Ejjeh bi Kousa
عجة الكوسا·(ej-jeh bee koo-sah)
Subhiyya: Slow Saturday Mornings
In the villages of Lebanon, nothing goes to waste. When a grandmother spends a Friday hollowing out dozens of pale squashes for stuffed kousa, she saves every ounce of the core. The next morning, that pulp is transformed into Ejjeh—a deeply spiced, herbaceous fritter that puffs up beautifully in hot oil. It is the unpretentious, canonical taste of a slow weekend morning. You don't have to wait until you make stuffed squash to get there. By grating whole zucchini and applying one non-negotiable rule—wringing out the water until your hands ache—you can reproduce this exact Lebanese staple in your own kitchen.
Before you start
Grate and salt the squash.
Using the large holes of a box grater, grate the squash entirely. Place it into a fine-mesh strainer set over a bowl, toss with the kosher salt, and let it sit for 15 minutes to draw out the water.
Execute the crucial squeeze.
Grab handfuls of the salted squash and squeeze it as hard as you physically can over the sink. Alternatively, wrap it in a clean kitchen towel and wring it tight. You want to extract every possible drop of moisture, leaving a concentrated, dry mass of about a cup and a half of squash.
Ingredients
- Mexican grey squash or green zucchini1 lb
- kosher salt1 tsp
- scallions3 med
- flat-leaf parsley1 cup
- fresh mint leaves1/4 cup
- garlic2 large cloves
- eggs4 large
- all-purpose flour1/3 cup
- baking powder1/2 tsp
- ground cumin1/2 tsp
- Lebanese Seven Spice1/2 tsp
- black pepper1/2 tsp
- olive oil1/2 cup
- labneh1 cup
- pita bread4 large
Method
- 01
Build the flavor base.
In a large mixing bowl, toss the dry squash with the scallions, parsley, mint, and minced garlic, using a fork to distribute the herbs evenly.
- 02
Bind the batter.
In a separate bowl, whisk the eggs until light and slightly frothy, then pour them over the vegetables. Add the flour, baking powder, cumin, Seven Spice, and black pepper. Mix until you have a thick, cohesive batter, and let it rest for 5 minutes so the baking powder can activate.
- 03
Heat the oil.
Place a large cast-iron skillet or heavy-bottomed frying pan over medium-high heat. Add enough olive oil to coat the bottom by a quarter inch and wait until it is hot and shimmering.
- 04
Shallow fry to a crisp.
Drop dollops of the batter into the hot oil, pressing down gently with the back of a spoon to flatten them into 3-inch discs. Fry in batches for 2 to 3 minutes until the edges turn a lacy golden-brown, then carefully flip and fry for another 2 minutes.
- 05
Drain and serve.
Transfer the cooked fritters to a plate lined with paper towels and hit them with a tiny pinch of salt. Serve warm or at room temperature with cold labneh and torn pita bread.
Notes
Adjusting the batter.
The batter should resemble lumpy pancake mix. If it looks too thin, add another tablespoon of flour; if it is dense and doughy, whisk in an extra egg.
The spice substitution.
If you don't have a pre-blended Lebanese Seven Spice at the ready, do not skip the warming spices. Simply substitute a quarter teaspoon of ground allspice and a quarter teaspoon of ground cinnamon.
From Cook Lebanese in America.