Kousa Mashii, which translates as “stuffed squash” in Arabic, is a satisfying yet light preparation that's popular across the Levant. The dish consists of hollowed-out zucchini filled with a mixture of spiced ground lamb and rice and slowly braised in
cinnamon-accented tomato sauce until the meat is succulent and the rice tender. Soaking the rice for 10 minutes before combining it with the lamb ensured that the grains cooked evenly and thoroughly. Browning the
stuffing and breaking it up with the back of a
spatula created small, distinct pieces that packed lightly into the squash cavities. To give the sauce a meaty underpinning, we sautéed the aromatics in the fatty juices we drained from the lamb. After 40 minutes of braising in the velvety sauce, the zucchini was tender but not mushy and the filling was cooked through., which translates as “stuffed squash” in Arabic, is a satisfying yet light preparation that's popular across the Levant. The dish consists of hollowed-out zucchini filled with a mixture of spiced ground lamb and rice and slowly braised in
cinnamon-accented tomato sauce until the meat is succulent and the rice tender. Soaking the rice for 10 minutes before combining it with the lamb ensured that the grains cooked evenly and thoroughly. Browning the
stuffing and breaking it up with the back of a
spatula created small, distinct pieces that packed lightly into the squash cavities. To give the sauce a meaty underpinning, we sautéed the aromatics in the fatty juices we drained from the lamb. After 40 minutes of braising in the velvety sauce, the zucchini was tender but not mushy and the filling was cooked through.