Stuffed Zucchini (Kousa Mahshi)

Stuffed Zucchini

    Ingredients: 

• 2 kg of small zucchini
• 2 bunches of parsley
• ½ kg of tomatoes
• 2 onions
• 2 carrots (grated)
• 1 cup of bulgur (soaked)
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tsp mixed spices
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• ½ cup of lemon juice
• Water as needed

Preparation Method:

1. Prepare the zucchini:

   • Wash the zucchini thoroughly, then hollow them out using a coring tool, leaving a thin layer of the walls intact for stuffing.

2. Prepare the stuffing:

   • Finely chop the parsley and tomatoes.
   • Grate the carrots.
   • Drain the soaked bulgur well and add it to the parsley, tomatoes, and grated carrots.
   • Add finely chopped onions to the mixture.
   • Add ½ cup of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil.
   • Add salt and mixed spices (you can use cinnamon or allspice, depending on your preference).
   • Mix the ingredients well until combined and ready for stuffing.

3. Stuff the zucchini:

   • Carefully stuff the zucchini with the prepared mixture, leaving a little space at the top to avoid the filling spilling out during cooking.

4. Arrange the zucchini in the pot:

   • Place slices of onion at the bottom of the pot to prevent the zucchini from sticking.
   • Arrange the stuffed zucchini vertically in the pot, standing upright.
   • Add ½ cup of lemon juice and 2 tablespoons of olive oil to the pot.
   • Pour enough water to cover the zucchini and add a little salt.

5. Cooking:

   • Place the pot over medium heat until the water starts boiling.
   • Once it boils, lower the heat and let the zucchini cook on low heat for about an hour or until tender.

Additional Tips:

• You can add fresh mint leaves to the stuffing for a unique flavor.
• To enhance the flavor of the sauce, you can add a little tomato paste to the water while cooking.
• Make sure the bulgur is soaked long enough to absorb liquid and not remain hard inside the zucchini.

Serving:

• Serve the stuffed zucchini hot, accompanied by yogurt or a fresh salad.