ZUCCHINIS ( COURGETTE ) STUFFED WITH COUSCOUS ( KUSKUSLU KABAK DOLMASI )

Hi all, last night I made these stuffed courgettes which turned out quite delicious. I made two batches, one to cook on conventional oven and one to cook in microwave. They were both equally good. Makes 12.

INGREDIENTS

• 3 courgettes
• 3 tbsp couscous
• 6 tbsp boiling water
• 1 tbsp finely chopped leeks
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp finely diced mushrooms
• 1 tbsp grated medium fat cheese
• 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander or 1 tsp dried herbs
• pinch of cumin powder and chili powder
• Salt and pepper to taste
• Half a cup of hot water
• 2 tsp tomato puree
• Drizzle of olive oil
• Cheese slices or grated cheese  for the top

METHOD

1) Cut the courgettes in half then cut each one longways from the middle, as shown above, to make 12 pieces. Place them on a large plate and microwave them for 5 minutes on full power to soften them. Let the courgettes cool for 10 minutes then scoop the middle out with a spoon or cut with a knife. Set aside.

2) In a separate bowl soak the couscous with hot water, cover and leave for 5-7 minutes. Then add rest of the ingredients up to salt and pepper. Mix well.

3) Place about a tablespoonful of the stuffing for each courgette and place them into a oven proof tray. Mix tomato paste in hot water and pour in to the baking tray. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle extra cheese on top.

4) Bake in pre- heated oven on  200 C  for 30-45 minutes or until golden brown.

MICROWAVE METHOD

Prepare the courgettes as above and place them into a microwave safe dish. Cover with cling film and make one hole in the middle for steam to escape. Cook on full power for 10 minutes. Then grill on high heat on preheated grill until the cheese bubbling and crispy on top.

NOT: I used 650 W microwave on full power. Please adjust your cooking times for different power settings.