Kousa Mahshi
Stuffed Zucchini in Garlicky Tomato Broth
Kousa mahshi is one of the great stuffed vegetable dishes of the Palestinian table, made from small pale squash that are patiently hollowed out and packed with a filling of rice and minced meat seasoned with seven spice. The stuffed kousa are then nestled upright in a pot and simmered in a broth of tomato and garlic scented with dried mint, so the rice swells and the squash turns silky as they cook. It is everyday home cooking rather than feast food, the kind of dish a family looks forward to, often served with a bowl of plain yogurt alongside. A meatless version filled with spiced rice and tomato is just as beloved and turns up on Levantine tables through Lent and any time a lighter pot is wanted.
Method
Rinse the rice in a few changes of cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then cover with fresh water and leave to soak for 30 minutes while you prepare everything else.
Wash the squash and trim just the stem end from each one, leaving the base intact. Working with a zucchini corer or a narrow apple corer, insert the tool into the cut end and twist in gentle circles to draw out the flesh, hollowing each squash until the walls are about 5 mm thick. Go slowly and stop short of the closed base so you do not pierce through the bottom. Reserve the scooped flesh for another use.
Drain the soaked rice well. In a bowl, combine the rice, ground meat, diced tomato, seven spice, black pepper, 1 teaspoon salt, and 2 tablespoons of the olive oil, and mix with your hands until evenly blended.
Fill each hollowed squash loosely with the rice and meat mixture, leaving about 2 cm of empty space at the opening so the rice has room to expand. Tap the base gently against your palm to settle the filling rather than packing it in tightly.
In a wide, heavy pot, stir the passata, tomato paste, half the minced garlic, and the remaining 1 tablespoon olive oil together with about 3 cups of water and a good pinch of salt. Arrange the stuffed squash in the pot, standing them upright or laying them in snug layers so they support one another, and add more water if needed so the liquid nearly covers them.
Set a small heatproof plate upside down on top of the squash to hold them in place. Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then lower to a steady simmer, cover the pot, and cook for 30 minutes.
Remove the plate and stir the remaining garlic and the dried mint into the broth. Add the lemon juice if using. Continue to simmer, uncovered, for another 20 to 30 minutes, until the rice is tender and cooked through and the squash is soft when pierced. Taste the broth and adjust the salt.
Turn off the heat and let the pot rest for 10 minutes so the filling sets. Serve the kousa warm with plenty of the tomato broth spooned over, and a bowl of plain yogurt on the side.
Cook’s notes
- For a meatless version, leave out the ground meat and add an extra diced tomato, a little more olive oil, and a pinch of ground allspice or cinnamon to the rice filling.
- Do not throw away the scooped squash flesh. Saute it with onion, garlic, and egg for a quick side, the traditional way home cooks use every part.
- A small heatproof plate weighting the squash during the first half of cooking keeps them upright so they hold their shape and do not float apart.
- Serve with plain yogurt or a cucumber and yogurt salad, which balances the tang of the tomato broth beautifully.
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