With a little side of Mediterranean Peppers and Peas
I grew up with Mahshi! That’s what we called it in my home. My mother learned how to make it from my Egyptian Jewish grandmother.
Traditional Mahshi is stuffed courgette (Zucchini). My mother made it out of colourful peppers, tiny bite sized ones and large ones too. She also made it with cabbage and vine leaves rolled and courgette stuffed. I also make it with aubergines (Eggplants). Any veggie that you can stuff will work..
It almost always consists of a seasoned rice stuffing with ground meat. But with so many people nowadays not eating meat I make it vegetarian often. It can also be made vegan.
The peppers in my pic above are made with plant based Beyond Meat and a side of seasoned chopped peppers and parsley. It can also be made without any meat just seasoned rice see pic below.
It’s so delicious and healthy..I bake mine in the oven but it can also be cooked stove top in a tomato based sauce…
that‘s another recipe for another time..
So here’s what you need…
6 large different coloured peppers (I avoid green ones) 1lb (500 gr) of ground beef or lamb or beyond meat
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 egg (if vegan eliminate)
1 large onion chopped
3 cloves garlic crushed
1 large cup of Italian parsley chopped
3/4 teaspoon salt or to taste
½ teaspoon black ground pepper
½ teaspoon turmeric
½ teaspoon Philadelphia spice (optional)
1/2 teaspoon sweet paprika with oil or sweet paprika
1 cup of basmati rice
1/2 cup of water
1 cup frozen peas
Heat oven to 450 deg.
Cut tops of peppers and clean out the middle. Save the tops of the peppers and chop them into small cubes. Throw out the stalks.
Heat oil in a pan and add onions. Fry for a few minutes in medium heat until slightly yellow and transparent. In the meanwhile put peppers on a plate and cook for 4 minutes in the microwave. This is my method of saving a ton of time In baking.
Make a small hole at bottom of each pepper with a knife. This allows the stuffing to cook faster too.
Add spices and mix. Add chopped meat of either kind to onion mix. Add chopped parsley and garlic and mix. Cook for 5 minutes on medium low.
Put rice in a pan and cover to 2 inches above with water. Bring to boil and simmer covered for 5 minutes. Drain water. Add a touch of olive oil and mix.
Mix rice with meat mixture. Spoon in to microwaved peppers.
Put peppers in baking pan standing face up. Drizzle with a little olive oil and add ¼ cup of water at the bottom of pan. Bake uncovered at 450 for 20 minutes. Reduce to 350 for another 10 minutes.
Beautifully baked stuffed Egyptian Mahshi
Side dish of chopped peppers and peas.
1 cup frozen peas.
In a pan heat 1 tablespoon olive oil and add chopped peppers and peas and sauté for 5 minutes. Add same spices as for peppers, parsley and cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Serve on side. So delicious!
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