How to Make Kousa Mahshi (Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini)

Kousa mahshi is stuffed zucchini, and in Lebanon it is one of the dishes that tells you summer has arrived. The local kousa is short and pale green, with thin skin and a mild, sweet flesh. Cooks hollow it out with a long, thin corer (a manakra), fill it with raw rice and spiced minced meat, and simmer it in a tomato broth (kousa bi banadoura). It is a Sunday or family lunch dish, often cooked in the same pot as stuffed grape leaves, and nothing from the zucchini is wasted: the scooped-out pulp becomes a quick omelette or a dish of its own the next day.

The rice and meat go in raw, which is the traditional way. They cook together inside the zucchini and absorb the tomato broth, so the stuffing stays juicy.

Ingredients

For the zucchini and stuffing

• 12 small pale zucchini or Lebanese kousa (about 1.5 kg / 3 lb), 12 to 15 cm (5 to 6 inches) long
• 200 g (1 cup) short or medium-grain white rice, such as Egyptian rice
• 300 g (⅔ lb) ground lamb or beef, with some fat
• 1 medium tomato, finely diced
• 2 tablespoons olive oil or melted butter
• 1 teaspoon salt
• 1 teaspoon seven spices
• ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
• ¼ teaspoon black pepper

For the tomato broth

• 3 tablespoons tomato paste
• 400 g (14 oz) canned crushed tomatoes or passata
• 1 litre (4 cups) water or light stock
• 1½ teaspoons salt
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1 tablespoon dried mint
• 1 tablespoon lemon juice

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear, then soak it in cold water for 15 minutes and drain well.
2. Wash the zucchini and cut off the stem ends. Push a corer into the cut end and twist, removing the flesh in strips, until the walls are about 5 mm (¼ inch) thick. Go slowly near the bottom so you do not pierce it. Save the pulp for another dish.
3. In a bowl, mix the drained rice, meat, diced tomato, olive oil, salt, seven spices, cinnamon and pepper with your hands until evenly combined. The mixture should look loose, not packed.
4. Fill each zucchini about three-quarters full, pushing the stuffing in gently with your finger. Do not pack it tight: the rice will swell and can split the zucchini.
5. Lay the zucchini side by side in a wide, heavy pot, in one or two layers, with the open ends all facing the same way if you can.
6. Whisk the tomato paste with the crushed tomatoes, water and salt, and pour it over the zucchini. The liquid should just cover them; add a little more water if needed.
7. Put a small heatproof plate on top to keep them submerged. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover, lower the heat and simmer gently for 45 to 50 minutes, until the zucchini are very tender and a grain of rice from the centre is fully cooked.
8. Crush the garlic with the dried mint and a pinch of salt into a paste. Stir it into the broth with the lemon juice, simmer for 5 more minutes, then turn off the heat and let it rest for 10 minutes.

Tips for the best kousa mahshi

• Choose small, straight, firm zucchini of the same size so they cook evenly.
• Thin, even walls are the goal. Too thin and they collapse; too thick and the stuffing stays undercooked.
• Keep the simmer gentle. A rolling boil splits the zucchini.
• Taste the broth before adding the garlic and mint; it should be well seasoned and slightly tangy.

Variations

• Kousa bi laban: simmer the stuffed zucchini in water until cooked, then finish them in a garlic and mint yogurt sauce, as for kibbeh labanieh.
• With lamb chops: line the bottom of the pot with a few lamb chops before adding the zucchini, for a richer broth.
• Vegetarian stuffing: use rice with chopped tomatoes, onion, parsley, mint and olive oil, as for stuffed grape leaves.

How to serve and store

Serve two or three zucchini per person in a shallow bowl with plenty of broth, with Lebanese bread and plain yogurt on the side. Kousa mahshi keeps in its broth in the fridge for 3 days and reheats well on low heat.

A good seven spices blend, such as one from Abido Spices, seasons the stuffing, and a jar of Lebanese tomato paste from Anamel gives the broth body.

Frequently Asked Questions