Meet my guest chef, Lebanese-Kuwaiti copywriter Kareem Shuhaibar. Last Spring he started his Instagram account @TheVoicenoteChef giving followers a daily fix of Arab food, culture and entertainment.
With mutual foodie ‘IG friends’ as we were both previously based in Dubai (Kareem now lives in New York), I’ve been following him for over a year now and his account is one of my favourites, especially as he even pokes fun at himself and his own culture.
Inspired to start his account while feeling homesick during the lockdown, Kareem turned to his Lebanon-based mum for comfort food inspiration. Mama Josleen would send him recipes via voice notes, explaining the intricacies of each step. Although Kareem honestly admits that “not all recipes have worked or looked Insta-worthy”, this simply adds to the authenticity of his account.
Koussa Mehshi caught my eye, so I found the key ingredient, Lebanese 7 Spice, and this super-tasty dish was recreated in my apartment here in London. Kareem sent the picture to his mum, who replied: “It looks expensive, like from a restaurant.” I’ll take that, Mom’s seal of approval!
INGREDIENTS
10 baby courgettes
2 red, 1 yellow pepper
400g minced beef
¾ cup short-grain brown rice (soaked overnight in warm water & vinegar to remove cyanide, then Mom cooks it for like 30 mins before adding it to the rice mix & raw beef).
½ onion, diced (keep the other half to create a base in the pan).
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tsp Lebanese 7 Spices
2 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp allspice
Salt & pepper
¼ cup chopped fresh parsley
2 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
A little water
FOR THE SAUCE
2 cans chopped tomatoes
3 tbsp of tomato purée
Salt & pepper
1 tsp Lebanese 7 spices
1 tsp cinnamon
2 garlic cloves, chopped
2 tbsp chopped fresh mint
900ml chicken stock, low sodium or homemade is always best, (you will need enough to cover the courgettes and peppers in the pot)
METHOD
Using a corer remove the inside of the courgettes, scrap any excess out with a table knife.
Cut around the stalks of the peppers and remove the insides.
Place the courgettes and peppers in cold salty water to keep fresh.
Now, in a deep bowl, combine the rice/beef and spices.
Stuff the vegetables with the rice/beef mixture, careful not to overfill as the rice will expand.
Stack the vegetables tightly together in a deep pot, using the remaining onion to build a nest and cushion them.
Combine the sauce ingredients, mix well and pour over the vegetables, enough to cover.
Cover and simmer on medium heat for 45 minutes.
Stick a fork in the courgettes to check if they are cooked, (they should be super tender).
Serve in deep bowls with fresh bread topped with chopped parsley.
