taking care not to pierce the base. Keep the flesh for soup or an omelette.
Mix the rice with the meat, tomato, parsley, spices, salt and oil until well combined.
Fill the zucchini only three-quarters full, as the rice will swell, and do not pack the filling.
Arrange the zucchini snugly in a wide pot, lying down or upright, and put an inverted plate on top.
Mix the passata, tomato paste, water and 1 tsp salt and pour in until the zucchini are almost covered. Bring to a boil, then cover and cook over low heat for 30 minutes.
Remove the plate and add the garlic, mint and lemon. Cook another 25 to 30 minutes until the zucchini and rice are tender and the sauce thickens slightly. Adjust salt and lemon.
Rest the pot for 10 minutes, then serve the zucchini with its sauce and plain yogurt.

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