Maqluba
Upside-Down Rice with Chicken and Fried Vegetables
Maqluba, whose name means "upside down" in Arabic, is one of the great Palestinian celebration dishes, built in layers inside a single pot and then flipped onto a platter so the golden fried vegetables crown the top. Chicken is simmered into a fragrant broth with cinnamon, cardamom, bay, and allspice, and that same broth cooks the spiced rice that binds fried eggplant, cauliflower, and potato into a savory tower. The dramatic flip at the table, when the pot is lifted to reveal the standing dome, is the whole point, and it is meant to be shared from the center of the table with cool yogurt and a sharp chopped salad alongside. Every family seasons its maqluba a little differently, but the warm perfume of baharat and the crisp browned vegetables are constant.
Method
Rinse the chicken and pat it dry. In a large heavy pot, warm 2 tablespoons of the frying oil over medium-high heat and brown the chicken pieces in batches until lightly golden on all sides, about 6 to 8 minutes, then return them all to the pot.
Add the quartered onion, smashed garlic, cinnamon stick, cardamom pods, bay leaves, allspice berries, peppercorns, and the broth salt. Pour in enough water to cover the chicken by about an inch, bring to a boil, and skim off the foam that rises to the surface. Lower the heat and simmer, partly covered, for 35 to 40 minutes, until the chicken is tender and cooked through.
While the chicken simmers, lay the eggplant rounds on a tray, salt them on both sides, and let them sit for at least 20 minutes to draw out moisture, then blot them dry with paper towels.
Rinse the rice in several changes of cold water until the water runs clear, then leave it to soak in fresh cold water for 30 minutes and drain well.
Heat the remaining oil in a wide skillet over medium-high heat to a depth of about 1/2 inch. Fry the eggplant, cauliflower, and potato in batches until deeply golden and just tender, 4 to 6 minutes per batch, and drain them on paper towels. Season the vegetables lightly with salt.
Lift the chicken from the pot and set it aside. Strain the broth and reserve about 5 cups, discarding the whole spices and onion. Taste the broth and adjust the salt, keeping in mind it will season the rice.
Toss the drained rice with the seven-spice, ground allspice, ground cinnamon, cumin, turmeric if using, and the rice salt until evenly coated.
Line the bottom of a clean heavy pot with a round of parchment for easy release. Lay the sliced tomato across the base if using, then arrange the chicken pieces skin side down in a single layer. Cover the chicken with the fried cauliflower, potato, and eggplant, packing them snugly, then spread the seasoned rice evenly over the top and press gently to level it.
Warm the reserved broth until steaming and pour it slowly over the rice until the liquid sits about 1 inch above the surface, adding a little hot water if needed. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat, then cover tightly, reduce the heat to low, and cook undisturbed for 30 to 35 minutes, until the rice is tender and the liquid is absorbed.
Turn off the heat and let the pot rest, still covered, for 15 minutes so the layers set. Run a knife around the edge, place a large rimmed serving platter over the pot, and with steady hands and oven mitts flip the pot and platter over together in one confident motion. Let it sit a moment, then lift the pot straight up to reveal the standing dome and peel off the parchment.
Scatter the toasted pine nuts or almonds and chopped parsley over the top and serve hot, with plain yogurt and a chopped salad on the side.
Cook’s notes
- Salting the eggplant before frying keeps it from soaking up too much oil and gives it a silkier texture.
- Frying the vegetables until they are well browned is what builds flavor and helps them hold their shape on top after the flip.
- Let the pot rest the full 15 minutes before flipping so the rice firms up and the maqluba stands tall instead of sliding.
- To fry with less oil, roast the eggplant, cauliflower, and potato on sheet pans at 425 F until golden, or air fry them in batches.
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