The days of KOSSa Mahshi

AYAM EL KOSSA MAHSHI

The days of KOSSA Mahshi: (stuffed courgettes)

Still today I dream of our kossa mahshi in Egypt!

Though I am considered a good cook, I have never managed to obtain the taste of those Mahshis of my past!

IT IS PROBABLY DUE TO THE KOSSA ITSELF; here we have fat and watery courgettes not at all convenient for el mashi. In Italy they have those delicious zucchini almost as good as the Egyptian ones.

To prepare kossa mashi you need above all a NAKHWARA. It’s an instrument to void the insides of the courgettes without making a hole at the other end.

You insert the Nakhwara and turn it delicately till you have only the outer skin left.

Your stuffing will need to be prepared as well. As no minced meat was found, you had to mince it with that old-fashioned machine. You needed good arms for that.

Then roz (rice) was added to the minced meat, basal (onions),  malh (salt) lamoun (lemon) korkom (curcuma), kamoun (cumin), ou zeit (and oil), karafs ( minced parsley) that gives it a cheerful colouring.

Mix all this with CLEAN hands and stuff your courgettes one by one without breaking the courgettes.

In a very large pan quickly fry the stuffed courgettes and then put them in a spicy tomato sauce you have prepared yourself. And don’t forget to add the inside of the courgettes you have cleaned out with the nakhwara.

The secret of success is to let your mahshi cook gently and for a long time.

The ones I prefer are the slightly burned ones!!!

This delight will take you to the top of the world!