Mehshi Kusa — Squash Stuffed with Ground Meat and Rice
Zucchini or yellow squash are stuffed with a mixture of ground beef and rice. This dish is especially perfect for Sukkot when it is a custom to eat stuffed foods.
- Duration
- Cook Time
- Prep Time
- 6 to 8 ServingsServings
Ingredients
- 8 medium yellow squash or zucchini, cored
- 14 dried apricots
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon Kosher salt
- 2 tablespoon freshly squeezed lemon juice
- 3 tablespoon temerhindi
- 1 tablespoon sugar (optional)
Hashu
- 1 pound ground beef
- ⅓ cup short grain rice
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 2 tablespoon vegetable oil
- 1 tablespoon cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- ¼ teaspoon white pepper
Preparation
- Prepare the hashu. Soak rice in water left uncovered for 30 minutes and drain. Combine the meat, rice, allspice, vegetable oil, cinnamon, salt, and white pepper.
- Loosely stuff squash with hashu.
- Pour oil into a large saucepan. Place stuffed squash inside and layer half of the apricots on top. Place saucepan over medium heat for about 5 minutes or until the squash begins to release liquid.
- Add remaining apricots and sprinkle with salt. Directly onto the apricot layer, add lemon juice, temerhindi, and, if desired, sugar. Then pour 1 cup of water over the top. Place a saucer on top of the squash as a weight. Bring mixture to a boil.
- Reduce flame to low, cover, and simmer gently for 1 hour. Cook in oven to thicken and integrate flavor and caramelize.
Variation:
Mehshi kusa with tomato-mint sauce
In step 2, substitute one 6-ounce can of tomato sauce, 1 tablespoon of dried mint, 6 garlic cloves, chopped, for the apricots and temerhindi.
