Maqluba is the national Palestinian dish, in the same way that the Mansaf is from Jordan or the Kabsah is from Saudi Arabia.
Maqluba means "flip" in Arabic. Its name could not be more accurate since it is about cooking the various ingredients, stacking them in layers and turning the pan upside down "praying" that it stays upright while maintaining the shape of a cake.
If you are regulars on social networks that contain videos - youtube, tiktok etc - and you search for Maqluba you will see that there are many videos that record the crucial moment in which an oriental cook turns the pot upside down to unmold this dish. When the operation is successfully completed, the smiles and the clapping of the congregants is guaranteed.
INGREDIENTS
- 400 grams (14 oz) of lamb meat
- 2 eggplant
- 2 purple onions (sweet) or fresh
- 2 cups of rice
- 1 teaspoon ground black pepper
- 1 teaspoon of turmeric
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon salt
- extra virgin olive oil
- clove (optional)
- Pine nuts (optional)
- Greek yogurt (optional)
There are two versions of the Maqluba: the one that uses aubergines and the one that uses cauliflower. Both can be found in the Middle East and there are staunch advocates of one or the other. I prefer the aubergine because it is a very popular vegetable in the area and because the cauliflower's Maqluba usually uses tomato sauce, which has always seemed to me a late and suspicious addition.
We must make fine cuts of lamb meat. I generally use boneless leg that I fillet to taste. I boil the meat with salt and pepper - sometimes I add a couple of cloves - until it changes color. I remove it and keep the resulting broth.
While I have put the rice in water for about fifteen minutes. This releases the starch. As a general rule in the Middle East, rice is always soaked before cooking. I strain it and reserve.
I cut the aubergines into longitudinal slices, salt them and fry them in plenty of olive oil until they are well browned. I cut the onions into small squares and also fry them in the same oil. After frying it is important to leave the slices of aubergine and onion on absorbent paper, otherwise the Maqluba would be too oily.
It's time to "assemble" the cake. Take a large saucepan and place the meat in the bottom. On it we place a layer formed first by the aubergine slices and then by the fried onion. Then I incorporate a layer with the rice on which I sprinkle the spices. With the help of a plate or simply by hand, press down so that the layers are compacted. Since we are now going to put the pan on the heat, it is important to make some incisions on the surface of the rice with a fork so that the broth that we will add next goes to the bottom and prevents the meat from burning. Another method to avoid this problem is to place the meat on the bottom and immediately add a ladle of broth.
Pour the broth resulting from cooking the lamb, just enough to cover the rice. We take to the fire and without covering let it boil. When this happens, we cover the pot and reduce the heat for about twenty minutes - or until the rice softens -. When the rice is done, remove.
Now comes the tricky part. Place a plate or bowl on top of the pan and turn it over. Let it rest for a few minutes while we give it some lateral movements to check that the cake will come out without problems. We raise the pot slowly and if everything has gone well we already have a perfect Maqluba.
The Maqluba is usually served with unsweetened Greek yogurt, topped with fried pine nuts, or served with a green or tomato salad.
I recommend it, it is a masterpiece of Arab gastronomy.