Moroccan cuisine · Vegetable Dishes

Moroccan Stuffed Zucchini

Hollowed-out zucchini filled with spiced herb rice and braised soft in tomato-saffron sauce.

Ingredients · for 4 servings

• 4 zucchini
• 150 g rice
• 1 onion
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 500 g strained tomatoes
• 1 pinch saffron threads
• 1 tsp ras el hanout
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1/2 bunch parsley
• 1/2 bunch cilantro
• 5 tbsp olive oil
• Salt, pepper

Instructions

1. Wash the zucchini, trim off the ends and hollow them out with a spoon – the walls should stay about 1 cm thick; rinse the rice in cold water and drain.
2. Finely chop the onion and garlic and sauté in 2 tbsp olive oil for 4–5 min. until translucent, then add the ras el hanout and cumin and toast for 1 min. until fragrant.
3. Mix the raw rice with half the onion mixture, the chopped parsley and half the cilantro, season generously with salt and pepper, and fill the zucchini only two-thirds full – the rice will still swell.
4. Crush the saffron threads between your fingers and soak in 3 tbsp hot water, then stir together with the strained tomatoes, the remaining onion mixture and 200 ml water in a wide pot.
5. Lay the stuffed zucchini side by side in the sauce, drizzle with the remaining olive oil and cook covered over gentle heat for 40–45 min. until the rice is soft and the sauce has reduced to a thick consistency.
6. Carefully lift the zucchini onto a platter, pour the saffron-tomato sauce over them and serve hot, sprinkled with the remaining cilantro.