Food & Beverage

From the Royal Family: Sihil Mahsi (The King of Stuffed) – Discover Turkish Food

A flavor unique to Hatay cuisine, sihil mahsi is a different version of stuffed zucchini with olive oil. The sihil mahsi, which is very popular in the southeast, is prepared by carving and frying zucchini. After the zucchini are filled with internal mortar, they are placed in the oven. Served with yoghurt sauce, this dish is also a favorite of crowded tables. In sihil mahsi, a mortar with minced meat and chickpeas is used instead of rice or bulgur, as in the traditional stuffing recipes. Zucchini is fried beforehand instead of being stuffed raw like the classic stuffed zucchini. Since it is not possible for a fried thing to be tasteless, it is not possible for sihil mahsi to be tasteless.

Materials of Sihil Mahsi;

  • 1 kilo of zucchini
  • 1 teacup of oil
  • 2 onions
  • 1 tablespoon of peanuts
  • Tomato paste (1 tablespoon)
  • 500 grams ground beef
  • 2 teaspoons of salt
  • 2 teaspoons of black pepper
  • 1 teaspoon of paprika
  • 1 cup boiled chickpeas
  • 4 sprigs of chopped parsley

For Mint Juice:

  • Tomato paste (1 tablespoon)
  • Water (1 glass)
  • Dried mint (1 tablespoon)

Preparation of Sihil Mahsi;

  • Wash the zucchini and draw lines on the outside with a fork.
  • Cut the zucchini in half and remove the inside.
  • Set it aside for later.
  • Fry the zucchini in hot oil until slightly soft.
  • In a separate pan, fry the chopped onions with vegetable oil until soft. Then add the pine nuts and continue frying.
  • Add the tomato paste and fry until fragrant and add the minced meat.
  • Add salt, black pepper and red pepper flakes, drain the water and add the minced meat and boiled chickpeas when they are roasted.
  • Finally, add the chopped parsley and remove from the stove.
  • Stuff the zucchini.
  • Add tomato paste and mint juice to the zucchini you put in a heat-resistant bowl and bake in the oven at 180 degrees for 30 minutes.
  • While serving, drizzle whipped yogurt and water with tomato paste on it.
  • Enjoy your sihil mahsi!

You have to be careful when frying the squash because if you fry it too much, it will darken in color and spoil its appearance. In some regions, sihil mahsi is interpreted differently and chickpeas are used instead of chickpeas, it’s up to your taste. We can suggest you to compote with sihil mahsi while presenting.

As Expat Guide Turkey, we will publish fast, practical and delicious Turkish recipes to our visitors in the Food & Beverage category. Stay tuned.

You may interested : Another Wedding Dinner: Veiled Pilaf – Discover Turkish Food

Ece Nagihan

Hi, I'm Ece. I am a writer for Expat Guide Turkey and I strive to create the best content for you. To contact me, you can send an e-mail to info@expatguideturkey.com. Happy reading!

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