Kousa Ablama Bil Laban
Description
Kousa ablama bil laban could be the ultimate comfort food—one that has sustained generations across Lebanon and the Levant. It provides deep nourishment and a sense of home, and the recipe embodies two of my favorite things: cooked yogurt and zucchini, or grey squash.
Ingredients
For the Yogurt
- 2 kg / 4.5 lbs / 2 liters plain whole-milk yogurt
- 6 garlic cloves crushed
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch diluted in 3 cups of water
- Salt to taste
- 2 teaspoons dried mint
For the Meat Filling
- 750 g / 1.6 lbs minced beef or lamb
- 1 medium onion finely chopped
- 1/4 cup pine nuts
- 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
- 1/4 cup sunflower oil or ghee
- Salt to taste
For the Zucchini
- 1.5 kg small green squash/zucchini
- 1 cup canola oil olive oil, or ghee, for frying the zucchini
- For Garnish
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
Instructions
Make the Meat Filling (Hashweh)
To a large skillet, add the sunflower oil and sauté the pine nuts over medium heat until golden. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.Add the minced meat to the skillet and cook over medium heat until well browned, about 7–8 minutes. Add the onion, salt, and black pepper. Stir to combine, reduce the heat to very low, and cover.Simmer for about 5–7 minutes, until the onion has softened and the liquid in the skillet has evaporated. Add half of the toasted pine nuts and stir to combine.Set aside and allow the filling to cool completely before using.
- Core the zucchini: Wash, scrub, and dry the zucchini. Cut off the stem tips, then gently hollow out the center using a vegetable corer. Try to hollow it out as you would when carving a pumpkin, leaving about 1/3 inch (¾ cm) of flesh around the interior walls.
- Stuff the zucchini: Fill each zucchini by hand with the minced meat stuffing until you reach the top. Pack it firmly, pressing the stuffing down to eliminate any air pockets.
- Fry the zucchini: Heat the sunflower oil or ghee in a large skillet over medium heat until shimmering. Add the stuffed zucchini in a single layer and cook until golden brown on the bottom, flipping them 2 or 3 times, until lightly browned on all sides. To remove excess oil and ensure the zucchini turns out nice and crisp, let them drain on a paper towel after frying.
- Cook the yogurt: In a large, heavy-based pot, add the yogurt, half of the crushed garlic, and the diluted cornstarch. Whisk well to homogenize the mixture. Place the pot over high heat and continue whisking in one direction. The yogurt requires constant attention to prevent it from curdling, so it is crucial to whisk continuously.
- Submerge the fried zucchini in the yogurt: Once the yogurt comes to a boil, gently add the fried zucchini pieces one at a time. Reduce the heat to medium-low and let it simmer uncovered, stirring gently from time to time with a wooden spoon to prevent the zucchini from breaking apart. Cook for 30 minutes, allowing the flavors to meld and develop. Taste and adjust the salt according to your preference.
Fry the Dried Mint
In a skillet, heat the olive oil and dried mint over medium-low heat. Sizzle gently, stirring, until fragrant, about 45 seconds. Add the mixture to the kousa ablama pot and stir to combine. The fried mint will perfume your kousa ablama with a delectable aroma.- To serve: Transfer to a large bowl or individual soup bowls. Serve warm, at room temperature, or cold, straight from the fridge. You can also serve it with rice and vermicelli, though in our house, we enjoy it just by itself.Happy eating!
Video
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