Kousa Bi Liban Stuffed Lebanese Zucchini in Yogurt
An Original Recipe by Lorraine Elliott
Preparation time: 30 minutes
Cooking time: 1 hour
Serves: 4
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2 tablespoons ghee or butter
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1/3 cup/50g/1.7ozs. pine nuts
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1/4 cup/60g/2ozs. raw medium grain rice, soaked for 30-45 minutes (or overnight)
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1 onion, peeled and diced
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4 cloves garlic, peeled and diced
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250g/8.8ozs. beef mince
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1/4 cup parsley, coriander and mint, chopped
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3 teaspoons baharat or 7 spice
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1.5 teaspoons salt
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1kg/2.2lbs. Lebanese zucchini (kousa)
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4 cups/1litre chicken stock
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3 cloves garlic, peeled
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1 tablespoon dried mint
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1/2 teaspoon salt
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300g/10.6ozs. natural yogurt
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1 tablespoon cornflour mixed with 1/2 cup water
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1/2 cup cooking water
Step 1 - Pan fry the pine nuts in the ghee or butter until toasted and divide into two equal portions. Drain the rice and mix well with onion, garlic, mince, half of the pine nuts, herbs, baharat and salt and place in the fridge. Hollow out the centre of the Lebanese zucchinis with a manakra and stuff them with three quarters full.
Step 2 - Heat the chicken stock on high and add the zucchini and simmer turning every 10 minutes to ensure that they cook evenly. The zucchini skin will turn from green to grey. Simmer for 25-30 minutes until tender. Remove from the pot.
Step 3 - In a mortar and pestle crush the garlic and then mix with the mint and salt and set aside.
Step 4 - In a new pot add the yogurt and cornflour water on medium heat. Add in the cooking water whisking the whole time (the action of constant whisking and the cornflour prevents the yogurt splitting). Add the garlic and mint mixture and heat the zucchini again in this yogurt mixture on medium heat for 10 minutes. Serve with the sauce with the extra pine nuts.