Stuffed Zucchini With Ground Beef
When it comes to stuffing, many people immediately think of stuffed peppers with ground beef. But not me. I think of rice with tomato paste stuffed dolmas. I didn't even know that this much ground beef could be put into stuffing until I moved to Ankara for university. Before that, what I understood from ground beef dolma was to add a little bit ground beef into rice stuffing. But for some, on the contrary, it is to add a little bit of rice into ground beef mixture. I'm not vegan, but this much ground beef in stuffing is too much for me. Especially when the stuffing is used raw and the raw smell of the ground beef remains in the stuffing, I am unhappy with the result.
The stuffing that makes me the happiest is stuffing with no meat such as pepper dolma or eight ball zucchini dolma.
It took me many years before I could say this publicly. Because whenever I say in public that I don't like dolma or sarma with ground beef, I was condemned. Unfortunately, there are people in society who, if they could, would hang people who don't like their favorite food or who don't cook it the way they do. Despite this, I am no longer afraid and openly talk about the dishes that everyone likes but I do not enjoy. In fact, I say this more often than I should, perhaps because of years of suppression. But on the other hand, I believe that it will be useful in breaking this conservatism.
Another thing that will be useful is the tricks about stuffed zucchini with ground beef, I'm sure. First of all, choose as many young zucchinis as possible for the stuffed zucchini. If you have the opportunity, using zucchinis like the tiny zucchinis in the photo will provide you with the most delicious results. If you do not have the means and you are going to use large zucchinis, cut them in half when using. It would be good to scratch the shells with a fork, as in the recipe for zucchini dolma with bulgur, so that they will be soft after cooked.
For the stuffing, you can fry the ground beef or onion first. It doesn't matter as long as both are well cooked. I start with ground beef first because I like ground beef to be well-roasted. It's totally a personal preference.
You can determine the spices of the stuffing according to your taste. The two spices that I would definitely recommend to use are black pepper and cumin, which I think are indispensable for ground beef. The rest is up to you.
Enjoy the recipe...
Ingredients
- 12 small or 6 large zucchinis,
- 1 cup of rice,
- 150 g lean ground beef,
- 1 onion,
- 1 tablespoon tomato paste,
- 5-6 tablespoons of olive oil,
- 1 teaspoon of dried mint,
- 1 teaspoon of basil,
- 1/2 teaspoon of black pepper,
- 1/2 teaspoon of cumin,
- Salt,
- 1 cup of boiling water.
For the sauce;
- 1 teaspoon of tomato paste,
- 2.5 cups of hot water,
- Salt.
Preparation
- Heat the olive oil in a large pan,
- Add the ground beef and cook until it releases its juice and then it evaporates,
- Add the finely chopped onion and continue stir frying until softens,
- Add the tomato paste and stir fry until the smell is gone,
- Add the washed and drained rice, spices, water and salt, mix and cook until the water is absorbed,
- If you are going to use a large zucchini, cut the zucchini into half, if the skin is thick, scratch the skin with a fork,
- Cut off the stems and carve the insides,
- Fill the stuffing into the zucchini without compressing it,
- Place the zucchinis in a deep pot,
- Take a teaspoon of tomato paste in the pan where you cooked the rice and stir fry it without oil,
- Add water and salt, mix and remove from fire,
- Pour the water over the zucchinis,
- Cook with the lid on until the zucchinis soften and the rice soften.
Enjoy your meal...