Stuffed Aubergines and Courgettes (Zucchini)

SHEIKH MASHI

This is a typical Arabic dish.

Ingredients:

1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
500g of minced lamb
6 aubergines
8 courgettes
A quarter of a coffee mug of basmati white rice, washed and dried
A bunch of flat leaf parsley
A few sprigs of coriander
Olive or sunflower oil for frying
A whole tube of tomato puree or a medium sized tin
Salt and pepper to taste
1 tablespoon of sumac spice if you can get it

Wash the aubergines and slice off the top.  Put aside the tops as they will be needed as lids later.  Scoop out the inside of the aubergines, chop into small pieces and set aside for later.
Wash the courgettes and slice off the top.  Put aside the tops as they will also be needed as lids later.
Scoop out the inside of the courgettes and discard as it is too watery to use.

Put some oil in a large pan or frying pan and fry the onions until golden, then add the minced lamb and cook through for 5 minutes before adding the inside of the aubergines, chopped parsley, chopped coriander and rice....the meat should have changed colour by now.  Add salt, pepper and sumac.  Stop cooking and leave to cool down.

When the mixture is cool, stuff the aubergines and courgettes but leave about an inch gap between the top of the vegetable, to give space for the rice to expand.  Pop the lids back on tightly.

In a large clean frying pan, fry the aubergines and courgettes gently for a couple of minutes.  In a very large deep pan, mix together some olive oil, salt, pepper, the tomato puree and half fill with hot water to make a tomato sauce.  Pop the aubergines and courgettes inside the tomato sauce, making sure it covers them completely.  Simmer for 30 to 40 minutes, to ensure the vegetables, meat and rice are all cooked through.

You may find you have some of the stuffing mixture leftover so can make a side dish with it.  Just cook it with a little of the tomato sauce to ensure the meat and rice are thoroughly cooked.

The next day you could serve any leftover Sheikh Mashi as Tashreeb, by breaking up some bread (pita is ideal but any will do) and pouring it on top.  See photo below.