Stuffed courgettes in tomato sauce (Mahshi kousa)

1. Wash the courgettes, trim the ends and carefully hollow them out with a long thin corer (or an apple corer), leaving walls about 0.5 cm thick.

2. Mix the rinsed rice with the minced lamb, finely chopped tomato, allspice, salt and pepper.

3. Fill the courgettes three-quarters full (the rice swells) and lay them in a pan.

4. For the sauce, mix the tomato purée with the water, add the grated tomatoes and salt and pour over the courgettes; put a plate on top so they don't float.

5. Cook covered over low heat for 45-50 minutes until the rice is tender.

6. In the last 5 minutes sizzle the crushed garlic with the dried mint in a little oil, stir into the sauce, season with lemon juice and serve with yoghurt.

Tip: Mahshi kousa is a favourite of Syrian and Lebanese home cooking. Don't throw away the courgette flesh: fried with onion and egg, it makes a lovely side or breakfast. If you have no lamb, minced beef works too.