Mahshi Coromb Food

MAHSHI COROMB

Steps:

• Cut a deep cone into the core at the stem end with a pointed knife and plunge the whole cabbage into boiling salted water to soften and loosen 1 or 2 layers of leaves. Detach these and plunge again into boiling water to detach more leaves. Continue until all of the leaves are separated. Cut very large leaves in half, but leave small ones whole.
• Prepare the filling, leaving it uncooked.
• Lay the cabbage leaves on a plate, one at a time. Shave off the thickest part of the hard rib flat with a knife. Put a heaping tablespoon of filling on each leaf, near the stem end, and roll up loosely, tucking in both sides to enclose the filling. The parcel must be loose, to leave room for the rice to expand without tearing the leaves.
• Line a large saucepan with torn or unused leaves to prevent the stuffed leaves from sticking to the bottom. Set the stuffed leaves on top of them in layers, packing them tightly. Cover with water and lemon juice mixed with a little salt and pepper. Cover the pan and cook very gently for 3/4-1 hour. Serve hot.
• Cover with tomato juice instead of the water.
• Tuck 6 or 7 whole garlic cloves in between the stuffed leaves.
• Add 1 tablespoon dried mint or 3 of chopped fresh dill to the sauce at the end.

EGYPTIAN STUFFED VEGETABLES (MASHI)

Steps:

• Top and core insides of veggies.
• Wash rice and drain. Chop herbs very small; wash in a sieve and allow to drain.
• Chop tomato.
• Mix rice, herbs and tomato.
• Add spices to rice mixture.
• Fill veggies with the rice mixture 3/4 full (allow space for rice to expand).
• Heat chicken broth cube, ghee and mastikah until mastikah melts.
• Layer veggies in a flat pot or baking tin.
• Add chicken broth mixture to veggies and allow to come to the boil on the stove top.
• Bake covered at 180°C until veggies are tender. (we like our veggies very soft, I bake it for 1 hr 15 mins).