Meat and Rice Stuffed Squash
Lebanese style meat and rice stuffed squash also knows as kussa is perfectly seasoned and slowly simmered in tomato sauce for a hearty meal!
Ingredients
- 12 Tatuma Squash known as Mexican squash
- ½ lbs ground beef
- 1 ½ cups Short grain white rice
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 1 medium tomato finely chopped
- 1 medium white onion finely chopped
- 1 ½ teaspoons seven spices
- 1 ½ teaspoons salt
- ¼ teaspoon citric acid optional
- 2 tablespoons tomato paste
Tomato Broth
- ½ cup tomato paste or 2 (8oz) cans tomato paste
- 1 teaspoon salt or to taste
- 1 teaspoon seven spices
- ¼ teaspoon citric acid optional
- 3 bouillon cubes
- 2 1/2 quarts water 10 cups water
Instructions
- In a medium bowl mix the ground beef, rice, onions, tomatoes, olive oil, seven spices, salt, tomato paste and citric acid (optional). Place in the fridge or set aside.
- Wash your squash. Cut the stems off and toss out. cut the round brown layer on the bottom of the squash. Using a long squash corer or an apple corer, gently carve into the squash to remove all the inside flesh.
- Begin to fill the squash using your hands and pushing the mixture with your pinky finger until it has all filled up to the top. Place the squash in a large deep pot, stacking them on top of each other. Horizontally or slightly facing up, as long as they are not facing down.
- To the pot filled with squash add the tomato paste, salt, seven spices, citric acid, and bouillon cubes. Then pour 2 ½ quarts of water (10 cups).
- Bring to a boil then cover the pot with the lid slightly ajar. Place the heat on medium and allow to cook for 60 minutes. The broth should be thickened once they are cooked.
- Once they are fully cooked, allow them to cool for 15 minutes before you gently remove them from the pot. Pour the tomato brother over your kuusa (squash) and enjoy.
Video
Notes
TIPS
Once you core the squash, place them in a large bowl of water with a little salt and citric acid. This will prevent the squash from cracking when cooked.
You can store the cored squash in the fridge for up to 3 days! Place the cored squash in a bowl of water, a little salt and citric acid. Cover the bowl and place in the fridge.