Mehshi Kusa — Squash Stuffed with Ground Meat and Rice

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Mehshi Kusa

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

  1. 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.
  2. Loosely stuff squash with hashu.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.
  5. 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.

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