Upside Down Maqluba Food

MAHA SARSOUR'S MAQLUBA (UPSIDE-DOWN CHICKEN AND RICE)

Steps:

• Cut the eggplant into 1/2-inch-thick half-moons. Season well with salt, and let sit 30 minutes. Place the chicken in a large pot (a 10-inch, 5-quart size is ideal), and season well with salt and 1 teaspoon black pepper, ground cumin, cloves, cardamom pods and bay leaves (ideally, do this the day before). Pour 3 cups of boiling water over the rice. Soak for 10 minutes, then drain well.
• To the chicken, add the onion wedges, 1 tablespoon salt and 4 1/2 cups of water. Bring to a boil, covered, over high heat, then turn down to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes. Drain the chicken, keeping the broth and discarding the onion and spices.
• Heat 1/2 inch of oil in a large skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering hot, then fry the carrots, in batches if necessary, turning occasionally until browned, about 4 minutes. Drain on paper towels, then season lightly with salt. Repeat with the potato, about 3 minutes per side. Repeat with the cauliflower, about 7 minutes per batch. Finally, press the eggplant with paper towel until dry, then fry the eggplant in one layer until browned, about 4 minutes per batch. Drain on paper towels, but don't season. (If the eggplant is too oily, press on it with paper towels.)
• Pour out the oil, keeping 2 1/2 tablespoons in the pan. Heat it over medium-high heat and add the vermicelli, stirring until browned, about 2 minutes. Add the drained rice and cook, stirring, to dry it out, about 4 minutes. Add 1 tablespoon salt, 1/2 teaspoon black pepper, the turmeric, cinnamon, allspice, ground cloves, Sazón and garlic, and cook, stirring, until very fragrant.
• Place the chicken back in the pot, skin side down. Place the vegetables on top, then rice. Pour in 4 cups of the chicken broth. Press down on the rice; add more broth or water if needed to bring the liquid barely to the level of the rice. Cover the pot and bring to a boil over high heat, then turn it down to medium low. After 10 minutes, carefully stir just the rice to evenly combine the harder rice on top. Repeat after another 10 minutes. After a total of 30 minutes, the rice should be cooked, but not soft, and the liquid should be absorbed.
• Place a very large serving dish on top of the pot, then, protecting your hands (and maybe with a partner), invert the pot onto the dish in one smooth motion. If there is liquid seeping out, spoon it out or soak it up with paper towels. Let the pot rest at least 5 minutes.
• Meanwhile, heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a small pan over medium-high heat until shimmering. Fry the pine nuts, stirring constantly, until browned, about 1 minute. Drain on paper towels.
• Lift off the pot to reveal the maqluba, and scatter the pine nuts all over. Serve with yogurt and chopped tomatoes, cucumbers and parsley on the side, seasoned with lemon, salt and olive oil.

MAQLUBA RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400°F (200°C).
• Slice the eggplant into 2cm thick pieces.
• On a baking tray, put a generous glug of olive oil. Take a slice of eggplant and dip it in the oil, then turning over and dipping again until well covered. Place on the baking tray and repeat for all eggplant slices. Use more olive oil if needed. Bake in the oven until brown.
• On another baking tray, place the lamb chops. Season with salt and pepper. Bake in the oven until brown.
• In a bowl, add the rice, seven spices, salt and pepper. Mix together.
• Grab a deep pot and cut out a circular piece of parchment paper to fit the bottom. Spray the bottom of the bottom with oil and place in your parchment paper.
• Add in your cooked lamb chops, followed by your cooked eggplant slices and then pour over your uncooked rice mixture.
• Add 5 cups of hot water.
• Bring to a boil, half cover with the lid and reduce to a simmer. Let cook for 20 minutes or until all the water has evaporated. Remove the lid.
• Find a large flat plate and place it on top of the pot. Holding onto the plate and pot handles, quickly lift and flip upside down.
• Lift the pot up to reveal your Maklouba and remove the parchment paper.
• Sprinkle pine nuts over and enjoy!

UPSIDE DOWN (MAQLUBA)

Steps:

• Bring to a boil the water, onion, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, garam masala, salt, and pepper in a large pot. Add the lamb; reduce the heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Separate the lamb from the liquid and set aside. Transfer the liquid to a bowl.
• While the lamb mixture simmers, heat the oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Fry the eggplant slices in the hot oil, assuring the pieces do not touch, until brown on both sides; remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. Use the same procedure to fry the zucchini and the cauliflower. Cook the broccoli in the oil until hot and remove to a paper towel-lined plate to drain.
• Layer the lamb into the bottom of the large pot. Arrange the eggplant, zucchini, broccoli, and cauliflower on top of the lamb in layers. Pour the rice over the meat and vegetables, shaking the pot gently to allow the rice to settle into the dish. Pour the reserved cooking liquid from the lamb over the mixture until it is completely covered. Add water if needed.
• Cover the pot and simmer over low heat until the rice is soft and the liquid is absorbed, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove the lid from the pot. Place a large platter over the pot and flip the pot so the dish is "upside down" on the platter. Serve with yogurt on the side.

