Qussa Mahshi Bi Freekeh - Zuchinni Stuffed with Freekeh (VEGAN)

Growing up my father was a diabetic and so my mother had to adjust all of his favorite dishes so that he could still enjoy all of the delicious things she would make. One of the things she did often was replace rice with Freekeh.

Freekeh is a smoky grain with almost the same consistency as barley. It has such a unique flavor and is so filling and tasty that I don't know why we don't replace it with rice in our day to day dishes!

Remembering my late father, I made one of his favorites: Zuchinni stuffed with Freekeh and cooked in a tomato broth, totally vegan.

If you don't have a grocery store near you that sells freekeh, don't forget to check your local Whole Foods as they have recently discovered the wonderous superfood and began stocking it within their aisles.

Ingredients:

For the stuffing, mix the following together in a bowl and set aside:

• 1 cup cooked Freekeh (cooled down)
• 1/2 head chopped parsley
• 1/4 cup chopped mint
• 1/2 yellow chopped yellow onion
• 2 cloves of garlic, chopped
• Salt & Pepper to taste

Freekeh has so much flavor, that you don't want to overseason.

For the zuchinni:

•  A dozen zuchinnis, of the Mexican Squash variety
• 2 tbs EVOO
• 2 cloves of garlic, crushed
• 1/2 can crushed tomatoes OR 1 cup of freshly pureed tomatoes
•  1 cinnamon stick
• 1 bay leaf
• 3 cardamom pods
• 1 tbs Aleppo pepper (or red pepper flakes)
• Salt & pepper to taste
• 4 cups of water

1. Core the zuchinni and save the guts on the side. If you don't have a corer, you can use a thin knife, but be very careful not to puncture the zuchinni or yourself!

1. Carefully stuff your zuchinni using your hands, making sure to softly shake it so that the stuffing falls to the bottom. Set them down on a pan facing up so that the stuffing settles while you begin the next step. (See image below) 
   
2. In a medium pot (I used my 6 quart dutch oven) on medium heat, add your 2tbs of EVOO and crushed garlic, Sautee until aromatic.
3. Now it's time to add and sautee your squash guts. This will create a delicious vegan broth. I was inspired to do this by the lovely Mai from Almond and Fig 
4. Once it begins to produce liquid, add your crushed tomatoes and spices and stire them in.
5. Now add 4 cups of water and bring to a simmer.
6. Carefully add your stuffed zuchinnis one by one using a tongs 
   
7. Bring to a boil, lower the heat, and allow to cook covered for 1.5 hours on low heat, checking to make sure the zuchinnis don't fall apart, flipping occassionally.

Enjoy :)