Koussa

Koussa (middle eastern courgettes or zucchini ) are stuffed with minced beef, onions and spices and cooked with tomato sauce is a very simple and delicious dish to make.

Ingredients

  • 10 medium size Kussa (courgettes or zucchini)
  • 8 medium side Roma tomatoes
  • 8 cloves of garlic peeled and crushed
  • 1 T dried mint
  • Salt and pepper to taste

Stuffing for 10 pieces of medium size Kussa:

  • 10 Tbsp short grain rice ( I used Egyptian)
  • 5 Tbsp ground lean beef
  • 1 medium onion peeled and grated finely
  • 1/2 tsp of each of the following spices:
  • Cardamom, cinnamon, turmeric, nutmeg, ginger, black pepper.
  • Salt to taste

 

Directions

  1. Wash the rice 5 times with cold water till water runs clear. Mix the the rest of the stuffing ingredients with rice and set aside.
  2. Wash Kussa in cold water and dry.
  3. Cut the end part of the Kussa. Prep the Kussa for stuffing by emptying the inside of Kussa through a special tool (منقرة الكوسي). If you don't know wt that is I can send a picture.
  4. Stuff 3/4 of the Kussa with the stuffing not more, (otherwise the stuffing will come out of the Kussa once cooked.)
  5. In a wide bottomed pot add 11/2 cups water and being to boil on medium heat. Add the stuffed Kussa and let it simmer coveted for 15 min max. 
  6. In the meantime, score the Roma tomatoes in an X shape and place in a pot filled with boiling water for 5 min. Remove and once cool enough to handle, peel the skin off of the tomatoes and place in food processor to purée tomatoes and set aside.
  7. Once Kussa had boiled 15 min in the boiling water, add the tomato purée to it and bring to boil on medium heat, cover and lower heat to low.
  8. Bring a medium size skillet and place on medium heat. Add 3 T olive oil and wait few seconds then add the crushed garlic. Sauté for 1 minute only.
  9. Place the sauteed garlic immediately into the Kussa and tomato pot. Cover pot and continue to simmer for another 25 minutes or until Kussa feels tender. Add salt and pepper to taste at this point to tomato sauce and sprinkle with dried mint. Serve hot enjoy!
MealsRola Jordan