Baking Bread at Home
Servings
8-10
Prep Time
45min
Cook Time
75
Calories
???
What is Maqlouba?
Maqlouba is a Palestinian dish in which meat and/or vegetables are layered in the bottom of a pot and covered with rice. When the rice is cooked, the pot is flipped upside-down and removed, revealing the hidden layers of vegetables/meat.
Traditionally, all of the vegetables and meat are fried before arranging them in the pot. Frying takes a lot of time and effort and so I find myself hesitant to try any recipe that necessitates frying. although it is not the traditional method, in this recipe, the vegetables are tossed in oil and spices and baked until tender and golden brown (much less messy and probably a whole lot healthier 😉).
The recipe I'm sharing today is vegetarian, however, any vegetables and/or meat (including ground beef) can be used. I recommend including fresh tomatoes and caramelized onions, as they add some fresh sourness and sweetness that brighten up the whole dish!

The first time I made maqlouba, I was so proud of myself! I asked one of my Palestinian friends for an authentic Palestinian recipe and she gave me a recipe for maqlouba. The recipe was in Arabic, which wasn't a problem because I can read Arabic, but it was clearly written by someone who already knew all of the ins and outs of what "maqlouba" is, and I couldn't make heads or tails of it.
After a lot of googling for images and recipes written in English, I was able to get a pretty good idea of the method of cooking it and how to put it together, but I didn't manage to find any recipes with spices that seemed truly authentic. Finally I found a recipe for a shawarama spice mix, and that spice recipe seemed closest to the spices in the recipe my friend had sent me months before.
The first time I made it, I was pretty sure that the rice would stick to the bottom of the pot and not come out looking like a beautiful rice cake. My husband was pretty skeptical too and I told him that, even if it doesn't come out of the pot looking pretty, it'll still taste amazing. But it did come out! and it has every time I've made it! The trick is to make sure that the bottom of the pan has a good layer of vegetables or meat. The other, equally important trick, is to turn the pot upside down onto a plate and LEAVE IT THERE. Seriously, don't even peak! I know it's sooo hard not to just take a tiny peek, but I promise you that if you turn it over and leave it alone for 3 minutes, you'll be so glad you did when you remove the pot and see your beautiful creation.
The pot needs to be left where it is - DON'T JIGGLE IT either. As it sits there upside down, the contents of the pot slowwwwly loosen and slide down onto the plate exactly in the sape of your pot (Thank you gravity!) If you jiggle the pot, or take a peak, you risk causing some of the rice to loosen and fall before the rest of it does, causing the whole thing to colapse!

The second time I made maqlouba, I got fancy and added eggplant around the side of the pot before adding any of the rice. I encourage you to google "maqlouba" or "maqluba" for decoration inspiration and ideas for what kind of vegetables or meat to use.
Take your time and remember to breathe while you're assembling the layers in the pot. Just remember that, whether it comes out looking the way you dreamed or not, it will taste amazing! And it has a good chance of turning out beautifully if you force yourself to leave the pot alone while it's upside down.
Good luck and happy cooking!


Ingredients:
For the spices:
- 1 1/2 tsp cumin
- 1 1/2 tsp dried coriander
- 1 1/2 tsp cardamom
- 1 1/2 tsp garlic
- 1 1/2 tsp turmeric
- 1 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1 1/2 tsp pepper
- 3/4 tsp paprika
- 3/4 tsp cloves
- 3/4 tsp cinnamon
- 3/4 tsp white pepper *optional - increase the amount of black pepper if not using
For the rice:
- 1 2/3 cup long grained, rinsed until water runs clear
- 1 tsp salt
- 1/3 cup olive oil – for tossing vegetables
- 1 or 2 medium Onions, cut into 1/4 in slices (if you like caramalized onions, use 2!)
- 3 Tbsp olive oil for frying onions
- 2 medium eggplants, cut into ¼ in. slices
- 1 large head of cauliflower, cut into florets
- ½ tsp salt
- 2 large tomatoes, sliced into 1/2 in. slices
- 4 cups vegetable or chicken broth
For serving:
- ¼ cup pine nuts, toasted (garnish)
- ¼ cup cashews, toasted (garnish)
Inroduction
About this Recipe
By: John Doe
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Ingredients
- 1 package yeast
- 1.5 cups warm water
- 3 tbsp white sugar
- 1/2 tbsp salt
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 6 cups white flour (sifted)
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Nutrition
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- Protien 35%
- Carbs 76%
- Calories 12%

Step by Step Instructions
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People Who’ve Made This
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed orci risus, tempus eget odio vel, interdum rutrum augue. Fusce suscipit vulputate ipsum id pulvinar. Nunc tristique sapien a mi sagittis facilisis. Vivamus vitae lobortis massa.”
“Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Sed orci risus, tempus eget odio vel, interdum rutrum augue. Fusce suscipit vulputate ipsum id pulvinar. Nunc tristique sapien a mi sagittis facilisis. Vivamus vitae lobortis massa.”