Maqluba
A comforting layered rice dish popular across the Levant, featuring chicken, fried eggplant, cauliflower, and potatoes, simmered in a spiced broth and served with yogurt and salad.
Ingredients
For the main dish
- 2 cups rice Long-grain rice is preferred.
- 1 lb chicken Cut into pieces.
- 1 medium eggplant Sliced and fried.
- 1 medium cauliflower Cut into florets.
- 2 medium potatoes Sliced and fried.
- 1 medium onion Chopped.
- 4 cups chicken broth Or water with chicken bouillon.
- 2 teaspoons cumin For seasoning.
- 1 teaspoon cinnamon For seasoning.
- 1 teaspoon salt To taste.
- 1 teaspoon black pepper To taste.
Instructions
Preparation
- Fry the eggplant and potatoes until golden brown. Set aside.
- In a pot, sauté the chopped onion until translucent.
- Add chicken pieces and brown on all sides.
- Stir in the spices (cumin, cinnamon, salt, and black pepper) and cook for a few more minutes.
Cooking
- Add the chicken broth to the pot and bring to a boil.
- Stir in the rice, then layer the fried eggplant, cauliflower, and potatoes on top.
- Cover and simmer for about 30-40 minutes, or until the rice is cooked and has absorbed the liquid.
Serving
- Let the dish rest for 10 minutes before flipping it onto a serving platter.
- Serve with cool yogurt and a fresh salad.
Notes
Maqluba is traditionally flipped out of the pot onto a serving platter to reveal the beautiful layers. You can use different vegetables according to your preference.