Stuffed Zucchini (Mahshi Kousa)
by Eltaibat
Zucchini hollowed and stuffed with rice and minced beef seasoned with garlic, tomato, and cardamom, then slow-cooked in a rich kawareh broth. A nizam al-tayyibat (نظام الطيبات) recipe built on natural, allowed ingredients.
90 min4 servingsLunch
Ingredients
- •1 kg small zucchini (thin ones are easier to hollow out)
- •1 cup Egyptian rice, washed and soaked for 10 minutes
- •500 g minced beef
- •1 onion, pureed in a blender and squeezed dry
- •3 garlic cloves, crushed to a paste
- •2 tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and pureed
- •1 tbsp ghee
- Kawareh broth for cooking (best) — or regular beef broth
- •Salt to taste
- •1 tsp cumin
- •1/2 tsp ground cardamom
Steps
- 1Rinse the zucchini and trim the ends. Using a vegetable corer or a long narrow spoon, hollow out the center of each one carefully — keep the wall thin without piercing the bottom. Rinse the hollowed insides and set aside.
- 2In a large bowl, combine the drained soaked rice with the minced beef, squeezed onion, garlic paste, pureed tomato, ghee, salt, cumin, cardamom, and 1/4 cup of the kawareh broth. Knead by hand until smooth and well combined.
- 3Stuff each zucchini with the mixture, leaving about a quarter of the cavity empty at the top — the rice will expand as it cooks. Press the filling in only lightly; don't pack it tight.
- 4Arrange the stuffed zucchini horizontally in a wide pot, layered on top of each other. If you have spare tomatoes, slice them and tuck them between the zucchini (optional). Pour the kawareh broth over the zucchini until fully submerged — top up with boiling water if needed. Sprinkle a little salt and cumin on top.
- 5Place a heavy heat-safe plate upside-down on top of the zucchini to keep them submerged. Bring to a boil over high heat for 10 minutes, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 45-60 minutes until the rice inside is fully cooked and the zucchini is tender.
Tips
💡Don't fill the zucchini all the way to the top — the rice expands as it cooks and will split the wall if there's no room. A quarter empty is enough.
💡The weighted plate isn't a detail — it's what keeps the zucchini submerged so the rice cooks evenly. Without it, the tops will be underdone.
💡Kawareh broth gives mahshi kousa a depth of flavor and silkiness nothing else matches, thanks to the natural gelatin. If you're using regular beef broth, add an extra tablespoon of ghee to the pot to make up for it.