Eaten all over Egypt are Mahshi, stuffed vegetables. Jews have a history of stuffed vegetables as well. Zucchini, the bell peppers and eggplant are hollowed out and stuffed with rice, meat and Middle Eastern spices, and are served for Shabbat, because they reheat well or can be eaten at room temperature. They are also on the menu for holidays and special occasions, such as a wedding or brit milah, circumcision. This stuffing, as well, can be put in grape or cabbage leaves. All are baked in a delicious tomato sauce. You can also stuff, if less traditional, buttercup, butternut or acorn squash or small sugar pumpkins. Vegan and Passover options are listed below.
TIP: This is a time-consuming recipe; therefore, to cut the time on cooking day, I made the rice, sauce and mixed spices together the day before. You may also make the stuffing the day before as well. Refrigerate all, except spices, until you use them the following day.
Learn more about the Jewish history and food of Egypt here.
Ingredients
Spices
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon
- Pinch nutmeg
- 1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
Sauce
- 2 tablespoons olive oil more if needed
- 3-4 cloves garlic minced
- 6- ounce can tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 3 cups water
Stuffing
- 1 cup rice uncooked and rinsed (I used brown rice—use your favorite!)
- 1 pound ground beef chicken or lamb
- 1 large onion minced
- 1 tablespoon dried or 4 sprigs fresh chopped. Put stems in sauce.
- 1-2 teaspoons olive oil
Vegetables
- 5 small zucchini and/or yellow squash
- 2 medium or 4 small eggplants
- 2 red bell peppers
Nutritional Facts
Instructions
- Spices: Mix spices together in small jar or bowl. Set aside.
- Sauce: Make the sauce. Sauté the garlic for 2 minutes in olive oil, stirring constantly. Add tomato paste and stir until paste is dissolved in water, 2-3 minutes.. Add salt and water. Refrigerate if going to use it later.
- Rice: Rinse rice thoroughly in a sieve and cook according to package directions. Drain and set aside. Refrigerate if going to use the following day.
- Vegetables: Hollow out vegetables with a corer or knife, being careful not to cut into the outer skin.
- Set zucchini and eggplant in colander in a sink or over a bowl, sprinkle with kosher salt, and let sit for 15-20 minutes. This will draw some of the moisture out of the vegetables. Rinse gently.
- Add olive oil to a skillet. Warm over medium heat. Sauté onion until translucent. Add ground meat, stirring occasionally. Add spices and stir to mix with meat mixture. Cook another 5 minutes or until onion is soft and meat is browned. Remove from heat.
- Mix meat mixture and rice together in a bowl. Refrigerate if you are going to use later.
- Place the vegetables scraps you cored out on the bottom of the pot you are going to use to cook the vegetables. This adds a layer to prevent the vegetables from sticking when you remove them after cooking.
- Stand the vegetables upright in a pot. They should fit snugly so they will cook upright. If there is space between the vegetables, add chunks of onions, garlic, celery, cabbage, etc., to fill in the spaces.
- Stuff the vegetables with the meat and rice mixture. Use a spoon or your fingers. Don’t overstuff as the rice will expand while cooking.
- Pour the sauce into vegetable pot. The liquid should cover about 3/4 of the vegetables. Add more water or broth if needed.
- Bring to a boil, then lower to a simmer, cover and cook for 35-40 minutes. Remove from heat and let it cool for about 15 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.
- Carefully remove the vegetables from the pot and put on plate spooning a bit of the sauce over each vegetable.
- Leftovers sauce and stuffing: You may have some stuffing leftover. Save in the refrigerator for 3 -4 days or you can freeze it. The leftovers are great to add to grains, such as rice, quinoa or farro for a savory side dish, to add to pasta or place in a pita for an impromptu and delish meal. You may also have extra sauce. Add to cooked grains, let chicken simmer in it or save both stuffing and sauce for the next time you make stuffed vegetables!
Notes
