AuthorbaidooneIs there anything more appetizing than Warak Enab and Kousa Mahshi? (Stuffed vine leaves and zucchini with lamb Chops). This healthy veggie dish is a Lebanese favorite.
Wash the rice with water several times, soak the rice for 30 minutes.
Wash the zucchini well. Hollow out the koosa (zucchini) using koosa corer or zucchini corer, be careful not to make the interior too thick. Don't worry if you poke through a koosa, it can still be used!
Remove extra stems from the vine leaves. Wash well, drain and set them aside.
For the filling: Drain the rice In a medium-size bowl, combine and mix rice, meat, salt, black pepper, paprika and oil.
Bring a large saucepan and arrange lamb chops evenly.
Stuff 2/3 of the baby zucchini with the filling and place it over the lamb chops.
To stuff and roll the leaves: Place grape leaves facing vein-side up on work surface with the wide stem-end of the leaf toward you. Drop 1 heaping teaspoon of filling across that stem edge of the leaf, shaping like a finger, leaving enough leaf on either side of the meat for rolling. Don’t roll the leaves too tightly—allow room for rice filling to expand. Fold each side of leaf over the meat like an envelope and roll securely, away from you.
Arrange stuffed vine leaves over the stuffed baby zucchini.
Sprinkle a large table spoon of salt. Place a plate face down over the top layer to prevent the rolls from floating. Fill pot with warm water up to the plate.
Put the sauce pan uncovered on high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours or until baby zucchini is well cooked. Add lemon juice and remove from heat.
Serve hot in a large serving plate.
Ingredients
Directions
Wash the rice with water several times, soak the rice for 30 minutes.
Wash the zucchini well. Hollow out the koosa (zucchini) using koosa corer or zucchini corer, be careful not to make the interior too thick. Don't worry if you poke through a koosa, it can still be used!
Remove extra stems from the vine leaves. Wash well, drain and set them aside.
For the filling: Drain the rice In a medium-size bowl, combine and mix rice, meat, salt, black pepper, paprika and oil.
Bring a large saucepan and arrange lamb chops evenly.
Stuff 2/3 of the baby zucchini with the filling and place it over the lamb chops.
To stuff and roll the leaves: Place grape leaves facing vein-side up on work surface with the wide stem-end of the leaf toward you. Drop 1 heaping teaspoon of filling across that stem edge of the leaf, shaping like a finger, leaving enough leaf on either side of the meat for rolling. Don’t roll the leaves too tightly—allow room for rice filling to expand. Fold each side of leaf over the meat like an envelope and roll securely, away from you.
Arrange stuffed vine leaves over the stuffed baby zucchini.
Sprinkle a large table spoon of salt. Place a plate face down over the top layer to prevent the rolls from floating. Fill pot with warm water up to the plate.
Put the sauce pan uncovered on high heat and bring to boil. Reduce heat to low and simmer for 2-3 hours or until baby zucchini is well cooked. Add lemon juice and remove from heat.
Serve hot in a large serving plate.