Kousa Mahshi Bil Laban is the ultimate Middle Eastern comfort food. Almost all Arabic households around this time of year will be making mahshi; stuffed vegetables.
Why Make This Kousa Mahshi Bil Laban
Kousa Mahshi has a special place in my heart. My mom would make it frequently growing up and it was always a favorite of mine especially with the garlic yogurt sauce. I have always been obsessed with dairy. Too much for my own good. Any meal that had yogurt; I was in.
Anything from Mansaf to shish barak (meat dumplings in a yogurt sauce) was a winner in my book.
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I haven’t had Kousa Mahshi Bil Laban since I got married and moved miles and miles away. So, yesterday I just had to make it. I talked to my mom the whole time, making sure it would taste just like hers, and it did. I hope you enjoy the recipe below. There are several variations to this dish. Some people won’t cook the meat beforehand and some will cook the zucchini solely in the yogurt and not steam first. This is the beauty of food; each recipe has its own story.
This is my version of Kousa Mahshi Bil Laban and I hope you love it as much as I do.
Kousa Mahshi Bil Laban (Stuffed Zucchini in Yogurt Sauce)
Ingredients
Stuffed Zucchini
- 6 zucchini Tatume zucchini work best for stuffing
- â…“ cup white rice rinsed
- ½ lb ground beef
- ¼ cup finely chopped onion
- ¼ cup finely chopped tomato
- ¼ cup finely chopped parsley
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- ½ teaspoon pomegranate molasses
- Salt and pepper to taste
- 1 tablespoon allspice divided
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 cups water
Yogurt Sauce
- 3 cups plain whole-fat yogurt
- 2 cups water
- 1 tablespoon cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon citric acid
- 1 teaspoon Vegeta seasoning or salt
- Black pepper to taste
- 1 teaspoon garlic powder
Garlic Mint Garnish
- 6 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tablespoon dried mint
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
Instructions
Prepare and stuff the zucchini
- Carefully core the inside of each zucchini without piercing the sides or bottom.
- Set the zucchini flesh aside (it can be sautéed later with garlic and olive oil).
- In a bowl, combine the rinsed rice, chopped onion, tomato, parsley, and garlic.
- Season with ½ tablespoon allspice, salt, pepper, and the pomegranate molasses.
- Cook the ground beef in a skillet with salt, pepper, and the remaining ½ tablespoon allspice until lightly browned.
- Add the cooked beef and olive oil to the rice mixture and mix well.
- Fill each zucchini about ¾ full with the rice mixture, leaving room for the rice to expand while cooking.
- Place the stuffed zucchini in a large pot.
- Add 2 cups of water and cover the zucchini with a plate placed directly on top.
- Cook on high heat for about 15 minutes, until the zucchini begins to soften.
Make the Yogurt Sauce
- In a blender, combine the yogurt, water, cornstarch, citric acid, Vegeta seasoning (or salt), black pepper, and garlic powder.
- Blend until smooth.
- Cook the Yogurt Sauce
- Pour the yogurt mixture into a pot and cook on high heat, stirring constantly.
- Continue stirring for about 10 minutes until the sauce begins to boil and bubble.
- Once the zucchini are tender, drain most of the water from the pot.
- Pour the yogurt sauce over the stuffed zucchini.
- Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the rice inside the zucchini is fully cooked.
Make the Garlic Mint Topping
- In a small pan, sauté the minced garlic in olive oil until fragrant.
- Pour this garlic oil over the zucchini and yogurt sauce.
- Sprinkle with dried mint.
Notes
This is the best koosa bil Laban recipe I have ever made! The stuffing with pomegranate molasses gives it that extra kick .. absolutely delicious
This sounds great! Never had it with the Laban only tomato Family favorite, the koosa has become easier to find at markets, before then, my uncle would get us originally from Lebanon!
I will be trying it with laban next time I make a batch of it. Tonight will be the tomato base😊
I looked in 3 different stores and none had the pomegranate molasses. I had to make it without it, but good news it still tasted good alhamdulillah. I’ll order it online so next time I have it in my pantry
love this dish! made it the first time following this recipe it came out so perfect, this one is a must try! very delicious!