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Loading...A beloved Egyptian comfort dish featuring small zucchini, eggplants, bell peppers, and tomatoes hollowed out and packed with a fragrant, herb-laced rice filling. The stuffed vegetables are nestled in a tangy tomato broth and gently simmered until tender, allowing the rice to absorb all the savory juices from the pot.
Prep Time35 mins
Cook Time70 mins
Total Time105 mins
Servings6
Yield6 servings
Nutrition Facts
Per serving (estimated)
- 380 kcalCalories
- 14 gFat
- 3 gSaturated Fat
- 52 gCarbs
- 7 gFiber
- 9 gSugar
- 14 gProtein
- 620 mgSodium
- 780 mgPotassium
- 85 mgCalcium
- 3 mgIron
- 45 mgVitamin C
- 85 mcgVitamin A
Ingredients
For the vegetables
- 4 small zucchini (about 1 lb / 450 g)
- 2 small Italian eggplants
- 4 small bell peppers (red, yellow, or green)
- 4 firm ripe tomatoes
- 2 tbsp olive oil for drizzling
For the herbed rice filling
- 1 cup Egyptian or short-grain rice, rinsed and soaked 20 minutes
- 1 large yellow onion, finely chopped
- 3 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 Roma tomatoes, finely diced
- 1/2 cup chopped fresh flat-leaf parsley
- 1/4 cup chopped fresh dill
- 2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
- 3 tbsp olive oil
For the spice mix and optional meat
- 1/2 lb (225 g) ground beef or lamb (optional)
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1/2 tsp ground allspice
- 1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
For the cooking broth
- 3 cups warm chicken or vegetable broth
- 3 tbsp tomato paste
- 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 cup reserved tomato pulp (from hollowed tomatoes)
- 1 tsp kosher salt
- 1/2 tsp freshly ground black pepper
Directions
- Prepare the vegetables: wash and dry each one. Slice a thin piece off the bottom of the zucchini, eggplants, and bell peppers so they stand upright. Using a small paring knife or vegetable corer, carefully hollow out the centers, leaving roughly 1/4-inch walls. For the tomatoes, cut off the tops and scoop out the pulp, reserving it for the broth. Lightly salt the insides and set the hollowed vegetables upside down to drain for 15 minutes.
- Make the filling: heat 3 tbsp olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Sauté the onion for 5 minutes until translucent, then add garlic and cook 1 minute more. Add the optional ground meat and brown for 6 to 8 minutes, breaking it up with a spoon. Stir in the diced tomatoes, tomato paste, and all the spices; cook 3 minutes to bloom the flavors. Remove from heat and fold in the drained rice and fresh herbs.
- Stuff each vegetable about two-thirds full, leaving headroom since the rice will expand as it cooks. Replace the tomato tops as lids and arrange the stuffed vegetables snugly in a wide heavy pot, standing upright.
- Prepare the broth: whisk the warm broth together with the tomato paste, lemon juice, reserved tomato pulp, salt, pepper, and bay leaf. Carefully pour the broth around the stuffed vegetables until it reaches about two-thirds up their sides.
- Bring to a gentle boil over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover, and simmer for 55 to 65 minutes until the vegetables are very tender and the rice is fully cooked through. Spoon some of the broth over the tops every 15 minutes, and add a splash of hot water if the liquid reduces too quickly.
- Remove from heat, cover, and let rest for 10 minutes. Spoon some of the cooking broth over each portion and serve warm with extra fresh herbs, a side of plain yogurt, and crusty bread.
Cook’s Notes
- Choose vegetables of similar small size so they cook at the same rate and stand upright easily in the pot.
- Do not overfill the vegetables; rice expands significantly during simmering, so leave roughly half an inch of headspace.
- For a fully vegetarian version, simply omit the ground meat and use vegetable broth; the herbed rice filling alone is rich and flavorful.
- Mahshi tastes even better the next day once the flavors have melded, making it an excellent make-ahead dish.
- Serve with a wedge of lemon, a dollop of garlic yogurt, or a simple cucumber-tomato salad dressed with olive oil and sumac.
