Kousa (Stuffed Lebanese Zucchini) & Dolmas (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

This is the first time I'm sharing a recipe I don't actually make though I do generally help my husband make it. I plan to post a few more of his veganized specialties over time. 

My husband makes this meal based on one his Mom used to make. He converted it from a non-vegan meal to a vegan meal several years ago. 

It has taken us a while to get the recipe written and the process photographed for a couple of reasons. One, it can only be made during the short period of time the Lebanese zucchini is in season where we live. It doesn't really work with other types of zucchini. Two, he cooks by eye rather than measurement, so I had to write the recipe while helping him make the meal. It took a few edits, but I think it's finally ready to share. 

This vegan version of Kousa & Dolmas has been a big hit when we've served it, even to our non-vegan friends and family.


Kousa (Stuffed Lebanese Zucchini) & Dolmas (Stuffed Grape Leaves)

 

12 Lebanese Zucchini*

30-50 fresh grape leaves**

12 grape or cherry tomatoes

 

Rice Stuffing

 

3 cups brown basmati rice

6-8 button (or cremini mushrooms

1 small onion

1 teaspoons flax seeds

1 Tablespoon curry powder

¾- 1 cup walnuts, pecans, and pine nuts***

2 cups lentils

16 ounces vegetable stock

2 cloves garlic

1 Tablespoon soy sauce

1 Tablespoon rice vinegar

2 Tablespoons lime or lemon juice

1 teaspoon ground flax seeds

 

Tomato Sauce

 

1 24-28 ounce jar/can tomato sauce

1 cup water

1-2 Tablespoons curry powder

2 garlic cloves

 


Prepare the grape leaves. Wash thoroughly. Bring water to boil in
a pan large enough to immerse the grape leaves a few at a time.

Blanch grape leaves in bunches for several seconds. Leaves are ready when they wilt slightly and turn darker green. They need to be pliable enough to wrap around the stuffing. Set aside.

 

Make rice stuffing

Mince or grate the garlic cloves.

Finely dice onion. Finely dice mushroom.


Finely dice walnuts and pecans. Dry roast in a skillet until lightly browned.

Mix together vegetable stock, soy sauce, rice vinegar, and lime/lemon juice, curry powder, and two of the minced garlic cloves.

Sweat onions and mushrooms until the onions turn opaque and mushrooms are tender. Add curry powder.

Add rice and add cover with vegetable stock mixture. Cook on medium low until rice water disappears and rice is par cooked, approximately 20-25 minutes. Rice will not be fully cooked. It will be a bit crunchy at this point.

 




Prepare the zucchini while the stuffing cooks. Wash the zucchini. Cut ends off zucchini. Core zucchini with a long corer, holding zucchini firmly in one hand and moving it around the core using hand to gauge how much has been removed. Rinse insides of zucchini to fully clear for stuffing.**** 








Allow stuffing to cool enough to handle.

 

Make tomato sauce. Mix together the tomato sauce, curry powder, and the other two garlic cloves.

 

Stuff the zucchini and grape leaves.

Cut tomatoes into quarters.

Fill each zucchini with rice leaving about 1-inch of empty space at the top. Plug opening in zucchini with a piece of tomato.





Once all the zucchinis are stuffed, use the rest of the stuffing to stuff the grape leaves. Remove stems.  Place on a flat surface with veins facing downward. Add a small amount of stuffing to each grape leaf. Fold the stem end over, fold in each side and roll from the stuffed side out until you have a tight roll.




Place a layer of unstuffed grape leaves in the bottom of an 8-quart pan. Layer stuffed grape leaves in the pan. Layer stuffed zucchini in pan. 




Pour tomato sauce over zucchini. Bring to boil over medium-high heat. Simmer until soft, approximately 45-60 minutes.






* Lebanese zucchini are a type of zucchini that is pale green, short, and thick. 

** The fresh grape leaves we used came from the grape plants we grow in our yard. If you cannot find fresh grape leaves, you can used jarred ones.

*** If desired, you can use only one type of the nuts listed or a different type of nut such as almonds.

**** Refrigerate or freeze cored material to add to soups, smoothies, stock, etc. (If refrigerated, use within a week. If frozen, use within 3 months.)


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