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Koosa

prepared koosa
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Koosa? Kousa? Cusa?

No matter how it’s spelled, this dish is delicious.

Summer has come to a close, and all of my koosa plants have died off. I harvested some amazing squash this year, the most I’ve ever grown and the leaves were HUGE! 

I made many mistakes with my new garden this year, and putting this Audrey 2 in the middle of it was something that I definitely should not have done. 

my hand compared to a koosa leaffreshly picked koosa

As you’ll see in this recipe, many of the dishes I share contain a lot of the same ingredients. My grandmother’s dishes are simple but comforting, and that’s why I love them.

Also like most recipes, this dish can be made vegetarian/vegan. My favorite things to add to my koosa stuffing are cubes of fresh basket cheese or chickpeas. 

prepared koosa

Koosa

Squash stuffed with rice and tomatoes
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Ingredients
  

  • 12 Koosa
  • 1 cup white rice
  • 1 large can of whole tomatoes (or crushed)
  • 1/2 lb ground beef or lamb
  • salt & pepper
  • water

Instructions
 

  • Hollow out the koosa - save the insides to cook later with tomatoes or with eggs
    12 Koosa
  • Combine rice, ¾ of the can of tomatoes, (raw or partially cooked) meat, salt and pepper.
    1 cup white rice, 1 large can of whole tomatoes, 1/2 lb ground beef or lamb, salt & pepper
  • Fill the squash with your mixture.
  • Place in 8 qt. pan - add remaining tomatoes and H2O up to ¾ full.
    1 large can of whole tomatoes
  • Bring to a boil and simmer for 30 minutes, covered

WHAT KIND OF SQUASH?

Koosa, Arabic for zucchini, are light green summer squash that typically grows very quickly. These small, round vegetables are mostly water and make a great meatless base to build flavor. The most similar seeds that I can find without shopping online have been Mexican Grey Squash or Grey Zucchini seeds.

The squash typically used in this dish is Lebanese White Bush Summer Squash. 

HOW TO HOLLOW OUT THE KOOSA

The utensil for hollowing out koosa has always been a kitchen staple in my household and was confused when a friend first asked what it was for. We use a large coring tool that is slightly c-shaped, with a pointy tip, and serrated sides. 

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