Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini and Grape Leaves)
Photo: Violetamyftari, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons
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The Tale of Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini and Grape Leaves)
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Mahshi, vegetables like zucchini and grape leaves stuffed with spiced rice and herbs, belongs to a stuffed-vegetable tradition shared across the former Ottoman-influenced eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. In Egypt it became a labor-intensive, beloved family dish, often prepared for gatherings precisely because of the care and time it demands.
Ingredients
Scale:· 6 servings
- 12 small zucchini, cored
- 20 grape leaves, blanched
- 2 cups short-grain rice, rinsed
- 1 cup fresh parsley and dill, finely chopped
- 1 tomato, finely diced
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1/4 cup olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin
- 1 tsp coriander
- 4 cups chicken or vegetable stock
- 4 cloves garlic, whole, for the pot base
Instructions
- 1Mix rice, herbs, tomato, tomato paste, olive oil, cumin, and coriander for the stuffing.
- 2Carefully stuff the cored zucchini about three-quarters full with the rice mixture.
- 3Place a spoonful of stuffing on each grape leaf and roll tightly into small cylinders.
- 4Line the bottom of a large pot with garlic cloves and a few extra grape leaves.
- 5Arrange stuffed zucchini and grape leaves snugly in the pot and pour stock over the top.
- 6Weight down with a small plate, cover, and simmer 40-45 minutes until rice is cooked and zucchini is tender.
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