Serves 6-8

Ingredients:

1.5 kg zucchini (peeled, diagonally sliced thickly)

1 large red onion (halved, sliced vertically in wings)

4-5 garlic cloves (thinly sliced) 

2 cups fresh tomato juice

1 cup cooked minced beef

2 tbsp olive oil + 1 tsp butter

Salt + pepper + allspice + cinnamon

Method:

Wash zucchini slices well under running tap water.  Rinse and drain well.  Heat a large cooking pan on high.  Add oil and butter.  Lower heat to medium.  Stir in onion until translucent.  Add seasoning then add zucchini and garlic.  Stir until fragrant.  Add minced meat and stir to combine and incorporate well.  Pour tomato juice, cover pan and lower heat to low; when mixture comes to the boil.  Allow to simmer and cook, until zucchini is done.  Remove from heat.  Leave pan covered for a while to continue stewing in its own heat.  Allow to slightly cool off, then serve with fluffed rice and a green salad aside.  

N.B.:  If interested in a baked coloured top; then insert in a preheated oven of 180-200 Celsius; upon middle rack; for ten minutes or when top is slightly browned.

*A version of this article appears in print in the 9 June, 2022 edition of Al-Ahram Weekly.