Stuffed zucchini in yogurt sauce – Kousa bil laban

Arabian dish

Ingredients for 4-6 people:

1 kg zucchini (approx. 8-10 cm long and 4 cm thick)
1½ cups oil
2 cloves garlic
½ teaspoon dried mint
1 l boiled yogurt (see below)

Stuffing:
2 onions
½ cup pine kernels
½ cup oil
500 g ground meat (lamb or beef)
½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

Yogurt sauce:
1 kg yogurt
2 cloves garlic
Butter
1 egg
1 tablespoon dried mint
Salt

Preparation:

(Eastern) Arabian cuisine uses boiled yogurt in the same way as we use cream, only it is much lighter. It is seasoned with herbs and spices and poured over rice or vegetables and meat dishes.

Conventional yogurt, unlike the Arabian variety, separates when heated. This can be prevented by adding an egg, or alternatively 2 tablespoons cornstarch.

Stir the egg (or cornstarch) and 1 teaspoon salt into the yogurt, taking care to stir in one direction only. Crush the garlic and fry in butter. Bring the yogurt to the boil, add the garlic and mint and simmer for a further 5 minutes.

To make the stuffing, fry the pine kernels in oil, drain and set aside. Add the ground meat to the pan and fry for 5 minutes with the finely chopped onions, cinnamon, pepper and salt. Finally, stir in the pine kernels, simmer briefly and remove from the heat.

Cut both ends off the zucchini, halve lengthwise and scoop out the pulp. Stuff with the ground meat and pine kernel filling and fry in hot oil. Place in a shallow saucepan, pour over the yogurt and bring to the boil. Simmer over a low heat for a further 15 minutes.

Sprinkle with crushed garlic mixed with mint according to taste and serve with pitta bread or rice.

Enjoy your meal.