Stuffed Zucchini aka Kousa, Middle Eastern style: Recipe

Ingredients

• 300gms Minced Beef
• 4 Zucchini pieces
• 2tbsp Red Kidney Beans (optional)
• 2 Garlic Clove and 1 small Ginger piece (or you can use 1tbsp ginger-garlic paste)
• 1-2 Bay Leaves (optional)
• 1 medium size Onion, finely chopped
• 1 medium size Tomato, finely chopped (or 1tbsp tomato puree)
• Seasoning (salt, black pepper, dash of lime juice, chili flakes, dash of hot sauce, cumin powder)
• Garnish (cilantro/coriander and spring onion)

Instructions

1. Mince Prep: In a hot pan add 2tbsp oil, add chopped garlic and ginger or ginger-garlic paste, add chopped onion, bay leaf, salt and give it a good mix. Cook until the onions are soft and golden. Add chopped tomato and cook the mixture until mushy.
2. Add minced Beef, 1tsp black pepper, 1tsp chili flakes, dash of lemon juice, 1tsp cumin powder, dash of hot sauce. Mix all well and cook for 1 minute. Add 1 cup of water and cook for 7 minutes until the meat is tender.
3. Zucchini prep: Meanwhile prepare the marrow vegetable. Cut the head and a thin portion of the base. From the head section using a knife make a small round cutting in the center and then use a butter knife gently to reach until inside and remove the watery seedy part. Make enough drill to stuff the meat inside (be careful that it does not break during the process, it is easy if you are gentle).
4. Remove the meat mixture from the stove and add kidney beans (optional) and let it cool for sometime, once ok to touch. Stuff the marrow with a small amount of minced beef (how much it can be filled with, and leave the rest in the pan itself.
5. Place these stuffed marrow in the pan with the remaining mince beef. Add a 1/2 cup water and cook for 10 minutes or until the marrow is tender. Add chopped cilantro/coriander and mix gently. Garnish with spring onion.

Recipe Notes

Serve these stuffed Zucchini with lots of salad on the side or with rice. I have made the dish really easy with full of flavors and very little effort. Please do let me know in the comments section if you like this dish and share more ideas with me via contact me on the home page.

Recipe by

Aliya Zanfer