Mahshi

Name: Mahshi
Cook time: 150 min
Total time: 150 min
Yield: 6 servings
Cuisine: Egyptian
Ingredients: 8 medium Zucchinis, cored; aka courgettes; 6 small Eggplants, cored; aka aubergines; 4 Bell Peppers, tops removed and seeded; 4 medium Tomatoes, tops removed and hollowed (reserve pulp); 175g Grape Leaves, about 35–45 leaves; rinsed (if jarred) or blanched (if fresh); 2 Potatoes, sliced 1 cm thick; 2 Tomatoes, sliced; 500g Egyptian Short-Grain Rice, rinsed and soaked 20 minutes, drained; 2 large Onions, finely chopped; 3 cloves of Garlic, minced; 3 medium Tomatoes, grated or finely chopped; plus reserved tomato pulp; 2 tbsp Tomato Paste, about 30 g; 1 cups Dill, loosely packed, fresh, finely chopped (about 30 g); 1 cups Parsley, loosely packed, fresh, finely chopped (about 30 g); 1 cups Cilantro, loosely packed, fresh, finely chopped (about 30 g); 80ml Vegetable Oil, sunflower; for sautéing; 1 tsp Ground Cumin; 1 tsp Ground Allspice; 2 tsp Dried Mint; 2 tsp Salt, for the filling; 1 tsp Pepper (Black); 700ml Tomato Passata, or smooth tomato juice; 500ml Water, or light vegetable/chicken stock; 2 tbsp Lemon Juice; 1 tsp Salt, adjust to taste; 2 tbsp Vegetable Oil, or 1 tbsp ghee (optional, for richer flavor); 3 cloves of Garlic, sliced; to scatter between layers; Some Lemon, wedges; to serve

Mahshi is a comforting Middle Eastern classic of tender vegetables lovingly filled with a fragrant herbed rice mixture and simmered in a bright tomato-lemon sauce. Each bite balances aromatic herbs, warm spices and the gentle tang of tomato and lemon, making it a perfect centerpiece for a family meal. Serve warm with plain yogurt or a simple salad for a satisfying, homey feast.

Mahshi is a comforting Middle Eastern classic of tender vegetables lovingly filled with a fragrant herbed rice mixture and simmere... Show more

Traditional Egyptian Recipe

Health Grade

A+ · Excellent

Rating

4.1

Time

2 hrs30 min

Price

2,00 €

Calories

710 kcal

vegan

healthy

gluten free

low fat

low sodium

low sugar

Method

Prep the vegetables

Wash and trim the Zucchini, Eggplants, Bell Peppers, and Tomatoes. Core the zucchini and eggplants from the stem end, hollow the peppers and tomatoes, and keep the walls sturdy enough to hold the filling. Save the tomato pulp from the hollowed tomatoes for the rice mixture. If the Grape Leaves are jarred, rinse them well and separate the leaves; if they are fresh, blanch them in boiling water for 1 minute just until pliable, then drain and cool. Snip off any tough leaf stems so the rolls stay neat.

Soak the rice

Rinse the Egyptian Short-Grain Rice under cold water until the water looks less cloudy, then soak it in plenty of water for 20 minutes. Drain it very well before you mix the filling so the rice cooks up fluffy instead of sticky.

Make the filling

Finely chop the Onion, mince the Garlic, and grate or finely chop the 3 tomatoes for the filling. Chop the Dill, Parsley, and Cilantro so they are ready to go. Heat the Vegetable Oil in a large skillet over medium heat, add the onion, and cook, stirring, until soft and translucent, 6 minutes. Stir in the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, then add the tomatoes, Tomato Paste, Ground Cumin, Ground Allspice, Dried Mint, Salt, and Pepper. Cook, stirring, until the mixture looks thick and fragrant and most of the moisture has evaporated, 3 minutes. Take the pan off the heat, fold in the chopped herbs and drained rice, and mix until every grain is coated. Let the filling cool until just warm before you start stuffing.

Stuff and pack

Slice the Potatoes about 1 cm thick and line the bottom of a wide, deep pot with them. Add a layer of sliced tomato over the potatoes, then tuck a few of the sliced garlic cloves between the layers. Fill each zucchini, eggplant, bell pepper, and tomato loosely with the rice mixture, leaving a little space at the top because the rice will expand. Roll the grape leaves into tight little cylinders, fold the sides in as you go, and nestle them seam-side down into any gaps. Stand the stuffed vegetables upright if they will fit, and keep packing everything snugly so it does not shift while it cooks.

Braise gently

Pour the Tomato Passata, Water, Lemon Juice, salt, and the remaining vegetable oil around the vegetables. Bring the pot to a gentle boil over medium heat, then lower the heat to low, cover, and simmer for 35 minutes. Turn off the heat and let everything stand, still covered, for 10 minutes so the rice finishes steaming and the flavors settle.

Serve the mahshi

Lift the mahshi out carefully with a wide spoon or tongs, keeping the stuffed vegetables intact, and spoon a little of the cooking liquid over the top. Serve warm with the Lemon wedges on the side so everyone can squeeze fresh juice over their portion.

Ingredients

Method

For 6 servings

Adjust servings

For the vegetables to stuff

8 medium Zucchinis, cored; aka courgettes
6 small Eggplants, cored; aka aubergines
4 Bell Peppers, tops removed and seeded
4 medium Tomatoes, tops removed and hollowed (reserve pulp)
175g Grape Leaves, about 35–45 leaves; rinsed (if jarred) or blanched (if fresh)

For lining the pot

2 Potatoes, sliced 1 cm thick
2 Tomatoes, sliced

For the rice-and-herb filling (hashwet el-ruz)

500g Egyptian Short-Grain Rice, rinsed and soaked 20 minutes, drained
2 large Onions, finely chopped
3 cloves of Garlic, minced
3 medium Tomatoes, grated or finely chopped; plus reserved tomato pulp
2 tbsp Tomato Paste, about 30 g
1 cups Dill, loosely packed, fresh, finely chopped (about 30 g)
1 cups Parsley, loosely packed, fresh, finely chopped (about 30 g)
1 cups Cilantro, loosely packed, fresh, finely chopped (about 30 g)
80ml Vegetable Oil, sunflower; for sautéing
1 tsp Ground Cumin
1 tsp Ground Allspice
2 tsp Dried Mint
2 tsp Salt, for the filling
1 tsp Pepper (Black)

For cooking/braising liquid

700ml Tomato Passata, or smooth tomato juice
500ml Water, or light vegetable/chicken stock
2 tbsp Lemon Juice
1 tsp Salt, adjust to taste
2 tbsp Vegetable Oil, or 1 tbsp ghee (optional, for richer flavor)

To finish

3 cloves of Garlic, sliced; to scatter between layers
Some Lemon, wedges; to serve

🧂 Plus ~2g of salt

Nutrition

Per Serving.

Calories

710 kcal

36% of Daily kcal

Protein

17 g

34% RDI

Fat

20 g

3g sat fat

Carbs

120 g

44% RDI

Sugar

28 g

56% RDI

Fiber

19 g

64% RDI

Salt

3.1 g

62% RDI

Quality Profile

Scored against dietary guidelines.
Tap rows for a deeper breakdown.

Composite score - weighted by current nutrition science

A+ · 8.8 / 10

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