Ingredients
For the Kousa:
- 10–12 small light green marrow/courgette (kousa)
- 1 cup short grain rice, washed and soaked for 15–20 min, drained
- 1 medium onion, finely chopped
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 tablespoons finely chopped parsley or dill
- ½ teaspoon allspice
- ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- Salt & pepper, to taste
- Optional: 250g minced beef
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
For the Tomato Sauce:
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- 3–4 garlic cloves, minced or sliced
- 1 can (400g / 14 oz) chopped tomatoes
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups water or vegetable broth
- Salt & pepper, to taste
Directions
Step 1
Use a vegetable corer to carefully hollow out the courgettes, leaving about ½ cm of shell. Don’t puncture the bottoms! Rinse and set aside.
Step 2
Make the Filling: • In a bowl, mix the rice, onion, tomato paste, parsley/dill, spices, salt, pepper, olive oil, and meat (if using).
Step 3
Fill each courgette about ¾ full (rice expands as it cooks). Don’t overpack — leave room for the rice to puff up.
Step 4
In a large pot, heat olive oil and sauté garlic until fragrant.
Step 5
Add canned tomatoes, tomato paste, water/broth, salt and pepper.
Step 6
Bring to a simmer.
Step 7
Carefully nestle the stuffed zucchini into the pot of tomato sauce.
Step 8
Cover with a plate or lid to keep them submerged.
Step 9
Simmer gently for 45–60 minutes, or until courgette is tender and rice is fully cooked.
Step 10
Spoon tomato sauce over the zucchini when serving.
