Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini in Tomato Sauce)
Local name: كوسا محشي
In short: Small zucchini stuffed with spiced lamb, rice, mint and garlic, then baked in a tangy tomato and dried lime sauce until tender. It takes about 1 h 50 min in total and makes 6 servings.
- Prep
- 50 min
- Cook
- 1 h
- Total
- 1 h 50 min
- Servings
- 6
- Difficulty
- Medium
- Calories
- 380 kcal
Kousa mahshi are small zucchini hollowed out and filled with a mixture of ground lamb, rice, mint and garlic, then cooked in tomato sauce until tender. Cooks across the Gulf make them for family lunches and for Ramadan, when the table is full. The filling is seasoned lightly so the sweetness of the zucchini and the tangy sauce come through. A cool bowl of yogurt and a pile of warm flatbread are the usual company.
Instructions
- Trim the stem ends of the zucchini. Hollow each one with a vegetable corer or a small spoon, leaving a wall about 5 mm (1/4 in) thick and keeping the bottom closed. Chop some of the scooped flesh and keep it for the sauce.
- Mix all the filling ingredients with your hands. Fill each zucchini about three-quarters full, because the rice swells as it cooks.
- Heat the oven to 180°C (350°F). For the sauce, cook the onion in the oil for 5 minutes, add the garlic and tomato paste and stir for 1 minute. Add the tomatoes, water, dried lime, dried mint, salt and the chopped zucchini flesh and simmer for 8 minutes.
- Pour half of the sauce into a wide baking dish. Lay the zucchini snugly in the dish and pour the rest of the sauce around them, so it reaches about halfway up.
- Cover tightly with foil and bake for 50 to 60 minutes, until the zucchini are tender when pierced and the filling reaches 71°C (160°F).
- Rest for 10 minutes, then spoon the sauce over the zucchini and serve with yogurt and flatbread.
Tips
- Choose small, firm zucchini of similar size so they cook evenly. A vegetable corer makes hollowing fast, but a small teaspoon works too.
- Do not overfill. Rice expands in the filling and can split the zucchini open. Leave a finger's width of space at the top.
Questions and answers
Can I make kousa mahshi ahead of time?
Yes. Stuff the zucchini up to a day ahead and keep them chilled, then bake with the sauce and add 10 minutes to the time. Cooked mahshi keep for 3 days in the fridge.
Can I make a vegetarian version?
Yes. Replace the lamb with 250 g (1 1/2 cups) cooked chickpeas, lightly mashed, and add an extra tablespoon of olive oil to the filling.
Why did my zucchini turn mushy or split?
They were overfilled or cooked too long. Use small firm zucchini, fill them only three-quarters full and stop baking as soon as a knife slides in easily.
How long does it take to make Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini in Tomato Sauce)?
About 1 h 50 min in total: 50 min of preparation and 1 h of cooking.
How many calories are in Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini in Tomato Sauce)?
About 380 kcal per serving, with 17 g of protein, 30 g of carbohydrates and 21 g of fat. These values are estimates.
Nutrition per serving
| Calories | 380 kcal |
|---|---|
| Protein | 17 g |
| Carbohydrates | 30 g |
| Fat | 21 g |
| Fiber | 6 g |
| Sugar | 10 g |
| Sodium | 850 mg |
Estimated values, calculated from the ingredients.
