{"id":4475,"date":"2024-05-02T22:34:37","date_gmt":"2024-05-02T22:34:37","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/hadiaslebanesecuisine.com\/blog\/?p=4475"},"modified":"2026-05-22T22:18:19","modified_gmt":"2026-05-22T22:18:19","slug":"mahshi-lebanese-stuffed-zucchini-and-eggplant","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/hadiaslebanesecuisine.com\/blog\/mahshi-lebanese-stuffed-zucchini-and-eggplant\/","title":{"rendered":"Mahshi\/ Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini and Eggplant"},"content":{"rendered":"

Hearty and full of texture, Mahshi\/ Koussa wa Batenjan Mahshi\/ refers to zucchini and eggplants that are stuffed with a mixture of rice and minced meat and simmered in tomato sauce. Even though this classic Lebanese comfort food dish is easy to prepare and made of simple ingredients, it inherently feels like a special occasion dish. After one and half hour of simmering, the zucchini (kousa) and eggplants become tender and enveloped in a rich deeply flavored garlicky tomato sauce \u2014 it brings all the savory, umami flavors that will no doubt warm your soul. With a detailed video tutorial.<\/p>\n

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Koussa Mahshi\/ Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini and Eggplant \/ Kousa wa Batenjan Mahshi (Video)<\/h1>\n

The word Mahshi, in Arabic, means stuffed. It refers to anything jammed with rice and minced meat from cabbage leaves, vine leaves, Swiss chard, tripes, stuffed chicken, bell peppers to eggplants and zucchini. Kousa\/ batenjan mahshi is found in every Arab household, recipes may vary from region to region, family to family, diaspora to diaspora, but finally the main elements are rice and minced meat, cooked in tomato sauce \/ lemon sauce or a yogurt sauce.\u00a0 Here is a previous recipe on the blog about\u00a0Kousa bil laban\/ Zucchini in cooked yogurt.<\/a><\/p>\n

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Use two different kinds of veggies<\/h3>\n

Using two different kinds of vegetables, zucchini and eggplant, adds color and variety, and both are great candidates for stuffing, but if you have only one type, that\u2019s fine, too.\u00a0\u00a0A small amount of dried mint is responsible for a lot of the flavor here.\u00a0Watch the video tutorial below.<\/strong><\/p>\n

You need to hollow out the insides of the zucchini and eggplant with a special tool, called in Arabic mankara leaving the vegetables otherwise intact, and fill them with ground lamb or beef, rice and spices before simmering them in a tomato sauce.<\/p>\n

What type of zucchini is used?<\/h3>\n

Try to put your hands on small-medium Lebanese zucchini no longer than 7 inches\/17 cm, and sometimes called Mexican grey squash, their pale green skin is smooth and shiny, are ideal to make stuffed kousa, they taste great and hold their shape without getting soggy while cooking. Grey zucchini or summer squash is the variety used in Lebanon and the Middle East to make kousa mahshi. Choose the\u00a0firm with smooth and shiny skin.<\/p>\n

What type of eggplant is used to make mahshi?<\/h3>\n

Use the small and slim variety, they are perfect for stuffing. The baby variety has a more intense flavor, the flesh is way more tender and they contain fewer seeds.<\/p>\n

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Do I have to peel the skin of the grey zucchini or eggplants?<\/h3>\n

Absolutely not, their nutrition lives mainly in the skin, so keep in the peel. Plus, it\u2019s so thin and soft that there\u2019s really no need to remove it.<\/p>\n

What are the flavor enhancers in Lebanese Stuffed Zucchini and Eggplant\/ Koussa wa batingen mahshi?<\/h3>\n

Garlic, seven-spice, cinnamon powder, tomato paste and dried mint provide\u00a0complexity and richness of flavors to koussa mahshi. together they create a harmonious taste.<\/p>\n

What can I do with the zucchini flesh?<\/h3>\n

It is common practice to use the zucchini flesh in making Lebanese zucchini fritters, you can even sautee with some olive oil and cook them with eggs.<\/p>\n

What type of meat should I use?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

When it comes to meat, lamb is my favorite, but beef is commonly used as well.\u00a0 It is advisable to use short-grain rice that tend to absorb less liquid resulting in a stickier filling, the most common used is the Egyption rice or Italian Arborio.<\/p>\n

What type of rice should I use for the filling?<\/strong><\/h3>\n

It is advisable to use short-grain rice that tend to absorb less liquid resulting in a stickier filling, the most common used is the Egyption rice or Italian Arborio.<\/p>\n

Why does it take 1 1\/2 hours to cook the dish?<\/strong><\/p>\n

I always cook all kinds of stuffed food slow and low,\u00a0slow cooking creates depth of flavor.<\/p>\n

How to store Koussa wa Batenjan mahshi?<\/h3>\n

What\u2019s great about this recipe is that it makes for such delicious leftovers.\u00a0To store<\/strong>: Let it cool before storing in airtight containers. It will keep in the fridge for about 4-5 days.\u00a0To freeze<\/strong>: The entire batch can be frozen for up to 3 months in an airtight container, but it does loose its freshness.<\/p>\n

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Ingredients:<\/p>\n