# Stuffed squash

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{{Short description|Dish common in Egypt and the former Ottoman domain}}
{{Infobox food
| name             = Stuffed squash
| image            = Punjene tikvice.jpg
| image_size       = 288px
| caption          = Stuffed squash
| alternate_name = Stuffed zucchini
| country          = 
| region           = The [Balkans](/source/Balkans), [Egypt](/source/Egypt), [Turkey](/source/Turkey), and the [Levant](/source/Levant)
| national_cuisine = [Egyptian](/source/Egyptian_cuisine), [Levantine](/source/Levantine_cuisine), [Turkish](/source/Turkish_cuisine)
| creator          = 
| type             = [Dolma](/source/Dolma)
| course           = Main course
| served           = Hot
| main_ingredient  = [Summer squashes](/source/Zucchini), [minced meat](/source/Ground_meat), [rice](/source/rice) 
| minor_ingredient = [onion](/source/onion)s, [spices](/source/spices), [tomato sauce](/source/tomato_sauce)
| variations       = 
| calories         = 
| similar_dish = [Stuffed peppers](/source/Stuffed_peppers)
| other            = 
}}
'''Stuffed squash''', '''courgette''', '''marrow''', '''mahshi''', '''kousa''', or '''zucchini''' is a dish common in [Egypt](/source/Egypt),<ref>{{Cite book |last=Abdennour |first=Samia |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=9GljEAAAQBAJ&dq=stuffed+courgette+egypt&pg=PT193 |title=Egyptian Cooking: And Other Middle Eastern Recipes |date=2005-10-01 |publisher=American University in Cairo Press |isbn=978-1-61797-266-9 |language=en}}</ref> [the Levant](/source/the_Levant) and [the Balkans](/source/the_Balkans). It is a kind of [dolma](/source/dolma) consisting of various kinds of [squash](/source/Squash_(plant)) or [zucchini](/source/zucchini), stuffed with rice and sometimes meat, and cooked on the stovetop or in the oven. The meat version is served hot, as a main course. The meatless version is considered an "[olive-oil dish](/source/ladera)" and is often eaten at room temperature or warm.

==Preparation==
The placenta and seeds of larger, shorter, cylindrical immature [squashes](/source/Zucchini) are pulled off, and the further proceeding is similar as for [punjene paprike](/source/punjena_paprika) or [sarma](/source/Sarma_(food)).<ref name=lakakuharica>{{cite web|url=http://www.lakakuharica.com/2010/08/tikvice-punjene-mesom-i-bulgurom-u.html|title=Tikvice punjene mesom i bulgurom u crvenom umaku|access-date=26 July 2016}}</ref> Often, punjene tikvice (stuffed squashes) and punjene paprike (stuffed peppers) are made together, as a mixed dish.<ref name=coolinarika>{{cite web|url=http://www.coolinarika.com/recept/punjene-paprike-ili-tikvice/|title=Punjene paprike ili tikvice|access-date=26 July 2016|date=12 June 2008}}in Croatian</ref>

==Name==

<gallery caption="" widths="220px" heights="160px">
File:Kousa Mahshi.jpg|''Kousa mahshi'', stuffed zucchini
</gallery>

==Variants==
[[File:Acorn squash stuffed with pilaf and topped with cheese.jpg|thumb|An [acorn squash](/source/acorn_squash) stuffed with pilaf and topped with cheese]]The name in different languages generally means literally "stuffed squash": Croatian: Punjene tikvice; Serbian: stuffed zucchini; Serbian Cyrillic: stuffed zucchini.<ref>{{Cite web |date=2012-06-13 |title=Punjene paprike ili tikvice |url=https://web.coolinarika.com/recept/punjene-paprike-ili-tikvice-4b629bb2-63c7-11eb-97f1-0242ac12001f |access-date=2025-11-11 |website=Coolinarika |language=hr-HR}}</ref>

=== Canada ===
In Canada, stuffed squash is often prepared with tomato sauce or spaghetti sauce as well as with melted cheese on top.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Courgettes farcies |url=https://bonpourtoi.ca/recettes/courgettes-farcies/ |access-date=2023-01-24 |website=Bon pour toi |language=fr-FR}}</ref>

