Recipe is courtesy of Manal Massoud of Homemade By Manal 

Manal Massoud was one of the first people we followed and became acquainted with when we first launched our Your Lebanon Instagram. We are inspired by her authenticity and beautiful presentations of traditional Middle Eastern dishes!

Manal’s Your Lebanon Chef Feature Page

This recipe is one of many that I’ve learnt through my mother. She makes it the traditional way with small zucchini pieces that she later boils in the yogurt. This is my twist to it!

Print Recipe

Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zuchinni) in Yogurt by Manal Massoud

Course

Main Dish

Cuisine

Middle Eastern

Servings

people

Ingredients

• 2.2 pounds zuchinni large, (1kg)
• 1 pound minced meat (1/2 kg)
• 1/4 cup pine seeds
• 1/4 cup vegetable oil
• salt to taste
• pepper to taste
• 4 1/4 cup yogurt (1 kg)
• 1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch
• 1/4 cup water
• garlic for garnish
• friend mint optional

Course Main Dish Cuisine Middle Eastern Servings people Ingredients 2.2 pounds zuchinni large, (1kg) 1 pound minced meat (1/2 kg) 1/4 cup pine seeds 1/4 cup vegetable oil salt to taste pepper to taste 4 1/4 cup yogurt (1 kg) 1 1/2 tablespoon cornstarch 1/4 cup water garlic for garnish friend mint optional

Instructions

1. With a knife, remove the very top of the zucchini, then cut each zucchini in half to make shorter zucchini for stuffing. Hollow out the zucchini to make room for the stuffing, making sure not to poke the bottoms. Do this using the traditional zucchini corer, a melon baller or even a spoon may work here.
2. Boil the zucchini in salty water until it is a bit tender but still green. Remove from heat, but save the water for later.
3. In a pan, add the oil and pine seeds. Fry the seeds until golden.
4. Remove the seeds from the pan making sure to keep the excess oil. Add the meat to the oil in the pan. With a wooden spoon, keep on breaking the meat so that it cooks without big lumps. Season with salt and pepper. Cook until well done.
5. Mix in half the pine seeds. Save the rest for garnish.
6. Stuff the zucchini with the meat mixture.

Yogurt Mixture

1. Using a mesh strainer, turn the yogurt into a smooth texture. Place the yogurt in a pot.
2. Place on medium heat with constant mixing for the first couple of minutes until it boils a bit, then reduce heat to simmer. Keep on mixing the yogurt to avoid any lumps, around 10 minutes. In case the yogurt is too thick, add in a bit of the saved zucchini water.

   
3. To serve: Add the yogurt in the bottom of the serving plate, place the zucchini upright inside the yogurt.

   

Recipe Notes

• Some would prefer to boil the zucchini inside the yogurt before serving.
• Serve with rice on the side.

Share this Recipe