LIB KOOSA (LEBANESE ZUCCHINI & GARLIC DIP)

You have discovered a wonderful piece of Levantine kitchen wisdom! In Arabic, Lib means the "insides" or "hearts," and Kousa is the word for zucchini. This dish is a brilliant, zero-waste tradition where the hollowed-out centers of zucchini—often saved while preparing stuffed zucchini (mahshi)—are transformed into a deeply savory, aromatic, and addictive dip. It’s a rustic, garlicky spread that is traditionally sautéed until meltingly tender and brightened with fresh mint. Lib Koosa is a popular Arabic dip, that is traditionally made with the cores (“lib“) of zucchinis (“koosa“) that would otherwise be thrown away in the process of making stuffed zucchini. It’s a rustic, garlicky spread that is traditionally sautéed until meltingly tender and brightened with fresh mint.

Paul