===Egypt===
Mahshi kosa ({{langx|arz|محشي كوسا}}) is a traditional stuffed squash dish eaten in Egypt, it is a type of [dolma](/source/dolma) consisting of [squash](/source/Squash_(plant)) that is cored and stuffed with a seasoned filling of [rice](/source/rice) and [herbs](/source/herbs).<ref name=eatingwell>{{cite web |title=Kousa Mahshi (Stuffed Zucchini) |url=https://www.eatingwell.com/recipe/8061733/kousa-mahshi-stuffed-zucchini/ |website=EatingWell |access-date=March 16, 2025}}</ref> The stuffing typically includes [short-grain rice](/source/short-grain_rice) mixed with [parsley](/source/parsley), [dill](/source/dill), and [cilantro](/source/cilantro), flavored with [cumin](/source/cumin), [coriander](/source/coriander), [salt](/source/salt), and [black pepper](/source/black_pepper).<ref name=amiraspantry>{{cite web |title=Rice Stuffed Veggies Aka Mahshi |url=https://amiraspantry.com/rice-stuffed-veggies-aka-mahshi/ |website=Amira's Pantry |date=16 March 2013 |access-date=March 16, 2025}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Mahshi Koosa (Stuffed Zucchini) |url=https://www.ofrecipes.com/mahshi-koosa-stuffed-zucchini |website=OfRecipes |access-date=March 16, 2025}}</ref> The squash are then gently simmered in a spiced [tomato sauce](/source/tomato_sauce), allowing the [rice](/source/rice) to absorb the liquid while the [zucchini](/source/zucchini) becomes tender.<ref name=eatingwell/><ref name=amiraspantry/>

===Levant===
In the [Levant](/source/Levant), this dish is flavoured with [mint](/source/Mentha) and [garlic](/source/garlic). In [Cyprus](/source/Cyprus), the flowers of the marrow are also stuffed.<ref>[http://www.cypnet.co.uk/ncyprus/culture/cuisine/veg/dolma-cicek.html Stuffed Marrow Flowers]</ref>

The cultivar is called 'Cousa' in Robinson and Decker-Walters (1997)<ref>Robinson and Decker-Walters (1997). ''Cucurbits''.</ref> p.&nbsp;77: "Some summer squash cultivars, e.g. the vegetable marrows (''Cucurbita pepo'') are consumed when almost mature. In the Middle East, nearly mature fruits of 'Cousa' are stuffed with meat and other ingredients, then baked".

=== Turkey ===
In traditional Turkish cuisine, stuffed zucchini ([Turkish](/source/Turkish_language): kabak dolması) commonly contains ground beef in addition to rice and sometimes vegetables, herbs and spices. It is often served with both yogurt and a tomato-based sauce.<ref>{{Cite web |last=HasanzadeNemati |first=Shadi |date=2024-04-12 |title=Kabak Dolması- Turkish Stuffed Zucchini |url=https://www.unicornsinthekitchen.com/turkish-stuffed-zucchini-kabak-dolmasi/ |access-date=2025-06-16 |website=Unicorns in the Kitchen |language=en-US}}</ref>

==See also==
* [List of squash and pumpkin dishes](/source/List_of_squash_and_pumpkin_dishes)
* [List of stuffed dishes](/source/List_of_stuffed_dishes)
* [Sheikh al-mahshi](/source/Sheikh_al-mahshi), zucchini stuffed with minced lamb meat and pine nuts in yogurt sauce

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{Squashes and pumpkins}}

Category:Arab cuisine
Category:Jordanian cuisine
Category:Egyptian cuisine
Category:Lebanese cuisine
Category:Levantine cuisine
Category:Ottoman cuisine
Category:Palestinian cuisine
Category:Squash and pumpkin dishes
Category:Stuffed vegetable dishes
Category:Syrian cuisine
Category:Balkan cuisine
Category:Israeli cuisine

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Adapted from the Wikipedia article [Stuffed squash](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuffed_squash) by Wikipedia contributors ([contributor history](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stuffed_squash?action=history)). Available under [Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 4.0 International](https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0/). Changes may have been made.