MAQLUBA (UPSIDE-DOWN CHICKEN AND RICE)

Steps:

• Bring chicken, water, onion, garlic, cinnamon, turmeric, allspice, salt and pepper to a boil in a large pot. Skim off scum from chicken broth. Reduce heat to low and simmer 15 to 20 minutes. Remove chicken from broth and set chicken aside.
• While broth continues to simmer, heat oil in a large, deep skillet over medium heat. Fry eggplant slices in hot oil until brown on both sides; remove to a plate lined with paper towels to drain. (When cool, cut into quarters if pieces are large.) Use the same process to separately fry the carrots, potatoes and cauliflower.
• Layer potatoes on bottom of a large pot. Arrange chicken over potatoes, then eggplant, carrots and cauliflower on top of the chicken in layers. Pour uncooked rice over chicken and vegetables, shaking pot gently to allow rice to settle. Strain chicken broth and Pour over mixture until mixture is completely submerged in liquid. Add water if needed.
• Cover pot and simmer over low heat until rice is soft and all liquid is absorbed, about 20 to 30 minutes.
• Remove lid. Place a very large platter over pot and flip pot so dish is upside down on the platter. Serve with yogurt.

UPSIDE DOWN (MAQLOOBEH)

Steps:

• Place rice in a bowl and leave until grains are white, about 1/2 hr (this step is not necessary).
• Rinse rice until water is clear and then leave to drain in colander.
• Dice onion and fry until golden with first amount of oil in a medium-large size saucepan.
• Add chicken and brown.
• Add 8 cups water and mix.
• Add 1 teaspoon of mixed savoury spices and 1 teaspoon salt.
• Cook for one hour.
• While the chicken is cooking, fry pieces of cauliflower with second measurement of oil.
• Fry until golden (well-cooked) but not burnt.
• Put aside.
• When chicken is ready, sieve stock into bowl and remove the chicken pieces.
• Coat with pinches of salt and mixed spices.
• Brown under grill.
• Get a medium sized pot.
• (I recommend a non-stick one. I've tried this in my stainless steel pot however the bottom and sides get too hot so the outsides turn out burnt - so if your pot has a tendency to do the same then don't use that one!) Sprinkle a fine layer of rice on the bottom to prevent the other ingredients from sticking.
• Place chicken pieces face down in saucepan (be careful that the rice remains below the chicken).
• Place cauliflower pieces into saucepan, pressing it into the holes left by the chicken.
• Add chickpeas in the same way.
• Sprinkle 3/4 teaspoon of spices and 3/4 teaspoon of salt.
• Add rice and spread evenly.
• Carefully and slowly pour the chicken stock on top to cover rice.
• Cook on stove-top until rice is cooked.
• Quickly flip the saucepan upside down onto a large serving tray (preferably round).
• Rub and cool down top of pot with a wet cloth.
• Carefully remove the pot, trying not to let the Upside Down collapse! (Don't worry if it does, it happens even to the experts!).
• Traditionally all people eat from the one big tray, each person eating from strictly in front of him, but it can also be served onto plates at the table.
• Eat with small bowls of yoghurt.

MAALOUBA (UPSIDE-DOWN RICE)

Steps:

• For the chicken: Heat the oil with the cinnamon sticks, bay leaves, cardamom and 1 teaspoon pepper over medium heat until fragrant, about 3 minutes. Add the onion, carrot and celery; stir to combine. Add the chicken pieces, including the backbone, skin-side down and sear until the skin is golden brown. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon salt and add 7 cups water to just cover the chicken. Stir in the turmeric and allspice. Bring to a boil then reduce the heat to simmer and cook until the chicken is tender and cooked through, about 40 minutes.
• Remove the chicken to a platter and strain the stock through a fine-mesh sieve. Discard the vegetables, spices and backbone and set the stock aside.
• For the rice: Meanwhile, add the basmati and short-grain rice to a large bowl and cover with water. Stir in the turmeric and soak for 30 minutes. Strain the rice and discard the water.
• In a Dutch oven or large, heavy pot with a lid, layer the chicken pieces skin-side down, followed by a layer of fried potato slices, a layer of fried eggplant slices and a layer of cauliflower. Add the rice, letting it fall in between the vegetables and chicken. Add the 7 cups of stock until the rice is just covered.
• Bring the pot to a boil, then reduce the heat to low and cover. Continue to cook until the rice is tender and the liquid has been completely absorbed, 25 to 30 minutes. Remove from the heat and let rest with the lid on for 30 minutes.
• For the salad: Toss the cucumbers, tomatoes, lemon juice, olive oil and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a medium bowl.
• Place a large serving platter or plate over the pot and carefully flip to unmold. Garnish the maalouba with toasted pine nuts, parsley leaves and the red chile . Serve the maalouba with the side salad.