Maqloobeh Recipes

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.

Steps:

• In a large saucepan heat the olive oil, add the onion and garlic and cook for two minutes until tender.
• Add the chicken, the mixed spices, and season with salt and pepper to taste. Cover with water and bring to a boil. Adjust the seasoning and let simmer until chicken is cooked (about 45 minutes).
• While the chicken is cooking, heat the cooking oil in a frying pan.Cut the cauliflower into medium-size pieces and the eggplant into half-inch slices. Deep-fry the vegetables until they are golden brown.
• When the chicken is done and you are finished frying the vegetables, drain the chicken stock in another saucepan and SAVE it. We will use this stock to cook the rice.
• Rearrange the chicken in the bottom of the saucepan and arrange the fried cauliflower and eggplant on top of it. Add the rice and add the chicken stock. Cover and simmer until rice is cooked.
• Remove the pan from the heat.
• When you are ready to serve, remove the cover of the saucepan and put the serving tray on top of the saucepan. Flip the saucepan upside-down. Now, you have the saucepan upside-down on top of the serving tray. Slowly lift the saucepan up. All ingredients are now on the serving tray with rice at the bottom topped by the vegetables and the chicken.
• Garnish with the chopped parsley.
• Toast the pine-nuts and peeled almonds in couple of table spoons of cooking oil until they are gold. Drain the oil and garnish the tray with the nuts and the almonds.
• Serve hot with salad and/or plain yogurt.