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VEGAN MAHSHI

VEGAN MAHSHI

In Egypt we make mahshi or as we would write it: ma7shi. It is basically a lovely flavorsome rice mix stuffed into any vegetables of your choice.

This recipe is VEGAN/VEGETARIAN friendly, but can absolutely have a meaty twist which I will add as an optional alternative in the recipe. No meal in Egypt is complete without this on the dinner table.

  • 1 cup short grain rice (uncooked) I use Egyptian rice, but basmati or jasmine rice will be amazing with this too.
  • 1 large onion, chopped
  • 1 large onion, sliced in thick slices
  • ½ cup tomato paste
  • Half a bunch of each the following:
  • parsley
  • coriander
  • dill
  • Extra:
  • ½ teaspoon cinnamon
  • ¼ teaspoon allspice
  • 1 ½ tablespoon sunflower oil
  • ½ cup water or broth (we mostly use chicken broth or stock)
  • salt and pepper to taste
  • Popular Fillings:
  • aubergine (eggplant), we have small ones here
  • cabbage leaves
  • vine (grape) leaves
  • bell peppers (capsicum as we call it)
  • tomatoes
  • zucchini (baby marrows as you know it)

Sauté chopped onions in 1 tablespoon oil for 3 minutes or until wilted and yellow. Add the tomato paste, salt, pepper and spices. Simmer for 3 minutes.

Rinse the rice thoroughly and drain. Finely chop the herbs. Add the prepared tomato paste and herbs to the rice and mix well.

Core the vegetables using what we call in Egypt “Mai-warr” or literally “corer”. Try to remove most of the core leaving only a thin outer shell, taking care not to break or pierce the vegetables.

If you are using eggplant, put each piece in a bowl of water as you core them one by one to avoid the eggplant darkening in color. If you are using leafy vegetables blanch and cool the leaves.

Using a teaspoon, stuff each vegetable with the rice mixture pushing down the rice as you add more with handle of the spoon. Leave 1 to 1.5 cm unstuffed to allow the rice to expand when cooked.

Add ½ tablespoon oil to the bottom of a non stick saucepan. Arrange the onion slices to cover the bottom. This is to avoid the bottoms of the vegetables being charred if the water dries out and it also gives a nice flavor to the meal. Arrange the stuffed vegetables on top of the onions in a slightly standing position to avoid the rice spilling out.

Add ½ cup broth or water. Bring to a boil, then simmer on very low heat till rice is cooked, about 15-20 minutes. When it cools down slightly, arrange the vegetables in a serving dish and discard the onion slices.

Note:
If using leafy vegetables like cabbage, spread the leaf, add 1 tablespoon rice mixture and roll like a wrap without tucking the ends. If using vine leaves you need to tuck the ends while you roll. I hope you love this recipe as much as I do. Ma7shi is definitely one of my most favourite things to eat, and it’s amazing warm (with dinner) or cold (as a snack). For a meaty alternative add around 250 – 300 g of uncooked ground beef (mince) to the rice mixture.

  • The recipe above is enough to make:
  • 8 pieces of zucchini- Choose pieces that are slightly fat and short or
  • 8 pieces of eggplant or
  • 20 cabbage leaves, blanched and middle rib removed
  • 20 vine leaves, blanched

Recipe and photo: Christelle Cairo

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