Tara Khattar’s battenjen w koussa Mehche (stuffed eggplants and zucchini)

1. Hollow out the inside of the zucchinis and eggplants, rinse them with water, then drain.
2. Wash the rice and then drain it.
3. For the stuffing, gently mix the rice with the washed and diced tomatoes, chopped onion, and the washed and finely chopped herbs.
4. Add the olive oil and lemon juice. Salt and pepper to taste.
5. Fill the eggplants and zucchinis three-quarters full with the stuffing to leave room for the rice to expand during cooking.
6. Arrange the vegetables in a saucepan.
7. Collect any remaining liquid from the stuffing, pour it over the vegetables, then cover with water.
8. Cover the saucepan and cook for 45 minutes over very low heat, or until the rice in the stuffing is well cooked.
9. This dish is served warm.

This recipe is taken from the book "Liban, une histoire de cuisine familiale, d'amour et de partage" by Tara Khattar, published by Hachette in 2020. Each of the 100 recipes in this book pays tribute to the culinary heritage handed down to her by her grandmothers. She learned everything from their hands and is successfully working to share the happiness and sense of fulfillment she feels with every recipe she creates.