Mahshi
Cored zucchini and eggplant loosely stuffed with seasoned rice, so it has room to expand as it simmers in tomato broth, rather than tightly packed with pre-cooked rice that leaves the vegetables mushy. Genuinely shared across Egypt, Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan, spreading through the region's former Ottoman territories, with real local variation: Egyptian mahshi is typically fully vegetarian, while Levantine versions commonly add ground meat and fresh mint to the filling.
Meat-optionalVegan-optionalVegetarian-optional
Ingredients
- 6 small zucchini (kousa), cored
- 2 small eggplants, cored, optional
- 1 cup short-grain rice, rinsed, uncooked
- 200g ground lamb or beef, omit for a vegan/Egyptian-style version
- 2 tomatoes, finely diced, plus 2 cups tomato juice or broth for cooking
- 2 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped
- 2 tbsp fresh mint, chopped, more for Levantine style
- 3 cloves garlic, minced, divided
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- 2 tbsp olive oil
- Salt and pepper, to taste
- Juice of 1 lemon
Steps
- Core the zucchini, and eggplant if using, with a vegetable corer, keeping the walls thin but intact.
- Mix the raw rice, diced tomato, ground meat if using, parsley, half the mint, half the garlic, cinnamon, allspice, salt, pepper, and olive oil to make the filling.
- Loosely stuff each vegetable about 3/4 full to allow the rice to expand.
- Arrange the stuffed vegetables snugly in a wide pot.
- Pour the tomato juice or broth over them until nearly covered, and add the remaining garlic; place a plate on top to weigh them down.
- Simmer covered over low heat for 45-60 minutes until the vegetables are tender and the rice is fully cooked.
- Finish with lemon juice and the remaining mint, and serve warm, often with yogurt on the side.