Kousa mahshi is a dish that is tied so deeply to our culture and kitchens. It’s the kind of recipe you knew way before you ever even thought to write it down. It’s very elegant too. Simple ingredients brought together to become a staple in each of our households. For me, this is food that feels like home so today I’m sharing the kousa mahshi that raised me.
Kousa Mahshi:
Zawi Spices
This recipe calls for Arabic 7 Spice. If you’d like to try my family’s version, checkout Zawi Spices and use code “ZAWI25” for 25% off your next order.
Ingredients
For the Kousa
Gray squash (kousa), about 10–15 depending on size
1 lb lean ground beef (93–95% lean)
1½–2 cups Egyptian short-grain rice
Arabic 7 spice, to taste
Salt, to taste
For the Tomato Broth
Olive oil
3–4 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tbsp tomato paste
1 cup tomato sauce
About 6 cups water or broth
Salt, to taste
Garnish
Fresh mint
Aleppo pepper
Tomato broth from the kousa
Instructions
Make the Hashweh
Wash the rice several times until the water runs mostly clear, then soak it in water for 20–30 minutes. Drain well.
Combine the drained rice with the ground beef. Season generously with salt and Arabic 7 spice, then mix thoroughly until the meat, rice, and spices are evenly distributed. Set aside.
A good ratio is 1 lb of ground beef to 1½–2 cups of rice, depending on how meaty you like your filling.
2. Core the Kousa
Wash and dry the kousa well. Trim off the root and tip of each squash to create a clean surface for coring.
Using a manual corer, carefully hollow out each squash. Take your time and work your way deeper into the kousa, removing as much of the center as possible while keeping the outside intact. You want relatively thin walls without piercing through them.
Save all of the cores.
3. Stuff the Kousa
Loosely fill each hollowed kousa with the hashweh.
Don’t pack the filling tightly and don’t fill the kousa completely to the top. Leave a little room inside each one so the rice has space to expand as it cooks.
Set the stuffed kousa aside while you prepare the broth.
4. Make the Tomato Broth
Heat a generous drizzle of olive oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add the crushed garlic and sauté until fragrant.
Add the tomato paste and cook it in the garlic and olive oil for a few minutes, stirring frequently. You want the paste to deepen slightly in color and the oil to begin taking on a reddish tint.
Add the tomato sauce and stir everything together.
Pour in about 6 cups of water or broth and season with salt to taste. Bring the broth to a simmer.
5. Cook the Kousa
Add the stuffed kousa to the simmering tomato broth. Cover and simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, or until the kousa is tender and the rice and meat inside are completely cooked.
6. Make the Lub Kousa
While the stuffed kousa cooks, heat some olive oil in a separate pan or pot.
Add all of the reserved kousa cores along with as much leftover hashweh as you’d like. Sauté everything together for several minutes, allowing the squash and hashweh to toast and the fat from the beef to begin rendering. Season with salt to taste.
Add just enough water to cover the mixture, bring it to a simmer, and cook for about 15 minutes, until the rice is tender and everything has softened.
7. Serve
Spread a generous layer of lub kousa across the bottom of the plate. Place the stuffed kousa over the top and spoon some of the hot tomato broth over everything.
Finish with fresh mint and Aleppo pepper.
Enjoy!