Mahshi Kousa (Stuffed Zucchini)

Mahshi — stuffed vegetables — is a pillar of Syrian home cooking, and kousa mahshi, baby zucchini hollowed out and packed with spiced rice and meat, is the version every cook learns first. The zucchini are cored with a special long tool, stuffed loosely so the rice has room to swell, and simmered in a bright tomato broth until the shells turn silky. The dish is a labor of love, usually made in big batches for Friday lunch, when the whole family gathers. Patience is rewarded with the most tender, fragrant zucchini you have ever eaten.

Little green boats of spiced rice

Each zucchini comes out tender enough to cut with a spoon, holding a fragrant filling of rice, minced lamb, tomato, and a warming blend of allspice and cinnamon. The tomato broth, seasoned with crushed garlic and dried mint, is half the joy — Syrians mop up every drop with bread. Serve with plain yogurt on the side to cut through the richness, and save room for seconds, because there will be seconds.

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