Kousa bil Laban

Method

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1. Core the courgettes, leaving a 5 mm wall and a closed base.

   Mark done

2. Mix the rice, lamb, butter, allspice, salt and pepper, and fill each courgette two-thirds full.

   Mark done

3. Stand them upright in a pot, cover with salted water, and simmer gently 30 minutes until the rice is tender. Lift them out carefully and keep warm. Discard the water.

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4. Whisk the yogurt, egg white, cornflour, water and salt smooth in the dry pot.

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5. Stir constantly in one direction over medium heat for 10 minutes until it reaches a simmer, then simmer 3 minutes more.

   Mark done Start 10 min timer

6. Lower the courgettes back in and warm through for 8 minutes, moving the pot rather than stirring.

   Mark done Start 8 min timer

7. Fry the garlic in the oil 40 seconds, stir in the dried mint off the heat, pour over, and serve with rice.

   Mark done

Chef’s Tips

• Cook the courgettes in water first. Rice starch ruins the yogurt.
• One direction, no stopping, until it simmers.
• Dried mint, not fresh — fresh goes black in the sauce.

Common Substitutions & Variations

• An eighth of a teaspoon of garlic powder per clove is the usual stand-in when you are out of fresh garlic — it will not caramelise the same way, but it carries the flavour.
• Fresh herbs work in place of the dried mint at roughly three times the quantity — a teaspoon of dried is about a tablespoon of fresh, chopped.

Pairing Suggestions

• Plain rice
• Flatbread
• A radish salad

Storage & Reheating

Refrigerated for 3 days. Rewarm over low heat without boiling. Do not freeze — the sauce separates.

Common questions

Nutritional Highlights

Per serving, calculated from the ingredient list. Treat these as an estimate — brands and cuts vary.