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–+ servings

Koussa Ablama

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Prep: 1 hour
Cook: 30 minutes
Servings 7
Course
Main Course
Cuisine
Lebanese
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Description

Simmering minced-meat-stuffed zucchini in tomatoes and serving it with rice on the side is a guaranteed way to make a soul-warming comfort dish.

Ingredients
 

For the Zucchini

  • 1.5 kg / 3 lb 4 oz baby zucchini
  • 2 tablespoons tomato paste
  • 3½ cups water
  • 8 garlic cloves crushed
  • A pinch of salt
  • ½ teaspoon dried mint
  • 1 cup canola or vegetable oil or ghee, for frying the zucchini

For the Filling

  • 1 kg / 2 lb 4 oz minced beef or lamb
  • 1 tablespoon butter
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground black pepper
  • ¼ teaspoon freshly ground white pepper
  • Salt to taste
  • ⅓ cup pine nuts
  • 3 tablespoons canola oil or any neutral oil

Instructions
 

  • Begin by selecting the right type of zucchini. Try to get small-to-medium Lebanese zucchini, no longer than 7 inches (17 cm). Sometimes called Mexican grey squash, these zucchini have smooth, shiny, pale green skin and are ideal for making stuffed zucchini, aka kousa. They taste great and hold their shape well without becoming soggy during cooking.
  • You’ll need to hollow out the zucchini using a vegetable corer (mankara), a utensil commonly used in the Middle East to remove the pulp from vegetables such as zucchini and eggplants. Wash, scrub, and dry the zucchini, then cut off the stem ends. Gently hollow out the center using the vegetable corer, taking care not to pierce through the sides or bottom.
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  • Try to hollow it out just like you would when carving a pumpkin. Hollow out the center, leaving about 1/3 inch (¾ cm) around the interior wall—or even a little more if you can manage it without poking through the zucchini. It’s simple, but it’s still a skill that takes a bit of practice to master.
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  • To cook the minced meat

    Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the pine nuts and toast, stirring occasionally or tossing the skillet, until they’re golden brown and smell wonderfully nutty. Remove them with a slotted spoon and set aside.
    Add the minced meat, breaking it apart with a wooden spoon. Break it up as much as possible to prevent large lumps of meat from fusing together as they cook.
    Season with salt and the specified spices. Cook the mince, stirring and breaking up any large chunks, for about 6–8 minutes, or until fully browned.
    Remove from the heat and taste to check the seasoning, adjusting it to your preference if needed. Add the toasted pine nuts and leave the mixture to cool completely.
    Your stuffing is now ready.
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  • Stuff the zucchini: Fill each zucchini by hand with the minced meat stuffing, packing it firmly all the way to the top. Press the stuffing down as you go to ensure there are no air pockets.
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  • 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 2–3 times, until lightly browned on all sides. Transfer the fried zucchini to a paper towel-lined plate to drain the excess oil and help keep them nice and crisp.
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  • Bake the zucchini in a garlicky tomato sauce: Arrange the stuffed zucchini in a single layer in a baking dish. In a bowl, whisk together the water, tomato paste, crushed garlic, and salt until well combined. Gently pour the sauce over the stuffed zucchini, then sprinkle with the dried mint. Bake in a preheated oven at 180°C/350°F for about 45 minutes, or until the zucchini are thoroughly cooked.
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  • Serve kousa ablama with rice and vermicelli. Check the link above.
Keyword minced meat, tomato sauce, zucchini
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