Kousa Mahshi — Print Recipe — The Culinary Codex

Tender hollowed zucchini filled with a fragrant mixture of spiced rice and lamb, simmered in a tangy tomato broth until meltingly soft. This beloved Jordanian home-cooking staple rewards patience with deep, comforting flavor.

Ingredients

12 small zucchini
300g ground lamb
1 cup short-grain rice, rinsed
2 tomatoes, diced
3 tbsp tomato paste
1 tsp allspice
1/2 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp nutmeg
4 cloves garlic, minced
Juice of 2 lemons
2 tbsp butter
Salt and pepper
3 cups water or broth
Fresh mint leaves

Instructions

1 Wash zucchini and cut off stem ends. Using a zucchini corer, carefully hollow out each zucchini leaving a thin shell, being careful not to pierce through the bottom.
2 Mix ground lamb with rinsed rice, diced tomatoes, allspice, cinnamon, nutmeg, half the garlic, salt, and pepper. Fill each zucchini about three-quarters full to allow rice expansion.
3 Arrange stuffed zucchini snugly in a deep pot, layering them horizontally. Place a heavy plate on top to keep them submerged during cooking.
4 Mix tomato paste with water, lemon juice, remaining garlic, butter, salt, and pepper. Pour this broth over the zucchini until just covered.
5 Bring to a gentle boil, then reduce heat to low. Cover and simmer for 45-50 minutes until zucchini is very tender and rice inside is fully cooked.
6 Carefully transfer zucchini to a serving bowl, ladle the tangy tomato broth over them, and garnish with fresh mint leaves. Serve with yogurt on the side.

Did You Know?

Jordanian grandmothers judge a cook by how thin she can core a zucchini without breaking it — the thinner the wall, the greater the skill.