Jazar Mehshi (Stuffed Carrots in Tangy Tomato Sauce)
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Today I’m sharing Jazar Mehshi (Stuffed Carrots in Tangy Tomato Sauce).
Mahashi, or stuffed vegetables, are such an integral part of Syrian cooking. Each type, whether it’s zucchini, green pumpkin, eggplant, tomatoes, peppers, grape leaves, chard leaves, or carrots, has its own unique flavor and is a true labor of love.
While Aleppo is known for its masterful varieties, I was first introduced to jazar mehshi, or stuffed carrots, by my aunt Rana from Homs. She came to visit her daughter in the UAE and brought along the city’s signature yellow variety of carrots, stuffed with ground meat, rice, and seasoning and prepared in 2 ways: in a sauce and in fatteh with crispy bread and yogurt. The tangy sauce was studded with pomegranate molasses, tamarind, garlic, and juice from oranges, mandarins, and lemons. It was absolutely comforting, nourishing, and delicious. I asked my aunt Manal for this recipe, since she’s currently in the UAE, and I knew it would be similar.
These purple carrots come from Jordan, and they can be found across the Middle East during the winter months. They are actually the original color of carrots before the orange ones we currently know were cultivated in the 15th and 16th centuries in Europe. The orange carrots were brought over to North America around this time, and they can be used for this dish if they’re thick. The cooking times just may vary.
Veggies for mahashi are usually hallowed out with a special vegetable corer. Carrots, on the other hand, are quite a beast. They’re thick, tough, and long, so almost nobody does it at home. The shop owner usually takes out the insides with a drill, making them much more enticing to be picked up for the next meal. If you’re doing it at home, Chef in Disguise suggests soaking them in lemon juice and water to soften them up. Joudie Kalla in her book Baladi says to take the insides out with an apple corer and butter knife. I would combine both methods for ease.
Now let’s talk about the ingredients. The carrots are filled with a classic mehshi stuffing: short grain rice, ground beef or lamb, Arabic mixed spices, safflower petals (3sfur), ghee or vegetable oil, salt, pepper, and water. If you don’t have safflower petals, that’s fine, you can make it without (lots of people do). If you don’t have ready-made Arabic mixed spices, you can combine all spice, a bit of cinnamon, and cumin to get a similar flavor profile. The stuffed veggies are then boiled in a salted garlicky and minty water bath before cooking in the sauce.
When Khali Manal described the dish to me, she said its deliciousness really comes from the sauce. Jarred tomatoes are combined with juices from oranges, mandarins, and lemons, lending a nice fruity yet acidic profile. Balance is key: a couple tablespoons of tahini gives it earthiness, while pomegranate molasses and tamarind concentrate provide a sweet and sour element. The sauce is then thinned out with the boiling liquid of the carrots before it’s all cooked together. The gorgeous purple from the carrots give the sauce a regal quality, and the flavor is equally as decadent.
Tamarind is often times used in Syrian cooking if the pomegranate molasses is overly sweet. It’s really difficult to find excellent quality, sour pomegranate molasses. My mom brought over some tamarind concentrate when she came to visit Dubai, which can be found across supermarkets in the United States. Just about everywhere else, you can moisten dried tamarind pulp with a bit of boiled water, and discard the fibers and seeds.
I really hope you give this recipe a try! If you do, don’t forget to put it in the comments to let everyone know how it works out. I also love to see your creations! Give me a tag at @omayah.atassi and #omayahcooks on Instagram.
Jazar Mehshi (Stuffed Carrots in Tangy Tomato Sauce)
Ingredients
- 2 kg/4 lbs large purple, yellow, or orange carrots, cored
- 1.25 c short grain rice (Egyptian, Calrose, Jasmine, etc.), rinsed 4 times
- 500 g/1 lb ground beef or lamb
- 1 tbsp safflower petals (optional)
- 1/2 c water
- 1/4 c ghee or vegetable oil
- 3 tsp salt
- 2 tsp Arabic mixed spices
- 1/4 tsp black pepper
- ~2 L water
- 1 tbsp minced or smashed garlic (from about 8 cloves)
- 1 tbsp dried mint
- 1 tbsp salt
- 300 ml/10 oz jarred tomato sauce, or whole tomatoes in their can, crushed with your hand
- 3/4 c orange juice (from about 2)*
- 1/4 c mandarin juice (from about 3)*
- 3/4-1 c lemon juice (from about 6)*
- 3 tbsp pomegranate molasses*
- 3 tbsp tamarind concentrate or tamarind pulp hydrated with hot water, seeds and fibers discarded
- 2 tbsp tahini
- 2 tsp salt, plus more to taste
Instructions
- Combine the stuffing ingredients in a large bowl. It should be soft and quite moist. If it's not, add a bit more water.
- Fill the carrots with your hands, being sure not to pack them in. Tap the bottom of the carrot on the surface to allow the filling to slip to the bottom. Don't fill the last inch or so to allow the rice the expand.
- If you think certain carrots are so long that the filling isn't reaching the bottom, cut the ends off. It's ok if you end up with smaller pieces and some filling is exposed (I did this with the pieces that were larger than 4 inches or so).
- Set a large pot of boiling water and add the garlic, mint, and salt. Add the stuffed carrots and more water if necessary. Boil covered until they're about 3/4 of the way cooked and easily pierced with a fork but not super soft, about 30 minutes. Drain, reserving the boiling liquid,
- Meanwhile, mix the sauce in a large bowl. Once the carrots are finished boiling, add the liquid until you reach a viscous soup-like consistency. Adjust seasoning, the flavors should be balanced. Add more tahini for earthiness, pomegranate molasses for sweetness, or tamarind or lemon juice for acidity. Salt of course amps up the flavor.
- Return the carrots, the garlic and mint from the boiling liquid, and the sauce to the large pot. Simmer, covered, for another 15-20 minutes, or until the carrots are silky soft and have absorbed all of the delicious flavors.
- Reserve the stuffed carrots and the sauce separately so the carrots retain their texture. If serving immediately, add the carrots to a serving platter and top with a bit of sauce, serving the rest on the side. When reheating, bring the sauce up to a gentle boil, add the carrots, and simmer for a few minutes.
- Leftovers keep for 3-4 days. Add a bit of water to the sauce if needed.
Notes:
*The acidity level of these ingredients can vary widely, and so can individual palates. I offered my measurements, but these should always be added to taste.