Maqluba

• servings: 4-6
• active time: 30 minutes
• total time: 2 hours

Ingredients

2 lb chicken thighs (bone and skin choice up to you, left whole or in large chunks)

2 cups basmati rice, soaked for 30 minutes then strained (or another long grain rice)

1 eggplant, sliced into ½” thick rounds

1 russet potato, sliced into ¼” thick rounds

1 large tomato, sliced into rounds (beefsteak is great, or use multiple smaller tomatoes)

1 small yellow onion, diced

3 tbsp high heat oil (canola, avocado, etc)

1½ tbsp Muqluba seasoning (look up a blend)

1 tbsp 7 spice (look up a blend, or sub with garam masala)

¼ tsp ground turmeric

Salt and Pepper to taste (be conservative, as you don’t mix this until you eat)

¼ cup sliced almonds for final garnish

Plain yogurt for serving

Directions

Lay the eggplant slices out on a towel and sprinkle with salt. Allow the slices to sit for 5 minutes or so to draw out some water. Dab off the water droplets, then repeat with the other side. Gather the rest of the ingredients while waiting for this step and the next.

Preheat the oven to 350 F. Coat the eggplant and potato slices in a film of high heat oil, salt the potatoes, then spread them out on a baking sheet. Bake for 15-20 minutes, checking every 5 minutes or so to make sure nothing burns. Cook until they have both browned nicely. You may need to remove the eggplant slices early, and increase the time for the potatoes. Once these are finished, just set aside or store in containers if you’re doing the remaining steps later.

In a large bottom over medium-high heat, add 2 tbsp of high heat oil. Add in the chicken thighs, evenly covering the bottom. Cook until the first side is nicely browned and releases from the pan, then flip. Remove the chicken and set aside once both sides are browned, or if you fear the fond burning.

Add in the diced onion and a pinch of salt. Saute for 2-3 minutes, or until just softened. Use the moisture from the onions to scrape up the fond from the chicken. Add in the ground turmeric, black pepper, 7 spice, and another small pinch of salt. Continue to cook until the spices have bloomed and things are about to burn.

Add 5 cups of hot water to the pot and scrape up any browned bits stuck to the bottom. Add the chicken thighs, salt to taste, then cover and cook over medium-low for 20-25 minutes.

Turn off the heat and remove the chicken and set aside. Pour the broth and onions into a separate bowl for now. Season the soaked and strained basmati rice with the maqluba seasoning and stir to combine. Clean out the original pot, then add 1 tbsp of high heat oil at the bottom, leaving the heat off for now. Place the sliced tomatoes in a layer in the bottom, then layer in all the eggplant slices, then the potato slice, then the chicken thighs. Lastly, add in all of the rice and press down to make sure it’s level.

Pour in the cooking liquid from before until the chicken comes to ½” above the rice (basically the knuckle rice cooking measure). Cook uncovered over high heat until the stock comes to a boil, then reduce to a simmer over low. Cover and cook for 30 minutes, or until the rice is fully cooked and has absorbed all the liquid.

Once the rice has finished cooking, take the pot off the heat and allow it to cool for 15 minutes with the lid still on. Keep it covered until ready to serve.

Once you’re ready to serve, flip the maqluba onto a serving platter. It usually helps to have two people for this, and it’s common to make a show at the table of this process. Top with sliced almonds and serve with plain yogurt.

Notes

A meat and vegetable rice dish often served at family events across the Levant in countries like Jordan, Palestine, Iraq, and Syria. The name in Arabic translates to ‘upside-down’, which refers to the way this dish is flipped and served upside-down. The flavor is not super rich but is very nice. It’s a very flashy dish, perfect for serving larger groups of people. Other cultures have similar dishes, like Biryani, but Maqluba is known for being flipped upside down. This particular recipe has chicken as the protein, but there are many variations. Recommended to serve with plain yogurt.