Kousa Mahshi (stuffed Marrows)

Total Time: 1 hr 45 mins Preparation Time: 45 mins Cook Time: 1 hr

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 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
• 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

Recipe

• 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.