Turkish Stuffed Courgettes with Mince and Rice (Etli Kabak Dolması)

Wash and dry the courgettes, then score lengthwise lines into the skin with a fork or the notched tip of a vegetable peeler. Trim a thin slice from both ends of each courgette, then cut it in half crosswise; 6 courgettes give 12 halves. The trimmed ends become the bases of the halves and help them stand upright.

Hollow out each half with a courgette corer, working from the cut side in the middle; leave 3-4 mm of flesh on the sides and about 1 cm at the base, and do not pierce the base. Sprinkle half a teaspoon (2.5 ml) of salt into the hollowed courgettes, dividing it between them, and stand them upside down on a tray for 10-15 minutes so they release their excess water. Do not throw away the scooped-out flesh; keep it in a closed container in the fridge and use it in another dish.

Chef's tip: A courgette hollowed out to walls thinner than 3-4 mm splits as it cooks, and if the base is pierced the stuffing leaks into the pot.

Rinse the rice in a sieve with cold water 2-3 times, until the water runs clear. Leave it in the sieve for 5 minutes to drain thoroughly; no excess water should get into the stuffing.

In a large bowl, combine the minced beef and lamb, the grated onion, the peeled and grated tomato, the drained rice and 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of tomato paste. Add the finely chopped flat-leaf parsley and dill, the dried mint, 1.5 teaspoons (7.5 ml) of salt, the black pepper and, if using, the pul biber (Aleppo pepper flakes). Knead everything by hand for 1-2 minutes until the stuffing comes together; do not add any water or oil.

Chef's tip: The stuffing contains raw mince: do not taste it. Wash your hands, bowls and work surface that have touched the stuffing with hot water and soap.

Turn the upside-down courgettes the right way up and shake out any water left inside. Spoon the stuffing into the courgettes without pressing it down, leaving a gap of about 1 cm at the top; the rice swells as it cooks. If your courgettes are on the small side and some stuffing is left over, freeze the rest in a sealed food bag. Slice the 2 tomatoes set aside for cooking into 6 rings each and cap the opening of each dolma with one slice.

Heat 3 tablespoons (45 ml) of vegetable oil in a small frying pan, add 1 tablespoon (15 ml) of tomato paste and fry for 1 minute, stirring. Slowly add 2 water glasses (400 ml) of hot water so the hot oil does not spatter, and bring to the boil. Stand the dolmas upright, leaning against each other, in a pot they just fit into (about 20 cm in diameter for 12 halves), and pour the tomato liquid in around the sides; it should come about halfway up the dolmas without covering them. If your pot is wider and the liquid does not reach halfway, add a little more hot water.

Chef's tip: If the dolmas look as if they might tip over, place a small heatproof plate upside down on top of them; the plate keeps them upright and stops the stuffing from falling apart.

Put the lid on the pot and bring the liquid to the boil over medium heat, which takes about 5 minutes. Once it boils, lower the heat and cook, covered, for 45 minutes. Check now and then; if the liquid drops below a third of the height of the dolmas, add a few spoonfuls of hot water.

Take a dolma from the middle of the pot and cut it in half lengthwise. The rice grains should be separate and tender, not hard to the bite; the courgette should be easily pierced with a fork; and no pink should remain in the mince. If you have a food thermometer, the centre of the stuffing should read at least 72 °C. If the rice is still hard, cover and cook for 10 more minutes.

Chef's tip: For stuffing made with raw mince to be safe, its centre must be fully cooked; do not turn off the heat before the rice is tender.

Switch off the heat and let the dolmas rest, covered, for 10 minutes. Serve hot with the cooking liquid; anyone who likes can have yoghurt on the side. Once leftovers have stopped steaming, and within 2 hours at the latest, put them in the fridge, eat them within 2-3 days and reheat until the centre reaches 74 °C.