Kousa Mahshi Recipe

Kousa Mahshi is one of the most famous Lebanese dishes, thanks to its stuffed zucchini and flavorful tomato broth. It also has rice mixture and ground meat, making Kousa Mahshi the most commonly eaten food in Lebanon and other countries in the Middle East. Today’s article will give you step-by-step instructions to make Kousa Mahshi at home. Read on!

Ingredients

• One cup of white rice
• One tablespoon of olive oil
• 12 Mexican Squash
• ½ teaspoon of salt
• ½ pound of lamb or beef
• ½ cup of diced tomatoes
• ½ cup of pine nuts
• ¼ teaspoon of black pepper – use ground pepper
• Two minced garlic cloves
• ¼ teaspoon of ground allspice
• Four cups of chicken broth
• One tablespoon of tomato paste

Instructions

1. Rinse the rice and transfer it to a large bowl
2. Add cold water to cover the rice
3. Set aside the bowl for 30 minutes to let the rice soak in the water
4. Prepare the zucchini by trimming the stem ends
5. Use a corer to remove the core of the zucchini
6. Finish coring the zucchini using a paring knife
7. Transfer the cored zucchini to a baking sheet
8. Add olive oil to a skillet and heat at a medium temperature
9. Add ground beef and salt to the olive oil in a skillet
10. Use a wooden spoon to break up the meat
11. Cook the meat for six minutes to ensure it is golden brown
12. Put diced tomatoes and pine nuts
13. Cook it for additional four minutes to ensure the tomatoes are brown
14. Decrease the heat to low-medium
15. Add pepper, garlic, and allspice and cook for one to two minutes
16. Remove the skillet from the heat and set it aide
17. Now make the rice stuffing by draining it and adding it to the ground beef
18. Mix the rice and beef thoroughly
19. Stuff the zucchini using your hand
20. Make sure you leave about one inch of headspace
21. Prepare the tomato broth in a large cup or jar
22. Combine the tomato paste with broth and mix well to dissolve
23. Organize the stuffed squash in a large pot
24. Use reserved tops to cover the opening of the squash
25. Now pour tomato broth around the zucchini
26. Bring it to a boil and heat at a high temperature
27. Reduce the heat to a simmer and ensure proper coking of rice
28. Make sure the squash is tender
29. Serve the delicious Kousa Mahshi to your family and friends