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Mahashais, or onion “leaves” stuffed with mincemeat.

This is a Cochini Jewish recipe adapted from Sabita Radhakrishna's new Kerala Heritage cookbook, Paachakam. The word mahashais derives from mahshi, or stuffed vegetables of which there are a grand variety distinguishing a good many North African and Middle Eastern regional cuisines. In this recipe, onion leaves are stuffed, browned lightly in coconut oil, and then stewed in a sweetened vinegar whereas other mahshis might call for the cooking of the onion leaves first before stewing—perhaps an adaptation to accommodate the rounder, juicier shallots more common in Indian cookery. For a vegetarian version, you could use a mix of pine nuts, walnuts, feta and rice in place of the lamb mince.
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Ingredients
  

  • 4-5 large onions
  • Coconut oil to shallow fry

For the stuffing:

  • 6-8 garlic cloves
  • 1 ” piece ginger
  • 1 dry red chilli
  • 1 green chilli
  • 1 generous bunch coriander leaves
  • 1/2 lb minced lamb or chicken
  • 1 tablespoon basmati or other aromatic rice
  • 1 teaspoon turmeric
  • 1 teaspoon red chilli powder
  • 1 teaspoon salt

To stew or bake:

  • ½ cup malt or fruit vinegar
  • 1 teaspoon powdered jaggery

Instructions
 

  • Clean the onions, remove the papery skin, and trim tops and bottoms. Make a vertical incision down the length of one side, cutting only through 1-2 layers. Working gently with your fingers to loosen the onion leaves, prise them off the rest of the onion. Repeat the process for one additional layer, and then for the other onions. Set the hollow onion “leaves” aside. Reserve any unused onion cores for another use.
  • Finely mince the garlic, ginger, red and green chilli and coriander leaves. Mix well with the minced meat and the remaining ingredients for the stuffing.
  • Divide the stuffing into small balls and fill the onion skins. Do not overstuff—the rice needs room to expand as it cooks.
  • Heat coconut oil in a heavy-bottomed pan and gently fry the stuffed onion skins until lightly browned. Transfer to a baking dish.
  • Mix the vinegar and jaggery together and spoon over the mahashais. Cover lightly with foil and bake in an oven preheated to 325F/170C for about 30 minutes. Baste with the vinegar liquid periodically, to allow flavors to permeate throughout.
  • Alternatively, you can stew the stuffed-fried onions in the vinegar-jaggery liquid on a stovetop on very low heat until all liquid is absorbed and taking care that the onions do not burn. It helps to baste periodically, so the vinegar flavors penetrate fully here, too.

Notes

For a vegetarian version, you could use a mix of pine nuts, walnuts, feta and rice in place of the lamb mince.