Turkish Stuffed Courgettes with Minced Lamb and Rice

• 8 medium Courgette, firm, straight if possible
• 150 g Short-grain rice
• 1 large Yellow onion
• 3 cloves Garlic
• 400 g Minced lamb
• 2 tsp Ground cumin
• 2 tsp Sweet paprika
• 700 ml Tomato passata
• 300 ml Water
• 2 tbsp Olive oil
• 2 tsp Fine sea salt
• ½ tsp Black pepper
• 1 large Lemon
• 250 g Greek yogurt

1. Trim the ends from the courgettes, then hollow them out with a small knife, leaving a sturdy shell. Finely chop the scooped-out courgette flesh and set it aside. Rinse the rice under cold water until the water runs mostly clear, then drain well.
2. Finely chop the onion and crush the garlic. In a mixing bowl, combine the minced lamb, rice, onion, garlic, chopped courgette flesh, cumin, sweet paprika, 1 tsp of the salt and the black pepper. Mix thoroughly until evenly combined.
3. Stuff the courgettes with the lamb and rice mixture, pressing it in gently but not packing it too tightly. Leave about 1 cm at the top to allow the rice to expand. Arrange the stuffed courgettes snugly in a large pot in a single layer if possible.
4. Stir the passata, water, olive oil and the remaining 1 tsp salt together, then pour it around the courgettes. Bring to a gentle simmer over medium heat, then reduce to low, cover and cook for 55 to 60 minutes. The courgettes should be tender and the rice in the filling should be cooked through.
5. Squeeze in the lemon juice, gently spooning a little sauce over the courgettes. Simmer uncovered for 5 minutes to slightly thicken the sauce, then remove from the heat and rest for 5 minutes. Serve warm with Greek yogurt alongside and extra sauce spooned over.

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