Kusa b-laban (Stuffed Mexican Squash in Yogurt)

The first time I found Kusa (which now I know is called Mexican squash) in NYC, I was delirious with happiness.It was in Saadis in Brooklyn. One of my favorite home meals, now it's there. I eagerly called my mother and asked for a recipe. After a laugh, she gave it to me. Never before cooked on my own, I made it, and it was good.

Now, a new phase in my life, and I found it in the Farmer's market in Union Square. Happy about the discovery, I invited a few friends to make my new apartment a home. This post is the story of good and good friends.

Ingredients: (as I posted before, I think, it's never an accurate science with my mother's recipes. You can read more about this in my first post: http://leenaskitchens.blogspot.com/2011/09/what-is-this-all-about.html)
10 squashes
1 cup of rice (shorter grain preferable, but you can use whatever)
1 lb ground beef
Olive oil
Spices (My spices are a key ingredient (my secret one, really, my mother's mixed spices), the mix includes allspice, black pepper, cinnamon, cloves and cardamom (ratio: 1:1:1 and about a 1/5 each, respectively).
Salt 

4 cups Yogurt 
1 small onion 
2 ts dried mint (or a small bunch fresh if you have it)
2 ts cumin
2 spoon white flour


Preparation

Arab food tends to be labor intensive, but the results are oh so worth it. Make sure you do this to share with friends and loved ones and keep reminding yourself it'll make them happy (and make you popular, ask my friends! ;) 

First step: preparing the meat. That is easy: put some olive oil in a pan, and brown the minced meat, breaking it to small pieces, adding the spices , to taste.
                    It is also a good idea to soak the rice in warm water now.

Second step:  While the meat is cooking, start  prepping the kusa. You should know the fresher the kusa is the better the dish is, so plan your dinner for the day of your trip to the market. 
Wash the kusa thoroughly and remove the brown tips (as little as possible of that side). Then remove the top part, just the stem, to the point where it narrow (usually the top is a bit darker color).

Now comes the hard part: coring the kusa. You need a corer. A quick look on the internet finds this: http://www.hashems.com/store/kitchenware/stainless-qoosa-corer-traditional

• In New York, you can buy it in the Arab stores in Bay Ridge, Astoria or Atlantic Avenue. If you can't find one, you can use other corers available in any house store, but you have to be careful. This video shows you how to do it (kinda). Rest assured you break many before you get the hang of it, but if it's not too big a break, you can still use it!

http://youtu.be/RJN_7Td1tUU


Put the cored kusa in cold water while you're doing this. When you're ready to stuff the kusa, drain it thoroughly.

Third step: Mix the rice with the browned meat, add some spices and salt and mix well. Stuff this mix in the kusa. Don't pack it in, and leave some space at the top. My mother's rule is to the knot in you finger (or to the middle as my sister suggests). If you put too much, it will spell out, if you pack the rice, it will burst.

Put some water to boil (enough to cover the kusa). 

Forth step: start prepping the yogurt sauce. 

Stir two large spoons of flour in water. Add to the yogurt and water and stir well (1 cup yogurt, 2/3 water). Strain yogurt through a small strainer to the put you will cook in (use a large put so you can stir without splashing.Before you start boiling the yogurt prepare this mix: onion (thinly grated), mint, cumin, salt. Add it in to the yogurt and start cooking it.

Right before you do, drop the kusa in the water and let it cook. 

The next step is  tricky, because you have to stir the yogurt non-stop until it boils. So if you have someone you can assign the mission, do it. Otherwise, make sure you don't have to do anything for a bit. If you don't stir well and constantly, the yogurt separates to water and lumps, you don't want that!

Fifth step: Once the yogurt boils, add the kusa to the yogurt (with the water it was cooking in), and let them cook for a while. You want the flavor infused and the yogurt thickening. 

While this is cooking, you can go prepare the rest of what you are serving, if  you are crazy like me and always worry it's not enough food. I used more rice to prepare the stuffing and cooked the extra and served it. It goes well with the Yogurt sauce. I also made Bamieh (okra) but the recipe will be given in another time. And for a healthy meal, make sure you also make a salad! (thanks Jessica). 

Sixth and last: Now, the kusa should be ready. Turn off the stove, and serve the kusa in bowls with yogurt! Now you are ready to have fun with friends! 

Enjoy! 

Dinner for six, kusa in yogurt sauce 

The Bamieh