lyndalou
Head Chef
My Lebanese friends' mother used to make a dish very similar to this one. I found this recipe in a cookbook titled Arabian Cuisine by Anne marie Weiss-Armush an American who married a man from Damascus. Anyway, here it is
16 small or 12 medium zucchini and/ or yellow squash.
Stuffing:
1 cup short grain rice
3/4 lb. ground lamb or beef ( I prefer lamb)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. mint
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 large ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped (OPT)
2 tbsp. minced parsley (OPT)
Sauce
1 large can tomatoes (crushed)
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 lemon juiced/1 tsp. tamarind paste
1 rounded tsp. tomato paste
1. Cut off stalk ends of squash
If you can, take a narrow knife and hollow out the squash so that yo have a tube . I have a tool for this. Alternatively, cut squash in
half lengthwise and scoop out pulp.
2. Mix all stuffing ingred. together and knead together . Fill squash but allow for expansion of the rice.
3. Place the koosa in a baking dish, side by side and pour over the sauce. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 mins or until done.
4. Remove squash from casserole dish and taste the sauce for seasoning. Adjust if necessary.
Just thinking... if no tamarind paste available, I might add some cinnamon and allspice to the sauce.
Hope Margi sees this as she asked for it.
16 small or 12 medium zucchini and/ or yellow squash.
Stuffing:
1 cup short grain rice
3/4 lb. ground lamb or beef ( I prefer lamb)
2 tsp. salt
1 tsp. mint
2 cloves garlic, minced
1/2 tsp allspice
1/8 tsp cinnamon
1/4 tsp black pepper
2 large ripe tomatoes peeled and chopped (OPT)
2 tbsp. minced parsley (OPT)
Sauce
1 large can tomatoes (crushed)
1 cup water
1/2 tsp salt
1 lemon juiced/1 tsp. tamarind paste
1 rounded tsp. tomato paste
1. Cut off stalk ends of squash
If you can, take a narrow knife and hollow out the squash so that yo have a tube . I have a tool for this. Alternatively, cut squash in
half lengthwise and scoop out pulp.
2. Mix all stuffing ingred. together and knead together . Fill squash but allow for expansion of the rice.
3. Place the koosa in a baking dish, side by side and pour over the sauce. Bake at 350 for 30 to 35 mins or until done.
4. Remove squash from casserole dish and taste the sauce for seasoning. Adjust if necessary.
Just thinking... if no tamarind paste available, I might add some cinnamon and allspice to the sauce.
Hope Margi sees this as she asked for it.
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