Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Marrows)

This is a delicious recipe found in many variations throughout the Middle East, specially Jordan, Syria and Lebanon. This dish is seved hot as a main course with rice, salad and pita bread. Please note, this is the vegetarian version, you may use minced meat in place of tomatoes and onions for the stuffing to make it a meat dish and you may add a layer of lamb bones (on top of the tomatoes and then layer the marrows on top of the bones) to flavour the stock but discard them before serving. Edited May 14, 07: I never had a problem with the liquid boiling over. To avoid such a mishap, as had mentioned in the directions, kindly use a large pot or casserole.

• Ready In: 1 hr 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• 1  kg  medium sized baby  marrow or 1  kg courgette
• 1⁄4 cup olive oil
• 1  teaspoon ground allspice
• 1  tablespoon salt
• 2  tablespoons tomato paste
• 500  g tomatoes, sliced
• 1  garlic clove, crushed
• 2  cups  vegetable stock

• For the stuffing

• 100  g onions, finely chopped
• 100  g tomatoes, finely chopped
• 1  bunch fresh parsley, finely chopped
• 2⁄3 cup  uncooked basmati rice, washed and drained
•  salt and pepper

Directions

1. Hollow from one end of the marrows with an apple corer or a small spoon leaving about 1/4 inch thick shell all around.
2. Wash them thoroughly and dry.
3. To make the stuffing, mix the ingredients for the stuffing in a bowl, add a little oil, 1/2 tsp allspice and season with salt and pepper.
4. Stuff the marrows upto three-quarters full (do not fill to the brim as the mixture will expand when cooking and leak out).
5. In a large casserole or saucepan, first oil the base, then place the sliced tomatoes at the bottom of the pot.
6. Sprinkle crushed garlic on top and then layer the stuffed marrows.
7. Season with remaining half of the spices and oil.
8. Mix the tomato paste with the vegetable stock and pour into the pot to cover the stuffed marrows.
9. Cover the marrows with a plate or something similar to hold them down lightly to keep them in place while cooking so the stuffing doesn't run out.
10. Put the pot to cook on high heat and bring it to a boil.
11. When it comes to boil, lower the heat and simmer gently for 1 hour.
12. Uncover and simmer to thicken sauce, if needed.
13. Serve hot.