Cookies Preferences
This is one of those treats that my Mother-in-Law, Suzanne, prepares when we come to visit. A labor of love, it was my introduction to sipping on warm, garlicky yogurt, which was a revelation. I adore these little flavorful zucchinis, for some reason they're tastier than their eggplant counterparts which are also frequently found on a lunch table in the Balkiz home. And if you're scooping the zucchinis out yourself (I have a little device Auntie Suzanne gave me so I can do it myself) keep the cores and sautee the flesh with a little garlic in olive oil and serve it on the side to be scooped up with fresh Arabic bread.
24 small, fat zucchini
1/2 pound ground lamb
2 teaspoons allspice
1 teaspoon dried mint, plus more to serve
3 tablespoons toasted pine nuts
1 head garlic, finely minced, divided
olive oil
2 pounds yoghurt, preferably sheep's milk
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed with 2 tablespoons water
First, cut off the stem end of each zucchini and scoop out the core. Set the flesh aside (you will chop this roughly and sautee it later). Now, in a frying pan cook the ground lamb with the spices and about 4 cloves of garlic, until no longer pink and then stir in the toasted pine nuts with a little salt and pepper. Once this mixture has cooled stuff it into the hollowed-out zucchinis. My mother-in-law fries the zucchinis in a hot pan of oil until they are soft, but I've also read that you can steam them over water for 20-25 minutes or even just cook them in the yoghurt mixture. Since the stuffing is already cooked, you're mainly trying to soften up the vegetable itself.Now, to make the yoghurt sauce, place it in a large saucepan with the cornstarch slurry and stir constantly in one direction over medium heat until it gets thick - but don't allow it to come to a boil. This takes about 5 minutes. If need be, add a little water to thin it out before serving.
Sautee the chopped zucchini flesh in the slightest bit of olive oil and cook over medium-low heat until soft but not at all browned, about 8 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and serve on the side - this part of the meal is a real treat with dried mint and scooped up with Arabic style bread.Finally, in a small frying pan, sautee the remaining garlic in one tablespoon of olive oil until it's just brown and crispy. Immediately pour this over the yoghurt and it will splutter and splash - this is called the tasheh - because of the sound it makes. Add the cooked zucchini to the yoghurt garlic soup and serve with lots of dried mint. Just a note here - my mother-in-law serves the stuffed zucchinis on their own and the yoghurt in a separate small bowl which you can sip or spoon.
