Mehshi Kusa, or Meat-Filled Zucchini and/or Squash

Mehshi kusa (koo-SAA) is a traditional Syrian dish. In order to stuff the squash, you first need to hollow them out with a melon baller. Ideally the shells will be very thin. After hollowing out the vegetables, you stuff them with hashu and cook them in a Middle-Eastern-style sauce.

You will need:

• 8 yellow squash or zucchinis, or a combination of the two
• 1 pound of hashu
• 2 tablespoons of vegetable oil
• about 40 dried apricots (these are our favorite, so we like to add extras)
• 1 teaspoon of kosher salt
• 3 tablespoons of lemon juice (freshly squeezed, of course)
• 3 tablespoons ourt, tamarind paste. You can use homemade, but we buy it.
• 1 cup of water

1. Core the squash and stuff it with hashu.
2. Heat the oil in an oven-proof skillet. Over a medium flame, place the squash in it, adding half of the apricots on top. Cook for about 5 minutes, or until the squash begins to sweat.
3. Add the rest of the apricots, the lemon juice, ourt, water, and salt. Raise the fire to medium-high and use a heat-proof plate to weigh everything down. Bring to a boil.
4. Lower the heat and let simmer for an hour.
5. Preheat the oven to 350 degrees.
6. Transfer the saucepan to the oven and cook for another 40 minutes.

From Aromas of Aleppo.